Category: Sighting

WeBS

It was a windy, showery day. There were a lot of gas-gun and shooting noises around the reservoir, so the results were a little disappointing.
All Reservoir:-  12 Great Crested Grebe, 14 Cormorant, 3 Grey Heron, 24 Mallard, 2 Buzzard, 5 Moorhen, 5 Goldcrest, 10 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Nuthatch, 3 Chaffinch, 7 Goldfinch, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Bullfinch.
Dam End:- 2 Canada Geese, 4 Wigeon, c 330 Black-headed Gull were seen at the roost early morning, 7 Stock Dove flyover, 3 Meadow Pipit flyover, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail, 30 Redwing, 10 Fieldfare, 33 Rook, 5 Carrion Crow.
West End:-  176 Greylag Geese, 3 white feral/Greylag hybrid and 1 Canada/Greylag hybrid Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Mandarin, 1f Tufted Duck. c 3600 Black-headed Gull flew off from the West End roost at dawn, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Fieldfare, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Treecreeper, 6+ Blue and Great Tits at feeders.
Whillet’s:-  2 Teal, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Jay.

Whillet’s:- (Between 14:45-16:15) 123 Reed Buntings and 1,480 Starlings came in to roost.
2 Water Rails squealing,1 Kingfisher.

North Bank:- 10+ Marsh Tits.
Dam End:- 14 Tufted Duck, 5 Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall.

Dam End:-  1 Buzzard, 1 Grey Wagtail,  adult +2 immature Mute Swans, Gull roost up to 15:45 –  c.850 Black-headed Gulls, a few Common and Herring Gulls were with them but fading light made reliable ID impossible.

Whillet’s:- immature male Goshawk spooking local Woodpigeons circling above northern ridge then flying of south over hide. Barn Owl hunting in meadows at dusk.
140 Reed Buntings and 2,050 Starlings roosted in reed-bed between 14:00-16:15. 2 Water Rails and 2 Tawny Owls calling.
7 Mandarins flew upriver, 1 Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Chaffinch, 2 Jay, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 5 Stock Dove, 4 Wren, 4 Magpie, 1 Bullfinch, 6 Goldfinch, 1 Fieldfare, 24 Redwing, Green Woodpecker.

Whillet’s Meadows:-  1f Stonechat, 1 Song Thrush, Raven heard, 1 Buzzard, 1 Jay.
Whillet’s Pool:- 2 Grey Heron flyover, Water Rail and Moorhen heard, 2 Tawny Owls heard at 16:30, 2+ Redwing flyover, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Sparrowhawk.
Reed-bed roost count between 14:15 ~ 16:30: 112 Reed Bunting came-in.
Also 1176 Starlings which started about 15:30 nearly all arrived in small flocks of under 75, only 4 groups were in three figures the largest being c.200. There was hardly any murmuration flight, with most doing very little circuit flying before dropping in. Starlings are very noisy in the roost with constant chattering. But when we had a late Sparrowhawk fly low over the reed-bed there was suddenly absolute silence until it had gone out of sight.

Dam End:- mid reservoir were 8 Gadwall, 3 Wigeon, 3 Teal and 1 Tufted Duck.
302 Greylag Geese + 3 white geese, 2 Grey Herons.
West End:- 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Moorhen, 3 Mandarin, 3 Common Gull, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Marsh Tit.

West End:- 6 Gadwall, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Kingfisher.
Whillet’s- 102 Reed Buntings and 505 Starlings roosted in reed-bed between 14:15-16:30. 2 Water Rails and 3 Tawny Owls heard.
7 Mandarins flew upriver at dusk, 2 Fieldfare, 45 Redwings and 1 Lesser Redpoll flew over, 1f Stonechat in meadow.

West End:- Dark-bellied juvenile Brent Goose dropped in again after feeding in fields south of reservoir with Greylags, 5 Mandarin, 5 Gadwall, 1 Kingfisher, 1153 Woodpigeons flew SW.
Whillet’s:- 1f Stonechat, 1 Siskin, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Chaffinch, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Jay, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Red Kite, 1 Kestrel, 7 Blackbird, 12 Fieldfare, 25 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Reed Buntings, 1 Water Rail heard.