BELVIDE Cloudy SW 2

 4 Black-tailed Godwit along the south east bay were new arrivals, also 4 Common Sandpiper and 14 LRP were present. 670 Coot, 6 Teal and a Mandarin were counted. 6 Little Egret were on the north shore.

BELVIDE Overcast WSW 2

 9 Common Sandpiper were along the dam, also 16 LRP on the north shore. At least 300 Swift over the reservoir. 4 Little Egret and a Red Kite were noted.

BELVIDE Cloudy SW 3

 12 Common Sandpiper were along the dam, also a Curlew was on the north shore. 9 Little Egret were at the west end. 6 Little Grebe were off the Chappell hide. A Goshawk flew over this afternoon which is the first sighting since early May. 6 Red Kite were in the area. 4 juvenile Stonechat were off the west track.

BELVIDE Warm Sunny SSW 3

 A pair of Black-necked Grebe were new arrivals at the west end, then later moved off the Chappell hide. A Curlew dropped in briefly this morning, also 6 Common Sandpiper were along the dam. 2 juvenile Great Egret were new arrivals, also 7 Little Egret were present. A 1st summer Hobby was hawking from the Chappell hide, also 2 Red Kite over. A new family of 10 Gadwall ducklings were at the west end, also a 2nd family of GC Grebe have hatched at the west end. The Pochard brood are down to 3 ducklings. The Common Tern family are down to one chick which has swam across to the north shore. 4 Stonechat were off the west track. 11 Teal were counted. At least 20 Red-veined Darter (photo) and a Lesser Emperor were at the west end.

BELVIDE Hot Sunny

 News received today included at least 3 Common Sandpiper along the dam and 6 Little Egret on the north shore.

BELVIDE Hot Sunny SE 2-3

 A quick morning visit produced 6 Common Sandpiper along the dam and 6 Little Egret on the north shore.

BELVIDE Hot Sunny N 1

 With temperatures reaching 34 degrees  I have done an evening visit. 5 Common Sandpiper along the dam and 8 Little Egret were the only birds of note, as well as me challenging a bloke in a rubber dingy off the dam.

BELVIDE Hot Sunny.

 No news received today. Too hot for me.

BELVIDE Hot Sunny SE 2-3

 A single Common Sandpiper was along the dam. 5 Little Egret were on the north shore. 2 Red Kite and a Hobby flew over. A GC Grebe was with 2 chicks off the Gazebo bay. At least 5 Lesser Emperor with 2 from Chappell hide, 2 north shore and 1 along south west shore.

BELVIDE Warm Cloudy SE 1

 Common Sandpiper have increased to 5. 6 Little Egret were on the north shore. 16 Shoveler, 5 Teal, 1 Mandarin and 2 Shelduck were counted. 4 Red Kite flew over. 3 Stonechat were on Hawkshutts ridge. 

BELVIDE Overcast W 1-2

 A Common Sandpiper was along the dam. The Hawkshutts Oystercatchers are already down to 1 chick. 8 Little Egret were on the north shore. A Hobby was over the dam. 13 Shoveler were counted. This year's Geese crèche totals are 28 Canada, 4 Greylags and 6 Egyptian Geese. 

BELVIDE Overcast SW 2

 A Redshank was a new arrival. The pair of Oystercatchers on the Hawkshutts island have hatched at least 2 chicks. 7 Little Egret were on the north shore. 3 juvenile Stonechat were off the west track. A Hobby and Red Kite flew over. 4 Shelduck were noted. Yesterday evening a 2nd family of Tawny Owls were found in the reservoir plantation, including 2 well grown chicks. Also 4 juvenile Kestrels were ringed.

BELVIDE Cloudy Warm SW 2-3

 A quick afternoon visit produced 1 Common Sandpiper, 6 Little Egret and a Teal.

BELVIDE Cloudy W 2-3

 The pair of Oystercatcher are down to 1 chick. 6 Little Egret were on the north shore. 1 Shelduck and 466 Coot were counted. 

BELVIDE Warm Cloudy SW 1

The first returning Green Sandpiper was along the north west shore and although we have just started summer, this signals the start of autumn migration in a birding sense. 7 Little Egret, including a fledged juvenile (photo) from elsewhere were on the north shore. A new brood of 10 Gadwall ducklings were from the Chappell hide.

BELVIDE Cloudy SE 3

 A Common Sandpiper was at the west end, also 14 LRP were counted. The pair of Oystercatcher on the main island have hatched 2 chicks. An adult Peregrine flew over this afternoon. 5 drake Teal were new arrivals. 4 Little Egret were noted. A new brood of 4 Pochard ducklings have appeared in the south east bay. 

