28th February 2025
Overcast and still.
A Cattle Egret on the margins of Car Park Pool today was by far and away the best record, whilst yesterday’s Redshank was still present. Eight Oystercatchers are two pairs on the two pools.
A Chiffchaff was down towards Patrick Farm but was not in song. On the pools there was a drake Pochard, four Goosanders and a Great Crested Grebe.
27th February 2025
Mostly sunny.
The Bittern was seen on the Reedbed Pool this morning but sloped away by 10.00. On the pools, the first Redshank of the year joined five Oystercatchers. There were three Goosanders, a drake Pochard and four Common Gulls, whilst a Great White Egret also flew over.
26th February 2025
Overcast with overnight rain clearing through, sunny spells and showers in the afternoon. Westerly.
Four Goosanders were present this morning, along with a drake Pochard and eight Oystercatchers, and a continuing good count of Wigeon with 211. What was presumably yesterday’s Chiffchaff had moved north and was by the HS2 crossing.
16 Fieldfares were present on the Flood Plain and there were eight House Sparrows in total, seven at Patrick Farm and a single again around the Car Park. Five Collared Doves included two at Patrick Farm and three by the Car Park feeders.
25th February 2025
Sunny spells, fresh westerly. Continuing flooding at Patrick Bridge.
The first Chiffchaffs of the year were present today. It is always difficult to know whether these are fresh migrants or wandering over wintering birds. One was on the junction between the Old Road and the Concrete Road, with two together behind Railway Hide. The former did sing briefly, but the latter two were not in song.
A single Green Sandpiper was again on the Patrick Farm flash and other birds of note included Peregrine, Shelduck, 22 Shoveler, an increase in Gadwall and Teal to 25 and 36 respectively, a single drake Pochard, five Goosanders, a single Great Crested Grebe, 10 Oystercatchers, three Ravens, six Buzzards and three Little Egrets.
24th February 2025
Sunny spells with showers after heavy overnight rain. Blustery south-westerly.
There was the predictable flooding around Patrick Bridge today after the heavy rain from last night.
It doesn’t take long for Green Sandpipers to find the flashes just north of Patrick Farm, and there was a single bird on there today.
The other highlight on the wader front was a Jack Snipe which was visible in the Marsh, along with 25 Common Snipe. There were eight Oystercatchers, two pairs on each pool, and other birds making the log were three Shelduck, two Pochard, five Goosanders, eight Common Gulls, one Great Crested Grebe, seven Little Grebe, a female Stonechat by the dragonfly Pond, two Collared Doves at the Car Park feeders, along with four Pheasants.
23rd February 2025
Dull, brisk south southerly wind.
A Mistle Thrush was present again around Car Park Hide, there were seven Oystercatchers, six Goosanders, three Egyptian Geese and a Pochard.
22nd February 2025
Sunny spells, light south-westerly.
Today’s ‘excitement’ came from the sighting of a Yellow Rosella, a parrot that is native to eastern and south-eastern Australia. It is clearly an escapee from captivity, but did provide a little bit of extra interest this morning.
Two Red Kites were seen today, one low over Railway, and then another with a notch in the wing came from the north down the Flood Plain. A Raven was seen over Siden Hill Wood, there were a pair of Egyptian Geese on Railway, but they flew off, and a pair of Goldcrest on the Old Road. It is thought there were at least 11 separate Oystercatchers with four on Car Park, six on Railway and one on the Flood Plain, but it is conceivable that there was some overlap. The pair of Stonechats were again on the fences by the Flood Plain, and an adult Peregrine put in a brief appearance. The first Skylark of the spring was in song by the HS2 workings and there were seven Meadow Pipits on the Flood Plain.
Additional counts, care of Graham Rowling, were 33 Canadas, two Greylags, 16 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 219 Wigeon, just five Mallard, 21 Teal, a pair of Pochard, 37 Tufteds, three pairs of Goosanders, 34 Cormorants, a Great Crested Grebe, a Little Grebe, a Little Egret, a Heron, five Moorhen, 36 Coot, 814 Black-headed Gulls, three Common Gulls, eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Collared Dove in the Crop Oaks.
