Category: Sighting

WeBS
All Reservoir:-  24 Great Crested Grebe, 24 Cormorant, 15 Grey Heron, 3 Mandarin, 14 Mallard, 7 Moorhen, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Jay.
Dam End:- 3 Mute Swan, 118 Canada Geese, 7 Egyptian Geese, 2 white farmyard geese, 1 domestic hybrid Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Greenshank flyover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 214 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Herring Gull flyover, Green Woodpecker heard, 4 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail flyover, 3 Grey Wagtail, 4 Pied Wagtail, 1 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Coal Tit, 9 Magpie flock flyover, 30 Starling flyover, 65+ Goldfinch, 2 Bullfinch. 1 Roe Deer.
West End:-  156 Greylag, 7 white feral/Greylag hybrids,  10 Lapwing flyover, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Treecreeper.
Whillet’s:- 1 Goshawk, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 1 juv Stonechat, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Reed Bunting.
Damselflies ~ 1 Azure, 12 joined pairs and 6 singles of Willow Emerald Damselflies (See pic – egg laying).  Dragonflies ~ 1 Migrant Hawker (See pic), 2 Southern Hawker, 2 Brown Hawker, 1 Ruddy Darter, 5+ joined pairs of Common Darter.
Butterflies ~ 1 Red Admiral, 3 Meadow Brown, 4 Speckled Wood, 3 Small White, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Common Blue, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Small Copper, 1 Small Heath.
Also 4 Silver Y moths.   3 Grass Snakes and 4 Fallow Deer.

Dam End:- 2 Common Sandpipers. In the bushes quite a few Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. The Whinchat was still around the far end of the dam and a Spotted Flycatcher was in the paddock.

Meadow Pond was productive.
Dragonflies ~ At least 1 Ruddy Darter, several Common Darter, 2 Brown Hawkers, 2 Southern Hawkers.
Damselflies ~ Up to 3 pairs of ovipositing Willow Emerald, 1 Emerald, 1 Blue-tailed, 2 Azure, 1 probable White Legged.
Another Willow Emerald Damselfly was seen along the river.
In Meadow 3 a new plant for the reserve was seen Small Balsam. It is related to Himalayan Balsam but is not invasive. Photos by Bob Johnson

Dam End:- 2 Common Sandpipers flew E, 3 more on dam. 1 Tufted Duck flew E, 272 Black-headed Gulls, 10 House Martin, 6 Swallow, 6 Chiffchaffs, 2 Bullfinch.
West End:- 323 Greylags, 5 Moorhen, 2 Mandarin.
Whillet’s:- 1 Whinchat, 3 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaffs, 30 Jackdaw flyovers, 1 Kestrel, 2 Bullfinch.
1 Golden-ringed Dragonfly, 6 Small Whites, 2 Common Blues, 1 Brown Argus.

Whillet’s:- ~ Butterflies:  1 Brown Hairstreak, 5 Speckled Wood, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Peacock +  late caterpillars on stinging nettles, 4 Small White, 1 Large White. Hornets nesting in a bird box.
~ Dragonflies: 2 Southern Hawker, 2 Brown Hawker, 5 pairs of Common Darters egg-laying at meadow pond, 2 Azure Damselflies.
~ Birds: Male Blackcap feeding on berries.

Weir Wood from dawn – Whillett’s:- 2 Water Rails were vying for my attention in the reed bed.
West End:- Green Sandpiper, Teal and 3 Shovellers.
Dam End:- 2 Curlew flew over (good bird here), 2 Common Sandpipers. A trio of hirundines and a Yellow Wagtail. Also Wigeon, juvenile Green Woodpecker and 2 Kingfishers.

Ringing this morning in Whillet’s saw a movement of warblers showing migration is underway for them at least. One of the first birds caught was a Lesser Whitethroat along with very bright Willow Warblers. Other species of note: two juvenile Reed Buntings, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Blue Tit.
Other observations included: juvenile Buzzard and juvenile Kestrel, both calling throughout the morning. A Common Lizard was a nice surprise.