Covid-19 (Coronavirus) – Updated 30th September 2020
The Reserve remains open. Members have been helpful and responsible during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Please continue to co-operate by:
- Remembering social distancing – 2m minimum between people.
- No more than two people, per hide at any one time, subject to (1) above.
- A spray and cloth has been put into the six main hides so that if people wish to, they can wipe down doors, flaps, shelves etc.
- A mask is preferred for people using hides.
Can all visitors please ensure they follow HM Government guidance in respect of hand sanitisation and social distancing, and ensure they avoid the Reserve if they or any family members (or anyone else you may be in contact with) are showing any symptoms associated with Covid-19.
Work Party Dates
Subject to the Government lifting the lock-down restrictions, the proposed Work Party dates are:
10th October – 2 p.m.
14th November – 2 p.m.
12th December – 2 p.m.
Link to bird ringing group – http://www.westmidlandsringinggroup.co.uk/nhs/4594917630
Updates
29th to 30th October 2020 – Records added
28th September 2020 – Photo added
30th September 2020
Bright start, soon clouding over and periodic rain from 8.40 a.m. Light south-easterly wind.
50 Meadow Pipits and 28 Siskins had flown over by 8.40 a.m., along with a single House Martin. An early Jack Snipe was flying around Railway Pool at just after 8 a.m., initially pursued by a Sparrowhawk which may have flushed it from cover. It disappeared over Oak Hide and was not seen to come down. There were five Pochard on Car Par Pool, along with three Little Egrets, four Chaffinches by Oak Hide, a calling Song Thrush in the back gate copse and a Treecreeper in the crop field Oaks.
29th September 2020
Sunny and warm after light overnight rain.
Three Cetti’s Warblers were recorded this morning, one to the left of Oak Hide, one to the right of River Hide and the third at the north end of Car Park Pool. There was a Green Sandpiper on Railway Pool, two Siskins by Oak Hide, five Chiffchaffs spread across the Reserve as well as three Little Egrets.
28th September 2020
Misty and frosty start, sunny and still with some cloud building in the afternoon.
First thing this morning there were 27 Cormorants hunting in a pack the fish in the Car Park Pool. Otherwise it was quiet first thing with a Siskin over, a Chiffchaff calling along the Old Road, two Goldcrests by the back gate, at least five Reed Buntings (three Oak Hide two Car Park) and a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the central streamline. As the morning progressed 11 Redwings flew over, two further Chiffchaffs were heard in song along the Old Road.
Other birds seen during the morning included six Swallows due-south, three Snipe over to the east along with a Skylark east and another one later on north-west. The first returning Yellowhammers (three) in the car park, along with six Chaffinches and two Common Darters and a Migrant Hawker were seen along the Old Road.
A Grey Wagtail was heard flying over Railway Pool prior to 8.30 and it or another was seen in the same area later in the morning. A Green Sandpiper also appeared on Railway Pool in the afternoon.
A Canada Goose with a silver ring on its right leg and a red ring on its left leg with white letters reading FALN turns out to have been ringed as a young bird at Bowness on Windermere on the 26th June 2016 and seen by John Coakley at the Reserve four years and 88 days later on the 22nd of September.
Ben Dolan of the West Midlands Ringing Group has just advised that the juvenile male Blackcap controlled on the 5th September this year was originally caught and ringed 125 kilometres away on the 7th of July 2020 at Jubilee River Slough. As it has gone to the opposite direction to that which was expected one wonders whether it is a continental bird so lets hope it is re-caught again this winter.
To remind people this is the second controlled Blackcap, the first one was ringed at Marsh Lane on the 22nd of August 2017 and caught again on the 6th of September 2017 481 kilometres away in Trappes, Yvelines, Seine-et-Oise and the Seine, France.
We have also had information on a Sand Martin that was ringed at Marsh Lane on the 11th August 2016 and then controlled again on the 6th of August 2020 52 kilometres at Bridgnorth, Shropshire. This was the year of the significant Swallow roosts in both the Reedbed and the Car Park Pond. Sadly nothing like that this year!
