Month: April 2026

Small nest box survey this morning at the west end. We have a sitting Marsh Tit on 7 eggs in one of the boxes. The other occupied boxes all have Blue and Great Tits, many with eggs and a few with young chicks.

WeirWood from a colder dawn at the dam where 4 each of Common Sands and Little-ringed Plovers were on the dam, also here 6 Common Terns and a single Arctic Tern made for good comparison at 6:30hrs. Lots of hirundines too with ca50 Swallows and a similar number of House Martins plus 3 Sand Martins. A couple of Black-headed Gulls and 2 Herring were noted but no other species. On the dam slope 3 Mistle Thrushes and a Jay plus several Blackcaps and a Garden Warbler singing in the trees. In the c/pk a Goldcrest and Coal Tit and below the dam 2 Common Whitethroats were noted. At the west end still a pair of Black-headed Gulls on the the platforms and 4 male Mandarins around but generally quiet. A couple of pairs of Great-crested Grebes indulging in weed dancing still. The heronry was very busy today, lots of coming and going. At Whillett’s a Reed Warbler was seen singing plus 3 Reed Buntings and 2 Greenfinches. No raptors today but a single Raven flew towards Ashdown.

West End:- 6 x Canada Goose, 1 x Mandarin Duck, 5 x Mallard, 3 x Common Woodpigeon, 3 x Black-headed Gull, 2 x Common Tern, 7 x Great Crested Grebe, 33 x Grey Heron, 3 x Carrion Crow, 2 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 1 x Common Reed Warbler, 3 x Barn Swallow, 1 x Willow Warbler, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Eurasian Wren

I count the whimbrel – only 3 commons and 2 LRPs.

18:50 on dam,Whimbrel still with 4 Common Sandpipers and 4 Little Ringed Plovers.

East End – Whimbrel on the dam, 3 LRPs, 3 Common Sandpipers, small numbers of Swallows and House Martins, 2 Common Terns on the aerator, 6 GCGs, Garden Warblers, Whitethroats and Blackcaps behind the dam, Mistle Thrush, Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, Grey Wagtails.

Weir Wood Reservoir – Willets:- 5 x Common Pheasant, 4 x Common Woodpigeon, 12 x Great Cormorant, 9 x Grey Heron, 3 x Common Buzzard, 2 x Common Magpie, 1 x Carrion Crow, 1 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 2 x Great Tit, 1 x Eurasian Skylark, 1 x Common Reed Warbler, 1 x Barn Swallow, 1 x Willow Warbler, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Long-tailed Tit, 4 x Eurasian Blackcap, 1 x Garden Warbler, 2 x Common Whitethroat, 1 x Mistle Thrush, 1 x Song Thrush, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 2 x European Robin, 1 x European Goldfinch

West End:- 4 x Greylag Goose, 5 x Canada Goose, 4 x Egyptian Goose, 7 x Mandarin Duck, 4 x Mallard, 1 x Common Pheasant, 6 x Stock Dove, 4 x Common Woodpigeon, 4 x Black-headed Gull, 3 x Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 x Common Tern, 8 x Great Crested Grebe, 22 x Great Cormorant, 2 x Little Egret, 23 x Grey Heron, 2 x Common Buzzard, 1 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 x Eurasian Green Woodpecker, 3 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 3 x Great Tit, 2 x Common Reed Warbler, 6 x Common Chiffchaff, 2 x Eurasian Blackcap, 4 x Garden Warbler, 1 x Goldcrest, 1 x Eurasian Nuthatch, 2 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Song Thrush, 2 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x European Robin, 2 x Dunnock

Dam end-2 Shelducks till 07:15 then flew high SE,Little Egret E over dam.
6 Common Terns,Common Sandpiper,2 LRP,10 Herring Gulls,2 Black Headed gulls.
Mistle thrush on grass slope behind dam.5 Swallows.