Friends of Weir Wood Society

Category: Sighting

  • 26th December 2017 from The Ringers

    Ringing in The Study Area:- a number of Blue Tit and Great Tit were rung along with Coal Tit,Wren, Robin and Blackbird. Of note were 3 Marsh Tits. Two were re-traps and one was a new bird. Marsh Tits appear to be doing well at Weir Wood this year. Other sightings included Sparrowhawk,3 Bullfinch and Buzzard.

  • 25th December 2017 from Alastair Gray

    Quick look back on the year – managed to add 8 species to my patch list which now stands at 134.
    1 Oystercatcher
    2 Wood Sandpiper
    3 Mediterranean Gull
    4 Sandwich Tern
    5 Sedge Warbler
    6 Spotted Flycatcher
    7 Whinchat
    8 Hawfinch

  • 21st December 2017 from Bob Stokes

    The gulls are enjoying the new raft already. Many thanks to the team who built it and to those who helped launch it this week. Photo by Bob Stokes.

    New Tern Raft 21-12-17

  • 21st December 2017 seen by Bob Johnson

    Whillet’s:- 1 Buzzard, 1 Bullfinch heard.
    Reed bed viewed from road:- 1 Water Rail seen close, after hearing alarm call there was a commotion and I think there were possibly 2 Water rails. Also 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Moorhen.
    West End from hide:- 17 Cormorant, 7 Gadwall, 5 Mandarin, 2 Teal, 24 Mallard, 1m Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Moorhen, 2 Coot, c.40 flyover Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 1 Common Gull, 1 juv Herring Gull, 12 Stock Dove in trees, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Treecreeper.
    Feeders:- The usual; including 8 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit.

  • 20th December 2017 seen by Andrew Smith

    From the hide at The West End today (14.05-14.53):- Generally quiet – 20 Black-headed Gulls, 12 Gadwall,18 Mallard, 3 Mandarin, 3 Teal, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Moorhen, 2 Coots, 9 Cormorants, 1 Kingfisher, numerous Woodpigeons. On and around the feeders:- 4 Great Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Pheasant, 1 Robin, 1 Blackbird, 1Dunnock, 1 Wren, 1f Chaffinch.

  • 20th December 2017 seen by Bob Johnson

    Went to the Dam End and walked along North Bank footpath to the Hornbean wood just beyond the picnic area. My perseverance paid off. At 14:45 I found a Hawfinch, which looked like a male, sitting at the top of an Ash tree. It was distant and the light was poor. But I had good enough views through my telescope to confirm that it was a Hawfinch.
    Also seen:
    1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, c45 Redwing.
    A quick look at the Gull roost gave 500+ Black-headed Gull, 50+ Herring Gull, 40+ Common Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull. When I left Gulls were still coming in but the light was too poor for identification and counts.

    I have attached a photo of the view from the picnic area toward our recently-cleared area on the South Bank where the new reed bed is planned.

    View of Reed Bed Site 20-12-17

  • 20th December 2017 from Alastair Gray

    North Bank:- Hawfinch reported on RBA at 3pm near Picnic Area.

  • 18th December 2017 seen by BJ and AG

    Whillet’s:- Pair of Stonechat in second meadow.
    Reed-bed roost & counts:- 271 Reed Buntings came into reed-bed between 14:15 & 16:05 with about 20 seen leaving reed-bed over same period. 1 Starling came into reedbed roost + 50 flew over. 1 Water Rail heard, 2 Kingfishers seen flying, 7 Redwing & 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker in trees, 6 Siskin flew over, 1 Buzzard flew over.

  • 18th December 2017 seen by Alastair Gray

    New record count of 271 Reed Buntings into the Reed Bed roost this evening.
    Subsequent note from the SOS:- this evenings Reed Bunting count at Weir Wood is the second or third highest count in Sussex since 1980.

  • 17th December 2017 seen by Alastair Gray

    West End:- 3 Bramblings feeding under feeders with 8 Chaffinch, 5 Lesser Redpolls and 17 Goldfinch feeding in Alders around car park, 33 Teal, 13 Gadwall, 2 Tufted Duck, 26 Mallard, 20m+2f Mandarins, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Coots, 2 Egyptian Geese, 201 Greylag Geese, 30 Lapwing, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Coal Tit, 56 Black-headed Gull, 250 Woodpigeon flew East, 2 Ravens, 1m Kestrel.