3 Whinchat and 3 Wheatear on the eastern side today - my highest total of either this year! Dont check the eastern side much so difficult to say if this is a one-off occurrence

From the last couple of days:
-Confirmed breeding of Shoveler for second year in succession
-Confirmed breeding of Stonechat - first that I can recall
-Multiple Little Grebe broods
-Large Grey Partridge covey, counted 21 minimum. I don't know if this would represent multiple family groups or not, but there were at least 3 pairs on site this spring.
-Raven on the pylons
-Large numbers of Gadwall down on Swan Lake, unsure if they bred onsite this year, but easily 20-30
-Several Sedge Warbler still about

A couple hours around the eastern end of the site had the usual big numbers of singing Skylark.
3 Ringed Plover,2 Little Ringed Plover and a single Common Sandpiper were on the large central muddy pool. A Snipe was flushed from the long grass, Oystercatcher over and several Lapwing holding territory.
A Lesser Whitethroat was rattling away behind Kenny's Skip Hire on the way in,several Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler singing,also a single singing Reed Warbler in one of the phragmites beds.
On the pools a couple of Shoveler, Mallard and plenty of Gadwall,plus the usual Herring ,Lesser Black Backs and Black Headed Gulls.
Elsewhere a male Stonechat,pair of Grey Partridge, 2 Grey Wagtails ,a few Linnet and Reed Buntings and a couple of Buzzards were the best of the rest.

Highlight this morning was a VERY late Fieldfare feeding on the ground. Couldn't really believe what I was seeing, although it was in the exact same spot Redwings and Fieldfares would feed earlier this year. Otherwise, pair of Shoveler, 10-20 Linnet, and the Stonechat pair still looking very settled were the highlights.

Decided to do a full Linnet survey this morning. Was surprised by the result - at least 9 pairs across the south half of the site. 8 singing Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 10 Willow Warbler. Swallows back at Oliver Fold, 2 pairs. 4 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck also on Swan Lake.

This afternnon: Lapwing numbers much higher than I saw last year. Perhaps 15 pairs in total. Skylark numbers similarly very high, probably >30 singing males. First swallow of the year over. Pair of Shoveler are back again (there were 5 a few days ago). Pair of Raven. Pair of Linnet. And a strange (to me) Pipit. It was feeding in one of the shallow ponds, moving around the vegetation and reeds. It did not associate with any of the Meadow Pipits, and when it flew off had two distinct short calls. Only one of them sounded like the typical call. Still looked like a Meadow Pipit though so perhaps just some unusual feeding habits?

Pair of Ringed Plovers today. Also 14 lapwing, 1 Snipe and a pair of Grey Wagtails

A single Avocet on the 2nd most easterly pool,feeding out in the shallow water ,also Raven over north carrying possible food,plenty of singing Skylarks and a Little Ringed Plover calling.

Male Wheatear today. Also many Skylark (20+), 3 pairs of Grey Partridge, 4 Snipe, pair of Stonechat, 3 Stock Dove, 1 Cormorant, 2 Teal, 15+ Chiffchaff

Quick hour & half mid afternoon down Engine Lane to Swan Lake & back.

No sign of the Kittiwake & most of the gulls in the gloom were heading off to roost.

A single Little Grebe was constantly diving on the lake & 5 very friendly farmyard ducks were also present.

A female Sparrowhawk & Buzzard were perched off the lane near the railway.

Also seen down Engine Lane - Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit & Song Thrush.

07/01/2022:

Possible Kittiwake on Swan Lake (southernmost)? Picture attached, and thoughts welcome.

 

Huge numbers of Stonechat this afternoon - never seen anything like it. Would say 6 at a minimum (2m,4f) but they were everywhere. Didn't even venture to the western side where there have been 2 pairs in recent winters, so could have been even more.
Also:
3 Common Snipe
1 Little Grebe
1 Treecreeper
1 Coal Tit
3 Willow Tit
1 Bullfinch
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Cormorant (on Swan Lake)
3 Skylark
10+ Meadow Pipit
39 species total

A couple of hours around the eastern of the site was worthwhile with the highlights being at least 2 Green Sandpiper and a pair of Stonechat. Still plenty of Skylark and Meadow Pipits around the site,also Kestrel, Reed Bunting, Bullfinch,Grey and 2 Pied Wagtails,and a few Goldfinch.
Swan Lake was busy with Mallard,Gadwall,Coot,Moorhen and about 150 Herring Gull and 50 Black Headed Gulls

Afternoon visit

The highlight being 3 Buzzards with 2 Carrion Crows & a Sparrowhawk all rather playfully swooping at each other.

