09.00-10.30
from C3with circuit of Fir Tree and back

1 Raven- C3
2 Swift - last for the year? local breeders moved on with last weeks rain
2 Kestrel
small groups of Long-tailed Tit and Goldfinch
plus usuals

Just C6 and C4 this morning, 06 00 to 08 00

Plenty of warbler activity with sedge and reed warbler vocal in the reeds, a couple of whitethroats and a single blackcap
WIllow warbler and chiffchaff also
4 reed bunting
1 snipe, new water
1 raven around new water
Robin with 2 juvs
Family parties of blue and great tits
2 pied wagtail both juveniles
1 kestrel
2 buzzards soaring over C4
Plenty meadow pipit and a couple of skylark

Star bird this morning was a treecreeper, cant remember ever seeing one on this site before, was near the entrance to the island

1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling (C8)only addition to Scott's post

Very quiet this morning, highlights being,

1 Great spotted woodpecker
Good views of sedge warbler in C4
2 squabbling jays C6
1 female sparrowhawk, fir tree flash

Plus all usuals

evening dog walk
marsh harrier flew over heading towards Heron lodge farm @18-35, plenty of long tailed tit, blue and great tit, goldfinch, kestrel, mistle thrush, blackbird, magpie, jay x5, lesser black backed gulls x6, carrion crow, wood pigeon,wren,robin, dunnock, reed bunting, meadow pipit.tufted duck,coot,black headed gulls,great crested grebe,moorhen, mute swan.
highlights from morning walk raven over C8, reed warbler,

morning dog walk pretty quiet
C9 2 great crested grebe, coot, mallard,3 moorhen, tufted duck, black headed gull, lesser black backed gull, long tailed, great and blue tits, blackbird, robin including juvs, dunnock, wood pigeon,jay, magpie, carrion crow,
C8 no skylark seen today, meadow pipit, reed bunting, 1 greenfinch with 3 redpoll perched in hawthorn bush, kestrel being mobbed by 20+ goldfinch.

2 walks morning and early evening but very little to add to Scotts sightings. 3 buzzard over scrapyards, 4 jay, also saw a willow tit near stock pond, good numbers goldfinch and long tailed tit.

Fir tree flash and C6. 07 00 till 09 00

3 great crested grebe
2 little grebe
Coot and moorhen
2 swan
5 house sparrow
lots of goldfinches
Plenty of tits about and also 1 willow tit
4 common whitethroat including 2 juvenliles
Robin with juvenile aswell
1 blackcap
Could hear sedge and reed warblers in the reeds
2 kestrel
A couple of swift over

06 00 to 08 00

Pretty quiet this morning, highlights being,

7 grey partridge flushed from C8
3 linnet C8
water rail, C4 new water, called several times and managed a brief glimpse
2 yellowhammer C4, seen yellowhammer the last three times ive been out lets hope they stay

Plus all usual suspects

morning dog walk
pretty sure a hobby was hunting this morning @ 9-25, only got a quick glimpse at distance and didn't get chance to get bins on it before it flew over the rucks, there were about a dozen swift buzzing around but this particular bird looked much bigger than them.
4 yellowhammer in a horse chestnut tree above Diggle flash, 2 stock dove picking up grit on new road, 3 buzzard quite distant, 1 kestrel hunting plus usuals.

morning dog walk
C9 1 mute swan ( only seen a single for last 3 days) 18 tufted duck, 26 coot, 11 mallard, 3 little grebe 1f + 2 juv, 29 black headed gull, 3 lesser black backed gull, 1 song thrush ( also seen in same area yesterday evening with a mouthful of worms) 3 mistle thrush, great and blue tit, goldfinch, small flock of 7 linnet, blackbird, robin + juvs, dunnock, wren, Whitethroat with i think 4 juvs, willow warbler, 1 willow tit, reed warbler.
C8 pheasant, 2 skylark, reed bunting, meadow pipit, wood pigeon, carrion crow, magpie, jay, sedge warbler,

About a hundred Swallows present at Tinker Joe's at dusk tonight, but none seen to enter reeds. Grasshopper Warbler in full song from 2140 hrs. onwards.

