Update: The colour-ringed Redshank that was present at Marsh Lane on a number of dates between the 19th March and 29th April was ringed as an adult on Thorny Island, Chichester Harbour, West Sussex, on the 17th October 2015 and was seen again there on the 26th February and 13th March. This is a useful indication that our breeding waders probably winter on our immediate coastlines.
30 April 2016
– Sunny start, showery afternoon, becoming milder
A similar array of birds to yesterday, with the highlights of the last few days remaining on site, namely the Black-tailed Godwit, Med Gulls and the female Redstart, with arrivals being two additional Dunlin to add to the single from yesterday, six Swifts north along with a scattering of mixed hirundine and a pair of Cuckoos. The male was consorting with the female in the Oaks by River Hide before moving towards Siden Hill Wood when unfortunately the male stopped singing.
Further birds today included three Yellow Wagtails, a female on Car Park Pool and two males east of the A452, four Little Ringed Plovers, one Ringed Plover, both Lesser Whitethroatand Whitethroats on the causeway and by the underpass and then the full count of others noted were as follows: six Little Grebes, three Great Crested Grebes, two Herons, seven Cormorants, four Mute Swans, 19 Greylags, nine Canadas, 24 Gadwall, nine Mallard, the male Brewer’s Duck, two Common Sandpipers, five Redshank, 20 Lapwing on the main Reserve and 45 east of the A452 with at least 14 chicks, 990 Black-headed Gulls, seven Lesser Black-backed Gulls, nine Common Terns and two Shelduck.
Another impromptu ringing session was productive for migrant warblers with, in particular, a Lesser Whitethroat caught on the causeway along with a number of Reed and Sedge Warblers both there and from the reed-bed. The singing Willow Warbler caught on the causeway was found to be a bird ringed there last August. Details are as follows:
19 new birds were caught with three re-traps and a control. The new birds caught were eight Sedge Warblers with a minimum weight of 10.5g and a maximum weight of 14.7g, four Reed Warblers minimum weight 10.4g, maximum weight 12.2g, a single Lesser Whitethroatweight 12.1g, a female Robin, a Willow Warbler weight 9.7g, a male Reed Buntingweighing 19.3g, two female Blackcaps weight 17.6g and 17.1g respectively, and a Chiffchaffweighing in at 8g.
The re-traps were a Reed Warbler from last week which had lost .1g, a Reed Bunting and the Willow Warbler on the causeway which was ringed as a juvenile on the 18th August 2015, clearly showing site fidelity! The control was a male Reed Bunting with details to follow.
29 April 2016
– Sunny intervals, cold north-westerly wind.
The weather remains bitterly cold with birders in winter plumage! Hopefully this blocking low is forecast to move east bringing in progressively milder weather over the weekend.
No doubt because of the weather, the Black-tailed Godwit remains by the car park, showing well, with great views of an anting male Green Woodpecker, Lapwings and Redshank there this morning as well.
On the far shore of Car Park Pool there were two Common Sandpipers and a male Yellow Wagtail and one of the second-summer Mediterranean Gulls had transferred itself to Car Park Pool but was equally rebuffed by the Black-headed Gulls there.
Between 9.30am and 11.40am the first Cuckoo of the year was in song around the crop field and the causeway. A Dunlin dropped in, a Swift headed north, the female Redstart east of the underpass was re-found where there were also two Red-legged Partridges. Mistle Thrush, Yellowhammer and six Linnets were seen in the crop field. A pair of Lesser Whitethroats showed well by Railway Hide.
28 April 2016
– Mostly sunny a.m., sunshine and heavy showers pm., cold north-westerly wind.
In arctic temperatures, the Black-tailed Godwit has decided not to move and remained on the grass by Car Park Hide today. Waders were otherwise largely as normal aside from two Common Snipe. A drake Goosander came into Car Park Pool in the afternoon and a Foxshowed well in front of Oak Hide.
27 April 2016
– Frosty start, sunny, clouds slowly building, still.
The drake Garganey from Monday reappeared today, showing mostly in the reeds on the far side of Railway Pool, opposite Oak Hide. Did it leave the Reserve, or was it just hiding yesterday?
The four Mediterranean Gulls were also on site and the Black-tailed Godwit remained by Car Park Hide. Other waders comprised two each of Common Sandpiper, Snipeand Ringed Plover together with four Little Ringed Plovers.
