2 Common Sandpiper were present. Teal have increased to 21. A Lesser Whitethroat was seen at the west end. A Yellow Wagtail was on the north shore this afternoon. A Red Kite flew over. 1 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret were noted. Forgot to mention 3 Kestrel chicks were ringed in the usual box on Saturday.
Today I completed 100 consecutive visits for the first time ever. Last time I didn't visit was the 15th March.
3 Common Sandpiper were along the dam. To confirm that all the Common Tern broods have 3 chicks. 1 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret remain. 13 Teal were counted. The Pochard brood are down to 5.
6 Common Sandpiper were present with 3 along the dam and 3 at the west end, also 12 LRP including 3 fledged juveniles from elsewhere. Another 2 new Lapwing chicks have appeared by the Hawkshutts bund. It's been the best year for many years, with this being the 8th pair to nest, of which 5 have hatched young. 2 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret remain. A Red Kite flew over. 10 Teal were counted.
The first returning Green Sandpiper was on the north shore, also 3 Common Sandpiper were along the dam. A Colour ringed Lapwing on the Hawkshutts island looks like it was ringed at Elmley in Kent, details to follow. Both pairs of Common Tern on the main island have at least 2 chicks each. 4 Raven were feeding on a Mute Swan carcass. A Red Kite flew over. 2 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret remain. 8 Egyptian Geese were counted. The female Pochard still has 6 ducklings intact along the south east bay.
2 Common Sandpiper were still present. 2 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret were on the north shore. 25 GC Grebe were counted. Common Tern pair B have 2 visible chicks on the main island.
A flock of 14 Crossbill flew over to the west at 3.18pm. Also a single Siskin flew over the west end. The 3rd pair of Common Tern on the main island have hatched at least 1 chick today. A new brood of 9 Gadwall ducklings were at the west end. 2 Common Sandpiper were on the north shore. A Red Kite was over the dam. 2 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret were noted.
A 2nd pair of Common Tern have hatched at least 1 chick on the main island. Also a new brood of 2 Lapwing chicks have appeared on the north shore. An adult male Goshawk flew over this afternoon. 2 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret were at the west end. A single Common Sandpiper was noted. 6 Teal were counted.
2 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret were at the west end. 2 Red Kite flew over. The pair of Oystercatcher on the Hawkshutts island have hatched one chick today and are still incubating a single egg. Also 13 adult Oystercatcher were present. Just to confirm there are 3 Common Tern chicks on the Hawkshutts island.
A pair of Common Tern on the Hawkshutts island have hatched 2 young today. 2 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret were at the west end. Today's WeBS count produced 16 Shoveler, 5 Teal, 162 Mallard, 65 Gadwall, 12 Pochard, 110 Tufted Duck, 17 GC Grebe, 647 Coot, 76 Mute Swan, 91 Canada Geese, 12 Greylag Geese, 3 Egyptian Geese, 5 Cormorant, 10 Grey Heron. 2 Red Kite were over the dam.
10 Little Egret were at the west end including 7 juveniles fledged from elsewhere. Also 1 Great Egret. 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Redshank were present. 2 Red Kite flew over. An adult Tawny Owl was with a well grown chick along the Gazebo bay. 5 Teal and 15 Shoveler were counted. The BH Gull colony now stands at 163 pairs, with 115 on the main island and 48 on the Hawkshutts island. 3 newly hatched Lapwing chicks were on the north shore. 7 pairs have nested this year. This is the 3rd nest to successfully hatch.
2 Cattle Egret were new arrivals on the north shore, also 1 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret. A Cuckoo flew over the dam late afternoon. A Hobby was over the west end. 55 Lapwing were counted. The female Pochard with 6 duckling were still along the south east bay. Also 2 broods of 5 and 4 Gadwall. The Spotted Flycatcher remains in the plantation.
A probable Bittern was reported to me, seen very briefly in flight over the Scott hide reed bed late morning. A female Pochard with 6 ducklings were along the south east bay, also a brood of 5 Gadwall ducklings were the first of the year. 1 Great Egret and 3 Little Egret were on the north shore. A Peregrine was noted. 110 Tufted Duck were counted.
A quick visit produced 1 Great Egret, 3 Little Egret, 4 Teal, 25 GC Grebe and 75 Mute Swan.
The Spotted Flycatcher continues to sing in the plantation and appears to have obtained a tick below it's left eye. 3 Little Egret and 1 Great Egret were at the west end. 15 Shoveler were counted.
A quick afternoon visit produced 8 Ringed Plover, 1 Great Egret and 1 Little Egret. A Redshank was seen this morning.
An adult female Goshawk (photos) flew over this morning, looking like it had fed well, showing a full crop. 2 Curlew, 9 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin and 1 Common Sandpiper were present. 1 Great Egret and 2 Little Egret were at the west end. 94 Tufted Duck were counted. The first few BH Gull broods have started to hatch on the main island. The Spotted Flycatcher remains in the plantation.
An adult and fledged Tawny Owl chick were in the reservoir plantation this morning. The Spotted Flycatcher continues to sing along the path between the car park and spill weir. 3 Curlew flew thru early morning, also 7 Ringed Plover and 1 Dunlin were present. A Goshawk raided thenorth wood this afternoon also a Hobby was hawking over the west end. 1 Great Egret and a Little Egret were noted. Some video of the Tawny Owl chick can be viewed here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J5HrvV1exI
13 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin were on the north shore. 1 Great Egret and 2 Little Egret were at the west end. The Spotted Flycatcher was still along the path between the car park and spill weir. 3 Yellow Wagtail were on the north shore. 13 Common Tern were noted.
14 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin were on the north shore. A Great Egret and Little Egret were at the west end. 11 Shoveler and 14 Pochard were counted.
12 Ringed Plover and 4 Dunlin were on the north shore. A Great Egret remains. A Hobby flew along the dam this afternoon. The first brood of 3 Reed Warbler have fledged below the Scott hide. Also a Water Rail was singing from there.
The harsh reality of the breeding season, when a Goshawk took one of the 2 well grown Oystercatcher chicks below the west end hide this afternoon. 2 Sanderling were on the north shore, including a colour ringed bird. Also 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Dunlin and 7 Ringed Plover were present. A Great Egret was at the west end. 9 Shoveler, 128 Gadwall, 1 Mandarin,101 Greylag Geese and 1 Bar Headed Goose were counted. The Black Headed Gull colony now stands at 136 pairs.
The Spotted Flycatcher remains along the path between the car park and spill weir. 1 Redshank, 8 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin were present. 74 Greylag Geese were counted.
A 2nd summer Arctic Tern (photo) flew thru this morning. A female Marsh Harrier was present between 10am-12pm when it flew off west. Also 3 Red Kite and 2 Hobby were in the area. The Spotted Flycatcher was still singing along the path between the car park and spill weir. 12 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin and a Redshank were on the north shore. 3 Teal, 7 Shoveler and 2 Shelduck were counted. 2 Great Egret were noted.