BELVIDE Cloudy NNW 1-2

 An Osprey flew thru west at 1.10pm, then was followed by a female Marsh Harrier thru north at 2pm. The 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull and Ringed Plover were still on the north shore. A pair of LRP were with 3 newly hatched chicks on the north shore. Also 4 Lapwing broods of 4, 2,2 and 1 on the north shore. A Willow Warbler was feeding a fledged chick on Hawkshutts ridge, which was very surprising considering I haven't heard or seen a Willow Warbler since the last week in April. The pair of Common Tern are feedind 3 chicks now on the main island. Today's WeBS count produced 120 Gadwall, 188 Mallard, 9 Shoveler, 3 Mandarin, 60 Tufted Duck, 9 Pochard, 3 Egyptian Geese, 124 Canada Geese, 40 Greylag Geese, 380 Coot, 3 Little Egret 12 Heron, 13 Cormorant, 8 Oystercatcher, 8 LRP and 37 Lapwing.

BELVIDE Cloudy W 4

 The June doldrums are here, as history says it's all or nothing at this time of year. Rarities such as Marsh Sandpiper, Caspian Tern,  Whiskered Tern, Laughing Gull,  Sabine's Gull, Pectoral Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope have all been seen at Belvide in June. The Ringed Plover was still on the north shore, also the 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull. The first 2 Common Tern chicks have hatched on the main island.

BELVIDE Cloudy W 3

 A single Ringed Plover was on the north shore. The Shoveler brood is down to 10. 1 Red Kite, 1 Hobby, 2 Mandarin and a Little Egret were noted. 

BELVIDE Rain SW 2-3

 The 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull remains at the west end. 1 Ringed Plover was on the north shore. 1 Teal, 2 Mandarin and 380 Coot were counted.

BELVIDE Heavy Showers N 2

 A Common Sandpiper on the Chappell bund was a new arrival, also a Ringed Plover was at the west end. The male White Wagtail was still on the north shore. The 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull (photo) was still present. The first Gadwall brood of 6 ducklings have appeared today. 3 Little Egret were noted.

BELVIDE Cloudy W 4

 A White Wagtail on the north shore was an unusual June record. A 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull was at the west end. 3 Ringed Plover were on the north shore, also 8 LRP and 8 0ystercatcher were present.

BELVIDE Afternoon Showers WNW 2-3

 3 Ringed Plover were on the north shore. 9 Shoveler were counted included the female with 11 ducklings at the west end. Also 125 Gadwall and 2 Mandarin were counted. 3 Little Egret and a Red Kite were noted. 

BELVIDE Overcast SSW 3-4

 A female Shoveler was with 11 ducklings at the west end, confirming breeding here for the last 3 years. 3 Ringed Plover were on the north shore, also a Dunlin flew thru this morning. A 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull remains on the north shore. 2 Little Egret and 2 Mandarin were noted. A Red Kite and Hobby flew over. A 3rd Lapwing family has appeared by the Hawkshutts hide with at least one chick.

BELVIDE Showery SE 3

 A Little Stint was on the north shore till 10.32am when it flew off high east. A 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull was present this morning. A drake Mandarin was noted. 

I have also been to Foryd Bay near Caernarfon to see a Western Reef Heron, which is a first for Britain. We arrived on site around 2pm to see oit fly over our heads and heading way out in the distance to the south. After a 3 hour wait, the bird dropped back in and showed well along the muddy creeks on the falling tide. The bird showed a slate grey plumage all over, except for a white throat patch. The feeding behavior seemed different to the nearby Little Egrets with more darting movements. Western Reef Herons can be found in Southern Europe, Aftrica and Asia. 

BELVIDE

 News received today included the 2 young Tawny Owl again along the Gazebo bay. 2 Little Egret were at the west end. 2 Lapwing chicks remain on the north shore, with another 2 along the south west shore. 

BELVIDE Cloudy SW 4

 A quick afternoon visit was very quiet with one Red Kite, 1 Little Egret and 293 Coot counted.

BELVIDE Heavy Showers SW 4

 A 1st summer Curlew Sandpiper dropped in with a Dunlin on the north shore at 4.10pm. A Great Egret dropped in this afternoon, also a Little Egret. 1 Peregrine, 1 Hobby and a Red Kite were noted. A Mandarin was on the Chappell bund.

BELVIDE Afternoon Rain NW 3

 Very quiet today. 3 Little Egret were on the north shore. The Erythristic Tufted Duck was still present. A large Hawthorn has come down near the Gazebo hide this afternoon. It is just about passable.

BELVIDE Afternoon Rain SW 3

 The 2 Quail were still calling off the west track. 2 well grown Tawny Owl young were huddled together along the Gazebo bay. A Cuckoo was heard calling on the north side late morning. An erythristic Tufted Duck (photo) caught the eye this afternoon. It is a form of mutation where the pigmentation is red or pink. 2 drake Mandarin were on the chappell bund. 16 Pochard and 32 GC Grebe were counted.