Also, at least one, possibly two Swifts went through today, the first of the year.
There was a Lesser Whitethroat in song by the mobile phone mast this morning.
26 April 2016
– Sunny, cloud slowing moving in from the north, cold northerly wind
There was no sign of the Garganey this morning despite extensive searching although it was elusive at times yesterday and could still be hiding away in the reeds somewhere.
All four Mediterranean Gulls were seen at one stage or another on the islands on Railway Pool and the summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit continues to show well just to the side of Car Park Hide.
Singing Lesser Whitethroats were heard by the Railway arch over Marsh Lane, (just by the back gate), just north of the car park on the Old Road and by the underpass. Treecreeper and Nuthatch were seen and heard in the back gate copse / south west pond area.
About 10.30am a female Redstart was found just east of the A452 along the concrete road. Anybody going to look for it is asked please to go no further than the turning circle, to avoid disturbing the breeding birds. There were also at least four or five Phylloscs there which also appear to be migrants with most at least being Chiffs though they were distant.
20 – 30 Sand Martins and ten Swallows were feeding over Car Park Pool and the causeway and there were, in total, five Little Ringed Plovers on site.
At 2.45pm a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was seen really well from the north causeway hide feeding on the Bulrush stems before flying towards the Reed-bed where it was briefly relocated. A male Yellow Wagtail also paused briefly on the Pool islands before flying north.
Other birds of interest today were two Common Sandpipers, two Ringed Plovers, at least one Common Snipe and a White Wagtail.
25 April 2016
– Sunshine and showers, north westerly, remaining cold in the wind
Today’s new arrival was a fine male Garganey found on Railway Pool just after 1pm. It was frequently hiding in the reeds and rushes on the west and south shore, best viewed from Oak Hide. From time to time it was frequenting the vegetation below Railway Hide, but this is not visible from Railway Hide itself. The bird remained until dusk.
All four Mediterranean Gulls were on site at one time or another. The Black-tailed Godwit initially appeared to have moved on but reappeared by Car Park Hide at lunchtime and was present for the rest of the day.
Wheatears have been in rather short supply this year with only one on the Reserve itself and so a male in the uncropped field on the east side of Diddington Lane this afternoon was welcome.
In the evening, there were 20 Common Terns on Railway Pool along with four Little Ringed Plovers and a Fox showed well on the causeway.
24 April 2016
– Sunny start, clouding over with showers, cold northerly wind.
After a lovely sunny start to the day, cloud had moved in by mid-day on an increasingly blustery and cold northerly wind. Birds were initially similar to yesterday – the four Mediterranean Gulls and the Black-tailed Godwit, for example, remained – with additions of a Green Sandpiper (initially on Railway Pool before flying to the River) and an additional two Common Sandpipers (three in total). Three Willow Warblers were in song in the back gate compounds with a fourth on the railway embankment, a fifth by the car park but no sound of the causeway or concrete road birds. Four House Martins joined the 40 plus Sand Martinsover the pools as a few more of these are, at least, arriving.
Mid-afternoon, two more Black-tailed Godwits flew in from the east but did not land, a Yellow Wagtail went over and, in the evening, a male Goosander roosted. A probable Whimbrel also went north but refused to call. There were 12 Pied Wagtails east of the A452.
23 April 2016
– Sunny, cold northerly wind.
Temperatures remained relatively low in the cold wind but nevertheless there was plenty to see with, first, the four Mediterranean Gulls appearing again (throughout the morning at least) followed by a superb Black-tailed Godwit, moulting into summer plumage, which arrived about 9 a.m. and spent most of the day feeding, cooperatively, close to Car Park Hide.
Lapwing chicks are beginning to appear east of the A452 (ten at least) with two Yellow Wagtails and two Little Ringed Plovers there too. At least six Lapwings are sitting on the Railway Pool islands and one on the crop field giving an excellent total of 29 pairs of this declining species. A Lesser Whitethroat sang by the underpass with another along the Old Road, plus a Common Whitethroat.