Finally, two Black-headed Gulls have been seen again at Marsh Lane after ringing. The first was a colour ringed 2AHX which was originally ringed as a nestling on the 6th June 2016 and was seen again at the Reserve on the 28th September 2020. There has been one previous sighting at Brueton Park on the 9th July 2019. The second one, colour ringed 2ANC was ringed as a nestling on the 7th June 2016 and was seen again at Marsh Lane on the 28th September this year. All previous sightings of this bird have been at Marsh Lane in 2018, 2019 and earlier this year.
27th September 2020
Sunny with a decreasing north-westerly wind.
A Dunlin was a new arrival this morning on Railway Pool and three relatively late Swallows went south. Two Siskins, ten Linnets, seven Little Egrets, 20 Wigeon, seven Pochards, 12 Herons, 25 Cormorants and a Lesser Redpoll (over Oak Hide) were the main other species recorded this morning.
26th September 2020
Sunny a.m., cloudy p.m., strong but slowly diminishing north-west wind.
At least 25 Meadow Pipits were counted today, mostly visible from Tower Hide where birds could be seen “blogging” around about i.e. there were not on purposeful migration, moving from field to field. There were also two Skylark over. Five Siskins showed well in the Alders just above the track by Packhorse Bridge and at least six Chiffchaffs were seen across the flood plain area and the Old Road. Two Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, 20 Crows, a Rook and six Little Egrets, 18 Wigeon, three Pochard, three Goldcrests, a singing Cetti’s Warbler on the causeway and a Herring Gull were the other birds noted.
Siskin Near Packhorse Bridge – Photograph By Nick Barlow
25th September 2020
Sunny with a strong northerly wind.
Today’s counts comprised of the following: – 12 Mute Swans, 228 Greylags, 110 Canadas, 20 Wigeon, 22 Mallard, 27 Gadwall, 92 Teal, five Pochard, 11 Tufteds, eight Little Grebe, 16 Cormorant, nine Herons, three Little Egrets, 20 Moorhen, 50 Coot, 172 Lapwing, 125 Black-headed Gulls, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Herring Gulls, a adult Common Gull, one Green Sandpiper, one Peregrine, one Swallow south and a Raven.
Despite the windy conditions, in the shelter of the hedges along the concrete road there were three Common Darters, two Small Coppers and a Speckled Wood.
24th September 2020
Sunshine and showers, north westerly.
On a generally quiet day, the birds in the log were limited to five Pochard, six Wigeon, 19 Cormorant, four Little Egrets, three Swallows south and three Chiffchaffs. In the afternoon a Green Sandpiper showed well from Oak Hide and either side of some sleet nine Snipe came out into the open again from Oak Hide whilst a Kingfisher showed well from the Reedbed Hide.
23rd September 2020
Periodic rain all day, westerly.
No records
22nd September 2020
Warm and sunny, slowly clouding over into the evening.
The two Dunlin from yesterday were again present on Car Park Pool and a Green Sandpiper on Railway Pool. There were also five Snipe, 20 Wigeon, five Pochard, three Little Egrets, 18 Cormorants and two singing Cetti’s Warblers.
Four Skylarks and ten Swallows went south during the morning along with a Siskin and 15 Meadow Pipits.
Two Common Gulls were on site again in the afternoon and plenty of insects included three Southern Hawkers, six Migrant Hawkers, 40 Common Darters, three Small Coppers, seven Green-veined Whites and a Common Blue.
In the evening a male Kingfisher showed particularly well on the Reedbed, catching fish and using the Reed Mace stems as perches. There was also a Water Rail calling there.
Green Woodpecker – Railway Hide – 22nd September 2020 – Photographs by Stef Fraczek
21st September 2020
Misty start, sun from 11:30, variable winds.
What presumably were the two Dunlin seen a few days ago, appeared again today along with a single Green Sandpiper. The Dunlin put in an appearance for five minutes in the early morning but were chased off by Jackdaws but reappeared again by 11:45. A Grey Wagtail flew over, there were 21 Linnets by the Aeromodellers and again plenty of corvids on the flood plain including 30 Crows and three Rooks. There was a single Swallow still on territory just by the Aston Martin Garage but the birds appear to have gone from Patrick Farm. In the late afternoon 15 Wigeon, ten Little Egrets, eight Herons and 12 Cormorants were counted. In the mist six Meadow Pipits at least went over but there may well have been more throughout the day.
