Work Party Dates:
September 11th – 6 pm
October 13th – 2 pm
November 10th – 2 pm
December 8th – 2 pm
Ringing Recoveries
29th September 2018 – Courtesy of the Brewood Ringing Group, we have had another Black-headed Gull sighting from Ireland. A bird ringed as a chick in 2016 was sighted today on Bull Island, Dublin, in a roost there, a distance of 198 miles west.
Updates
25th, 26th and 29th September – Records updated.
28th September – Record updated.
20th and 21st September – Records updated.
16th September – Record updated.
12th, 14th and 16th September – Thank you to everyone who submitted photographs of the Great White Egret – a selection are shown below.
6th September – Record updated.
5th September – Record updated.
30th September 2018
Sunny start, some cloud later, light west, north-westerly wind.
Both Great White Egrets were on site today along with at least five Little Egrets. There were 30 Goldfinches around the car park feeder, a Raven went over and there were at least four Snipe on site. Four Song Thrushes were also recorded although no location was given.
Later in the day a juvenile Peregrine appeared briefly, a Grey Wagtail, two Swallows and a Siskin went south. There was a Common Gull on Car Park Pool, a Kingfisher along the central streamline along with a Coal Tit and there was a noticeable influx of Cormorants with 35 seen.
Lastly, a few Meadow Pipits were going over in ones and twos although there was no count today.
29th September 2018
Sunny but cold start and misty.
Photographs by Nick Barlow – Dawn over the Crop Field.
Dawn mist over Railway Pool
Sunrise in the Back Gate Copse
A small amount of overhead passage between 7 and 8 am yielded 16 Meadow Pipits, three Reed Buntings and two Song Thrushes but it largely appeared to dry up from 8 am onwards.
The Great White Egret was again on Railway Pool this morning and four Snipe came over from the Dragonfly Pond onto Car Park Pool. A Chiffchaff was in song on the central streamline and at least one Cetti’s Warbler was very vocal around the causeway.
As the morning wore on, a first-winter Mediterranean Gull appeared briefly with the Black-headed Gulls along with two Common Gulls. There were two Kingfishers at Patrick Bridge, three Siskin went over, a Yellowhammer was in the Old Road game crop and within the crop field there was a Painted Lady and 12 Small Coppers and a further six around the concrete road / Old Road / game crop area.
Other counts today included: nine Mute Swans, 455 Geylags, six Canada / Greylag cross, 180 Canadas, 30 Wigeon, 22 Gadwall, 134 Teal, 34 Mallard, 29 Shoveler, ten Tufteds, 19 Coromorants, six Little Grebes, seven Little Egrets, five Herons, 16 Moorhen, 27 Coot, 148 Lapwing, 157 Black-headed Gulls and five Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
Courtesy of the Brewood Ringing Group, we have had another Black-headed Gull sighting from Ireland. A bird ringed as a chick in 2016 was sighted today on Bull Island, Dublin, in a roost there, a distance of 198 miles west.
28th September 2018
Cool but sunny, light north easterly
A female Goosander on Car Park Pool was a new arrival this morning and the now regular Great White Egret was still on Railway Pool.
An early morning ringing session in the back gate yielded an impressive 19 Blackcaps along with two Robins, three Meadow Pipits, a Bullfinch and a Dunnock. Seen during the same period were a Barn Owl on a post between Oak Hide and the back gate copse, at least 30 Meadow Pipits which went over and a Raven.
The Blackcap numbers in the back gate copse continue to surprise as virtually no birds have been seen around the Reserve in the last fortnight. In part this appears to be because they have not been vocal although the reason for this is unclear.
The first Siskin of the year went over the car park calling.
27th September 2018
Warm and sunny, southerly wind.
Yesterday’s increasingly warm weather continued into today with clear blue skies making birds flying overhead difficult to see.
Nevertheless there was more on show today with a female or juvenile Stonechat on the railway pool islands briefly at 9.30 and a Greenshank fed on the same pool for a short while before flying around the Reserve and then disappearing off to the east. One of the Great White Egrets was feeding on Railway Pool and a Grey Wagtail dropped in briefly at about 10 am. One Skylark, two Meadow Pipits and at least seven Greenfinches flew south prior to 10 am although undoubtedly other birds were passing over unseen. Goldcrests were seen and heard on the causeway and the path to River Hide, there was also a Chiffchaff and a Water Rail around the north causeway hide.
26 September 2018
Cool start and sunny.
