Month: November 2025

Mid-afternoon at the west end: a great view of an adult Goshawk flying away from us in the carpark towards 100’s of disturbed Woodpigeons. It looked quite grey with plenty of white at the base of tail, and size-wise the consensus being possibly a male? Thanks Alastair for the early ‘heads up’ (literally!). The Pochard notably were looking very attractive, and AG also spotted a lone Little Grebe. Stephen, welcome to the group. If it was you who had been discussing your wish to see a Goshawk earlier, before you had to leave with your partner, what can I say!!!

West End:- 1 x Canada Goose, 39 x Greylag Goose, 2 x Egyptian Goose, 3 x Wigeon, 13 x Mallard, 14 x Pochard, 5 x Tufted Duck, 2 x Pheasant, 150+ x Woodpigeon, 1 x Moorhen, 5 x Great Crested Grebe, 2 x Black-headed Gull, 1 x Herring Gull, 5 x Cormorant, 3 x Grey Heron, 1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 x Magpie, 5 x Jackdaw, 2 x Carrion Crow, 1 x Coal Tit, 1 x Marsh Tit, 12 x Blue Tit, 4 x Great Tit, 1 x Goldcrest, 1 x Grey Wagtail, 2 x Chaffinch, 3 x Goldfinch

No sign of Goldeneye but 83 Great Crested Grebes.

WeirWood from 8:00hrs on a bright frosty morning. From the dam it was pretty quiet except for a loan Meadow Pipit on the dam. Little else of note sadly. The c/pk was a little livelier with a Redpoll, 4+ Siskins, a couple of Redwings and 2 Goldcrests. The west end produced most of the usual birds. 17 Pochard, 12 Mandarins, 12 Wigeon, also a Little Egret. On the feeders it was nice to see Long-tailed Tit joining the Marsh and Coal Tits plus others of course. The only gulls were 5 Common Gulls and a handful of Black-headed. At Whillett’s 2 Water Rail again plus 2 Reed Buntings. Back at the c/pk 2 Kingfishers were zooming around the far bank and a male Goldeneye appeared at the right end of Pintail bank, I hadn’t noticed it before. That was about it.

West End:- 15 x POchard, 12 x Wigeon, 4 x Coot & a Little Egret.

West End:- 2 x Greylag Goose, 3 x Mandarin Duck, 9 x Wigeon, 9 x Mallard, 5 x Teal, 15 x Pochard, 12 x Woodpigeon, 1 x Moorhen, 1 x Coot, 1 x Little Grebe, 12 x Great Crested Grebe, 5 x Cormorant, 1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 x Magpie, 1 x Marsh Tit, 5 x Blue Tit, 2 x Great Tit, 2 x Robin, 1 x Goldfinch

WeirWood on a bright frosty morning, -3oc at 7:15hrs. The first time in days I’ve seen something different. Several 100’s of Black-headed Gulls had amongst them 14 Common and a Little Gull 1st yr before they flew from the roost. On the dam 2 Meadow Pipits and a Grey Wagtail, on the slope a smart Green Woodpecker and Mistle Thrush. Along the north bank a Great Egret was feeding steadily with 2 Grey Herons. Below the dam a Fieldfare and 3 Redwings. At the west end 18 Pochard, 10 Wigeon and 27 Mandarins. On the feeders Coal and Marsh Tit amongst others as usual plus a Great spotted Woodpecker. At Whillett’s 3 Water Rails, 2 seen and another calling nearby. In Legsheath Lane 2 Bramblings were present by the lay-by nearest the c/pk. They were with a Yellowhammer and several Chaffinches.

Dam End:- 69 x Great Crested Grebe, 3 x Tufted Duck

Fields above North Bank:- 100+ finches in game cover fields 100 Chaffinch, 1 Brambling, 2 Yellowhammers, 8 Reed Buntings, 10 Goldfinches etc.

West End:- 21 Mandarins, 18 Pochards, 5 Wigeon, 1 Teal, 2 Coot + 2 Snipe and male Marsh Harrier.

Whillet’s Reed-bed counts from 14:50 to 16:30 – 24 Reed Bunting & 94 Starling roosted.

Also 2 Water Rail a Moorhen & Tawny Owl & Green Woodpecker heard, 400+ Wood Pigeon & 150+ Jackdaw & 8 Redwing flew over, 1 Long-Tailed Tit, 3 Crow.

East End – 52 GC Grebes, 4 Egyptian, 1 Greylag, 350 Woodpigeons, 84 BH, 2 Herring Gulls, 17 Redwings, 5 Fieldfares, 3 Siskins. I left before the Brent’s would have come through.