Category: Sighting

WeBS Sightings plus some others – jointly by Bob Johnson & Alastair Gray.
All reservoir counts:-  20 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Grey Heron, 23 Mallard + 2 feral Mallard hybrids, 3 Moorhen, 3 Kingfisher, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Bullfinch.
Dam End:- 2 Mute Swan, 35 Canada Geese,  2 Buzzard, 3 Herring Gull, 19 Redwing, 1 Mistle Thrush, 24 Rook, 9 Starling.
South Bank:- 1 Woodcock.
West End:-  1 Little Grebe, 48 Cormorant, 251 Greylag Geese + 1 Canada/Greylag hybrid, 1 white Feral Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Coot, 20 flyover Lapwing, 80 Black-headed Gull (400+ flying at dusk towards the Dam End gull roost), 13 Stock Dove, 1 Marsh Tit, 2 Coal Tit,  10+ Blue Tit, 5+ Great Tit, 1 Jay, 5 Chaffinch.
Whillet’s:-  3 Teal, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Song Thrush, 150 Reed Buntings coming in to the reed-bed roost between 14:15 & 15:45.

West End: 09.29-10.22: Car Park – Shooting to the south could have had an impact on low numbers today.17 Greylag Geese, 17 Mallard, 15 Cormorant, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 19 Black-headed Gulls, 1Feral Duck, 1 Kingfisher. On or around the feeders: 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, m&f Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, Pheasant, 4 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 2 Coal Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Robin.

West End:- 34 Canada Geese flew east.
Dam End:- 21 Gadwall.

Ringing in the study area late morning (2/12) until the drizzle arrived, a wintering Chiffchaff was caught. The wing length indicated that it was a male. A number of Blue Tits were caught. They included several re-traps that were full adult birds. They were all of good weight. The heaviest weighed 12g.  Clearly winter feeding is having a positive impact on the birds. Other birds included Great Tit, Coal Tit, Treecreeper and Goldfinch.
Other sighting of note:–  another Chiffchaff and a low-flying, ‘cronking’ Raven over the study area, which was also seen in the hide car park.

A possible Short-eared Owl was seen on the ground along the Dam End of South bank yesterday (1/12/18).
A photographer reported a red-head female type Goosander at the West End (30/11/18).
West End:-  211+1 hybrid Greylag, 1 Canada Goose, 1 Coot, 33 Cormorant, 3 Common Gull, 1 Raven, 10+ Blue Tit & 5+ Great Tit on feeders with Goldfinches, Coal Tit & Nuthatch.
Whillets:-  3 Grey Heron, 5 Mallard, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher,  4 Blackbird, 6 Fieldfare, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, 10 Redwing, 2 Jay, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Bullfinch, 9 Siskin.

Dam End:- 1 Skylark flew south, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Kestrel, 8 Starlings, 2 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch, 20 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Jay, 1 Treecreeper.
West End:- 45 Lapwings flew West, 20 Gadwall, 5 Teal, 29 Mallard, 2 Pied Wagtail,10 Chaffinch, 20 Stock Dove,1 Mistle Thrush.

West End:- 20+ Black-headed Gull; 2 Blackbird; 4+ Blue Tit; Canada Goose; Chaffinch; 2 Coal Tit; 26+ Cormorant; 3 Goldfinch; 3 Great Crested Grebe; Great Spotted Woodpecker; 3+ Great Tit; 95+ Greylag Goose; Hybrid duck; Jay; Magpie; Marsh Tit; Moorhen; 2 Nuthatch; Pheasant; 2 Stock Dove; Woodpigeon.

Sightings while working on the north bank: Ring-necked Parakeet; 3 Snipe; Kingfisher.

News from The Ringers
A Blue Tit caught at Weir Wood on 22nd November already rung – was originally ringed at Minsmere in Suffolk as a juvenile on 30th August 2018.  It has travelled 173km in 84 days.  An interesting recovery for a Blue Tit.
On 25th November a Red Kite flew over the study area.

Whillets:- 172 Reed Buntings roosted between 13:45-16:00, 3 Teal, 110 Starlings flew NW, 4 Bullfinch.
West End:- 1 Little Grebe, 3 Common Gulls.
Dam End:- 77 Great Crested Grebes.