WeirWood from dawn on this damp morning. At the west end at least 19 Teal also 30 Barn Swallows and 19 House Martins. 2 Snipe were in the narrows and 2 Kingfishers appeared from there. A Buzzard was up early as was a Hobby at 7:45hrs. 10 Great-crested Grebes were present with a couple of youngsters. A few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were noted in the c/pk to lay-by area. A Common Sandpiper was on the small left hand point with 2 Stock Doves. At 7:55hrs a male Marsh Harrier flew over the heronry heading south. At the dam in the c/pk a few Chiffchaffs and a nice fresh Willow Warbler were seen. On the dam 35 Black-headed, ad’ Great Black-backed, 4 Herring and 2 Common Gulls both ad’s. More hirundines with 40 Barn Swallows and 12 House Martins plus a further 12 Great-crested Grebes. Nothing of note on the slope. Below the dam a nice Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Bullfinches. A better day than recent visits today.
Author: Linsey Gooding
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3rd September 2026 seen by Alastair Gray (via WhatsApp)
West end
17+ Teal,1 Tufted Duck,2 Mandarins,1 Sand Martin,6 Swallows,1 Common Sandpiper & a Hobby.
Whillets
Plenty of Blackcaps & Chiffchaffs plus a Single Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Bullfinches.
Butterflies1 Speckled Wood
1 Small White
9 GVW
10 Small Copper
1 Common Blue
1 Brown Hairstreak
1 Red Admiral
1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth.
1 Grass Snake -
3rd September 2026 seen by Linsey Gooding
West End:- 2 x Greylag Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 5 x Egyptian Goose, 1 x Mandarin Duck, 42 x Mallard, 6 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Common Moorhen, 2 x Eurasian Coot, 1 x Common Snipe, 1 x Common Sandpiper, 3 x Black-headed Gull, 4 x Great Crested Grebe, 8 x Great Cormorant, 1 x Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1 x Common Buzzard, 1 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 x Eurasian Hobby, 1 x Common Magpie, 23 x Eurasian Jackdaw, 2 x Carrion Crow, 26 x Barn Swallow, 2 x Western House Martin, 3 x Common Chiffchaff, 2 x Eurasian Wren, 2 x European Robin, 1 x Grey Wagtail
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Work Party – August 2026
Our work Party on 4th August was all centred around tree work. Last month we had partially cleared some wind damaged/blown down trees over at Whillet’s meadows, this was awaiting our ranger with a pole saw & chainsaw to safely complete the tree work we needed to make safe and improve habitat. This we successfully completed.
Broken branches removed of tree near reed-bed 
Just the tree stump left in the glade of Meadow 3 
Pic of North side of reed-bed after area opened up and tree branches cleared.
We then cleared many willow branches on the North & West sides that were hanging down to reedbed height and were stopping light getting into the bare mud area to encourage marsh plants. It is also the habitat for our rarer and listed Orange Foxtail grass.
Another view of the North side Willow edge which is also showing one of the huge stacks of Willow branches we removed recently within this area of the reed-bed that will be suitably used or disposed of in due course, as necessary.
Now the nesting season is over, we needed to do this work while we still had the lower water levels that provided the dry access we needed to complete this work.
View looking through the west side reedbed willow after overhang edge clearance work. The north edge is showing in the background.
We still want to retain a tree line edge around reed-bed to help protect the reeds particularly from westerly gales. But let in some light.
Our Work Party on the 11th August again made use of the continuing dry weather to fill in the potholes at the hide car park, and do further work around the Whillet’s reedbed that we started last week.
We had delivered 4 off 800kg bags of aggregate plus 8 bags of cement and with wheelbarrows and shovels and a wacker plate provided by the Rangers we got underway promptly and managed to complete the work during the morning before it got too hot!
Driving into the car park should no longer be a miss the pothole exercise and last for a while before any further work is needed.
Pic to left shows the rangers and volunteers working as a team.
the main central car park area towards the hide after completion. 
We wanted to re-cut a central ride through the reeds from the roadside viewpoint down the reeds to the north end, and a ride from the viewing platform at the east side that will join the central ride.
The reason for these rides is to allow waterfowl to gain access through the reed-bed. The rides will flood in winter and also be a habitat improvement as many species like reed edges.
The picture to the left shows the ride looking toward the North side Willows at the back where we had already both cut the reeds and collected and stacked them.
Further reed clearing and cutting including the reedbed South end side still to be completed on another day.
(See 18 & 25/8 work pics)
Taken from the viewing platform shows the ride which connects at the end with the north-south ride. On the 11th August we also started some
Willow clearance work at the South side tree line and in particular the roadside viewpoint.
The picture on right shows the right-hand side trees blocking views and light, the island hardly visible..
This picture on left shows same views towards the island after tree clearing showing the open mud areas now available for marsh plants and reeds.
Further work was carried out to clear some trees hanging further to the right that hung low over the island moat area. (see 18 & 25/8 work pics)
Picture left shows view towards island and the huge pile of tree cuttings that are stacked down below the road-side hedge.
