6.45-8.00 a.m. 1 Tawny Owl in Beech in Old hall farm front garden (found thanks to Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes persistent mobbing), 2 Linnet near pump house, 1 Gadwall on res, no sign of Oystercatcher young on roof, other birds as mainly described by Derek in previous posts. Cheers Ian
6.30-8.00 a.m. best a Whinchat on Gorse in Highland cattle field. 2 Greylag arrived at 6.45, 3 Oystercatcher young on factory roof by the river. Cheers Ian
1pm-3pm this afternoon. Not much on the res due to a boating competition. Male and female Tufted Duck highlights along with a male Reed Bunting. Willow Warbler and Skylarks heard.
6.30-8.15 a.m. a nice surprise were 2 Turnstone resting at waters edge near pumphouse when I arrived, also Garden Warbler singing at car park, 1 male Shoveler and Gadwall on res. also. Cheers Ian
6 Willow Warbler around the whole site And only 8 Swallow, 2!! Sand Martin and 3 House Martin .. where is everything? Nothing much moving over other than 17 Swift
Other birds inc 9 Blackcap 8 Whitethroat Lesser Whitethroat 5 Sedge Warbler Reed Warbler coney green Common Sandpiper
15:00-16:10pm 2 Common Terns present when I arrived but flew up high and headed west after a couple off minutes. 2 Arctic Terns flew through at 15:18 heading west. On Checking the Gulls there was one which looked like a possible Yellow Legged Gull (record shots attached)but thinking it was a Northern Herring Gull as the primaries looked to short and mirrors to large for Yellow Legged Gull. 1 Great Black Gull 3rd Yr 1 Common Buzzard.
A good mornings birding began with a fly through Little Tern (W) at 7.30, later a Common Tern was feeding over the res. Also 2 Goosander over, 1 Common Sandpiper and heard only a Greenshank and a Whimbrel. At Coney Green reedbed 1 Reed Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat was singing near Coran Stud. Cheers Ian
06:00-10:00am with Brian F & Ian C highlights. 2 Sedge Warblers. Singing Lesser Whitethroat , Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff & Blackcap. 1 Common Sandpiper. 1 Oystercatcher 1 Female Wheatear. 1 Peregrine falcon. 1 House Martin amongst good numbers of Swallows, Sand Martins and Swifts. 2 Linnets.
14:40-15:20pm short visit. 1 Male Merlin had an attempt at the Sand Martins as I was trying to count them. 24 Sand martin counted before disappearing away from the Merlin. 5 House Martins 12 Swallows 11 Swift 2 Shoveler. 1 Gadwall. 1 Common Gull. 1 Great black backed Gull.
4pm-4,30pm in torrential rain. Very very quiet. Apart from a hundred or so hirundines and the usual resident waterfowl, I've actually never seen the Res so peaceful.
X1 juv great black- backed gull
X2 juv herring gulls
X2 adult lesser black - backed gulls
And X1 ! Adult Black-headed gull (yes just one)
One bird of note was a common sandpiper in the creek
This morning in part with Paul Wilson and Brian Fiedling
The rain brought a few birds in Common Tern 15 Swift 8 House Martin 200+ Sand Martin 50+ Swallow 3 Little Ringed Plover Common Sandpiper Oystercatcher Whitethroat Lesser Whitethroat Sedge Warbler Water Rail 5 Pheasant 3 Kestrel
I called yesterday morning around 7am. On the feeders there where great tits and a dunnock on the ground feeding. Also a grey heron on the grass near the little wooden bring near the boat house.
07:00-10:45am very quite morning. 8 Gadwall 4 Great Black backed Gulls 2Adult 2 Immature. 5 Sand Martins 2 Swallow. 2 Common Whitethroat. 1 LesserWhitethroat. Chiffchaff,Willow Warbler and Blackcap all singing.
14:30-16:00pm An unbelievable number off gulls when I arrived so I took a series of photos to help me count them. Amongst 1150 gulls was what I thought to be a Skua (Record shot attached) but think it was a trick off the light making the bird look different and darker due to shadow and poor optics. 721 Lesser Black Backed Gulls. 226 Herring Gulls. 8 Great Black backed Gulls. 192 Black headed Gulls.(including an individual with white wings but bill said Black headed Gull. 3 Gulls unidentified. 4 Common Scoters (record attached) 3 Oystercatchers. 1 Common Whitethroat. 2 Sand Martins heading north over the car park as i was leaving.