West End (Late morning visit):- 6 Common Terns. Seem to be nesting on two separate rafts. Reed Warbler singing in the sallow on the edge. The pair of Black Headed Gull, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mallard. No Little Egrets. No raptors. Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Song Thrush and Blackbird all happily singing away.
Month: May 2025
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21st May 2025 seen by Alastair Gray (via WhatsApp)
Dam End (afternoon):- 9 Hobbies, 2 Swifts, 3 Swallows, 10 Herring Gulls, 1 Little Egret, 1 Egyptian Goose.
West end:- 2 Little Egrets still on nest deep in middle of Heronry, Black Headed gulls still on eggs, 4 Common Terns sitting 8 birds in total, 3 Coots, 13 Mandarins 1 female with 4 ducklings, Reed warbler still singing, Kingfisher heard, 17 Great Crested Grebes. -
21st May 2025 seen by Nigel Driver (via WhatsApp) – Osprey
Dam End:- WeirWood early morning with light rain and a very light breeze. First of all 6 Common Terns, 12 variously aged Herring Gulls, a male Grey Wagtail, Little-ringed Plover and 2 Common Sands. On the dam slope a male Green Woodpecker plus 2 Jays. As the rain eased a very early Hobby appeared along the north bank. At 6:14 an Osprey showed up from the west end being harassed by the gulls and then made its way along the north bank, then returning to the west end much to the annoyance of the gulls. Superb bird appearing to be an adult. At 6:30 a beautiful ad’ Little Gull dropped in, landing on the aerator for a few minutes before heading off north east. So far no sign of the Red-footed Falcon in the now pleasant conditions. A bit early. By the fishing lodge a Garden Warbler was in song with 2 Blackcaps, nice comparison. A couple of pairs of Great-crested Grebes were indulging in weed dancing and at least 14 Mandarin were noted. Then whilst waiting for something to happen a male Great spotted Woodpecker fed in the tree right next to me giving crazy views down to a few feet! Best of today’s birds turned up at 7:13 when 3 Spoonbills flew south west over the dam and carried on going disappearing over the west end. Not a bad morning.
West end:- it was very much status quo, Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls nesting, Reed Warbler in front of the hide singing and a Little Egret. On Whillett’s a Water Rail and 2 more Reed Warblers plus 2 smart male Reed Buntings. A Red Kite flew over the pool and a male Sparrowhawk was present dashing through the trees. I left at 8:00hrs.
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20th May 2025 seen by Work Party
At West End: pair of Black-headed Gull & up to 4 pairs of Common Terns nesting on rafts. Little Egret pair are in heronry.
2 Lesser Black Back Gull, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Reed Warbler singing near car park, 2 Garden Warbler. 3 Speckled Wood & 1 Common blue butterflies were seen. Also 1 Hairy Dragonfly.
At Whillet’s: Green Woodpecker & 1 male Reed Bunting.
Butterflies – 2m Orange Tip, 1 Small Copper. 1 Common Carpet moth.
Dragonflies: A nice sighting was a Red-eyed Damselfly at meadow pond, a species last seen in 2022 at the pond, also at pond both Azure (c.100) & Large Red (c.20) damselflies plus 1 Blue-tailed damsel at pond and 5+ noted whilst working on North bank meadows.
1 Hairy Dragonfly & 10+ Beautiful Demoiselle at pond. 1 Downy Emerald Damselfly seen by the river.
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19th May 2025 seen by Alastair Gray (via WhatsApp)
West end:- adult male Peregrine over west end, Kestrel, 2 Little Egrets deep in Heronry, 1 Coot, 1 Swallow, Reed Warbler singing in front of hide, Black headed gulls still nesting on rafts with 3 or 4 pairs of Common Terns. 6 Great crested grebes.
Whillets:-
- 2 singing male Reed Buntings, several Reed Warblers and 2 Water rail chasing each other all at Reed bed. 3 Whitethroats, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Bullfinch.
- Butterfly’s: -1 Small Copper, 1 Painted Lady, 2 Peacock, 4 Orange Tips, 2 Green veined Whites, 1 Speckled Wood & 2 Burnett Campion.
- reptiles:- 3 Grass Snakes
- Dragonfly’s:- 2 Downy Emeralds, 1 Hairy Dragonfly, 19 Beautiful Demoiselles, 1 Common Blue Damselfly, 1 Blue tailed Damselfly, 20 Large Red Damselfly, 100 Azure Damselfly’s.
Dam end: -10 Hobbies, female Sparrowhawk carrying food, 10 Swifts, 3 Swallows, 5 House Martins, 1 Mandarin, 1 Egyptian goose, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Great Black Backed Gull, 7 Black headed Gull, 7 Herring Gull, 4 Common Terns.
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18th May 2025 seen by Jonathon Ross (via WhatsApp)
West End (evening):- Still 3 Little Egrets in the heronry, 1 Lapwing on Pintail, 12 Mandarins, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Common Terns, 1 Black Headed Gull on the nest, still a Reed Warbler singing in front of the car park.
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18th May 2025 seen by Bob Johnson (via WhatApp)
Dam end:- A bar-headedxBarnacle goose (hybrid) with Canada Geese and at least 3 Hobbies but no sign of RFF, 1 Little Ringed Plover on dam wall.
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18th May 2025 seen by Linsey Gooding
West End:- 1 x Greylag Goose, 2 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mallard, 3 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Eurasian Coot, 8 x Common Tern, 7 x Great Crested Grebe, 37 x Great Cormorant, 2 x Little Egret, 9 x Grey Heron, 2 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Eurasian Hobby, 2 x Common Reed Warbler, 2 x Barn Swallow, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 3 x Eurasian Blackcap, 1 x Song Thrush, 1 x Dunnock
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18th May 2025 seen by Nigel Driver (via WhatsApp) – Osprey
WeirWood in a cold northerly wind produced a lot of the normal species with Little-ringed Plover male on the dam, with a Common Sand. Several Common Terns, maybe 6. A single ad Great Black-backed, Black-headed and Herring Gull plus a 2nd year bird, a Common Buzzard, several Swifts and juvenile Pied Wagtails were out of the nest, still being fed. At 8:41 an Osprey appeared mid reservoir for a few minutes before coming over the dam and disappearing over the north bank. A few Barn Swallows were hanging out at the dam and a male Grey Wagtail made up the numbers. The first 2 Hobbies appeared at 8:54 the Red-footed Falcon a few minutes later, sadly briefly, possibly due to trespassing birders in the meadows. 4 Hobbies at least were noted, ranging widely. A Garden Warbler was on the c/pk woods. Now off to Hampshire.
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17th May 2025 seen by Alastair Gray (via WhatsAPP) – Osprey
Dam End:- Red Footed Falcon briefly early on but not seen since, 6 Hobbies, Osprey, Red Kite, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Lapwing, 10 Swift, 5 Swallow, 4 House Martin, pair of Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptians + 3 Goslings, Mallard + 3 Young, 1Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Great Black Backed gull, 2 Herring gull, 1 Black Headed Gull,6 Common Terns, 64 Canada Geese, 4 Greylags, 1 Mandarin.