Only a brief visit before work,

Water rail calling from fir tree flash reeds, unable to locate
Several sedge and reed warblers vocal around the reeds in C6/C4
Lots of reed bunting around the same area also
Lots of juveniles around robins, tits, couple of whitethroats
2 Blackcap
1 grasshopper warbler
Swift and swallow
1 kestrel

20.45 New Water

750+ Black-headed Gull
15 Lapwing

not much to add to Scott's sightings other than 4 Grey Partridge (C4), Great Spotted Woodpecker (C11), usuals on DF, still got to catch up with Kingfisher,swear they hide from me .

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 20th of July 2014 02:01:39 PM

Just fir tree flash this morning and C6

Kingfisher seen again this morning, managed to get close without spooking it, times like these i wish i had a camera.
1 little grebe
4 Great crested grebe
Coot and moorhen
5 Canada geese
1 Swan
1 great spotted woodpecker (on the island)
1 jay
Skylark and meadow pipit
2 common whitethroat and 1 juv
1 blackcap
Small flock of goldfinch and long tailed tits
Sedge and reed warbler in the reeds near the new rockery
Lots of juveniles about mainly, tits, robin and a couple of dunnocks
1 kestrel with kill, looked like a mouse or feild vole

Very quiet this morning, cold and wet, highlights,

4 sedge warbler C6
1 grasshopper warbler C5
7 redpoll C5
2 kestrel C6 and C4
1 female sparrowhawk C3

Plus all usual's

morning dog walk
C9 2 mute swan, 16 tufted duck, 11 mallard, 1 great crested grebe, 1 lesser black backed gull, 9 black headed gull, c30 coot, 3 moorhen, 2 reed warbler, several blackbird, robins inc juvs, dunnock, wren, great tit, blue tit, 2 willow warbler, 1 chiffchaff, 2 jay, wood pigeon, carrion crow, magpie,
C8 2 skylark, small numbers meadow pipit and reed bunting, 2 grasshopper warbler heard only.

green woodpecker heard yesterday morning but couldn't spot it,
Yesterday evening a flock of 60-70 starling presumably heading to roost.

Just C6 and fir tree flash this evening,

3 Great crested grebe
1 little grebe
coot and moorhen
Plenty mallard
1 kingfisher
Skylark and meadow pipit in good numbers
2 juv common whitethroat in brambles
Reed and sedge warblers both heard also in reeds
1 song thrush
2 jays
Could see lots of swift hawking over new water with a couple of swallow

Plus all usual's

Similar situation to last Friday - about 120 Swallows appeared at 2140 hrs. and drifted off north-eastwards almost immediately. Water Rail calling and brief song snippets from Grasshopper and Reed Warblers just before ten o'clock.

Evening dog walk
C9 2 greenfinch,1 male blackcap,at least 3 juv whitethroat on brambles, 3 yellowhammer 2 m,1f, near top of new road, goldfinch, 2 reed warbler plus usuals.

grasshopper and reed warblers and house martins.

raven over @ 11-15, small numbers swift and swallow, kestrel plus usuals

Very little to add to bernards sightings,

2 snipe C10
1 male yellowhammer C4
2 buzzards C4

morning dog walk
C9 2 mute swan, great crested grebe, coot, moorhen, mallard, grey heron,lesser black backed gull, black headed gull,swallow, swift, house martin, reed warbler,magpie, jay, carrion crow, wood pigeon, feral pigeon, collared dove, blackbird, starling, mistle thrush,Blue, great and long tailed tit, chaffinch, goldfinch, bullfinch, dunnock, robin, wren, whitethroat, willow warbler, chiffchaff,sparrowhawk.
C8 reed bunting, skylark, meadow pipit, kestrel.
blackcap, sedge warbler, grasshopper warbler, pheasant all heard only.
a good number and variety of species but apart from magpie, wood pigeon and coot all in small numbers.