Other birds of note comprised a Common Sandpiper, two Ringed Plovers, a Water Rail(causeway), a brood of five Mallard on Railway Pool and now at least three singing Reed Warblers. Counts aside from the above were; three Great Crested Grebe, six Dabchicks, five Heron, two Little Egrets, six Cormorant, six Mute Swans, 58 Greylags plus a brood of six on Car Park Pool, one Greylag / Canada cross, 16 Canada, one Shelduck, 21 Gadwall, two Teal, six Mallard, three Shoveler, the drake Brewer’s Duck, 43 Tufted, 10 Moorhen, 25 Coot, eight Oystercatchers, 15 Lapwings (main Reserve), three Snipe, five Redshank, 900 Black-headed Gulls, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls and three Common Terns.
22 April 2016
– Mostly overcast, east, north-easterly wind.
There were initially three Mediterranean Gulls on Railway Pool this morning, an adult summer, a second-summer and a first-summer but, as the morning progressed a further second-summer bird also appeared.
Two of the birds appeared to be paired and one of the second-summers regurgitated food to pass to the adult. In the view of those seeing the birds, the adult appears to be different to that present from the 19th to 30th March. Of the two second-summers, one of the birds which has extensive black in the primaries is new and the first-winter, which has been around since the 19th, is different to the bird that was around from the 8th to 11th April. Many thanks to both Graham Growling and Glen Giles for this.
Other birds today included four Common Sandpipers, two Ringed Plovers, five Little Ringed Plovers, five House Martins, three Yellow Wagtails east of the A452, a Lesser Whitethroat on the Old Road, a single Little Egret and the drake Brewer’s Duck.
A very late addition to the year list was a Wheatear, which showed around the car park late morning but does not appear to have stayed for long.
21 April 2016
– Hazy, sunny, easterly wind.
News helpfully phoned in relates to the arrival of five Yellow Wagtails in the crop field, two Whitethroats new in by Railway Hide where the Lesser Whitethroat was seen and heard again. There was a second Lesser Whitethroat on the Old Road between the car park and the Dragonfly Pond. Other birds included two Little Ringed Plovers, two Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, 12 Oystercatchers, six Great Crested Grebes and the first-summer Mediterranean Gull.
20 April 2016
– Sunny, easterly wind.
Despite a slightly cool edge to a persistent easterly wind there were a number of butterflies along the southern face of Siden Hill Wood with the main species being Orange Tip, Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma.
Birdwise, the wood held the usual suspects with Coal Tit in particular being very vocal at the top of the path to Lower Siden Hide.
Other counts today comprises two Little Ringed Plovers, two Ringed Plovers, seven Common Terns, a Little Egret, the first-summer Mediterranean Gull, a drake Brewer’s Duck, 11 Oystercatchers and a female Goosander.
19 April 2016
– Sunny, light north-westerly wind.
A productive first hour and a half yielded a Curlew over at 7.20 a.m., followed by four Common Sandpipers which came into Railway Pool at 7.40 and then moved to Car Park Pool. The first summer Mediterranean Gull showed very well from Oak Hide before moving to Car Park Pool. There were two female Goosanders roosting on Car Park Pool and other birds of note included eight Snipe in the Marsh, plus two others, a Water Rail also in the Marsh, a Little Egret on the flashes on Lower Siden, a pair of Herring Gulls over, a noticeable improvement in the number of singing Sedge Warblers with at least five singing between Oak and River Hide and a further one, along with a Reed Warbler, along the causeway.
“New” Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were all singing around the west end of the causeway.
As the day progressed, other birds of note comprised five Shelduck, the drake Brewer’s Duck, two Little Egrets and, in the evening, 15 Common Terns came in to Car Park Pool, along with five Goosanders.
The warm weather during the day saw that some early butterflies were on the wing, including two male Orange Tips, a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell.
18 April 2016
– Mostly overcast, occasional sunny intervals, cool, westerly wind.
A cool and mostly dull day was brightened, briefly, by the arrival of a pair of Greenshank at mid-day. Unfortunately they did not linger and moved on quickly. Also on Railway Pool were a pair of Ringed Plovers whilst, on Car Park Pool, there were two male and a female Goosander and two Snipe.
Over the flood plain 50 Swallows, a House Martin and 15 Sand Martins were feeding over the river and grassland.
A quiet morning on the ringing front yielded ten new birds and two re-traps. In the back gate copse birds caught comprised a juvenile male Great Tit, a rather sun-bleached Lesser Whitethroat (11.2g in weight), a Chiffchaff (8.2g) and a Blackcap (16.5g) whilst, in the Reedbed, three Reed Buntings (two females and a male), two Reed Warblers and a Sedge Warbler were caught. The Reed Warblers weighed 11.5g and 12.4g respectively, with 11g being the average within a range of 8g to 14g. The Sedge Warbler weighed 11.6g which is also average within a range of 8g to 13g.
