BELVIDE 30.11.25

 News received today included a Cetti's Warbler from ther Gazebo hide. A pair of Stonechat were off the west track.1 Peregrine, 1 Little Egret, 8 Siskin and 1 Redpoll were noted.

I took a trip south to Holbury in Hampshire to see a Boat Tailed Grackle that's been present in the area since the 2nd November. The bird showed well on arrival as it strutted around in residential front garden properties.  Although it's a wild bird, it has come across the Atlantic on a boat, as they are not a migratory species and will be placed on Category E on the British list like the Great Tailed Grackle I saw in Pembrokshire in 2023.

Another way you could look at it, is that it has probably done the same thing that many American vagrants have done before it and used their survival instincts to hitch a ride on a boat. A Brown Thrasher in the 60's, Rufous Sided Towhee and several American Sparrows near Ports are all similarly guilty, but they have been accepted.

It's an interesting debate. Who knows, that someday in the future an extra category might be added to the British list that might recognize these ship assisted vagrants? 

BELVIDE 29.11.25 Rain NW 2

 A quick visit this morning produced the 2nd winter Caspian Gull, 1 Dunlin, 381 Teal at 248 Wigeon. 2 Little Egret were at the west end. 2 Stonechat were off the west track. A Brambling was at the woodland feeding station. A Peregrine was noted.

Tomorrow's work party has been cancelled. We have added an extra work party next Sunday to compensate for this. 

BELVIDE 28.11.25

 News received today included the juvenile male Goshawk over the north wood early afternoon. 2 Shelduck and a Stonechat were noted.

BELVIDE 27.11.25

 No news received today 

BELVIDE 26.11.25 Sunny am/ Cloudy pm S 2-3

 A juvenile Goshawk was disturbed off a Moorhen along the south east bay late afternoon, also 2 Peregrine were around. A Water Rail was along the Gazebo bay. 3 Snipe were at the west end. 5 Pintail, 7 Shelduck and a Goosander were counted. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was in the pre roost.

BELVIDE 25.11.25

 News received today included 3 Little Egret, 1 Red Kite, 1 Chiffchaff and a Brambling at the woodland feeding station. A Stonechat was off the west track.

BELVIDE 24.11.25

 News received today included the juvenile male Goshawk again over the north wood early morning. A Water Rail was along the Gazebo bay. A Brambling was at the woodland feeders and 4 Redpoll were by the Gazebo hide. A Shelduck was noted. 

BELVIDE 23.11.25 Cloudy WSW 3

 3 Caspian Gulls roosted this evening including an adult 3rd winter and 2nd winter. (photos) Also an adult Yellow-legged Gull and adult GBB Gull roosted. The juvenile male Goshawk (photo) raided the north wood late afternoon, also 2 Peregrine were present. A pair of Stonechat were at the west end. 3 Brambling were at the woodland feeders. 6 Pintail dropped in this morning.

BELVIDE 22.11.25 Rain SSW 2-3

 A very quiet morning with single Bramblings at The Woodland and Gazebo feeders and 3 Little Egret left the north wood roost early morning . 

BELVIDE 21.11.25 Sunny SW 1-2

 4 Brambling were around, with 2 at the Gazebo feeders, one along the Gazebo bay and another at the woodland feeders. A Red Kite and Peregrine flew over. A Stonechat was off the west track. 30 Collared Dove on the Barn roof opposite the West End Hide was a noteworthy total. A 1st winter GBB Gull in the pre roost is noteworthy these days. 2 Shelduck and a Little Egret were present.

BELVIDE 20.11.25 Sunny N 2-3

 An adult Pink-footed Goose was with the Greylag flock. At least 3 Brambling again, with 2 at the woodland feeders and one at the Gazebo hide. A Little Egret was noted.

BELVIDE 19.11.25 Fair N 4

 A 2nd winter Caspian Gull (photo) was at the west end around midday. A male Brambling was visiting the Gazebo feeders. 1 Little Egret was at the west end. A Peregrine and Red Kite were in the area. 7 Common Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull roosted this evening.

BELVIDE 18.11.25

 News received today included 2 Brambling at the Gazebo feeders. An imm Peregrine was on the north shore. A Little Egret was at the west end.

BELVIDE 17.11.25 Sunny N 2

 A drake Common Scoter from the Scott hide was a new arrival, also 110 Pochard and 2 Goosander were counted. At least 3 Brambling today, with 2 at the Gazebo feeders and one at the woodland feeding station. A Golden Plover flew over late afternoon. 2 Little Egret were at the west end. An adult Yellow-legged Gull and 4 Common Gull were in the pre roost.

BELVIDE 16.11.25 Overcast NE 2

 A male Merlin (photo by Paul Smith) was off the west track, also a pair of Stonechat. At least 6 Brambling were in the area, with 4 at the Woodland feeding station and 2 behind the Gazebo hide. 4 Shelduck and 1 Goosander dropped in. 2 Chiffchaff and a Cetti's Warbler were noted.

