29th February 2016
– Frosty and sunny start slowly clouding over
Records in the log today were 40 Snipe in the Marsh, three Oystercatchers on the islands, two Shelduck and two Little Grebes.
28th February 2016
– Mostly sunny, light easterly wind.
Slightly less usual Gull species today included an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a first-winterGreat Black-back Gull on Car Park Pool in the early afternoon. The Brewer’s Duck returned, this time on Railway Pool, three Goosanders flew along the river, a Coal Tit was still in the back gate copse, three Great Crested Grebes were on Railway Pool and five Oystercatcherswere in display flighting across both islands.
Pochard numbers had increased from yesterday to 23 and there were two Ringed Plovers on site today. Ten Siskins were feeding in the alders in the back gate copse and just north of Car Park Pool there were 40 Redwings and 50 Fieldfares, part of a notable return movement of these Thrushes in the immediate area.
In the late afternoon a single Jack Snipe was showing well just below Oak Hide when aMoorhen came haring down the bank having been displaced from the feeders only to flush two further birds which were hidden but were also by the outlet pipe. There were 15 Common Snipe and a number of Teal also feeding in the Marsh. At least 550 Black-headed Gulls were concentrated mostly on Car Park Pool, and one, probably two Sparrowhawks were hunting the Reserve. 14 Yellowhammers were in the crop field.
27th February 2016
– Mostly sunny, easterly wind.
Further signs of spring today saw the first Coltsfoot in flower, by Reedbed Hide and Lesser Celandines are also in bloom.
Most Duck numbers are beginning to drop away although the Wigeon count at 288 is still impressive. Although not as many as last week, 660 Lapwing was of note and the Black-headed Gull count crept up to 540.
Some Pied Wagtail migration saw seven on the flood puddles by Arden Woodshavings and in the back gate copse area there were 12 Siskins, two Redpoll, three Greenfinch and a Coal Tit.
Counts today were as follows: three Great Crested Grebes, one Little Grebe, two Herons, Buffy the Little Egret, 37 Cormorants, eight Mute Swans, the Black Swan, 40 Greylags, three Canadas, two Shelduck, 14 Gadwall, 40 Teal, eight Mallard, 12 Shoveler, 16Pochard, 18 Tufted, a female Goosander, six Moorhens, 25 Coot, two Oystercatchers, 33Snipe, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls the Ringed Plover, seven Yellowhammers in the crop field, a Treecreeper on the concrete road and in Siden Hill Wood, a Coal Tit in Siden Hill Wood along with 15 Fieldfares, four Mistle Thrushes by Patrick Bridge, 400 Wood Pigeonson the flood plain and two Collared Doves on the Old Road.
26th February 2016
– High cloud, sunny intervals, southerly wind.
The Ringed Plover was on the Railway Pool islands and there were pairs of Great Crested Grebe and Shelduck on Railway Pool itself. In the crop field there were 17 Stock Doves, sixGoldfinches and 30 mixed Chaffinches and Buntings. 15 Snipe were feeding in the Marsh which was white as a result of a covering of Reedmace seeds. On both islands the Black-headed Gulls are now becoming very territorial.
With thanks to Jeff Rankin and camera, and Graham Rowling for searching, we have in the last few days had three colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls recorded, one from Poland, one from Pitsea Landfill Site Essex, ringed on the 8th March 2014 and not seen subsequently and a third ringed in Denmark. Details of the two foreign ringed birds are awaited. There has also been a Black-headed Gull with a BTO ring but so far we have not been able to get details.
Other birds of note included three Oystercatchers, two female drake Goosander, threeGreat Crested Grebe and Buffy the Little Egret.
25th February 2016
– Fine and sunny, progressively clouding over.
Today’s rather usual fair included a female Goosander, five Oystercatchers, a Peregrineand the Ringed Plover.
24 February 2016
– Still, sunny and frosty.
With temperatures down to – 3 at the car park, it was pleasantly surprising to find that only the margins of the pools and the islands had ice on them.
Yesterday’s Ringed Plover remained on Railway Pool and at 8.35 three Golden Ploversdropped onto the Car Park Pool islands but did not linger.
More usual fair came in the shape of a pair of Goosanders on Car Park Pool where there were three Oystercatcher and a pair of Shelduck; and on Railway Pool, another pair of Shelduck, a pair of Great Crested Grebes and, in the Marsh, there were 40 Common Snipe.
A Treecreeper was again in song on the central stream crossing, Bullfinches behind Railway Hide and by Oak Hide and there were at least six Yellowhammers in the crop field.