20th September 2020
Warm, less strong north-easterly.
Initially there were six Little Egrets present and a Kingfisher was seen on a number of occasions in various different places. There were also two Common Snipe, 24 Wigeon, three Pochard, 75 Teal, 32 Shoveler, a Hobby over the lorry park, two singing Cetti’s Warbler, a Coal Tit by the back gate and a Nuthatch on the Old Road.
19th September 2020
Sunny, brisk north-easterly.
Yesterday’s Black-tailed Godwit was not seen initially and did not appear until about 13:00 and was then seen to fly south at about 17:00. In the meantime three Ruff flew in onto Railway Pool at 12:10 and were last seen at 15:45. Both Green and Common Sandpiper were also present along with at least three Snipe.
Other counts today were as follows: 24 Mute Swans, 529 Canadas, 174 Greylag, a Greylag Canada Cross, 16 Wigeon, 33 Mallard, 24 Shoveler, 65 Teal, 44 Gadwall, six Pochard, 12 Tufted, four Little Grebes, 18 Cormorants, 11 Herons, seven Little Egrets, 82 Lapwing, 118 Black-headed Gulls, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Herring Gull, two Common Gulls, a Cetti’s Warbler on the causeway, a Treecreeper behind Oak Hide, a Grey Wagtail over, at least two Chiffchaffs and two Swallows south.
Insects included three Speckled Woods, a Common Blue, seven Green-veined Whites, six Common Blue Damselflies, five Small Red-eyed Damselflies, 35 Common Darters and six Migrant Hawkers.
18th September 2020
Sunny, brisk north-easterly.
A Black-tailed Godwit was present on Car Park Pool until early afternoon at least.
There were at least seven Little Egrets, four Little Grebes, 45 Shoveler, 38 Teal, 46 Gadwall, four Wigeon, three Pochard, ten Tufted, seven Herons, a Green Sandpiper, 55 Lapwing, eight Snipe, 30 Coot, 12 Cormorants and at least 300 Greylags.
In the late afternoon an adult Greater Black-backed Gull came in briefly along with an adult Herring Gull. There were also three Pochard, two Ravens and a Buzzard.
Black-tailed Godwit – Car Park Pool – 18th September 2020 – Photographs by John Coakley
Drake Pochard on Car Park Pool – 18th September 2020 – Photograph by John Coakley
17th September 2020
Sunny, increasing north-easterly.
There was no immediate sign of the Dunlin today but they seem to come and go, or alternatively, are incredibly elusive. Five Snipe were principally enjoying the cleared channel in front of Oak Hide whilst on the pools there were at least five Wigeon and 45 Teal. Bullfinch and Chiffchaff were calling around the back gate and the Blackcap by the records box.
16th September 2020
Sunny a.m., cloudy p.m., light north-easterly.
The only record in the log today was the two Dunlin which were on Car Park Pool in the afternoon.
15th September 2020
Sunny with temperatures over 20 degrees with variable winds.
The two Dunlin were back on Car Park Pool this morning and there was a Green Sandpiper at Patrick Bridge. Seven Snipe were spread across the pools and there were just four Little Egrets today. Other records of note comprised: – four Pochard, a Wigeon, a Pheasant with three chicks along the concrete road, large numbers of geese again (447 Greylags and 436 Canadas) and a Hobby.
In the evening 100 Starlings flew in from the south to roost in the Reedbed and during the Work Party Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail and Green Sandpiper all went over.
Seven attended the work party with the feeders at the car park being emptied and cleaned and six concentrated on clearing some of the weeds from the islands. Many thanks to those who attended.
Work Party – John Woodward and Mike Hearn building a bonfire – Photographs by Nick Barlow
14th September 2020
Warm, sunny, light easterly.
Today’s best bird was a female or juvenile Common Redstart that was flushed from the north causeway screen and flew towards the Old Road. This is the first record for the year. In the same area there was Water Rail, Song Thrush and two male Blackcaps.
