Month: July 2025

4 Mute Swans at west end this afternoon, at Whillet’s 3 Greenfinch and a lovely fresh Brown Hairstreak.

WeirWood again from 6:30hrs starting at a mill pond like dam. Here just 2 Common Sands and a Stock Dove on the dam. Another Common Sandpiper was along the north shore. Mid reservoir an imm’ Tufted Duck? Has got me thinking, is it one or not. An ad’ Great Black-backed Gull was present too. Generally it’s pretty quiet though. Moving to the west end on the small patch of mud opposite the hide, a Little Egret, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Stock Dove, imm’ Mandarin and imm’ Teal. It’s always nice to see Red Kite, so a single bird that flew over the west end was most welcome. Still a few young Great-crested Grebes were about plus a Kingfisher.

West End:- 2 x Mute Swan, 5 x Mandarin Duck, 13 x Mallard, 1 x Stock Dove, 3 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Northern Lapwing, 15 x Black-headed Gull, 2 x Common Tern, 13 x Great Crested Grebe, 6 x Great Cormorant, 1 x Little Egret, 3 x Grey Heron, 2 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 x Rook, 2 x Carrion Crow, 1 x Common Reed Warbler, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Eurasian Blackcap, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 2 x European Robin

WeirWood again at 6:30hrs on a beautiful morning, very light SW breeze. Still a minimum of 7 Common Sandpipers today plus an ad’ Mediterranean Gull with the 90 or so Black-headed, bit of an odd record. 3 Common Terns were also noted plus 2 half grown Great-crested Grebes with an ad’. No Little Egrets or Ringed Plover so far but among the small collection of Pied Wagtails 2 Greys were present. At the west end a single Little Egret, 3 Common Terns and 2 Kingfishers. On the small muddy area opposite the hide 3 Common Sandpipers, Stock Dove and a juv’ Black-headed Gull. 2 juv’ Mandarins were present plus 2 Teal. Little else noted however.

Jonathon Ross: 9 Common Sandpipers below heronry at west end.

Alastair Gray: Only found 5 Common Sandpipers and the Lapwing mid afternoon

Work Party: A Ringed Plover and they thought up to 11 Common Sandpipers on the mud to the road side of heronry when walking down the road circa. 9:40 Also 7 Grass Snakes seen on refugia survey around the reserve.

WeirWood from 6:30hrs on an overcast day that cleared as the morning progressed. At the dam 6 Common Sands, Ringed Plover, 2 Little Egrets, a Common Tern on the aerator with 48 Black-headed Gulls, also ad’ Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls. On the slope Mistle Thrush, 2 Jays and a showy Buzzard. In the c/pk a nice close view of Garden Warbler and a singing Goldcrest. At the west end juv’ Common Tern with 5 ad’s, another 2 Little Egrets, several juv’ Great-crested Grebes and 4 Mandarins. On the canoeist beach a distant but superbly plumaged Black-tailed Godwit was noted plus another 2 Common Sandpipers and a Mandarin on the small muddy patch opposite the hide. The 2 Mute Swans remain here and as the skies cleared 2 Red Kites flew over. The Little Egrets flew off SW at 7:25hrs. On Whillett’s 3 Reed Buntings and a Reed Warbler. Then out of nowhere a Green Sandpiper excitedly appeared flying towards the river and a Lapwing flew over.

West End:- 2 x Mute Swan, 6 x Mandarin Duck, 11 x Mallard, 1 x Tufted Duck, 4 x Stock Dove, 7 x Common Woodpigeon, 2 x Common Moorhen, 5 x Black-headed Gull, 1 x European Herring Gull, 4 x Common Tern, 8 x Great Crested Grebe, 15 x Great Cormorant, 3 x Little Egret, 4 x Grey Heron, 1 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Common Magpie, 2 x Carrion Crow, 1 x Coal Tit, 2 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 1 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x European Robin

WeirWood from 10:30hrs was gloomy but dry. Still 4 Common Sands on the dam plus Redshank and a summer Dunlin that dropped in. 2 Little Egrets were present plus around 25 Barn Swallows. The usual collection of Black-headed Gulls were still here but no large gulls, however 4 Common Terns were settled on the buoys. On the slope 2 Mistle Thrushes and a Linnet male.

At the west end it was fairly quiet, the Lapwing was still present and a juv’ Black-headed Gull was seen. 9 Common Terns were present but no youngsters. A Teal was noted with Mallards, then the rain set in. It chucked it down.

Weir Wood Reservoir – Dam end:- 5 x Greylag Goose, 59 x Canada Goose, 4 x Egyptian Goose, 6 x Mandarin Duck, 19 x Mallard, 2 x Mallard (Domestic type), 1 x Common Pheasant, 3 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Common Ringed Plover, 3 x Common Sandpiper, 105 x Black-headed Gull, 6 x European Herring Gull, 1 x Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 x Common Tern, 11 x Great Crested Grebe, 7 x Great Cormorant, 4 x Little Egret, 1 x Great White Egret, 4 x Grey Heron, 2 x Common Magpie, 2 x Carrion Crow, 1 x Common Raven, 2 x Barn Swallow, 1 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x Pied Wagtail

Dam End:- WeirWood early morning 6:30hrs onwards in flat overcast conditions. At the dam end a lovely Wood Sandpiper along the north shore, also 5 Little Egrets in various scattered areas around this end, 4 Common Sands on the dam, 104 Black-headed and just 2 Herring Gulls. 2 female Mandarin were present plus a male Teal. 25 Barn Swallows were feeding mid reservoir, 3 Common Terns were this end too. On the dam slope Green Woodpecker again and a Great spotted flew over. In the c/pk Goldcrest and still Blackcap singing.

West end:- there were 2 juv’ Black-headed Gulls noted but no juv’ Common Tern seen only 4 ad’s. A couple of Little Egret were this end too plus more Mandarins with 6 seen. 2 Kingfishers were present and in the narrows a Green Sandpiper was flying around, eventually landing on Martin’s island. Lastly a Hobby flew over the west end heading over the heronry.