Category: Sighting

There are very high water levels in the meadows and the study area. The stream in the meadows has topped its banks. The work party cleared channels in the birch woods to help the water pass from Legsheath Lane into the reservoir.

Pintail Bank:- 2 Snipe flushed.

WeBS by Alastair Gray and Bob Johnson
All reservoir: 14 Great Crested Grebe, 15 Cormorant, 3 Grey Heron, 30 Mallard + 1 feral hybrid, 7 Moorhen,  2 Kingfisher,  2 Pied Wagtail, 5 Blackbird, 6 Fieldfare, 31 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, 7 Chaffinch, 26 Goldfinch, 7 Long-tailed Tit.
Dam End:- 14 Common Gull, 4 Herring Gull, 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Wren, 1 Treecreeper.
West End:- 214 Greylag Geese + 1 Canada/Greylag hybrid, 1 Canada Goose, 2 Egyptian Geese, 3 Mandarin,  1m Sparrowhawk, 1 Water Rail,  1 Coot, c.700 Black-headed Gull (early morning leaving roost), 2 Stock Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 18 Blue Tit, 5 Great Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Jay flyover, 50+ Jackdaw flyover, 2 Rook.
Whillets:-  1 Buzzard, 2 Water Rail, Lesser Black-backed Gull flyover,  Mistle Thrush flyover, 1m Brambling, 3 Siskin, 1 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Yellowhammer.
Reed-bed roost count (from 14:15 to 16:15):-  153 Reed Bunting came in to roost. Also an impressive Starling count which included the following flocks entering reed-bed –  c1100 + c100 + c500 + c600 + 30 stragglers = Estimated 2330 Starlings total.  Also a female Sparrowhawk seen attacking the circling Starling flocks.

West End:- 5m+1f Pochard, 4m+3f Gadwall, 3 Little Grebes, 4 Coots, 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Canada Goose, 2 Moorhen, 1 male Sparrowhawk, 30 Mallard, 22 Fieldfares, 5 Starlings.

West End:- 5m+1f Pochard, 2m+1f Mandarin, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2 Fieldfares.

West End:- 462 Greylags, 3m+1f Pochard, 3 Coot.

West End (Car park 13:18-14:10)- 508 Greylag Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 4 Great Crested Grebe,15 Mallard, 5 Mandarin 3m+2f, 9 Pochard, 6 Tufted 2m+4f, 7 Cormorant, 2 Coot, 14 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 5 Pheasant 4m+1f, 10 Carrion Crow overflying, Around feeders: 2 Pheasant, 3 Blackbird 1m+2f, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Nuthatch, 7 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Coal Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Woodpigeon, 3 Chaffinch 1m+2f.

West End:  2 Little Grebe, 200+ Greylag Geese, 2 Egyptian Geese, 14 Mallard, 2f Wigeon, 1m+2f Gadwall, 7m+1f Pochard, 2m+4f Tufted Duck, 1 Moorhen, 2 Common Gull,    At feeders: 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit amongst the usual Blue & Great Tits.
Whillet’s:- 1 Kingfisher.

West End:- 2m Pochard, 9 Gadwall, 460 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Coots.

West End:- 1 Little Grebe, 200+ Greylag, 2 Egyptian Geese, 2m+2f Gadwall, 4m+1f Pochard, 3 Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher (all late afternoon).