The two re-traps were the male Willow Warblers either side of the back gate which had gained .7g and .1g respectively, not a great deal and perhaps an indication of the rather cold and slow spring.
Thank you to Ben Dolan for the information.
17 April 2016
– Frost, sunny all day, north-westerly wind.
The first Reed Warbler of the year was singing from the Reedbed this morning and one of the Lesser Whitethroats, the bird behind Railway Hide was also present. A Whitethroat was singing along the Old Road but they remain scarce, so far.
Common Tern numbers have risen to five and there were two Common Sandpipers, two Shelduck, a drake Goosander, a Water Rail by the causeway, three singing Sedge Warblers, three Little Egrets, a Treecreeper by the south-west pond and another one along the Old Road, eight Snipe in the Marsh and still two Ringed Plovers.
East of the A452 two Yellow Wagtails were joined initially by six Pieds with that number swelling to 22 by early evening, plus two White Wagtails and two Rooks. In the evening, at least 80 Sand Martins were feeding over Car Park Pool and the Common Terns were in display flight.
16 April 2016
– Cold northerly with early morning snow showers and rain, slowly clearing mid morning.
Early morning waders comprised three Dunlin, three Ringed Plovers and two Common Sandpipers. There was also a White Wagtail. The Wagtail and Dunlin moved on quickly as the weather improved.
Other counts today comprised three Herons, two Little Egrets, ten Cormorants, five Great Crested Grebes, five Little Grebes, six Mute Swans, 18 Greylags, ten Canadas, two Shelduck, five Wigeon, 16 Gadwall, 27 Teal, 12 Mallard, five Shoveler, 38 Tufted, 12 Moorhen, 34 Coot, eight Oystercatchers, 27 Lapwing plus 44 further birds east of the A452, three Redshank, three Snipe, a female Goosander, 709 Black-headed Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Common Terns, 40 Sand Martins, 20 Swallows, ten Chiffchaffs, five Willow Warblers, five Blackcaps, two Sedge Warblers, a Raven and two Jays.
15 April 2016
– Overcast and showery. Light north-easterly wind.
A Yellow Wagtail was seen briefly on the Car Park Pool islands before flying to the flood plain. There was also a Common Sandpiper there and a Dunlin dropped in at 8.10 a.m.
In the inclement conditions, 60 Sand Martins and 20 Swallows hunted over the pools, but House Martins remain scarce still. There were two Goosanders and a Little Egret on the pools, a Peregrine perched in Siden Hill Wood, two Common Terns and two Ringed Ploverson site and also a single Sedge Warbler.
Later in the morning, three additional Yellow Wagtails dropped in and there were eight Pied Wagtails counted of which two were on Railway Pool and two on the flood plain and four east of the underpass, the latter four probably migrants. A second Common Sandpiper came in to Railway Pool and a second Sedge Warbler was found to the right of Oak Hide.
14th April 2016
– Showery, easterly wind.
During the morning both White and Yellow Wagtails were seen from Oak Hide on the islands on Railway Pool and there was a Common Sandpiper on Car Park Pool.
At least four Willow Warblers were in song, two in the back gate compounds, one by the car park and a fourth along the concrete road. Four Chiffchaffs were singing between the cottages at the east end of the concrete road and at least three Blackcaps. No Whitethroats were heard this morning.
13th April 2016
– Mostly sunny, some showers, light south-westerly wind.
The first Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats were heard and seen today both on the Old Road near the Dragonfly Pond. Two Sedge Warblers feeding and occasionally singing were in the reedmace and reeds to the right of Oak Hide.
On the pools, there was a single summer-plumaged Dunlin, two Ringed Plovers and two Little Ringed Plovers and three Common Terns were prospecting the islands.
Other birds included two female Goosanders on Car Park Pool, a pair of Grey Wagtails near the underpass and a few butterflies on the wing including a Small Tortoiseshell.
12th April 2016
– Mostly cloudy, occasional sunny periods, light west, south-westerly wind.
The first Common Sandpiper of the year joined a Dunlin, one Little Ringed Plover and two Ringed Plovers on Railway Pool whilst the overcast conditions meant that, over the other pools, there were at least 200 Sand Martins with a single House Martin.