One of the Great White Egrets was feeding along the River Blythe today, opposite the horse paddock and eight Swallows had gone south by 9.45. At least six Small Coppers were feeding in the Old road Game Crop this morning.
A female or juvenile Redstart in the hedge on the west of the River and opposite the horse paddock gate was the first of the year. Later in the day the second Great White Egret joined the first on Car Park Pool and a late Hobby was hunting over the flood meadows. There was a Kingfisher on the Reedbed Pool and the Red-eared Slider was seen again. Both Grey and Yellow Wagtails were seen on the Railway Pool islands.
Last but not least a Buzzard killed and devoured a Moorhen on Car Park Pool in the late morning. A second Buzzard came in to try for some of the kill but was driven off.
25th September 2018
Cold start but sunny all day.
Having been a scarce bird at Marsh Lane up until the last few weeks, the long-staying Great White Egret was today joined by a second this morning and both birds were still present at dusk.
Two Great White Egrets on Railway Pool – 25th September 2018 – Photograph by Max Silverman
A Water Rail showed well on the Reedbed Pool (along the east side) in the late evening and at least one called from the Marsh. 180 Black-headed Gulls came in to bathe just before dusk but left almost as the light had gone. In a wonderful sunset a small number of Starlings came in to roost in the Reedbed and there were at least two Chiffchaffs calling along the Old Road. Two Hornets were seen along the causeway and this was one of a number of sightings of Hornets over the last few days.
Sunset – 25th September 2018 – Photograph by Nick Barlow
24th September 2018
Cold start and frost, but sunny all day.
The Great White Egret remained on Railway Pool and was joined by three Little Egrets today. Chiffchaff and Song Thrush were noted along the concrete road, Great Crested Grebe on Car Park Pool, a male Blackcap around the car park and up to ten Goldfinches and four Greenfinches on the car park feeder.
23rd September 2018
Cool and wet, clearing by 10.30, remaining windy from the north-west.
Another morning of single figure temperatures. Despite this the Great White Egret remained on show on Railway Pool along with two Little Egrets. Three Swallows came in from the south in the rain to feed over Car Park Pool and a Grey Wagtail went north also in the rain. There were at least two Song Thrushes by Oak Hide along with a Nuthatch on the feeders there and a minimum of 25 Goldfinches by the car park feeders. Four Chiffchaffs (at least) were calling around Railway Pool and there was a vocal Kingfisher in the north causeway bay.
With the rain relenting at about 10.30 and the sun coming out, temperatures crept into low double figures and there was a bit more to see. At least 20 Meadow Pipits went south along with four Skylarks, 14 House Martins and two further Swallows. The juvenile Peregrine put in an appearance again, over Railway Pool this time and Shoveler, numbers increased to 64. There was a Green Sandpiper on the Dragonfly Pool and at least 15 Rooks on the flood plain. A Water Rail was present in the north causeway bay channels.
The autumn colours are beginning to appear, the Guelder Rose berries and leaves by Railway Hide are particularly colourful at the moment.
Guelder Rose – photograph by Nick Barlow – 23rd September 2018
22nd September 2018
Cold and periodically wet, north westerly wind.
A change in the wind direction to the north-west dropped temperatures into single figures. The Great White Egret was present again and both male (in song) and female (calling) Cetti’s Warblers were active around the causeway area along with a Water Rail in the north causeway channels. Both Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker were on the Oak Hide and Car Park feeders respectively and other counts today were as follows: 10 Mute Swans, 443 Greylags, 181 Canadas, one Greylag / Canada cross, 21 Wigeon, 24 Gadwall, 93 Teal, 42 Mallard, 47 Shoveler, 24 Tufted, three Heron, three Little Egrets, ten Cormorants, eight Little Grebes, 21 Moorhen, 43 Coot, 152 Lapwings, four Snipe, 75 Black-headed Gulls, 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Kingfisher around the causeway bay.
21st September 2018
Strong, south-westerly wind.
150 to 200 House Martins were swirling around in a feeding flock at the north end of Siden Hill Wood prior to 8 pm but by 8.30 the number had dropped to only 40, although there were a few Swallows amongst them. Meadow Pipits were going through in small numbers every minute and by 8 and 9 a.m. at lease 45 had gone south. There were four Snipe on Car Park Pool.
30 Swallows also moved south in the morning, a Ruff put in a brief appearance along with a juvenile Peregrine and a Raven. There were 21 Wigeon today and there were five Little Egrets on the Dragonfly Pool.