On Railway Pool there was a single Dunlin in the morning, which appeared to be paler than the recent pair and in the afternoon, presumably the same two Dunlin that had been around for sometime, reappeared on Car Park Pool, suggesting three different birds.
There was a Green Sandpiper and 11 Little Egrets on Railway Pool in the afternoon and generally during the day there was a small trickle of Meadow Pipits going over with at least 10 counted but no doubt many more than that. Only a single Swallow was noted with other bits and pieces including a good count of 15 Chiffchaffs, an adult Herring Gull and five Common Darters and three Migrant Hawkers.
13th September 2020
Sunny, warm light south-south-westerly.
The two Dunlin continued to linger on site and there was a record count of Little Egrets today with 12 in total. Two Ravens went over and there were 30 Swallows feeding on the flood plain.
Other counts today were as follows: – 31 Mute Swans, 328 Canadas, 316 Greylags, two Farmyard Geese, a Greylag Canada Cross, 69 Mallard, 24 Shoveler, 29 Gadwall, 35 Teal, 17 Tufted, three Little Grebes, seven Herons, 12 Cormorants, 17 Moorhen, 38 Coot, 110 Lapwing, two Snipe, 43 Black-headed Gulls, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Cetti’s Warbler on the causeway and a female Pheasant and six chicks on edge of the crop field.
Dragonflies and Damselflies comprised 20 Common Blue Damselflies, four Small Red-eyed Damselflies, a Brown Hawker, 10 Migrant Hawkers and 45 Common Darters.
There was a Common Blue Butterfly around the car park, two Small Coppers along the Old Road, at least one Comma along the Old Road and across the site one Large White, 15 Green-veined Whites and six Speckled Woods.
In the afternoon a Water Rail showed on the causeway, six Siskins went over and there were at least 25 Rooks on the flood plain. Four Wigeon also appeared, the Snipe total rose to six and there was a Reed Warbler in front of River Hide.
12th September 2020
Sunny, westerly.
The Dunlin continued to linger and a juvenile Peregrine, which was hunting over the pools, came down to bathe mid morning before being seen later circling over Patrick Bridge with a Hobby, juvenile male Sparrowhawk and Buzzard.
Juvenile Peregrine – photograph by John Coakley
The flood plain was otherwise pretty quiet, just three Chiffchaffs and three House Martins south but the late Ragwort flowers were attracting Small Coppers with at least three present near the mobile mast.
Small Copper on Ragwort on the flood plain – Photograph by Nick Barlow
There were seven Little Egrets on the pools at 13:00 and a single Red Admiral close to Car Park Hide.
11th September 2020
Mostly overcast, light north-westerly.
The two Dunlin remain and there were singles of Green Sandpiper, a Snipe and Great Crested Grebe. The late Swift passage continued today with seven through and also six Swallows. Finally there were three Little Egrets.
10th September 2020
Overcast and cool, light north-westerly, very light showers.
A ringing session in the back gate this morning yielded 66 birds of which all were juveniles except two adult Siskin and an adult Robin and the totals were as follows: – 38 Blackcaps, seven Siskins, seven Long-tailed Tits, six Chiffchaffs, two Robins, two Blue Tits and then singles of Willow Warbler (which was in song as well), Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler.
Siskin caught at ringing session – Photographs by Ben Dolan
On or over the pools the following were recorded: – a female Goosander (which came in from Bradnocks Marsh and seemed to land on the river), the two Dunlin from the last few days, two Ravens, 36 Teal, 15 Shoveler, at least 20 Meadow Pipits over, along with two Red Polls and two Swallows. There were two Little Egrets on the pools.
Sedge Warbler – 10th September 2020 – Photograph by Nick Barlow
Additional birds today added by John Belsey and Paul Croft from Upton Warren included two Green Sandpipers on Railway Pool, six Snipe, three Whitethroat, two Yellow Wagtails over, three Swifts and four Ravens and their tally for the day was 70 which was interestingly enough the same as the all day bird count.