23rd February 2016
– Cool, sunny intervals, occasional light showers, north-westerly wind.
The first Ringed Plover and Curlew of the year were on Railway Pool and the flood plain respectively. In addition there were six Goosanders (two males and four females).
22nd February 2016
– Mostly sunny, north-westerly wind.
Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe were showing well in the Marsh and a mixed group of at least 50 Jackdaws and Wood Pigeons were feeding in the crop field with 10 Reed Buntingson the car park feeder and eight Yellowhammers by the spinner. Two pairs of Goosanderswere preening and washing on Car Park Pool. Around the aeromodellers there were 70Fieldfare, two Redwing, 50 Starling and a pair of Goldfinches. Buffy the Little Egret was on the Dragonfly Pool and a Skylark was in song over the tip field.
21st February 2016
– Windy from the south-west, mostly overcast, some drizzle.
Oystercatcher numbers were up to five today with four on Car Park Pool and one on Railway Pool. Amongst the Gulls were eight Common Gulls and seven Herring Gulls, again on Car Park Pool. In the Marsh there were 20 Snipe, at least, and one Jack Snipe and other birds of note included three Shelduck, three Goosander, Buffy the Little Egret and a malePeregrine on a number of occasions.
There were two Mistle Thrushes up at Patrick Farm, a small flock of Siskins on the concrete road, the Bar-headed Goose on the flood plain with the Greylags and a handful ofYellowhammers between the causeway and the crop field.
20th February 2016
– Drizzly.
Aside from the usual fair – Buffy the Little Egret, two male and a female Goosander, a drakeMandarin and a Jack Snipe in the Marsh – the day’s Lapwing count of 9000 is by far the highest count of this winter and the highest since January 2006 when 1500 were recorded. The high water levels, (encouraged by the capping pieces put on the sluices), are obviously to the birds liking and is probably also a reflection of some returning birds moving back through to the continent.
Other counts today were 40 Cormorants, one Little Grebe, two Herons, ten Mutes, oneBlack Swan, 28 Greylags, 22 Canadas, 326 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, 17 Mallard, 78 Teal, nine Shoveler, 26 Pochard, 18 Tufted, two Shelduck, 13 Moorhen, 50 Coot, oneOystercatcher, 23 Snipe, 454 Black-headed Gulls, one Common Gull, four Lesser Black-backed Gull, one Herring Gull, 11 Siskin, one Treecreeper on the central stream and 20Yellowhammers in the crop field.
19th February 2016
– Fair a.m., overcast p.m., light southerly wind.
The only records today were of three Jack Snipe in the Marsh and a pair of Goosander on Car Park Pool.
18th February 2016
– Sunny and still.
The Finch and Bunting flock was again coming to the spinner in the crop field, a Linnet went over the car park and there were pairs of Oystercatcher and Shelduck on Car Park Pool. The drake Mandarin was again on Railway Pool, a Cetti’s Warbler called in the north causeway area, Buffy the Little Egret was on site and, in the Marsh, there were two Jack Snipe showing close to the hide, along with about 40 Common Snipe.
Other additions to the day list were three Goosander (one male and two females) and a flock of 30 Siskins.
17th February 2016
– Mostly wet, south-westerly wind.
Three pairs of Goosanders showed well on Car Park Pool this morning and a pair of Shelduckwere feeding on the Reedbed Pool. There was a single Great Crested Grebe on Railway Pool and a Treecreeper showed in the Oak behind Oak Hide.
16th February 2016
– Mostly sunny, northerly swinging around to south-westerly wind.
The only bird noted in the log today was a Water Rail which was seen in the Marsh.
15th February 2016
– Generally fine and sunny. Light northerly wind.
There were a pair of Goosanders, four Oystercatchers and a pair of Shelduck on the Car Park Pool islands or on the water itself, with a flock of about 50 Starlings coming and going.
There were ten Siskins in the Alders by the Dragonfly Pool, a species that has been noticeably absent for the last few weeks. A Jack Snipe showed again in the Marsh and a Great Spotted Woodpecker came to the Oak Hide feeder.
The spinner in the crop field has pulled in a mixed flock of about 40 birds, about a third each ofReed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Chaffinch.
In the afternoon, the Goosander total increased to ten (three males and seven females), theMandarin reappeared and was seen from Oak Hide and a Water Rail showed well from the Causeway Hide, the first there this year.
14th February 2017
– Sunny, cold, northerly wind.