Ruff – 21st September 2018 – Photograph by Steve Pattison
Buzzard – 21st September 2018 – Photograph by Steve Pattison
20th September 2018
Very wet and very windy (Storm Ali).
A Great White Egret was present on Railway Pool for much of the day and in the increasingly windy and wet conditions an impressive 420 Swallows and nine House Martins moved through, heading south or south-west during a two hour period in the afternoon. The component of hirundines changed as the afternoon wore on with 100 House Martins moving through later on, but only a few Swallows. There was also an early Common Gull today.
19th September 2018
Sunshine and showers, increasingly windy.
Much the same as the previous days, despite changes in the weather. The Great White Egret was joined by four Little Egrets and a Hobby again put in an appearance. A Water Rail showed in the north causeway channels, there were at least 17 Wigeon on site but unlike some other venues, there were only a few Swallows and five House Martins through.
18th September 2018
Sunny and breezy, Storm Helene passed through.
The Great White Egret was on site all day, showing well, along with three Little Egrets. There were two Hobbys together over Railway Pool, at least 15 Swallows went south and there were two Ravens, a Cetti’s, three Chiffchaffs and the Red-eared Terrapin / Slider again.
17th September 2018
Cloudy, light south-westerly wind.
The Great White Egret again put on a good show along with five Little Egrets. The Great White spent most of its time on Railway Pool.
A Kingfisher showed well on the Reedbed and there was a Green Sandpiper on Car Park Pool. With patience, Water Rails can be seen from the north causeway screen.
16th September 2018
Mostly overcast, light rain pm, breezy.
The Great White Egret continued its presence and showed well. A juvenile Peregrine went over Railway Pool, there were at least five Little Egrets on site, nine Swallows, 30 House Martins and two Meadow Pipits went south and there was a large count of Canadas (358). A Kingfisher was also seen along with a count of 26 Lesser Black-backs and a Herring Gull.
Great White Egret with lunch – Photograph by Steve Pattison
15th September 2018
Mostly sunny, light south-westerly wind, generally mild.
The Great White Egret was again on site showing well, along with up to four Little Egrets. At dusk, it and the four Little Egrets were showing particularly well at the end of the Marsh channel from where a Water Rail also called.
Other counts today included: 13 Mute Swans, 258 Greylags, a party of five Greylag / Canada hybrids, 271 Canadas, 14 Wigeon, 41 Gadwall, 77 Teal, 15 Mallard, 64 Shoveler, 21 Tufted, eight Little Grebes (one adult and seven juveniles), seven Cormorants, three Herons, 23 Moorhen, 27 Coot, 161 Lapwing, one Snipe, 245 Black-headed Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Water Rail which called from the southern end of Railway Pool, at least one Cetti’s Warbler singing along the causeway, a Kingfisher up by Patrick Bridge and the Red-eared Slider (Terrapin) on the car park island.
At dusk, at least 150 Jackdaws went into Siden Hill Wood to roost, there were two Green Sandpipers on the gravel bar on Railway Pool, both very vocal, and at least two House Martins were feeding at the north end of Siden Hill Wood.
There was still at least five Small Coppers in the Old Road Game Crop.
14th September 2018
Sunny intervals increasing westerly
The Great White Egret returned to the Reserve today spending most of the day on Railway Pool and showing very well. There were also at least three Little Egrets, two Ravens and a Green Sandpiper.
In the early afternoon, two Hobbies were interacting over Railway Pool, catching dragonflies and food passing between them. Up to nine Swallow and five House Martins went south along with two Meadow Pipits and there was a Willow Warbler in the Car Park copse.
Other birds included 50 Shovelers, at least 80 Starling, four Chiffchaffs in a Tit flock on the causeway and two Snipe on Car Park pool.
Great White Egret and Grey Heron – Photograph by Max Silverman
Great White Egret and Grey Heron – Photograph by John Hunt
13th September 2018
High cloud, light westerly
A Hobby put in a number of appearances today, with at least one of the birds seen clearly being an adult. There were at any one time up to six Little Egrets and two Yellow Wagtails flew south over Railway Pool in the afternoon. Other birds included a few Chiffchaffs, Kingfisher, Nuthatch, 274 Canadas and six Swallows went south over the Old Road.
An incredible 29 Small Coppers were counted in the Old Road game crop.
12th September 2018
Overcast, light westerly
Yesterday’s Great White Egret was again present for much of the day moving between the Pools and showing well on occasions. It was joined in the morning by two Green Sandpipers on Car Park Pool. In the afternoon, the Egret caught a large fish in the bay between River Hide and the Marsh.