9th September 2020
Overcast start, turning sunny and warm, 20 degrees by lunchtime.
Four Swifts went through today continuing the late passage (two, one, one) and the two Dunlin were still present along with two Little Egrets. There were two Snipe on the margins of Car Park Pool, a Whitethroat in the bushes by the car park feeders, at least eight Chiffchaffs, two Sparrowhawks and seven Common Darters.
8th September 2020
Overcast start, slowly brightening.
Today’s star bird was a Knot found by Martin Durkin at about 07:50 and lingering for an hour before it was chased off by Jackdaws. This appears to be the first record since the 18th May 2008. Yesterday’s two adult Dunlin were back on the pools and there is still a Great-crested Grebe on Car Park Pool. Fourteen Swallows flew south.
Additional birds to day included a late Swift, 60 Goldfinches, one Green Sandpiper, four Little Egrets, a Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher and two Reed Warblers plus the singing Cetti’s Warbler on the causeway and another singing Cetti’s at the north end of Car Park Pool and lastly a Raven.
Knot – Railway Pool – 8th September 2020 – Photograph Martin Durkin
Juvenile Green Woodpecker between Oak and Railway Hides – 8th September 2020 – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
7th September 2020
Mostly overcast, with occasional light drizzle.
A few surprises today with two Dunlin briefly this morning on Railway Pool before they apparently disappeared followed by three late Swifts over Railway Pool and ten early Redwings south along the Old Road.
Dunlin – Railway Pool – 7th September 2020 – Photograph by Martin Durkin
Other bits and pieces included two Water Rail in the causeway, 30 Goldfinch along the concrete road with a Siskin, two Great-crested Grebes, four Little Grebes and three Stock Doves on or around Car Park Pool, a Song Thrush on the causeway and four Greenfinches at the car park feeder. Whitethroat and Pochard were also recorded, the former in the causeway area and the Pochard on Car Park Pool.
6th September 2020
Sunny intervals, light north-westerly.
Pools were quiet this morning but the flood plain was active with noisy Jackdaws accompanied by Black-headed Gulls appearing to be catching flying ants over the Reserve. There was a single Little Egret on the flood plain as well.
Around the muck heap there were at least eight Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler and a Treecreeper and out of the cool breeze plenty of Common Darters (ten plus), a Brown Hawker over the Dragonfly Pool and ten Migrant Hawkers spread across the Reserve. Singles of Comma and Small Tortoiseshell were also seen along with ten Speckled Woods.
5th September 2020
Sunny intervals, north-westerly.
Today was an all day bird watch but most of the regulars seemed to be on holiday and there was thin coverage. By 15:30 68 birds had been logged with ringing first thing yielding 65 new birds, one re-trap and one control. The new birds were all juveniles and comprised 55 Blackcaps, seven Chiffchaffs and singles of Reed Warbler, Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit. The ringers added useful early birds to the list such as Tawny Owl and Skylark.
Less usual birds included three fly over Grey Wagtails between 08:00 and 09:00 and then from Tower Hide a fly over Yellow Wagtail and 12 Meadow Pipits, 20 Swallows and five House Martins south and a Greenland type Wheatear dropped out of the sky and landed on a fence post in front of Tower Hide where it remained to rest for over an hour.
Early raptors included a juvenile Peregrine playfully chasing corvids over Siden Hill Wood before gaining height and pursuing a Pigeon out of site behind the wood, two Hobbies hawking high over Railway Pool mid morning and there were also sightings of Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Buzzards. A Raven was also seen.
At least six Chiffchaffs were feeding together around the much heap but there was no sign of the Spotted Flycatcher from earlier in the week.
Waders were thin on the ground with a few Lapwings, five Snipe and singles of Green and Common Sandpiper.
A large corvid flock on the flood plain included at least 30 Crows and 23 Rooks.
The final total was 70 birds with Willow Warbler being a late addition. This total excludes Feral Pigeon which some groups count. The final species list for the day was as follows: – Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Heron, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Hobby, Peregrine, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Wheatear, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.