A Water Rail was seen dashing across the gaps in the causeway, a female Goosander was on Car Park Pools, (with two birds later on), and at least two Common Terns were on site from time to time during the day.
11th April 2016
– Sunny morning, very wet afternoon.
The heavy overnight rain receded early on and there was a brief interlude before more rain this afternoon.
The first-summer Mediterranean Gull was seen again, this time on Car Park Pool, but was erratic in its appearance. There were two Common Terns, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Ringed Plovers, four Goosanders, the Brewer’s Duck, eight Mute Swans, five Great Crested Grebes, six Linnets (four along the causeway and two by Oak Hide), a single Little Egret on the Dragonfly Pool, a pair of Grey Wagtails by Patrick Farm and the first Sedge Warbler of the year on the causeway.
10th April 2016
– Cloudy, east, south-easterly wind, heavy rain overnight into the 11th.
The first-summer Mediterranean Gull sepnt parts of the day on Car Park Pool with other counts consisting of a single Common Tern, at least five singing Blackcaps, a lingering drake Wigeon, three pairs of Great Crested Grebes, three Willow Warblers and at least four Little Egrets.
The Brewer’s Duck showed again and a Stoat showed really well on the Old Road in the early afternoon. A male and two female Goosanders were present in the late afternoon and early evening.
9th April 2016
– Sunny a.m, showers p.m, south-westerly wind.
The first-summer Mediterranean Gull was on both pools during the morning before flying off towards Bradnocks Marsh at 9 a.m Seven Goosanders were also present during the morning (five males and two females), a Curlew went south, a Red Kite went north-east and a Jack Snipe continued to linger in the Marsh.
Other counts today were as follows: 15 Cormorants, two Great Crested Grebes, six Little Grebes, four Little Egrets, two Herons, four Mutes, one Black Swan, ten Greylags, one Canada, a drake Wigeon, 19 Gadwall, six Teal, ten Mallard plus three ducklings on Car Park Pool, 16 Shoveler, the drake Brewer’s Duck, 48 Tufted Ducks, eight Moorhen, 35 Coot, 22 Lapwing on site and 27 east of the A452, six Oystercatchers, six Redshank, eight Common Snipe, 775 Black-headed Gulls, two Herring Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, nine Buzzards, a Grey Wagtail by the underpass, two Yellowhammers in the crop field, a Linnet along the causeway, seven singing Chiffchaffs, three singing Willow Warblers (all along the Old Road) and four singing Blackcaps (three Old Road and one back gate copse).
In the late afternoon, a Little Ringed Plover dropped in briefly onto Car Park Pool.
8th April 2016
– Mostly cloudy, light westerly wind.
A first-summer Mediterranean Gull was a new arrival on Railway Pool this morning but came and went. There was a single Little Egret, three Goosanders, the drake Brewer’s Duck and two Willow Warblers singing around the car park.
Two pairs of Oystercatchers were present on each of the main pools with two Redshanks on Car Park Pool and six on Railway Pool. Later in the day two more Willow Warblers were picked up along the Old Road and the Goosander count increased to eight.
In the early evening, two Ringed Plovers were recorded on Railway Pool, two Common Terns appeared, there were Treecreepers by the south-west pond and at the start of the concrete road, six Snipe in the Marsh and three by the car park, a lingering drake Wigeon and at least 30 Sand Martins over Car Park Pool itself.
I have been asked to report a pair of Red Kite flying over the Black Boy, Warwick Road, Knowle at around 2pm this afternoon.
7th April 2016
– Morning rain, afternoon showers, north-westerly wind.
The blustery wind saw at least 40 Sand Martins and five Swallows over the pools with two Ringed Plovers on Railway Pool and a single Common Tern, a Goosander and a drake Wigeon were also on site.
6th April 2016
– Unsettled, showers and sunny intervals, south-westerly wind.
Cooler, rather blustery weather, meant that the Sand Martins were hugging the surface of Car Park Pool, with at least 50 birds present and many of them from the local quarries as they were coming and going low over to the east. Two House Martins dropped in briefly to feed over the central streamline before they moved on.