Other birds today included a Hobby, at least 30 House Martins, Water Rail, five Little Egrets, a late Willow Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, 284 Canadas, 12 Wigeon, 78 Teal, 28 Shoveler, at least two Cetti’s Warbler, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, eight Meadow Pipits south, and a Nuthatch on the Oak Hide feeder.
There were again, good numbers of Small Coppers in the Old Road game crop with at least six seen.
Great White Egret in Flight – Photograph by Mike Pugh
11th September 2018
Overcast with occasional sunny periods, light westerly and occasional rain showers
Today’s highlight was undoubtedly a Great White Egret which showed on Car Park Pool this morning along with a Little Egret. 120 Starlings came into roost during the work party, which was well attended. The causeway channels were re-opened, some Willow and Alder clearance was undertaken, along with hedge cutting, strimming and hide clearance. Thanks to all those who attended.
During some Willow clearance on the islands, a Warbler was flushed from the denser vegetation only flying a few yards on each occasion. It appeared sandy with a prominent supercilium and a dark eye stripe, but nothing else was clinched on it in failing light. One that got away!
10th September 2018
Sunny intervals, high cloud, light south-westerly wind.
The cattle are making a regular habit of coming across the river and wading around the end of the stock fencing on Car Park Pool so, tomorrow morning (11th) there will be some further fencing put across the causeway bay to try and prevent this. It is also intended that with some additional fencing to be carried out later in the week they will be able to graze the banks to Railway Pool as well.
Possibly because of the presence of cattle, there were at least three Yellow Wagtails around the car park area at 7.30 this morning and a presumed fourth at 9.20. A few House Martins could be heard flying over but they were too high to register in numbers and a Green Sandpiper also flew over.
At least two different Cetti’s Warblers were in song on Railway Pool, one west of Oak Hide and the other opposite Oak Hide. A Peregrine also went over and there were at least five Small Coppers in the Old Road crop field and another one, along with two Common Blues, in the main crop field. Today’s Little Egret count was nine.
9th September 2018
Drizzle on a south-westerly breeze early on and then clearing to sunshine later.
There was nothing particularly out of the ordinary today although a small trickle of hirundine passage continues. In no particular order there was a Water Rail seen in front of Oak Hide, at least two different Cetti’s Warblers were heard with a male singing on the causeway with a female-type calling there as well. A Kingfisher was seen on a number of occasions, a pair of Ravens went over the Car Park Pool at 9.20, there were up to six Little Egrets, 40 Shoveler and ten Wigeon; and there were two Blackcaps and five Chiffchaffs seen or heard.
8th September 2018
Mostly overcast with some light rain.
Today’s counts were as follows: 27 Mute Swans, the two Whooper / Mute hybrids, 211 Greylags, a Greylag / Canada hybrid, 29 Canadas, 18 Wigeon, 36 Gadwall, 65 Teal, 24 Mallard, 42 Shoveler, 35 Tufted, ten Cormorants, six Little Grebes (three adults and three juveniles), three Herons, four Little Egrets, 164 Lapwing, four Snipe, 84 Black-headed Gulls, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Herring Gull, one Kingfisher north over Car Park Pool and a Grey Wagtail south over Railway Pool.
7th September 2018
Sunny, cool, brisk westerly wind.
The cows had decided not only to cross the river but also Car Park Pool and were enjoying the delights of fresh grass actually around the car park. They were their usual frisky selves and caused a number of the members to age prematurely as a consequence!
Whilst herding them back, a flock of at least 25 House Martins arrived to feed over the pools. The back gate copse was busy with at least five Blackcaps there and a flock of Tits included at least two Chiffchaffs, four Nuthatch and two Goldcrests. A pair of Ravens also flew over there at just after 9 am.
A ringing session in the Reedbed and along the causeway had thin pickings with eight Reed Buntings (all but one were adults), one Reed Warbler and one Blackcap.
Other birds today were as follows: five Little Egrets, 20 Wigeon, one Cetti’s Warbler, three Chiffchaffs, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, 30 Teal, 140 Lapwing, a Snipe and Raven and two Sand Martins over Siden Hill Wood in the afternoon.
6th September 2018
Sunny but cool a.m., light north-westerly, rain p.m.
