highlights from two short visits, one mid morning and this evening
single Ring-necked Parakeet flew over NE calling @18.30
2 Siskin N a.m
Green Woodpecker

07.30 - 11.30
single Grey Wagtail by dam at end of Fir tree Flash
100+ Meadow Pipit S/SW between 07.30 - 08.00 plus plenty grounded
4 Skylark
2 Sand Martin
3 House Martin
10 Swallow
single Snipe

09.00 - 11.00
single Green Sandpiper flew over top rucks (c4) calling, and appeared to land on New water but was not able to relocate it later.
quite a few mixed Tit groups containing Willow Warbler,Chiffchaff and a few Goldcrest.
a few more Meadow Pipit about giving a autumn feel to proceedings.

single Hobby chasing Swallows this evening, also Green Woodpecker present

single Green Sandpiper present this evening (poor photo taken in fading light)

single Greenshank present on New Water at 18.25 as I approached on the hill overlooking water. Flew off at 18.35 SSW towards Pennington Flash calling.
poor photo attached looking towards the sun and from distance.

At 9.20 this morning, at the very top of the Road to Nowhere off Smiths Lane, a male Reed Bunting delivered an extended warbler-like song, nothing like the usual brief four- or five-note offering!

Male Cuckoo this evening by Nevison's Flash

Y'day 8th May, late morning before the rain

1-2 Grasshopper Warblers (h)
1 Raven (E of rucks, drifting N)
3 Whitethroats
3 Sedge Warblers
10 Reed Buntings
20 Swift (E of rucks)
20 House Martins (flock, E of rucks, drifting N)
Chiffchaffs
Willow Warblers

Thursday 3rd May, 0900-1000

1 Cuckoo - flying over large flooded area towards top rucks

1 male Whinchat - in field adjacent to large flooded area

Blackcap

Sedge warbler

Kestrel

Sparrowhawk

Hobby flew west from playing field right across rucks and beyond Smiths Lane @ 18.20

Not much this morning should of gone out early as went cloudy as I left the house and eventually turned to rain 2 Grasshopper Warbler Cetti's Warbler 2 Swallow Plenty of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff 2 Blackcap 4 Reed Warbler

18-00-20.00
Male Hobby circled over playing field @ 18.10 showed a brief interest in a passing Woodpigeon before departing North ( my previous earliest record for the Rucks was 2nd May)

1 1/2 hours late morning, much more pleasant than yesterday in the rain
Highlights

14 Fieldfare on top rucks moving through East
Green Woodpecker yaffling way in distance
1 Grey Wagtail
Cetti's Warbler singing
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Long-tailed Tit collecting nesting material from an old cushion discarded, that you wouldn't normally like to be seen left, but came in useful on this occasion.

07.30-09.00
only things of note were
single Willow Warbler
8 Chiffchaff

17.00-16.00
3 Sand Martin
Cetti's Warbler singing from Nevisons Flash (probably same bird that has been singing from central ditch as initially heard from Nevisons Flash back in September 2017 , of course there could be 2 birds as I didn't visit central ditch area this evening), would like to think there are two individuals.

08.45-12.30
cracking mornings walk 47 species seen highlights being:

Green Woodpecker - initially heard in C12 as the other day but not seen , then at midday what I presume was the same bird ,was yaffeling from trees by C5/football field before flying to trees overlooking Fir Tree Flash then flew further away still yaffeling. (could possibly move of site, watch out Pickley Green)

Little Egret - landed in flooded area of C10 that has recently had a lot of work done to retain water levels etc , but was promptly flushed by dog walker walking by waters edge despite new banking and channels put in place acting as screening and not easy to get through. ( probably same bird that is at Pennington Flash and that I have seen flying over towards Pennington Flash a couple of times recently?)

Cetti's Warbler heard only but deafening (loudest I have heard it call since first arriving at back end of last year).

1 Siskin (M)
3 Lesser Redpoll

17.00-18.45
3 Siskin N @ 17.19,
1 Kingfisher,
Cetti's Warbler singing briefly,
800+ Starling.
Snipe flushed by some idiot dragging metal railings through water and reeds laying them in a line to form a walk way didn't dare try and approach him.

Quick walk through at 4:30-5:45 1 chiffchaff (first of year) 4+ skylark Water rail heard ( nevisons)

male Stonechat still present in C5 this morning
increase in numbers of Skylark and Reed Bunting with both singing, giving hint of spring round the corner

male Stonechat still present in C5 as per Saturdays post although that post and the other wildlife post for same site seemed to disappear soon after posting for some reason.
1 male Pochard - DF
2 Goosander - FTF numbers dropped since end of January
1 Grey Wagtail - C3

11.30 - 14.30
C10
1 Woodcock
male + female Pochard
10 Tufted Duck
5 Teal
1 Great spotted Woodpecker

FTF
9 Goosander 5m +4f
2 male Pochard, 1 Grey Wagtail
20 Mute Swan
30 Mallard
20 Tufted Duck
2 Grey Heron

C3
1 Grey Wagtail
30 Redwing



-- Edited by Gordon Newman on Saturday 13th of January 2018 04:22:43 PM

3 whooper swans over south this am, 1 kestrel, 1 snipe, flock of 16 goldfinch, small numbers blue,great and long tailed tits,

stock pond- 1 great crested grebe, 8 coot, 3 mute swan 1 adult 2 well grown cygnets, 2 moorhen, 1 lesser black backed gull, 11 gadwall
diggle flash- 5 gadwall, 3 pochard 2 m 1 f, 1 drake goldeneye, 2 little grebe, 2 common gull, 2 lesser black backed gull, coot, tufted duck, b;lack headed gulls,
7 long tailed tit, 5 great tit, 2 blue tit, 3 goldfinch, 3 robin, 6 blackbird, 1 wren, 3 jackdaw, 4 chaffinch, 2 greenfinch, magpie, carrion crow, wood pigeon.