There were five Common Snipe in the Marsh and, on the pools, there was a female Goosander and a drake Pochard on Car Park Pool and a pair of Wigeon on Railway Pool. Two Herring Gulls were prospecting the Car Park Pool islands, warblers in song included Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff immediately by the car park, a further Chiffchaff north along the Old Road and another on the central streamline, plus a Blackcap by the entrance gate cottages.
Other birds of note included a Little Egret on Car Park Pool together with a pair of Goosanders and an increase in the Black-headed Gull count to 300 with 220 on Car Park Pool and 80 on Railway Pool. As the day progressed, the Sand Martin count increased to at least 125. Ten Redshanks, two Ringed Plovers and a Little Ringed Plover were also counted.
5th April 2016
– Mostly sunny, west, north-westerly wind.
What was presumably yesterday’s Common Tern flew through in the afternoon and a couple of House Martins were noted. A male Blackcap was in song by the back gate and a Willow Warbler along the Old Road. Other counts today included 13 Oystercatchers, nine Redshanks, five Stock Doves, three Little Egrets, a Jack Snipe, two pairs of Goosanders, 14 Cormorants, 125 Black-headed Gulls all on Car Park Pool and the drake Brewer’s Duck.
4th April 2016
– Sunny intervals, showery, southerly wind.
The first Common Tern of the year appeared in the early afternoon on Railway Pool and what may have been the same bird was seen later at Shustoke.
38 Wigeon continue to linger along with three Pochard (one drake) and 72 Tufted. Other counts today comprised four Shelduck, 24 Gadwall, 14 Teal, 16 Shoveler, 17 Cormorants, seven Little Grebes, four Great Crested Grebes, 22 Coot, nine Oystercatcher, 36 Lapwing, seven Redshank, five Snipe, 95 Black-headed Gulls, 60 Starling, five Chiffchaff, 180 Wood Pigeon, 55 Sand Martins, a Swallow and a House Martin.
3rd April 2016
– Overnight rain, clearing to give sunny spells, light south-easterly wind.
A Curlew flew over Car Park Pool late morning before gaining height and flying off to the north-west. One, possibly two Willow Warblers were in song along the Old Road and Sand Martins again exceeded 20. There was just a single Swallow and 31 Wigeon are continuing to linger.
A Peregrine again went over Car Park Pool, heading north over the flood plain in the early afternoon and the Black-headed Gulls continued to desert Railway Pool.
Some overnight moth catching, mostly in the small woods, saw the following caught. Three Shoulder Stripes, five Common Quakers, three Hebrew Characters, three Clouded Drabs, one Early Thorn, four Chestnuts and one Acleris Cristana.
2nd April 2016
– Rain until 10.30, clearing, becoming sunny and warm, light south-easterly wind.
An Osprey was hunting Railway Pool at 9.10 a.m. before flying north and what was presumably the same bird then returned between 11.45 and 11.55 over Siden Hill Wood, then Car Park Pool and then over the flood plain. Presumably this was the same bird as yesterday although there was a marked movement of Ospreys through the Midlands today.
Other birds of note included one male and three female Goosanders, the first Willow Warbler of the year which was in song along the Old Road, a Blackcap by the entrance gate, at least five singing Chiffchaffs, the Cetti’s Warbler around the causeway area, two Little Ringed Plovers and at least 20 Swallows early on and 32 Sand Martins a little later.
Other counts today comprised 19 Cormorants, seven Little Grebes, four Great Crested Grebes, a Heron, six Mute Swans, 22 Greylags, two Canadas, four Shelduck, 20 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, eight Teal, six Mallard, 14 Shoveler, two Pochard, 51 Tufted, 10 Moorhen, 41 Coot, eight Oystercatchers, three Snipe, four Redshank, 69 Lapwing, 90 Black-headed Gulls, one Common Gull, ten Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Linnets in the crop field and seven Buzzards in the air.
1st April 2016
– Mostly high cloud, cool south-westerly wind.
At 7.45 this morning, an Osprey was seen flying south over the Reserve from the Kenilworth Road but was not relocated. Railway Pool was again quiet for Black-headed Gulls although there were still some on Car Park Pool. Otherwise, a male and two female Goosanders were the only other noteworthy birds so far this morning.
Goosander numbers increased to four later in the day, there were at least 20 Sand Martins, the returning Brewer’s Duck, at least four singing Chiffchaffs, a single Ringed Plover, eight Oystercatchers, five Redshanks and a Jack Snipe in the Marsh.