Also of note :- 3 Jay, plenty of Willow Warblers, Goldfinch, Long-Tailed Tit, Common Whitethroat, 3 Kestrel, Grey Wagtail.

6 juvenile Little Grebes - 1 on the small swan lake & 5 on the larger bottom pool.

Also on the bottom pool 4 white & 1 black & white domestic ducks. (phone pic attached) 

Quite quiet at the moment at Cutacre - most of the grassland is in the process of being cut, so the site looks quite different.

This afternoon:

-4+ Grey Heron, mostly in the freshly cut grass
-3+ Common Snipe, accidentally flushed and likely more
-1 Lapwing
-4 Gadwall
-Covey of fully grown 12/13 Grey Partridge, the second covey found this year

also someone had released 5 large white domestic ducks/geese, didn't look capable of flight

Hi Kristian,
looks Mallard-like to me, and the orange legs (rather than dull yellowish) would suggest so too! Could be wrong though, young Wildfowl can be tricky.

Kristian Wade wrote:

---

Hi Lez,

I haven't seen or heard any Garden Warblers at the site this year after many visits, but there is plenty of suitable habitat! Where abouts was your possible sighting?

---

 Hi Kristian,

The area was about 100 yds north of Swan Lake along a narrow path that runs along the edge of the nearly dried up creek where the two Jays are regularly seen. Red circled area on attached map.

-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Sunday 4th of July 2021 10:33:43 PM

3 hours this afternoon sightings included :-

Goldfinch; Chaffinch; Bullfinch; Linnet;

Chiffchaff; Blackcap; Common Whitethroat;

Reed Bunting; Skylark; Meadow Pipit;

Grey Wagtail; Pied Wagtail; Jay;

Buzzard; Kestrel; Pheasant; Juvenile Wren.

And what I think was a Garden Warbler with juveniles - not 100% but eye ring, beak & general colouring seem closest match

& the absence of a stand out distinctive whitethroat makes me feel its not a Whitethroat.

-- Edited by Lez Fairclough on Friday 2nd of July 2021 12:07:08 AM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 2nd of July 2021 06:34:27 AM

Early Morning today, south side only

family party of Raven (4) on the pylons, perhaps bred locally?
Common sandpiper still on swan lake
Around 5 of each Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Blackcap and Sedge warbler
Shoveler f still with 5 large ducklings
Willow tit nest was predated (probably Great spotted woodpecker), but a family party (4+) found further north!
Bullfinch more noticeable - at least 2 pairs
2 pairs Swallow nesting at Oliver Fold Farm

Willow Tit confirmed to be breeding at the site this afternoon
Pair of Treecreepers was our first record

This morning's highlights were

11+ Wheatear 

White Wagtail

Singing Lesser Whitethroat 

Reed Warbler

Sedge Warbler  

Yesterdays walk round Cutacre CP Had very large numbers of Skylark putting on a good display not seen this many any where in years 

also Wheatear number have started to rise at least 6+ hard to count as they seem to be everywhere and very mobile 

 

Covered most of the site this morning apart from far east:

Singing Totals:
Chiffchaff - 8s
Blackcap - 2s
Willow Warbler - 6s
Skylark - 11s (likely more)
Meadow Pipit - 15+ (several singing)
Willow Tit - 1s (part of pair)
Blue Tit - 2s
Great Tit - 3s
Chaffinch - 6s
Greenfinch - 3s
Goldfinch - 4s (plus a few extra pairs)
Linnet - 2s
Dunnock - 17s (more than expected)
Robin - 18s
Wren - 28s
Song Thrush - 5s
Blackbird - 4s
Reed Bunting - 3s (more pairs)
Woodpigeon - 3s (more pairs)
Starling - 1s
Goldcrest - 1s

Other Sightings:
Ringed & Little Ringed Plover
5 pairs Lapwing
3 little Grebe
1 Common Sandpiper
4 Pheasant
Pair of Snipe...present in same location for nearly 2 weeks (possibly a breeding pair?)
Usual species...50 in total

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 13th of April 2021 03:05:08 PM

Single Male Wheatear round top pools and Raven over south in a brief look round this morning.