A great turn out for this morning's work party, where we continued along the south east bay coppicing the willow scrub habitat. 

BELVIDE 15.11.25 Murky E 3

 2 Dunlin and 2 Snipe were at the west end.  3 Brambling were between the Chappell hide and Gazebo bay, also a Chiffchaff. 3 Goosander, 3 Pintail, 75 Pochard and 2 Mandarin were counted.

BELVIDE 14.11.25 Rain NE 4-5

 Disappointingly the weather conditions didn't stir up anything exciting. 2 Pintail, 305 Wigeon, 428 Teal and 2 Mandarin were counted.

BELVIDE 13.11.25

 News received today included a Peregrine killed a Coot on the north shore. A drake Mandarin was off the Gazebo bay. The Cetti's Warbler was singing along the south east bay.

BELVIDE 12.11.25 Rain S 1-2

 8 Brambling were along the Gazebo bay,  also a Tawny Owl. A juvenile male Goshawk was seen a couple of times today. A Dunlin was at the west end, also 4 Golden Plover flew over. 319 Teal, 96 Shoveler and a female Mandarin were counted. 3 Chiffchaff and a singing Cetti's Warbler were along the south east bay.

BELVIDE 11.11.25

 No news received today 

BELVIDE 10.11.25

 News received today included a Dunlin at the west end. 58 Reed Bunting left the Scott hide reed bed early morning. A Brambling was seen at the woodland feeding station. A drake Mandarin was noted.

BELVIDE 9.11.25 Cloudy SSE 1-2

 An imm Marsh Harrier flew thru north early afternoon, also a juvenile male Goshawk was in the area. 4 Brambling were present with 2 at the Gazebo hide and 2 at the woodland hide. 2 Chiffchaff were along the south east bay. A single Dunlin was on the north shore. Today's WeBS count produced 24 Goldeneye, 147 Tufted Duck, 48 Pochard, 7 Mandarin, 280 Mallard, 84 Gadwall, 80 Shoveler, 261 Wigeon, 127 Teal, 140 Coot, 4 GC Grebe, 1 Great Egret, 1 Little Egret, 147 Greylag Geese, 18 Canada Geese, 16 Mute Swan and 13 Cormorant. A Vis Mig off the dam between 0710-0900hrs produced 1 Brambling, 70 Chaffinch, 24 Siskin, 100 Fieldfare, 178 Redwing, 4360 Wood Pigeon, 19 Stock Dove and 13 Skylark.

BELVIDE 8.11.25 Cloudy SW 1-2

 A Vis mig othe the dam between 0715-0900 produced 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Ring-necked Parakeet, 3 Brambling, 53 Chaffinch, 15 Siskin, 2 Redpoll, 3545 Wood Pigeon, 202 Redwing, and 81 Fieldfare. 1 Dunlin was on the north shore, also 10 Golden Plover flew over. 8 Chiffchaff betweenthe south east bay and west end was a good total for the time of year. 2 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine and a Goosander were noted.

BELVIDE 7.11.25 Overcast SSE 1-2

 A single Ruff and Dunlin were new arrivals, also 2 Snipe were in the south east bay. A juvenile male Goshawk raided the reservoir plantation late afternoon, also a Peregrine was noted. 305 Wigeon, 91 Shoveler, 57 Pochard and 177 Tufted Duck were counted. 2 Yellow-legged Gulls were present late afternoon.

BELVIDE 6.11.25

 No news received today 

BELVIDE 5.11.25 Overcast S 2

 Very quiet again. A Chiffchaff and Cetti's Warbler were along the south east bay. 367 Mallard were counted.

BELVIDE 4.11.25

 No news received today 

BELVIDE 3.11.25 Overcast SW 3-4

 A single Dunlin was with 278 Lapwing . 3 Shelduck were new arrivals, also 246 Teal, 89 Shoveler and 13 GC Grebe were counted.

BELVIDE 2.11.25 Sunny WSW 2-3

 A Vis Mig off the dam between 0700-0930 hrs produced a Hawfinch south west at 8.30am, also 114 Chaffinch, 16 Siskin, 124 Redwing, 38 Fieldfare, 33 Skylark, 6000 Wood Pigeon and 470 Starling. A 1st winter Caspian Gull (photo) roosted this evening, also 5 Yellow-legged Gulls. 1 Dunlin and 164 Lapwing were present. A Stonechat was off the west track. 1 Pintail, 66 Shoveler, 239 Wigeon and 625 Greylag Geese were counted. A juvenile male Goshawk, 1 Peregrine and 3 Red Kite were noted. A Cetti's Warbler and Chiffchaff were along the south east bay.

BELVIDE 1.11.25

 News received today included 2 Little Egret, adult Peregrine, 1 Mandarin and 4 Siskin.