Category: Sighting

West End:- 3 Black headed Gulls sitting on the rafts.

WeirWood was decidedly quiet yesterday at lunchtime, so an early visit this morning was undertaken. At the dam 2 Blackcaps in song plus several Chiffchaffs around. On the grassy slope Mistle Thrush and Green Woodpecker. The water was quiet with just a male Mandarin and 5 Grey Lag Geese. At the west end 6 more male Mandarins, Kingfisher, 4 Swallows, just a single Little Egret and a Red Kite out early. On the feeders the usual Marsh Tit. A Great spotted Woodpecker was drumming in the c/pk plus a single Redpoll was noted. At Whillett’s a Water Rail again was showing plus Reed Bunting male and another Blackcap, whilst at the pumpkin field still at least 2 Yellowhammers and a Linnet were present with the few Chaffinches. Along the north bank another year tick was added with House Martin flying over plus a few noisy Nuthatches in the area. Another Marsh Tit was noted as was another Blackcap to round off.

West End:- 4 Shoveler (2 pairs), 4 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 4 Mandarin, 18 Canada Goose, Swallow, Red Kite, Marsh Tit.

Whillet’s:- 1 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs, Jay, Green Woodpecker heard, male Reed Bunting,

Tins:- 2 Grass Snakes, 6 Common Toads, 1 Common Shrew.

Butterflies:- 1 Brimstone, 1 Comma, 2 Peacocks 1 Small Tortoishell

As there wasn’t much at the west end this morning just a Pair of Gadwall,8 GC Grebes and a Kingfisher,I watched from the bottom corner of the stubble field by lay-by.
2 pairs of House Sparrows nesting in right side of school roof,pair of Linnets,1 Yellowhammer, 1 Reed Bunting,2 Chaffinch and a Goldfinch flew over stubble field.
2 Pied Wagtails in field,2 Chiffchaffs singing a Little egret flew towards Heronry and 4 Buzzards up on thermals.

Red Kite and a Swallow through too

heronry survey confirmed 41 proven active nests with birds seen. Noted so far were 12 nests with (16) young. On the Cormorant side there is an increase to now 23 active nests with birds seen, including 6 nests along North bank Willows and 2 heron nests now taken over by Cormorants. Only 1 Cormorant nest has confirmed young noted so far.

WeirWood from a breezy dam at dawn, a lovely looking male Yellow Wagtail on the top of the dam with 3 Meadow Pipits all flying off towards the pumping station at 7:10 due to disturbance. Also of note were 3 Swallows early on over the reservoir and the Great Egret along the north bank but sadly little else.

At the west end lone Teal and Tufted Duck were noted but it was unusually quiet bird wise. However a Redwing was noted in the c/pk and Marsh Tit again on the feeders, also Great spotted Woodpecker. The heronry was very busy and quite noisy, many hungry chicks no doubt.

On Whillett’s a Water Rail and 2 Reed Buntings were seen plus a single Little Egret.

Dam End:- A singing Blackcap near the sailing club car park, otherwise very quiet at the end.

West End (PM):- with Bob J. 2 Swallows low over the car park, pairs of Egyptian Goose, Gadwall and Mandarin, singles of Teal, Tufted Duck, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 7 GC Grebe, 2 LBB Gull, 5 Buzzard and lots of activity in the heronry.

West End (PM):- in a cold wind, 2 Swallows and 1 Sand Martin north, 2 Red Kites and 31 Black- headed gulls west.
3 Mandarins around.

West End (Late PM):- not much to add apart from, female Brambling below the feeders, pairs of Gadwall and Egyptian Geese.