21st February 2025
Overcast, strong south-easterly.
Oystercatcher numbers were up to nine and there were 23 Snipe visible today. A Great Crested Grebe was also new in.
On the Flood Plain there were 18 Fieldfares, 17 Redwings and a pair of Stonechats and by the Car Park feeders there was a male House Sparrow and three Collared Doves.
20th February 2025
No records.
19th February 2025
Overcast, light showers, light south-easterly.
Wigeon counts today showed 150 birds, and there were still a pair of Pochard. Only three Goosanders remain, although it is probable that more roosted again.
The male House Sparrow was on the Car Park feeders, there was a single Meadow Pipit by Car Park Hide, a pair of Sparrowhawks over Siden Hill Wood, a Water Rail visible from Oak Hide, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull on the Car Park Pool islands, two Collared Doves by the feeder, and an escaped Lechwe by Railway Hide which was probably from Packington Park.
Lastly, another Mink was caught in the trap.
Lechwe – Photograph by Graham Rowling
18th February 2025
Sunny, fresh south-easterly.
A Knot, which was originally present on Railway Pool islands, and then later on Car Park Pool, was only the sixth record for the Reserve. The previous records were in September 2000, January and then again in April 2003, May 2008 and September 2020.
Unfortunately, the bird was regularly harassed, notably by Lapwings, and appeared to have gone before 12.30.
At dusk there were 21 Goosanders, of which 10 were male, 29 Snipe on the grass to the right of Car Park Hide. The Bittern was picked up with the thermal on the west side of the Reedbed, climbed up the reeds to roost, decided it didn’t like it, flew on to the other side and disappeared.
A male House Sparrow was in song from the hedge to the Old Road by the container. Additional records included a pair of Pochard, a pair of Stonechats on the Flood Plain, 75 Lapwings, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, three Egyptian Geese on Railway Pool, at least 300 Black-headed Gulls, an increase in Oystercatchers to seven and a Nuthatch in the Back Gate Copse.
Knot on Car Park Pool – Photograph by Graham Rowling
17th February 2025
Sunny, light south-easterly, pools 50% iced over.
After an absence of a few days, a male Stonechat was present by the Dragonfly Pond, with the female on the Flood Plain fences.
A Great White Egret was also new in.
There were two Mistle Thrushes on the grass by Car Park Hide, a pair of Goosanders, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull and a Shelduck.
16th February 2025
Mostly overcast, light south-easterly, clearing in the afternoon to sunny spells.
The male Brambling was present in the Crop Oaks this morning and probably visited the Car Park feeders as well where there were definitely four Collared Doves.
A Redpoll and 10 Siskins were present in the Alders along the Old Road, particularly near the junction with the Concrete Road. A pair of Ravens flew over, there were still six Oystercatchers, a Kestrel was hunting by the Lorry Park, 15 Stock Doves were on the Railway Pool islands and there were 13 Shoveler and a drake Pochard on the pool.
In the afternoon 41 Snipe were counted around Car Park Hide, and at least 50 more in River Hide. Unfortunately, there was no name in the book, and it is not clear if there was an overlap between these counts or not.
15th February 2025
Overcast with rain, light south-easterly.
The full count of birds today, care of Graham Rowling was as follows: 30 Canadas, three Greylags, two Mute Swans, five Shoveler, seven Gadwall, 251 Wigeon, six Mallard, 29 Teal, a drake Pochard, 17 Tufteds and a drake Goosander.
Duck numbers, with the exception of Wigeon, have trailed off quickly since the beginning of the year.
Other counts comprised 30 Cormorants, two Little Grebes, a Heron, two Little Egrets, six Moorhen, 38 Coot, 65 Lapwing, three Oystercatchers, an impressive 75 Snipe, 134 Black-headed Gulls, six Common Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull.
Four Collared Doves visited the Car Park feeders and there were three Mistle Thrushes on the Flood Plain.
