West End afternoon visit:-  23 Lapwings, 56 + 4 young Great Crested Grebe, 4 Canada Geese, 1 Little Egret, 6 Grey Heron, 26 Cormorant, 11 Mandarin, 3+1juv Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Buzzard, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Common Tern, 21 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Starling flyovers.
Butterfly Transect Walk Whillet’s:- Highlight was a Six Spot Burnet Moth our first this summer of this day flyer, Essex Skipper was confirmed.
11 species of butterfly recorded in all but Gatekeeper (14) and Meadow Brown (11) were … Read the rest

Evening visit West End:- 1 juvenile Common Tern, 3 Lapwings, 3 Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Little Egret, 2 Swifts, 8 Mandarin.
Whillet’s:- 8 Common Terns very high calling heading south, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldfinch, 10 Grass Snakes.

West End:- 26 Lapwings, 16 Mandarin, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Terns, 72 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Little Egrets.

West End:-  6 Common Sandpiper, 1 Terrapin.
Whillets:-  Possible Hobby.
Southern Hawker dragonfly in the first meadow, also Blue-tailed damselfly.
8+ Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Marsh Ragwort in second meadow, numerous Gatekeeper butterflies.

Dam End:-  4 Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 28 Mallard, 4 Moorhen, 92 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Common Tern, Green Woodpecker heard, 2 Pied Wagtail, c.40 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow plus unusually what was taken to be an all-white Swallow with a black head. Unfortunately it just flew through so limited view and no chance for a photo; but was amongst the hirundine flock fleetingly and chased by a conventional coloured Swallow.… Read the rest

Southern Water has installed a row of anti-trespass devices on the top of the dam. They have movement sensors that activate warning sirens and flashing lights. Cameras automatically photograph whatever sets them off.  They are being called static drones by Southern Water. A new fence is due to be installed at the dam wall.

This morning ringing was steady with a mix of Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat in passage through Whillet’s. Other birds of note: Goldfinch, Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Song Thrush.
Some other observations at Whillet’s:- Swallow (10), House Martin (30), Swift (1), Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Magpie, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Goldcrest, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard (3), Kingfisher (2), Goldcrest, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Tawny Owl (on first … Read the rest

West End:- 20 Lapwings, 2 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, still 4 juv Great Crested Grebes.
Dam End:- 3 Little Egrets, 8 Pied Wagtails, 72 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 5 Common Tern, 28 Mallard, 1 House Martin, 1 Swallow.

West End:- 70 Great Crested Grebes + 4 juveniles, 20 Lapwing, 10 Mandarin, 2 Moorhen, 1 Little Egret, 3 Swallows.
Whillet’s:- Yellowhammer, male Reed Bunting carrying food, 2 Buzzards, 2 Little Egret flew North, 1 Muntjac Deer, 3 Brown Hawker, 1 Emperor, 1 Common Darter, 2 White-legged Damselfly, 1 Blue-tail Damselfly, 1 adult male Common Lizard, 6 House Martins.
Butterfly Survey:- 25 Gatekeepers, 1 CLOUDED YELLOW, 8 Green-veined White, 2 Large Whites, 33 Meadow Brown, 16 Ringlets, 7 Common Blues, 2 Peacock, 1 Small Heath, 2 Essex Skippers, 1 Silver-washed Fritillary, 10 … Read the rest