A friend of mine witnessed a gathering of at least a hundred hirundines at Tinker Joe's Flash over a week ago, and at least three parties of between twenty and thirty Swallows arrived after 2138 hrs. tonight. Shortly before ten o'clock there were about a hundred overhead (possibly a coming-together of the earlier arrivals), but the anticipated entry into the reeds came to nothing, and they appeared to drift off to the north, perhaps to another local reed-bed. There were no Sand Martins with them.

Evening stroll
Kestrel hunting over field,c20 swallow over field similar number of swift over diggle flash.

quiet again this morning
14 swift over field, 1 blackcap, 2 chiffchaff and 2 willow warbler singing, small charm of 9 goldfinch, small flock long tailed tit.

a.m
1 Marsh Harrier drifted SW mid morning, would of missed it if it wasn't for the call of the Lesser-blacked Gull behind me that got my attention.
Glad to report that the Whitethroat have fledged okay in C4 after the disturbance from 4x4's on Sunday, witnessed the female passing food to one of the juvenile birds , also Grasshopper Warbler still reeling.

Evening stroll
20+ swift over C7,c30 swallow near Scrapyard's,good close view of a sedge warbler near new road,blackcap at bottom of new road,9 goldfinch, mistlethrush,diggle flash 30+ coot,23 tufted duck,11 mallard,2 mute swan,1 great crested grebe,2 moorhen,16 black headed gull,several blackbird.

like Gordon i found it pretty quiet this morning,
2 chiffchaff, 1 willow warbler, a few swift and swallow 1 house martin being the highlights

not much to report this morning just the usual mix, as I was leaving noticed 2 4x4's trampling all over where Grasshopper Warbler is in C4 and I hope the Whitethroat have fledged in same area otherwise they might get trampled as well.

100 plus swifts over new water this evening, also 1 calling water rail and 1 hunting kestrel.

10.40-12.15

Mute Swan 2
Mallard
Little Grebe 1 - FTF
Water Rail 1 - called from central ditch
Coot
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Swift
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Great Tit
Sand Martin 3
House Martin 2
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Grasshopper Warbler 1
Wren
Dunnock
Goldfinch
Canada Goose
Pheasant 1
Great Crested Grebe 6 - FTF
Moorhen
Black-headed Gull
Woodpigeon
Kestrel 1
Jay
Blue Tit
Skylark
Swallow 2
Long-tailed Tit
Willow Warbler
Whitethroat
Reed Warbler
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Reed Bunting

6:00 to 8:00 am C3,4 and 6

Skylark and meadow pipit in good numbers
Reed bunting also in decent numbers
Lots of warblers including reed,sedge,chiffchaff,willow,whitethroat and 1 grasshopper warbler
2 snipe around new water
3 linnet flew over heading towards C8
No grebes whatsoever on fir tree flash this morning just the usual's
Flock of long tailed tits passed through C4
1 raven C3
1 kestrel C3
1 green woodpecker was on the edge of the path in between heath playing fields and nevison's flash
2 buzzard C3

Plus all usual suspects

evening stroll in light rain
30+ swallow with a few swift and house martin over diggle flash, several blackbird foraging with 1 song thrush, 3 mistle thrush, 1 grasshopper warbler ( reeling) and 5 reed bunting seemed to be enjoying the light rain perched on small saplings having a shower.

C9 diggle flash 2 mute swan no sign of cygnet looks like all 6 have now fallen to predators,2 chiffchaff,2 blackcap,3 willow warbler,1 whitethroat,4 swift,5 swallow,linnet,skylark,reed bunting,meadow pipit.
Grasshopper and sedge warbler both heard only,

Just C6 and fir tree flash this morning,

2 swans
5 Canada geese
3 great crested grebe
1 little grebe
Plenty coot and mallards
1 moorhen
20+goldfinch
3 house sparrow
2 song thrush
Plenty blue and great tits with lots of youngsters
1 common whitethroat
1 kestrel
1 jay
1 cormorant fishing

Morning dog walk pretty similar to Scotts sightings, + 3 common tern over stock pond,8 tufted duck no sign of pochard,2 mute swan couldn't see the cygnet,11 swift over diggle.