Obviously Wigeon were widely spread yesterday, presumably with some on the flood plain as today’s count was back up to 319. There were at least 55 Snipe and two Jack Snipe in the Marsh, four Oystercatcher on the Car Park Pool islands, a pair of Shelduck on the Reedbed Pool, 45 Pochard, Buffy the Little Egret, the Peregrine again and 44 Cormorants. TheCetti’s Warbler was heard at the north causeway hide, a Treecreeper was singing again on the central stream crossing, a male Kestrel hunted the margins of Railway Pool, a Skylarkwas in song over the tip field and there were four Buzzards together over Siden Hill Wood.
A walk through the wood yielded nothing much more exciting than a singing Coal Tit by the railway car park, which moved towards Hampton, 15 to 20 Redwings just north of the wood and a Grey Wagtail at the pumping station.
At dusk, two male and four female Goosanders came in to bathe and preen on Car Park Pool, a Sparrowhawk came over and put up all the Lapwing and three groups of Redwings came in to roost in at least three localities, the south-west pond (about six), the brambles opposite the car park gates (about 15) and a similar number in the Blackthorn by the top gate.
Finally, four Oystercatchers were roosting with the Lapwings on Car Park Pool.
13th February 2016
– Overcast, east, north-easterly wind.
A Peregrine put in a number of appearances during the day to harass the Lapwing flock which today reached 492. Other birds of note included a pair of Goosanders, Buffy the Little Egret, 11 Yellowhammers in the crop field, Treecreeper again on the central stream crossing, with other counts as follows: one Little Grebe, two Herons, 46 Cormorants, 12Mute Swans, a Black Swan, seven Greylags, 25 Canadas, 132 Wigeon, 19 Gadwall, 70Teal, 22 Mallard, 13 Shoveler, 49 Pochard, 19 Tufted, one Shelduck, five Moorhen, 60Coot, 37 Snipe, four Oystercatchers, 362 Black-headed Gulls, three Common Gulls and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
There was a Green Woodpecker near the car park and several Buzzards hunting or thermaling over the Reserve.
In the afternoon, seven attended the Work Party (many thanks to those for their help), some potholes in the car park and along the track to the causeway were filled in; further clearance of the willows from the stream behind Railway Hide was undertaken and, lastly, two Owl boxes were put up, one to replace the damaged one on the central stream and another in the back gate copse.
12th February 2016
– Some cloud, occasional sunny intervals, light easterly wind.
After becoming a little more elusive of late, three Jack Snipe showed well in the Marsh this morning and a Cetti’s called from the north causeway hide area. On the pools or islands, there were two Shelduck, a pair of Goosanders, four Oystercatchers and Buffy, the Little Egret.
11th February 2016
– Sunny, still and frosty.
After all the rain, a lovely morning saw much activity from at least 60 Common Snipe and 12Teal in the Marsh. There was no immediate sign of any Jack Snipe.
Buffy the Little Egret was on the Railway Pool islands and a Great Crested Grebe and a pair of Goosanders were on the pools. There were also at least three Oystercatchers and sixCommon Gulls.
At least four singing Song Thrushes were in good voice around the back gate area and in the crop field there were at least 15 Yellowhammer and six Reed Bunting, with eight Stock Dove and a few Jackdaws as well. Two Redwings were along the central stream south of the crop field and the underwhelming total of three Rooks moved west this morning. Finally, aGreat Spotted Woodpecker was drumming, just to the south of the back gate.
40 Fieldfare and three Redwing were feeding just north of Siden Hill Wood in the fields there. There were four male Bullfinches in the wood, a Green Sandpiper on the flash north of Patrick Farm and three Skylarks in the field east of the A452.
10th February 2016
– Mostly sunny and fine.
No records.
9th February 2016
– Sunny after a light frost, north-westerly wind.
Water levels remain high but the floods have receded slightly although wildfowl are still well scattered. More interest today came in the shape of a pair of Pintail and two pairs ofGoosander on Car Park Pool and a further pair of Goosanders on Railway Pool. A pair ofShelduck were roosting on Railway Pool at lunchtime but moved to the floods and a single male lingered on Car Park Pool. The Bar-headed Goose has returned and was with theGreylags on the far bank of Railway Pool.
Plenty of Gulls were coming and going with at least eight Commons amongst them and over 150 Starlings were feeding on the margins of the pools.
Later, a Jack Snipe showed amongst the Common Snipe in the Marsh and a pair ofTreecreepers showed well at the junction between the central stream and the causeway.
