Author: Linsey Gooding

WeBS
Reservoir totals for West End and Dam End:-  55+6 young Great Crested Grebe, 22 Cormorant, 7 Little Egret, 8 Grey Heron, 9 Greylag Geese, 4 + 2 Young Mandarin, 24 Mallard, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 6 Moorhen, 5 Lapwing, 1 Common Sandpiper, 96 Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 6 Common Tern, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 3 House Martin, 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 6 Goldfinch, 1 Reed Bunting.
Whillet’s:- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Swallow, Song Thrush & Reed Warbler heard, 3 Whitethroat, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Bullfinch.

West End:- Frank & Val Sugg and Mark Dunkerley watched an Osprey catch a fish around 11:15AM; it flew towards Admirals Wood with its food. They also saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker at the Car Park and Lapwing on Pintail Bank.
West End:-  55 + 6 young Great Crested Grebe, 15 Cormorant, 3 Grey Heron, 1F Mandarin with 2 small chicks + 2 more adults, 2 Moorhen, 1 Kestrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Common Tern.
Whillet’s:- Reed Warbler & Bullfinch heard. Also 1 Slow Worm (see pic).

West End:- 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Lapwing, 30 Greylag Geese, 2 Mute Swans, 49 Great Crested Grebes + 5 young, 2 Grey Herons, 12 Cormarants, 1 Mallard, 3 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Buzzards including 2 juveniles, 1 Sand Martin.
Whillets:- 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 male Emerald Damselfly, 2 male Blue-Tailed Damselflys, 3 Brown Hawkers, 1 Emperor Dragonfly.

Dam End :- 3 Little Egrets, 2 Common Sandpipers, 6 Common Terns, 4 Herring Gulls, 65 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Lapwing, 3 Pied Wagtails, 24 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag Goose, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Green Woodpecker, 17 House Martins.

Dam End:- 1 Common Sandpiper, 38 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 5 Common Terns, 112 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Grey Herons.

Whillet’s:- First record of Golden-ringed Dragonfly at Weir Wood today.

Dam End:- 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Lapwings, 5 Common Terns, 93 Black-Headed Gulls, 4 Herring Gulls, 15 Pied Wagtails, 1 Marsh Tit.
West End:- 1 Brown Hawker Dragonfly.
Whillet’s:-  4 Mistle Thrush, 1 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, 1 Brown Hawker Dragonfly, 2 Southern Hawker Dragonfly, 1 Emperor Dragonfly, 4 Common Darters, 1 Four Spotted Chaser, 2 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 1 White-legged Damselfly.

West End:- 26 Great Crested Grebe with 4 pairs carrying at least 5 young between them, 11 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron nest still has 3 young and is a late brood, plus several Grey Herons around the reserve, 8 Mandarin, 6 Mallard, 9 Lapwing, 2 Moorhen, 4+ Common Tern, 2+ Stock Dove, Also 1 Terrapin seen.
Whillet’s:-  At last a reasonable butterfly transect check (over 40 butterflies), 1st Gatekeeper of the year, 2 fresh Comma, Red Admiral, several Large & Small Skippers & Large Whites, 18 Ringlet &  13 Meadow Brown.  Also 1 Cinnabar Caterpillar & 2 adult Brown China-mark moths. Also seen – 1 Buzzard, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Reed Bunting, 1+1Juv Goldfinch.

Dam End:- 48 Pied Wagtails, 3 Grey Wagtails, 1 Tufted Duck, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 53 Black-headed Gull, 1 Grey Heron.
West End:- 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebes with at least 4 young, 1 Teal, 5 Mandarin, 1 Lapwing, 2 Grey Herons, 11 Common Terns including 3 fledged young, 1 Moorhen.

West End:-  30 + 2 chicks (5 pairs still nesting) Great Crested Grebe,  4 Grey Heron,  4 + 3 fledged Common Terns, 1 Herring Gull flying over (mobbed by Terns), 1 Little Egret, 3 Lapwing, 2 Moorhen, 3 Mandarin, Song Thrush and Blackcap and Chiffchaff heard, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Southern Hawker dragonfly.
Whillet’s: 1M Kestrel, Moorhen pair with 2 chicks, 2 Whitethroat, 1F Reed Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Bullfinch heard, 1 Blue Tailed Damselfly.