There were at least two Chiffchaffs in the back gate this morning, one of which was in song. The causeway was busy with at least eight Goldfinch, a Greenfinch and one of the Cetti’s Warblers. There were three Snipe on site as well.
Two Kingfishers were again seen this time flying across Car Park Pool and a Hobby went over.
As the afternoon wore on, there were apparently lots of hirundines again but sadly numbers were unquantified. There was a Greater Black-backed Gull again, briefly, 20 Wigeon and three Little Egrets.
5th September 2018
Sunny, light northerly wind.
A Whinchat, originally found on one of the thorns along the river, subsequently moved to in front of Oak Hide and an Osprey went over going south-west at just after 10 am. There were also at least 15 Shoveler, 11 Wigeon, two Snipe and five Little Egret, and two Swallows went south at 9 am. Although elusive at times, the Whinchat was still present at 1.30.
Whinchat in front of Oak Hide – 5th September – Photograph by Max Silverman
As the morning wore on, the hirundine movement got going to a greater extent and by mid-day, at least 40 Swallows and two Sand Martins headed south. The two Whooper Mute hybrids flew over and at least two Kingfishers were seen on a fairly regular basis during the day.
At 2.30 three Ruffs flew into Car Park Pool but had moved on 35 minutes later. A Hobby was also seen briefly in the early afternoon and there was a Sparrowhawk over the crop field.
Ruffs on Car Park Pool 5th September 2018 – Photograph by John Hunt
4th September 2018
Mostly sunny.
There were four Snipe and four Little Egrets on Car Park Pool, a Green Sandpiper on the Reedbed Pool and at least 12 Wigeon now. Two Ravens went over and there was another passage of hirundines with 20 House Martins and 20 Swallows through in the morning.
3rd September 2018
Mostly sunny.
It was relatively quiet today in terms of variety, although the car park feeder remained busy, including a flock of at least 30 Goldfinches, seven Greenfinches, four Reed Buntings, seven Blue Tits, three Great Tits, a male Chaffinch, a male Pheasant, one Moorhen and a Collared Dove.
2nd September 2018
Sunny, southerly wind.
There was a small increase in Wigeon and Shoveler, numbers to ten and 19 respectively, and there were the regular congregation of Little Egrets with eight today. The only migrant wader was a juvenile Little Ringed Plover from Railway Hide. A Reed Warbler was in sub-song along the causeway, there was a flock of 16 Stock Doves on the flood plain and two Snipe were visible from Car Park Hide.
1st September 2018
Misty start, sunny for most of the day, light variable winds.
Another fascinating morning of ringing in the back gate copse yielded 63 birds of which 59 were Blackcaps. They were all juveniles weighing between 15.3g and 20.2g. The split of the sexes was 43 males and 16 females. The other four birds caught were Sedge Warbler, an adult male Greenfinch, a juvenile Goldfinch and a juvenile Goldcrest. Interestingly there was obviously a considerable throughput of birds as none of those that were ringed were re-caught.
The main highlight of the day was a female Marsh Harrier which came in from the east at just after 9.30, circled the pools but was driven off by pretty well everything on site and headed off north over Siden Hill Wood and may well have been the same birds seen later in the day at Middleton.
Hirundines were again on the move, though seemingly not in the numbers of yesterday. Nevertheless, 82 Swallows went through between 7.30 and mid-day, most arriving from the west. There were only two each of House Martin and Sand Martin with them. Possibly because of the hirundines, a Hobby was seen regularly over the flood plain during the day. Two Raven went south at just after 11 am.
There was a Whitethroat at the south end of Siden Hill Wood and a handful of Chiffchaffs around the Reserve. In Siden Hill Wood there were at least three Nuthatches, a Coal Tit, aTreecreeper and a Great Spotted Woodpecker with further Treecreepers heard throughout the day in the back gate copse and by the main car park.
The other counts today, courtesy of Graham Rowling, were as follows: 28 Mutes, two Whooper Mutes hybrids, 325 Greylags, nine Canadas, four Wigeon, 80 Gadwall, 58 Teal, nine Shoveler, 32 Mallard, 37 Tufted, 12 Cormorants, seven Little Egrets, four Herons, nine Little Grebes (five adults and four juvenile), 14 Moorhen, 23 Coot, 162 Lapwing, four Snipe, 205 Black-headed Gulls, six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Kingfisher (perched by Patrick Bridge); and, butterfly wise, aside from lots of Small Whites and Speckled Woods, there was a Painted Lady in the car park and Small Coppers both by the Dragonfly Pond and in the Marsh.