Category: Sighting

West End: A check of the Heronry showed some of this years young have now fledged leaving some vacated nests, unexpectedly a pair of Little Egrets were seen in breeding plumage investigating nests with copulation being witnessed, this will be a new breeding species for the reserve if they stay and nest. 15+ Grey Heron, 2M + 1F Mandarin with 5 ducklings seen. 37 GC Grebe, 8 Cormorant,  1 Coot, 4 Common Terns seen wildly mobbing an unexpected visiting flock of Gulls (40 Herring Gull, 3 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull), Stock Dove heard, 1 Swallow, 1 Pied Wagtail, Song Thrush heard, Garden Warbler singing at Car Park also Blackcap & Chiffchaff, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Jay.

Whillet’s: A family of Mandarin with 7 ducklings, 1 Moorhen, Reed Warbler & Whitethroat heard, 1M Reed Bunting.

West End: 24 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Cormorant, 19 + 1 White Leucistic Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Greylag, 2 Canada Geese, 16 Mallard, 2M + 1F Tufted Duck, 1 Red Kite flew over, 1 Coot, 4 + 1 @ Dam end Common Terns, 2 + 1 @ Dam end Swallows, 1 Marsh & 1 Coal Tit.

Dam end: 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 immature Herring Gull,  Cuckoo heard by James Ludlow, 2 Pied Wagtails,

Whillet’s: 1 Buzzard, also Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Goldfinch.

Evening visit to Dam wall: Only Pied & Grey Wagtails present.

20:15 visit to west end hide: 2 pairs of Common Terns, 1 Oystercatcher and a probable Common Sandpiper roosting on rafts, No owls seen or heard.

Whillet’s: Adult + 5 young Canada Geese – by P Holland.              Dam:  Mallard Adult with 6 young ducklings – by B Lanigan.   West End hide: 4 Common Terns at rafts, Nuthatch pair nesting – by B Johnson.

Dam End:- 3 Pied Wagtails, 5 Common Sandpipers and 1 Ringed Plover on the dam.

WeBS by Bob Johnson.

All reservoir:-  48 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 4 + 3 young Canada Geese, 2 Pied Wagtail, 5 ad + 7 chick family of Mandarin, 20 Mallard, 2M Tufted Duck, 3+ Blackcap, 3+ Chiffchaff, 7+ Garden Warbler.
Dam End:-  2 Swift, 4 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2+1J Grey Wagtail, 1 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, 1 Coot, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher (seen by B Lanigan), 2 Skylark, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Goldfinch.
West End & Whillets:- 8 Cormorant, 49 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, 1 Moorhen, 1 Lapwing, 4 Common Tern, Song Thrush, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 1 Tree Creeper, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Jay, 1 Reed Bunting.

Butterflies seen:- 3+ Orange Tip, 2+ Peacock, 1 Comma, 1 Brimstone, 3 Green-veined White.

Dam End:- 6 Common Sandpipers, Pair of Canada Geese with 3 Young, 1 Coot.
West End:- 3 Common Terns on Tern Rafts, 2 Lapwing, 1 Garden Warbler by hide.
Whillet’s:- 3+ Reed Warblers, 2 Garden Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Mandarins.Male Orange Tip butterfly.

Dam End:- 14 Swift, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Common Tern, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail.

Dam End:- 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Grey Wagtails(1 carrying food), 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Firecrest, 3 Goldcrest, 2 Reed Buntings, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 3 Swifts, 2 Kestrel, 1 Tawny Owl calling, 4 Common Terns, 4M+1F Tufted Duck.
North Bank:- 2 Bullfinch, 2 Reed Buntings, 7 Blackcap, 5 Whitethroat, 1 Skylark, 1 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush on nest, 2 Jays.

Dam End: At 9.45 2 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers and 3 Grey Wagtails.