Author: Linsey Gooding

19:20-Still 5 Greenshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers & 2 Little ringed Plovers.
3 Swift,7 House Martins & male Goshawk over south bank,female Mandarin + 13 young.

WeirWood on a beautiful late afternoon started at the west end. Here pairs of Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls were seemingly settled, one of the gulls sitting on a nest. 14 Great-crested Grebes were present plus 2 male Mandarins. At the dam, 5 flighty Greenshanks, 3 jittery Common Sands and 2 Little-ringed Plovers on the dam. The plovers look like they’ve settled in, also mating so fingers crossed hope they breed. A Cuckoo flew over from the north bank, straight overhead, my first this year. A lovely Wood Sandpiper was on the small exposed bank on the north shoreline. Very nice bird. A few House Martins and Barn Swallows were noted over the dam and 4 Swifts were high up over the main reservoir. The last few days have been excellent, long may it last. I left at 17:30hrs.

Grey wagtail on the dam amongst the waders.

Only bits to add this afternoon was a Hobby feeding low along north bank,2 Swift’s,Kestrel,Red Kite and a small movement of 48 Herring gull & 3 LBB gull NE.
Still 2 Com Sands & 2 LRP plus Garden Warbler singing next to bins at sailing club.

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.