14th February 2025
Overcast start, brightening to sunny spells, light south-easterly.
The male Brambling, together with five Redwings, were under the Car Park feeders and a Jack Snipe was visible with four Commons from Oak Hide, with a further eight Snipe below Car Park Hide.
Other counts today included a drake Pochard, 250 Wigeon, a drake Goosander, 65 Lapwing, six Oystercatchers (four on Car Park Pool and two on Railway Pool), together with the adult Greater Black-backed.
13th February 2025
Grey and overcast, light north-easterly.
The Chaffinch flock was back in the Crop Field this morning, with 40 – 50 birds at the south end. Four Mistle Thrushes and seven Redwings flew from the Crop Field Oaks to those immediately by Car Park Hide, before disappearing.
There were three Goldfinches by Oak Hide, 19 Snipe in the Marsh and a single visible in the Reedbed. A drake Goosander was lingering on Car Park Pool, presumably having roosted, and there were also two Herons there. A pair of Mute Swans were seemingly forming a nest just below Reedbed Hide on the right-hand side.
At least two Oystercatchers were roosting on the islands in front of Car Park Hide with the adult Greater Black-backed.
12th February 2025
A few more counts of note today with 23 Fieldfares and two Redwings on the Flood Plain, four Mistle Thrushes and a further six Redwings around the Car Park, and a total of four Oystercatchers which seem to be a single pair on Car Park and a single pair on Railway, although there is quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing at the moment.
A count of 45 Snipe was noteworthy with three below Car Park Hide or on the grass there, and at least 40 visible in the Marsh.
Four Linnets were of note, although no location was put in the log, and there was also a Meadow Pipit noted.
Other counts comprised a drake Pochard, 48 Tufteds, five Moorhen, two each of Little Egret and Heron, two Common Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and over 200 Black-headed Gulls.
11th February 2025
Grey, drizzly, light north-easterly.
No records.
10th February 2025
Overcast, light rain, light north-easterly.
The grey, cold and overcast conditions continued with the only birds making the log being the Bittern seen from the Reedbed Pool this morning, a single drake Pochard and Goosander on Car Park Pool, three Oystercatchers across both pools and an over-flying Raven.
9th February 2025
Overcast and grey, light north-easterly.
No records.
8th February 2025
Overcast, light north-easterly.
Wildfowl numbers were very low today and have been tailing off rapidly in the post-Christmas period for reasons that are not entirely clear.
This morning’s counts were as follows: one Mute Swan, 113 Canadas, one Greylag, eight Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 225 Wigeon, 12 Mallard, 29 Teal, a single drake Pochard, 15 Tufted Ducks, 26 Cormorants, two Little Grebes, two Little Egrets, five Moorhen, 35 Coot, 63 Lapwing, two Oystercatchers, six Snipe, 240 Black-headed Gulls, one Herring Gull, seven Common Gulls, nine Lesser Black-backed Gulls; other birds today were the now regular male Brambling, this time in the Crop Field, two Mistle Thrushes by Car Park Hide, 30 Siskins and 20 Lesser Redpolls in the Alders along the Central Stream and four Collared Doves at the Car Park feeders.
Despite the inclement weather, seven attended the afternoon work party. Two cleared out the tit boxes which suggested a good nest rate at least. At least three attended to the brambles on the bank between the back gate and Railway Hide, one cleared up old tree guards along the Old Road and at the start of the work party, two cleared out the owl boxes. Of those, one appeared to have had an Owl roosting in it recently but there wasn’t one when we cleared the box. The second, on the crop Oaks had the remnants of a large hornet’s nest, and the third contained a squirrel drey which was evicted. Thanks to all those who attended.
A Mink has recently been caught and dispatched and the cameras on the river have indicated that at least one Otter is fairly regular.
Part of the Hornet’s nest removed from the Owl box – Photograph by Nick Barlow
7th February 2025
Overcast, fresh north-easterly.
