Month: July 2020

West End:- 1 Green Sandpiper, 10 Mandarin, Great Crested Grebe with 4 young + 3 more GCG’s on nests, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Swallows, 2 Egyptian Geese, 8 Common Terns, 18 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Moorhen.
Whillet’s:- 1 Reed Warbler in meadow 2, male Yellowhammer singing from wires, 6 Gatekeepers.

Whillet’s saw the first movement of Willow Warblers through the meadow along with a number of other species on passage including: Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Reed Warbler.
Other sightings of note two Kingfisher, two Yellowhammer, three Reed Bunting, Sparrowhawk and, best of all, an Osprey sitting on the top of a tree near the Reed bed.   Marbled White Butterfly and a small brown lizard.

West End:- 61 Great Crested Grebe with an adult feeding a brood of 4 young, the first Grebe chicks reported this year at Weir Wood. There are several pairs nesting with birds sitting. 3 Little Egrets, 8 Mandarin, 10 Lapwing, 10 Common Tern, 8 Grey Heron, House Martin, Swallow. Greylag, Canada Geese – Cormorants and Mallard were around but not counted.
Whillet’s:-  male and 2 female/juv Reed Buntings. Brown Hawker and Emperor Dragonfly at Meadow Pond.
Butterfly survey count included: Marbled White, 4 Gatekeeper, 2 Small Copper, 1 Common Blue, 4 … Read the rest

Whillet’s:- Ringing late morning after the rain had ceased, saw the start of a movement of Blackcaps. Some of the juvenile birds were moulting their caps showing black feathering; indicating that they were males as well as early bred birds. Other birds of note included a few Whitethroats, Garden Warbler, and a surprising juvenile Stonechat.
Other observations of note included two Kingfishers, Sparrowhawk carrying prey, Raven (honking overhead), 3 Buzzards, Marbled White and Peacock Butterfly.

Dam End:- 1 Dunlin, 6 Crossbills NE over Dam, 7 Grey Wagtails including 5 fledged young, 5 Egyptian Geese, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Mute Swan, 5 Pied Wagtails, 20 Swift, 10 House Martins, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroats feeding young behind Dam, 4 Chiffchaffs, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel.
Lagoon:- 2 Tufted Duck + 6 tiny chicks.
West End:- 10 Lapwing, 61 Great Crested Grebes, 40 Black-headed Gulls.
Whillet’s:- male Yellowhammer, Reed Buntings carrying food to nest, 2 Kestrel, 3 Brown Hawker, 1 Blue-Tail Damselfly, 1 White-legged
… Read the rest

WeBS by Bob Johnson and Alastair Gray.
All Reservoir:- 39 Great Crested Grebe, 44 Mallard + 1 feral hybrid, 2 Common Buzzard, 4 Moorhen, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Common Tern, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Swallows, 3 Pied Wagtail, 4 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff,
Dam End:- 2 Little Egret, 26 Canada Geese, 2 Tufted Duck at Lagoon, 18 Black-headed Gull, 1 Greater Black-backed Gull, 6 Herring Gull, 50 Swift,  8 Sand Martin, 20 House Martin, 2 Grey Wagtail.
Butterflies:- … Read the rest