These cuttings are not directly affecting views from the road where the public view from a higher level.
These cuttings will be dealt with in due course.
Other work, we also cleared some bramble from the hedge near the access gate into Whillet’s meadows and the nearby part of the roadside where rampant bramble was spreading out everywhere and becoming a hazard for pedestrians.
On the 18th & 25th of August we carried on cutting reedbed rides and stacking the arisings. Clearing further Willow from around the reed bed edge on the South side plus further willow cutting at meadow pond whilst low water levels allowed us good access. Pic below view from road towards island.
Picture from road showing cutting the South side ride 
Final view looking back towards the road. 
Pic is of mud to the right side of the roadside viewing
hedge now we have cleared Willow back at moat edge.
After grass cutting of Meadow 1 (Comp8) of Whillet’s meadows.. Pic on left – Meadow pond after trimming far willow tree.
Also showing how low the pond reached just before the start of some rain.
During August we also had contractors carrying out grass cutting at Whillet’s meadows, plus Pintail bank and dam end North bank meadows.
We were pleased with the results.
After grass cutting in Meadow 2 (Comp 9) of Whillet’s meadows. 
After grass cutting in Meadow3 (Comp11) east view of Whillet’s meadows 
After grass cutting in Meadow3 (Comp11) west view of Whillet’s meadows. 
After grass cutting on Pintail Bank (Comp1) of West End. (Also North bank dam end meadows were cut to same standard) -
1st September 2026 seen by Linsey Gooding
West End:- 51 x Greylag Goose, 6 x Canada Goose, 10 x Egyptian Goose, 2 x Mandarin Duck, 23 x Mallard, 1 x Stock Dove, 7 x Common Woodpigeon, 5 x Common Moorhen, 12 x Northern Lapwing, 1 x Common Snipe, 1 x Common Sandpiper, 5 x Black-headed Gull, 8 x Great Crested Grebe, 7 x Great Cormorant, 7 x Grey Heron, 1 x Common Buzzard, 1 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Eurasian Jay, 1 x Common Magpie, 28 x Eurasian Jackdaw, 12 x Rook, 1 x Carrion Crow, 7 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 2 x Great Tit, 2 x Sand Martin, 15 x Barn Swallow, 5 x Western House Martin, 5 x Common Chiffchaff, 11 x Long-tailed Tit, 1 x Goldcrest, 1 x Eurasian Nuthatch, 2 x Eurasian Treecreeper, 2 x Eurasian Wren, 3 x Eurasian Blackbird, 4 x European Robin, 3 x Dunnock, 2 x Grey Wagtail
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31st August 2026 seen by Jonathon Ross (via WhatsApp)
Goshawk and Hobby at the west end this afternoon, with Colin.
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31st August 2026 seen by Alastair Gray (via WhatsApp)
NorthBank
6 Buzzards,2 Red Kites,2 Jays,2 Bullfinch,2 Goldcrest,10 Chiffchaffs,1 Blackcap & 3 Clouded Yellow butterflies.
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31st August 2026 seen by James (via WhatsApp)
Lovely morning at the dam end: ~40 house martins ~ 20 swallows, common sand and snipe under heronry, 3 buzzards, raven, flock of 15 starling flew over, 1 jay, 1 great spotted woodpecker, 1 kingfisher, 1 nuthatch, 8 egyptions, 4 grebe, +20 mallard, 3 mandarin, 5 moorhen, 4 heron.
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30th August 2026 seen by Linsey Gooding
West End:- 18 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 19 x Egyptian Goose, 25 x Mallard, 2 x Stock Dove, 5 x Common Woodpigeon, 3 x Common Moorhen, 2 x Eurasian Coot, 1 x Northern Lapwing, 2 x Common Sandpiper, 2 x Black-headed Gull, 7 x Great Crested Grebe, 9 x Great Cormorant, 11 x Grey Heron, 2 x Common Buzzard, 1 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 x Common Kestrel, 1 x Eurasian Jay, 1 x Common Magpie, 29 x Eurasian Jackdaw, 7 x Rook, 15 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 8 x Long-tailed Tit, 1 x Eurasian Nuthatch, 1 x European Robin, 2 x Dunnock
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30th August 2026 seen by Alastair Gray (via WhatsApp) – Osprey
Osprey still at west end.
Other bits at west end included 1 Snipe,1 Common Sandpiper,48 Mallard,5 Chiffchaffs also Sedge Warbler opposite lay-by in bushes beside road.
Whillets
Distant Osprey high to the south at 9am,Hobby and immature female Goshawk and a calling Raven.
Not much in the hedges apart from 3+ Greenfinch, a Blackcap,Nuthatch and several Chiffchaffs.
Butterfly’s13 Small Copper
1 Small Heath
1 Common Blue
4 Speckled Woods
8 GVWPlus 2 Grass Snakes.