Category: Sighting

North Bank:- 4 Common Sandpipers.
Dam End:- 3 Little Egrets, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Mandarin, 26 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Swallow, 6 House Martin, 5 Swift, 120 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 Green Woodpecker, 28 Mallard, 2 Chiffchaffs.
West End:- 9 Greenfinch, 2 juv Willow Warblers, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1m Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs, 30 Black-headed Gulls, 10 Mandarin, 3 Common Tern.
Whillet’s:- 3 Greenfinch, 1 Reed Warbler, 9 Whitethroats, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1m Bullfinch, 4 Goldfinch, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker. 1 Mint Moth, 3 Brown Hawkers.

Dam End:- 1 Osprey 06:20, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 4 Little Egret, 4 Bullfinch, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Little Grebe.
West End:- 20 Lapwings. 15 Swifts.

West End afternoon visit:-  23 Lapwings, 56 + 4 young Great Crested Grebe, 4 Canada Geese, 1 Little Egret, 6 Grey Heron, 26 Cormorant, 11 Mandarin, 3+1juv Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Buzzard, 2 Stock Dove, 3 Common Tern, 21 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Starling flyovers.
Butterfly Transect Walk Whillet’s:- Highlight was a Six Spot Burnet Moth our first this summer of this day flyer, Essex Skipper was confirmed.
11 species of butterfly recorded in all but Gatekeeper (14) and Meadow Brown (11) were the only species with counts into double figures.

Evening visit West End:- 1 juvenile Common Tern, 3 Lapwings, 3 Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Little Egret, 2 Swifts, 8 Mandarin.
Whillet’s:- 8 Common Terns very high calling heading south, 3 Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldfinch, 10 Grass Snakes.

West End:- 26 Lapwings, 16 Mandarin, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Terns, 72 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Little Egrets.

West End:-  6 Common Sandpiper, 1 Terrapin.
Whillets:-  Possible Hobby.
Southern Hawker dragonfly in the first meadow, also Blue-tailed damselfly.
8+ Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Marsh Ragwort in second meadow, numerous Gatekeeper butterflies.

Dam End:-  4 Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 28 Mallard, 4 Moorhen, 92 Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Common Tern, Green Woodpecker heard, 2 Pied Wagtail, c.40 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow plus unusually what was taken to be an all-white Swallow with a black head. Unfortunately it just flew through so limited view and no chance for a photo; but was amongst the hirundine flock fleetingly and chased by a conventional coloured Swallow.
West End:-   Pair of Great Crested Grebe feeding 4 young, 10 Grey Heron, 3 Mandarin, 11 Mallard, 1f Sparrowhawk being attacked by 2 Common Terns, 2 Buzzard, 1 Moorhen, 21 Lapwing, both Stock Dove and Chiffchaff heard.
Also Brendan Lanigan from the fishery reported a Marsh Harrier flying along North bank on the 24^th July.

Southern Water has installed a row of anti-trespass devices on the top of the dam. They have movement sensors that activate warning sirens and flashing lights. Cameras automatically photograph whatever sets them off.  They are being called static drones by Southern Water. A new fence is due to be installed at the dam wall.