06:00 to 08:00

Quite a lot of warblers about this morning, willow,sedge,reed and grasshopper warbler all seen and heard in various compartments.
Skylark and meadow pipit mostly in C6 and C8
3 snipe C10
3 reed bunting C4 and C8
2 linnet C8
2 common whitethroat C6
1 blackcap C6
1 kestrel C6
1 goldcrest C6
Lots of swift over new water

Plus all usual's

evening stroll
C9 2 mute swan + 1 cygnet, 1m pochard amongst 21 tufted duck, 11 black headed gull, 1 great crested grebe, usual mallard and coot with juvs, 4 swift, 6 swallow, 3 house martin, dunnock, 2 bullfinch, 14 long tailed tit, 9 goldfinch.

First visit for a week been working in wales so can't really get over as much as i used too,

2 common tern over fir tree flash
2 swans
4 tufted duck
1 little grebe
4 great crested grebe
Very vocal sedge and reed warbler around C6/C4 area in the reeds
Plenty reed bunting about aswell
2 oystercatcher around new water, As was 2 snipe
2 blackcap C6
1 whitethroat C6
Lots of swift about, With a few swallow
1 kestrel
2 buzzard

Plus all usual's

pm walk
quiet as to be expected, all the usuals I.e Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, etc, Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Common Tern, Water Rail very vocal with at least 3 calling in C10, 1C4 & 1 Nevisons Flash (didn't see any of them).

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 1st of July 2014 11:35:44 PM

very restricted walk today due to back problems (sciatica)
diggle flash + surrounds 2 mute swan + 1 cygnet, 15 black headed gull, 13 tufted duck, 30+ coot including juvs, 12 mallard inc 5 duckling, black headed gulls, 1 moorhen, 1 great crested grebe, reed warbler, reed bunting, 1 whitethroat, several swallow with at least 2 house martin, 4 swift, 3 mistle thrush, 2 chiffchaff, willow warbler, wood pigeon, magpie, carrion crow, great tit, wren.

evening stroll around diggle flash
9 swift over water, c50 swallow over field beside flash and twice over the water before returning to field, 2 mute swan + 1 cygnet, 1 great crested grebe, 14 black headed gull, 5 tufted duck, usual coot and mallard, kestrel in tree,

lunchtime dog walk
1 common tern and 2 house martin over diggle flash, 2 adult mute swan + 1 cygnet, 1 great crested grebe, 6 tufted duck usual coot mallard and black headed gull, 4 chiffchaff heard 2 seen, 7 goldfinch, kestrel, c20 swift over field beside flash, 11 swallow over old car park.
skylark, reed bunting, meadow pipit.

morning dog walk
C9 20+ swallow inc 5 perched on telephone wire on old anglers car park, 3 house martin, 2 reed warbler, 2 chiffchaff,3 willow warbler, 1 whitethroat, great tit, blue tit, blackbird, wood pigeon, magpie, kestrel successfully catching prey ( mouse/vole), pheasant, 2 mute swan + 1 cygnet, 4 tufted duck, 9 black headed gull, 2 great crested grebe, coot, mallard, moorhen.
C8 skylark,reed bunting,meadow pipit, 1 linnet, carrion crow,

Evening dog walk highlights
Kestrel hunting,sedge warbler singing from small bush,5 mistle thrush including 3 juvs,4 swallow,2 swift,2 house martin,1 cygnet with 2 adult mute swan.

Water rail around new water this morning called a couple of times but could not locate,
Very much the same as yesterdays sightings, other then a couple of buzzards and 1 single pied wagtail.

Common tern on stock pond,still 1 cygnet with 2 adult mute swan,3 chiffchaff,3 mistle thrush and 2 sedge warbler plus usuals.