Author: Linsey Gooding

Weir Wood Reservoir – Dam end:- 150 x Canada Goose, 6 x Egyptian Goose, 1 x Mandarin Duck, 6 x Mallard, 5 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Common Moorhen, 1 x Eurasian Oystercatcher, 5 x Common Sandpiper, 1 x Green Sandpiper, 45 x Black-headed Gull, 1 x Mediterranean Gull, 2 x European Herring Gull, 1 x Great Black-backed Gull, 8 x Great Crested Grebe, 7 x Great Cormorant, 10 x Grey Heron, 1 x Eurasian Goshawk, 1 x Common Magpie, 2 x Carrion Crow, 1 x Common Raven, 10 x Barn Swallow, 3 x Western House Martin, 1 x Eurasian Wren, 3 x Eurasian Blackbird, 2 x Grey Wagtail, 1 x Pied Wagtail

West end 1430 – 7 lapwings and a common sand on the bank by the sand martin box
2 mute swans, canada and greylag along pintail
6 moorhen, 3 coots, 7 mandarin and an egyption tucked under the heronry
10 grebes in total
5 common terns – looks like the juveniles are perched on top of the rafts
The black headed fledglings are moving around the west end now
1 c. buzzard above

x1 lesser black back and x1 green sandpiper

At the Dam end from 3.45pm . 7 Common Sandpipers on the Dam.
56 Herring Gulls, 71 Blackheaded Gulls, 1 LBB, 1 GBB, 12 Swallows, 3 House Martins, 6 Swifts,
5 Commonn Buzzards, 1 Hobby over North Bank heading towards the Dam
70+ Canada Geese,7 Egyptian Geese,mixed flock of Long Tailed and Bluetits with a Willow Warbler in amongst them moving through the trees behind. On the grass at the top of the slope behind the Dam 29 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 3 Green Woodpeckers 1 Ad and 2 juvs.
Left 5.45pm.

Early morning at the dam with Nige,6 Common Sandpipers scattered around and 1 Lapwing, later a Green Sandpiper flew over the dam towards the west end.
Dam slope held a Jay,Juvenile Green Woodpecker & 12 Pied Wagtails,2 Grey Wagtails in outflow.
Only 2 Whitethroats in the bushes of note,180 Black headed gulls,21 GCG,1 LBB Gull and a female Tufted duck on water.
2 Swifts,10 Swallows over the Reservoir.

West end
3 More Common Sandpipers,6 Mandarins,2 Mute Swans,6 Moorhens,Coot and 7 Lapwings plus 4 Teal.

added by Nigel:
Can only add male Goshawk and a Marsh Tit early morning

Brief stop at west end-Still 1 Common Sandpiper,1 Lapwing,3 Teal,4 Coot & 2 Mute Sean.
Kingfisher noted.
6 Common Terns now fledged 3 small chicks still.
Also 2 Black Headed Juv’s flying around, unfortunately 3rd dead on raft.

Weekly Whillets butterfly count

2 Comma
16 Common Blue
1 Gatekeeper
21 GVW
2 Holly Blue
27 Meadow Brown
3 Painted Lady
1 Peacock
3 Small Copper
8 Small Heath
1 Speckled Wood

3 Grass Snakes
Birds
2 Raven,3 Buzzard,1 Goshawk,1 Reed Warbler,1 Greenfinch,15 Goldfinches & Bullfinch.

West End:- 47 x Greylag Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 13 x Egyptian Goose, 2 x Mandarin Duck, 18 x Mallard, 2 x Stock Dove, 3 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Common Moorhen, 5 x Eurasian Coot, 1 x Common Sandpiper, 33 x Black-headed Gull, 12 x Common Tern, 7 x Great Crested Grebe, 11 x Great Cormorant, 7 x Grey Heron, 1 x Common Buzzard, 2 x Common Kingfisher, 2 x Common Magpie, 1 x Eurasian Jackdaw, 2 x Barn Swallow, 1 x Eurasian Nuthatch, 1 x Grey Wagtail

WeirWood again at dawn. A lovely still day at the west end where the water was like a mill pond. The activity on the nesting platforms inc’ some smaller chicks still as well as some near fledging. An encouraging sign. On Pintail bank 2 Lapwings and 2 Mute Swans. Whilst the 12 Great-crested Grebes inc’ a half grown youngster. 5 Mandarins and 2 Teal were also seen. At Whillett’s a Sedge Warbler was in the undergrowth just over the hedge, also a Reed Warbler and 2 Reed Buntings. At the dam fewer gulls than recent days, about 50 Black-headed and 5 juv’ and 6 ad’ Herring Gulls. 6 Great-crested Grebes, 5 Common Sands scattered about and a Greenshank along the north shore. On the dam slope 11 Pied Wagtails, 2 Stock Doves, juv’ Green Woodpecker, Collared Dove and ad’ Common Gull. In the c/pk Goldcrest and a Raven over calling. Below the dam Whitethroat, 2 Jays and 4 Chiffchaffs. A very pleasant couple of hours spent.

WeirWood late morning to early afternoon dam end 2 Common Gulls 1st year and ad’, on the dam with ca110 Black-headed and 33 Herring Gulls. 2 Common Terns juv’s and a Black Tern juv’ on the north shore then flying about plus 4 Common Sands around. A Green Sandpiper was also noted flying down the reservoir on the slope Green Woodpecker juv’ and a Mistle Thrush. Below the dam a nice Lesser Whitethroat.

0730 westend
1 common sand, 2 lapwing, 2 swan, 8 mandarin some with young, 4 teal, 3 coot, 3 moorhen, 6 mallard some with young, 6 GCG, 8 c terns, only 1 BH gull away from the raft this morning, chicks still on the raft but no one minding them.

West End:- 43 x Greylag Goose, 23 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 2 x Egyptian Goose, 5 x Mandarin Duck, 11 x Mallard, 2 x Stock Dove, 6 x Common Woodpigeon, 3 x Common Moorhen, 4 x Eurasian Coot, 2 x Northern Lapwing, 1 x Common Sandpiper, 5 x Black-headed Gull, 1 x Lesser Black-backed Gull, 9 x Common Tern, 10 x Great Crested Grebe, 12 x Great Cormorant, 7 x Grey Heron, 1 x Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1 x Common Magpie, 1 x Carrion Crow, 2 x Eurasian Blue Tit, 3 x Barn Swallow, 3 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Eurasian Nuthatch, 1 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x European Robin