Month: June 2025

WeirWood again, from 6:10hrs. A lovely calm morning once more. Nothing of note on the dam but still 2 Little Egrets on the north shore plus this time with a Great Egret in tow, all ad’s. A few Swifts about and House Martins today with 4 birds noted. On the dam slope Green Woodpecker yet again, 2 Jays and a Buzzard. In the c/pk 2 Goldcrests, and a Whitethroat. Below the dam a pair of lovely Grey Wagtails in the overflow plus 2 more Whitethroat in the bushes. At the west end it was business as usual and to add to the variety a Red Kite flew over as did 6 surprising Crossbills, calling as the flew SW, another WeirWood year tick for me. Several Mandarins were around today but still no chicks sadly and the pair of Mute Swans remain.

WeirWood from 7:00hrs was a beautiful calm morning. Swifts and Barn Swallows were out early and 2 ad’ Little Egrets were on the north shore plus 4 Hobbies in the usual area along the north bank. The Canada Geese pair have 4 youngster, whilst the Egyptian Geese have 3, female Mandarins were present but still no youngsters. On the dam groups of young Pied Wagtails were joined by 2 Greys ad’s. 5 Common Terns were noted plus 7 Herring and 4 Black-headed Gulls. At the west end it was much as usual, 2 more Little Egrets were seen under the heronry. 2 Red Kites, 4 Buzzards and a male Peregrine were about plus the Reed Warblers were still feeding young by the looks of it.

Dam end:- 13 x Greylag Goose, 59 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 6 x Egyptian Goose, 2 x Mandarin Duck, 29 x Mallard, 5 x Common Woodpigeon, 2 x Common Swift, 2 x Black-headed Gull, 22 x European Herring Gull, 2 x Great Black-backed Gull, 5 x Common Tern, 8 x Great Crested Grebe, 3 x Great Cormorant, 3 x Little Egret, 14 x Grey Heron, 4 x Common Magpie, 3 x Carrion Crow, 3 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 6 x Barn Swallow, 1 x Common Chiffchaff, 5 x Long-tailed Tit, 2 x Eurasian Blackcap, 3 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x European Robin, 2 x Grey Wagtail, 2 x Pied Wagtail, 2 x European Goldfinch

WeirWood from 6:30 at the dam where Common Sand, summer Dunlin and Redshank were present. 2 Little Egrets were on the north shore, both ad’s plus 2 Hobbies in the early morning warm sunshine. 6 Common Terns were also seen with 5 Black-headed Gulls and an ad’ Lesser Black-backed. On the fence on the dam a male Great spotted Woodpecker was feeding. 4 Barn Swallows plus the usual gathering of ca25 Swifts were at the dam, one Barn Swallow was dipping down to bathe. Below the dam Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and another Spotted Flycatcher was nice to see. At the west end all was as normal on the nesting platforms, however the sight of 2 Little Terns was highly unusual, who knows where they were supposed to be. They flew around the platforms for a couple of minutes before going towards the dam at 7:40. A few Mandarins were seen but no youngsters. In front of the hide still Reed Warblers were going about their business plus a few Swifts were noted this end too. At Whillett’s 4 Reed Warblers and 3 Reed Buntings. Back at the c/pk Marsh Tit was noted and 2 Stock Doves were about. So a much better day than the last two here.

West end:- 1 Common Sandpiper flying around rafts.
Dam end:- 3 Little Egrets, 33 Pied Wagtails, 31 Narrow bordered five spotted burnets, 1 Grass Snake.

West End:- 49 x Greylag Goose, 6 x Canada Goose, 1 x Mandarin Duck, 8 x Mallard, 2 x Stock Dove, 4 x Common Woodpigeon, 2 x Eurasian Coot, 6 x Black-headed Gull, 9 x Common Tern, 12 x Great Crested Grebe, 37 x Great Cormorant, 9 x Grey Heron, 2 x Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 x Common Reed Warbler, 5 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Eurasian Blackcap, 1 x Eurasian Nuthatch, 1 x European Robin, 1 x Pied Wagtail

Dam end:- 1 Redshank, 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Swallows collecting mud at outflow and building nest in stables first paddocks, 5 Egyptian Geese, 4 flyover Tufted Ducks, 1 Little Egret, 12 Swifts, 2 House Martins, 1 Great Black Backed Gull, Red Kite, Weasel by Waterworks, Marsh Tit, Garden Warbler, 2 Whitethroats, 1 Jay.
West End:- 2 Kingfishers, 4 Little Egrets, 4 Coots, Moorhen, 2 Mute Swans, 68 Greylags, 1 Swift, Hobby, Red Kite, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Still Black headed gulls with 3 chicks other still on eggs, both failed Terns have both sitting on eggs again, back raft had 3 chicks 1 & 2 but oddly bird with single chick is still sitting after it hatched several days ago. Also still 7 young Great Crested Grebes at West end
Blackcap, Marsh Tit,Treecreeper & Goldcrest around Car park.
Whillets:- 2 Reed Buntings, 4 Reed Warblers, 7 Whitethroats including seeing some 3+ fledgling, Jay, 7 Mandarins, 4 Grass Snakes.

WeirWood from 5:45 today, firstly at the dam end where an ad’ Little Egret was on the dam but little else there other than lots of juv’ Pied Wagtails. Over the dam plenty of Swifts with ca35 birds plus a few House Martins. Gulls inc’ several Black-headed and 4 Herring. A single Hobby flew along the north bank early on and a couple of Jays were also noted. Below the dam a Whitethroat was seen plus a Garden Warbler and Green Woodpecker. Moving on to the west end 4 Little Egrets was under the heronry but no Great Egret so far. A Common Tern was again sitting on the right platform looking like it may be on eggs. The rest of the cast were still doing their stuff. Still quite a bit of song with Blackcaps leading the way, also Goldcrest and Reed Warbler singing. A very agitated Great spotted Woodpecker was in the c/pk looking after 3 newly fledged youngsters, quite a noisy affair. At 6:40 the Great Egret flew over the heronry heading NE. A Buzzard and Red Kite flew over early on plus a couple of Stovk Doves. The Great-crested Grebes still had 4 youngsters.

Later at what had been a non productive WeirWood in the last few days an early to mid afternoon visit produced Great Egret at the west end in the heronry plus the usual cast of goodies. The terns on the 2nd from the left platform have at least one chick, another pair were on the left platform, whilst the gulls are doing well. Amazingly I had another sighting of a very pele looking male Honey Buzzard over Admirals Wood again. An ad” Little Egret was looking odd in amongst the Grey Lag Geese and no young Great-crested Grebes were seen today however. At Whillett’s a Reed Warbler and 2 Reed Buntings were noted but the best bird was a Spotted Flycatcher here today.

Willets:- 1 x European Herring Gull, 2 x Grey Heron, 1 x Common Buzzard, 1 x Peregrine Falcon, 4 x Carrion Crow, 4 x Common Reed Warbler, 1 x Western House Martin, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 3 x Eurasian Blackcap, 1 x Garden Warbler, 2 x Common Whitethroat, 4 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x European Robin, 1 x Common Reed Bunting