The Car Park feeders continue to attract a good variety of birds and today, in addition to the male Brambling and two Collared Doves, there was a male House Sparrow.
On the pools there were a pair of Shelducks, an Egyptian Goose, a pair of Pochard, 61 Lapwing, four Oystercatchers, 15 Common Gulls, two Mistle Thrushes by Car Park Hide and later on the Flood Plain, a female Stonechat along the Old Road by the former Bale Store (where the badgers have been excluded by HS2), and 20 Lesser Redpolls in the Orchid Field trees.
6th February 2025
Sunny.
The Bittern showed well on Railway Pool this morning but vanished early on into the thicker cover. A House Sparrow was also on the feeders. Elsewhere around the Reserve there were a pair of Pochard, a single Little Egret, three Oystercatchers, 30 Lapwing, 10 Snipe, a pair of Goosanders, 108 Wigeon, 20 Redwing, 15 Fieldfare (on the Flood Plain), and a single Lesser Redpoll along the Old Road.
5th February 2025
Still, sunny, thin cirrus.
The male House Sparrow was present on the Car Park feeders this morning, and at least 15 Meadow Pipits were feeding around the edge of the HS2 settlement ponds.
A pair of Lesser Redpolls were in the Alders by the Dragonfly Pond, whilst on the pools or the margins there were at least two Oystercatchers, 25 Snipe (the latter to the right of Oak Hide), and 10 Shoveler.
4th February 2025
Sunny spells, blustery, southerly.
Fourteen adult Russian White-fronted Geese visited site today, with five over the Flood Plain and then on Car Park Pool. Also on the Flood Plain were 65 Redwing, 22 Fieldfare and singles each of Mistle Thrush and Meadow Pipit.
Thirty-two Lesser Redpolls were feeding in the Alders along the Central Stream and also moved to the Causeway later on.
In the pool margins there was a single drake Pochard, 57 Lapwing, a pair of Oystercatchers and a good count of Stock Dove with 21 seen on the Railway Pool islands.
3rd February 2025
Overcast, light showers, light southerly.
A Bittern was heard to boom from Reedbed Pool this morning briefly, and not particularly loudly. At the Car Park feeders there were both male and female Great Spotted Woodpecker together with four Collared Doves, and 18 Stock Doves were feeding on the Railway Pool islands.
The Stonechat pair were back on the Flood Plain, the male Brambling was under the Car Park feeders, a pair of Bullfinches were seen together on the Causeway and there were six Lesser Redpolls in the Alders on the Concrete Road.
Other counts were as follows: One drake Pochard, two Herons, two Little Grebes, 15 Common Gulls, 32 Tufteds, three Oystercatchers and 47 Lapwing.
2nd February 2025
Overcast am, sunny pm with a light southerly.
Two Oystercatchers were present on Car Park Pool islands with three Goosanders, and a drake Shelduck. Twenty-three Snipe were split between the Car Park area and the Marsh, and other counts on or around the pools were 45 Lapwing, a drake Pochard, 14 Shoveler and a single Lesser Redpoll.
Also noted today were two Mistle Thrushes, two Little Egrets, nine Greenfinch at the Car Park feeders, along with three Collared Doves and four Pheasants.
1st February 2025
Overcast, fresh southerly.
The pair of Mistle Thrushes were again seen to the right of Car Park Hide this morning before flying to the Flood Plain where they joined 45 Fieldfare and 70 Redwing. The Car Park feeders remain busy with two Collared Doves, the male Brambling, and a male House Sparrow. Twelve Siskins flew over south, and there were also two Ravens over.
Counts of wildfowl on the pools comprised two Mute Swans, 16 Canadas, 15 Greylag, 11 Shoveler, 20 Gadwall, 216 Wigeon, 16 Mallard, 57 Teal, a drake Pochard, 20 Tufteds, 28 Cormorants, a Little Grebe, one Heron, two Little Egrets, a Moorhen, 53 Coot, 46 Lapwing, 13 Snipe, 107 Black-headed Gulls, four Common Gulls and eight Lesser Black-backed.