Category: Sighting

Dam End:- WeirWood from 6:30 again. After some rather quiet days it was mostly as normal, 2 Little Egrets on the dam with 2 Common Sands, 2 Grey Wagtails with 3 young and many Pied Wagtails. On the aerator 14 Black-headed Gull ad’s and a Common Tern, whilst over the dam 12 Swifts and 15 House Martins. 2 more Little Egrets were along the north shore with a small group of 7 Mandarin in attendance. A Great-crested Grebe has 4 young here and in all 6 Common Terns were seen from the dam. In the c/pk a Buzzard gave fantastic views.

West end:- the Black-headed Gull chicks were almost there, 2 of them had left the platform already and the Common Tern chicks were growing fast. 2 more Little Egrets were noted bringing the total to 6. The Great-crested Grebe chicks were growing well with 2 in the narrows. I hadn’t seen a Red Kite for the last few days here, so I was pleased as usual to see 2 over the west end with a Buzzard also seen. Stock Doves were seen in the c/pk with 3 noted.

West End:- 27 x Greylag Goose, 10 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 3 x Mandarin Duck, 2 x Mallard, 2 x Stock Dove, 1 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Common Moorhen, 7 x Black-headed Gull, 12 x Common Tern, 11 x Great Crested Grebe, 29 x Great Cormorant, 1 x Little Egret, 7 x Grey Heron, 1 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Carrion Crow, 1 x Common Reed Warbler, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 1 x Eurasian Blackcap, 2 x Eurasian Wren, 5 x Common Starling, 1 x Song Thrush, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x European Robin, 1 x Dunnock, 3 x Pied Wagtail

Dam End:- 6 Little Egrets, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gulls, 10 Black Headed Gulls, 5 Herring Gulls, 7 Swifts, 7 House Martins, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Herons, Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and Whitethroats all still singing but intermittently, Silver-washed Fritillary, Large Skipper and several Ringlets behind the dam.

West End:- 22 x Greylag Goose, 9 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 3 x Mandarin Duck, 1 x Stock Dove, 4 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Eurasian Coot, 7 x Black-headed Gull, 1 x European Herring Gull, 12 x Common Tern, 14 x Great Crested Grebe, 35 x Great Cormorant, 1 x Little Egret, 4 x Grey Heron, 2 x Common Kingfisher, 1 x Common Reed Warbler, 1 x Barn Swallow, 2 x Common Chiffchaff, 2 x Eurasian Blackcap, 2 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Song Thrush, 1 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x Dunnock, 3 x Pied Wagtail

West End:- 3 Lapwings, 3 Little Egrets, 4 Mandarins, 1 Coot, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Mute Swans .
Rafts much the same apart from right raft which Terns don’t appear to be sitting anymore.
Purple Emperor Butterfly over Sallows at Reed bed.

WeirWood 6 Common Terns and 2 Common Sands at the dam. Several Swifts and a Hobby were also noted. Along the south bank a Great and 2 Little Egret, all ad’s in the bushes with juv’ Grey Herons. Several Swifts and House Martins were present but no Barn Swallows today. At the west end all was well on the platforms at present, the Black-headed Gulls look close to fledging. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were still in song around the c/pk and Reed Warblers were still busy doing their duties. Then on to Ashdown.

West End:- 62 x Greylag Goose, 32 x Canada Goose, 2 x Mute Swan, 8 x Mallard, 1 x Stock Dove, 4 x Common Woodpigeon, 1 x Common Moorhen, 2 x Eurasian Coot, 2 x Northern Lapwing, 7 x Black-headed Gull, 11 x Common Tern, 9 x Great Crested Grebe, 23 x Great Cormorant, 4 x Grey Heron, 3 x Common Buzzard, 2 x Common Magpie, 2 x Common Reed Warbler, 3 x Common Chiffchaff, 2 x Eurasian Blackcap, 1 x Eurasian Wren, 1 x Song Thrush, 2 x Eurasian Blackbird, 1 x European Robin, 1 x Dunnock, 2 x Pied Wagtail

Two views of distant Honey-buzzard(s) yesterday, one with Goshawk, viewed from NW high ground above reservoir. Also Hobby, plus Sparrowhawk carrying prey

West end:- Common Terns on back raft have 4 chicks, Mandarin with 6 tiny ducklings and 63 Greylags plus Kingfisher.
Everything else the same.

WeirWood again, from 6:10hrs. A lovely calm morning once more. Nothing of note on the dam but still 2 Little Egrets on the north shore plus this time with a Great Egret in tow, all ad’s. A few Swifts about and House Martins today with 4 birds noted. On the dam slope Green Woodpecker yet again, 2 Jays and a Buzzard. In the c/pk 2 Goldcrests, and a Whitethroat. Below the dam a pair of lovely Grey Wagtails in the overflow plus 2 more Whitethroat in the bushes. At the west end it was business as usual and to add to the variety a Red Kite flew over as did 6 surprising Crossbills, calling as the flew SW, another WeirWood year tick for me. Several Mandarins were around today but still no chicks sadly and the pair of Mute Swans remain.