8th February 2016
– Overcast, windy and showery.
The flooding remains extensive and the River has over-topped its bank into Railway Pool and moved the three Tern rafts further north! There is a blockage in the drain under Car Park Hide and care is needed to walk either through the large puddle or go around on the bank. The central stream has also dislodged the wooden flanking planks, which are now across the pipe and the ditch under the car park gates has also backed up. All work to sort out!
As a consequence of the flooding, birds remain widely scattered with relatively few wildfowl on the pools. The most noteworthy birds that were roosting were three Goosanders (a male and two females). A single Great Crested Grebe was on Car Park Pool and two unidentified hybrid ducks came into Car Park Pool briefly, but did not linger (possibly Mallard / Pintail). As the Marsh is extensively flooded the six Snipe that were visible were huddled onto the longer Reedmace stems on the right hand side.
7th February 2016
– Sunny a.m., clouding over and more rain in the late afternoon and evening, west, south-westerly wind.
After 40mm of rain overnight, it was no surprise to find most of the Blythe Valley under water. As a consequence, the Lapwings and the wildfowl from the Reserve were well spread and the flock of 120 Starlings were feeding amongst the Lapwings. Two adult Greater Black-backed Gulls dropped in to feed on the margins of the flood before flying south and a Green Sandpiper was on the flash north of Patrick Farm. Five Goosanders were on Car Park Pool and a Goldcrest was in song on the Old Road by the Aeromodellers.
6th February 2016
– Rain all day, blustery, west, south-westerly wind.
Despite the unrelenting wind and rain all day, there were some good records with the highlight being an unseasonal Grey Plover which flew south over Car Park Pool at 9.45 a.m.
Good counts saw the Snipe total break the 100 barrier, with a record 112 in the Marsh, together with one Jack Snipe. The Lapwing count of 640 was also the best of the winter. The supporting cast included six Goosanders and, in the afternoon, the drake Mandarin which could be seen on the west bank of the River from Railway Hide looking slightly forlorn as the water level rose unrelentingly.
Other counts today were as follows: one Great Crested Grebe (the first of the spring), fourLittle Grebes, three Herons, 42 Cormorants, 24 Mute Swans, the Black Swan, sevenGreylags, 37 Canadas, two Shelduck, 250 Wigeon, 42 Gadwall, 150 Teal, 35 Mallard, tenShoveler, 33 Pochard (including Blue F6T), 31 Tufted, 13 Moorhen, 55 Coot, 69 Black-headed Gulls, two Common Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one Herring Gull and seven Goldfinches (feeding on the grass in front of Railway Hide).
5th February 2016
– Mostly overcast, south-westerly wind, drizzly.
Yesterday’s pair of Oystercatchers were again on site this morning, together with a pair ofShelduck and seven Goosanders. The Marsh held at least 33 Common Snipe.
4th February 2016
– Mild, overcast and drizzly early on, clearing to mostly sunny morning and afternoon. Light northerly wind but remaining mild.
The Rooks were on the move earlier than the last few days with virtually all 82 west by 8.10. Only a few of them had full cropS which I suspect, on reflection, are to feed sitting mates. A male Kestrel was hunting the crop field where there were a handful of Yellowhammers andReed Buntings and 16 Pheasants.
There was a single Stock Dove in display flight over the crop field and at least a further ten flying over in twos and threes. 38 Starlings were preening and washing on the Car Park Pool islands and, in the Marsh, there were 48 Common Snipe but no Jacks visible around 8.30 a.m., however, one showed later in the day.
Buffy the Little Egret was feeding on Railway Pool and, later in the day, a pair ofOystercatchers came in to prospect. There was also a pair of Goosanders on site along with eight Common Gulls.
3rd February 2016
– Sunshine and showers, north-westerly wind.
A single Jack Snipe showed in the Marsh around lunchtime, but apparently there were only three Common Snipe present. A pair of Shelduck roosted on Railway Pool and a singleCommon Gull and two Herring Gulls were amongst the Black-heads.
2nd February 2016
– Mostly fine, slowly decreasing wind.
No records.
1st February 2016
– Increasingly windy and overcast start, then sunny intervals. West, south-westerly wind.
The increasingly windy conditions made birding difficult, though storm Henry may have been responsible for the “superb mother of pearl” clouds that were visible as part of the sunset.
On Car Park Pool the pair of hybrid Mute / Whooper Swans were again present and aSparrowhawk was chasing Lapwings. A Great Spotted Woodpecker visited the Oak Hide feeder and showed well during the late morning.