Month: June 2025

Dam End:- WeirWood during a midday visit was quiet at the dam except for 50+ Swifts, 4 Barn Swallows and 6 House Martins. 8 Common Terns were about plus 6 Black-headed and an ad’ Lesser Black-backed Gull.

West End:- much as usual today with possibly a 2nd Black-headed Gull nest on the left hand platform. At 13:00hrs a male Honey Buzzard appeared again over Admirals wood for a minute or so before disappearing again. Nice clean looking bird. The Little Egrets were still about, the ad’ I saw looked superb. In front of the hide a Kingfisher landed on one of the newly erected sticks. An odd record was of a Lesser Redpoll in the c/pk showing nicely and calling as it flew off.

West End:- 36 x Greylag Goose, 3 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 7 x Mallard, 2 x Common Woodpigeon, 2 x Eurasian Coot, 4 x Black-headed Gull, 4 x Common Tern, 2 x Great Crested Grebe, 30 x Great Cormorant, 9 x Grey Heron, 1 x Common Magpie, 4 x Rook, 1 x Common Reed Warbler, 7 x Barn Swallow, 3 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Eurasian Blackcap, 1 x Song Thrush, 2 x European Robin, 1 x Pied Wagtail

Dam End:- 1 summer plumage Dunlin, 13 Pied Wags, 1 Grey wagtail on dam. male House Sparrow singing by fishing lodge, 3 Hobbies, 2 Buzzards, 9 Common Terns, 4 Black Headed gulls, 1 Great Black Backed gull, 1 Herring gull, 30+ Swifts, 2 House martins & 1 Swallow. 2 Egyptian geese with 4 goslings, female mallard + 4 young, 1 Little Egret.
West end:- still 4 sitting Common Terns, Black headed gulls with 3 chicks, looks like second pair nesting on blue raft. 2 Mute Swans,1 Swallow,1 Jay.

WeirWood from 6:00hrs, starting at the dam. Here the Little-ringed Plover was still present plus a smart Greenshank amongst the Pied and a Grey Wagtail, over the dam 20 Swifts at least plus a few House Martins. Over the water Black-headed Gull and a Common Tern, an ad’ Great Black-backed Gull flew in also. Along the north bank an early Hobby was seen at least twice as it dashed in and out of the bushes. The Greenshank flew off NE at 6:35. On the dam slope a Green Woodpecker male again and 7 Mistle Thrushes inc’ 4 juv’s. In the c/pk a smart male Bullfinch, crazy views of a handsome Jay and a Garden Warbler.

Moving on to the west end here the terns and gulls seem to be doing okay with the 3 Black-headed Gull chicks already growing fast. A pair of Kingfishers showed well on the newly erected stick in front of the viewing area and the Little Egrets were thankfully still around. To round off nicely a couple of Red Kites passed over, always a pleasure to see.

Work Party reported a Moorhen with 5 young at Whillet’s reed-bed. West End – 2 Mute Swan , 42 Greylag., 1 kingfisher on new sticks we had only just put out today near water edge in front of car park viewing area.

Dam End (PM) in rain and wind :-still 1 Little ringed Plover, 25+ Swifts 2 Swallows, 1 House Martin, 6 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail,1 Great Black Backed gull, 2 Black headed Gulls, 3 Herring gulls, 4 Common Terns.

West End (Am):- confirmed Little Egret is still on nest, when its mate flew in to feed it.

Whillets:- Meadow and Larger Skipper butterflies.

WeirWood at the dam ca7:00hrs was quiet with just 2 Stock Doves and a Jay on the top of the dam, plus plenty of Pied Wagtails inc’ youngsters on the concrete.

At the west end a Little Egret adult in smart plumage was present but not at the nest. 3 Kingfishers were present opposite the hide and a pair of Great-crested Grebe have chicks. The Black-headed Gulls have 3 chicks and the Common Terns are still sitting. Around the hide area a Marsh Tit was noted plus singing Reed Warbler, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. 2 Red Kites flew over at 7:15 plus 3 Buzzards in tow. Also of note were 3 Bullfinches around the c/pk, 2 females and a male. At 7:50 the bird of the day appeared over Admirals Wood viewed from the north bank, when a male Honey Buzzard flew over circled around for a minute or so before disappearing back towards Ashdown.