Further ringing recoveries that the West Midland Ringing Group have provided to me include an Oystercatcher that was ringed as a nestling on the 31st of May this year was seen on the 2nd of September 2020 at Dawlish Warren, 149 miles away; and a Black-headed Gull, this time 2CXK seen at Kinsale Marsh, Kinsale, Co. Cork, Ireland on the 1st of September 2020, 295 miles away, having been ringed as a nestling on the 1st of June 2018 and thirdly another Black-headed Gull nestling ringed on the 7th June 2017 at Marsh Lane was seen on the 2nd of September 2020 at Catsford Common, Bridgewater Bay Nature Reserve, Somerset, 103 miles away.
4th September 2020
Mostly overcast, light westerly.
Today’s counts comprised 50 Mute Swans, 365 Greylags, 107 Canada, a Greylag Canada Hybrid and two Farmyard Geese, nine Wigeon, 32 Mallard, 39 Shoveler, 44 Teal, 38 Gadwall, 15 Tufteds, 11 Cormorants, two Little Egrets, 11 Herons, five Little Grebes, 24 Moorhen, 74 Coot, 180 Lapwing, two Snipe, one Common Sandpiper, 19 Black-headed Gulls, 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a male Cetti’s Warbler singing on the causeway; and then a female Roe Deer with a fawn was seen around the Aeromodellers Old Road game crop and there were plentiful butterflies and dragonflies as follows:- one Meadow Brown, one Gatekeeper, two Small Coppers, five Green-veined Whites, six Small White, one Silver Y Moth, one Vapourer Moth, ten Small Red-eyed Damselflies, two Blue-tailed Damselflies, three Common Blue Damselflies, one Migrant Hawker, five Common Darters.
Later in the day a Green Sandpiper dropped into Railway Pool, there were three Linnets by Oak Hide and a Raven over Siden Hill Wood.
3rd September 2020
Overnight rain continued into the morning, slowly clearing, south-westerly.
Wigeon numbers are slowly creeping up with nine today and there was still a drake Pochard. Other bits and pieces included two Little Egrets, a Common Sandpiper, 12 Sand Martins, three House Martins, two Swallows and at least five Chiffchaffs.
As the weather improved and warned up, butterflies noted comprised Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Comma, Small and Green-veined White.
2nd September 2020
Initially sunny with a light southerly wind, clouding over and rain from early afternoon.
It was generally quiet on the pools this morning with just three Snipe initially. Seven Swallows and a Sand Martin went south together at 07:45 and the area around the causeway was lively with at least three Chiffchaffs all in song, a Blackcap and eight Long-tailed Tits. The Cetti’s Warbler also sang from the causeway area. There were two further Chiffchaffs in the car park and one at Oak Hide, five Greenfinches at the car park feeder, a Green Woodpecker in the Oak trees by the Car Park Hide and two Jays collecting acorns from a bumper crop in the crop field oaks.
As the morning progressed singles of Green and Common Sandpiper were added to the list and the number of Snipe increased to five. Lingering Warblers included singles of Reed Warbler and Common Whitethroat and there were two Blackcaps and six Chiffchaffs noted. There were four Little Egrets on the flood plain in the early afternoon and still Swallows at Patrick Farm with two further birds heading south down the valley. Lastly three Linnets were recorded on site. This species has been sorely absent for much of the year.
1st September 2020
Generally fine, light southerly.
Presumably, the same Spotted Flycatcher from the 30th was again in the same area, today favouring the trees in the back of the muck heap along the Old Road. There were at least six Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler in the same area and six further Chiffchaffs elsewhere across the Reserve together with two Reed Warblers, a Cetti’s Warbler and a Common Whitethroat.
A Hobby showed over both pools at 10:00 and on the pool margins or in the north causeway bay there were two Green Sandpipers, a Common Sandpiper, a Little Egret and an adult and a juvenile Water Rail.
Five Wigeon was a slight increase on previous totals and there were a pair Pochards and ten Herons. A fox showed along the Old Road, a Small Copper Butterfly along the concrete road and two Comma Butterflies, one along the causeway and one in the back gate copse.
Lastly, an overtly late Garden Warbler showed around the junction between the back gate woodland and the fenced off compounds.