Updates
Final paragraph added for the 6th.
8th March 2018 – Dunlin photograph added.
17th March – late news of two colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls seen on March 17th added .
Work Party Dates:
April 14th – 2 pm
May 15th – 6 pm
June 13th – 6 pm
31st March 2018
Overcast with spells of heavy rain a.m., easing later. Light NW breeze
Extensive flooding across the reserve
The regular Saturday count, carried out in very wet conditions, produced the following:
Five Mute Swans, nine Greylag Geese (inc. one sitting on Railway Pool), 23 Canada Geese, a male Mandarin Duck (Lower Siden), 21 Wigeon, 16 Gadwall, 11 Teal, 12 Mallard, 15 Shoveler, two Pochard (M+F), 54 Tufted Duck, five Little Grebes, two Great Crested Grebe, two Grey Heron, 18 Cormorants, 14 Moorhen, 30 Coot, 14 Lapwing (+ 35 east of A452), nine Oystercatchers and 21 Snipe. Gull numbers were 950 Black–headed, seven Lesser Black–backed, three Herring and the regular adult Greater Black–backed. Other sightings were Cetti’s Warbler (Reedbed), two Chiffchaff (Back Gate Copse and Old Road) and five Brambling (3M+2F) in the Crop Field hedge.
30th March 2018
Continuing cool, overcast with spells of light rain. Light SE breeze.
The day’s most significant record was of a Whooper Swan which was present on Car Park Pool for part of the morning. It was regularly hassled by the resident Mute Swans and last seen around 1245, about the same time that two Sand Martins were seen over the pool.
Yesterday’s three Redshank had relocated to the Flood Plain, where there were also 25 Wigeon (32 around the site in total). The adult Mediterranean Gull was back on Railway Pool and Water Rail was heard near River Hide, while on Car Park Pool there were two Pochard, two female Goosanders and singles of both Common and Herring Gull.
The Crop Field held up to four Yellowhammers, a flock of c40 Linnets and a female Brambling, with a male Brambling present around the Car Park feeder. Both Cetti’s Warbler and Goldcrest were seen along the Causeway, with Bullfinch by the Back Gate and Chiffchaffs both along the Old Road and by the Back Gate.
29th March 2018
Cold and generally wet throughout. Light E breeze
On a largely wet day punctuated with some heavy downpours, the Car Park feeder was busy, with 15 species recorded: Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Robin, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Brambling, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Collared Dove and Blackbird.
Three Sand Martins flew through, over the Car Park and heading north, around midday and a Little Ringed Plover came in around 1615, landing in front of Oak Hide, and was still present at 1720. Also on Railway Pool were three Redshank, while Car Park Pool held four Oystercatchers, four Goosander (3F+1M) and there were five Little Grebes split across the pools. For some reason, the Black–headed Gulls left site en masse at 1515, only to return around 1600. Other records included Redwing by the Back Gate, Pochard (1F) and Raven over.
28th March 2018
Sunny intervals, cool north-westerly wind.
Evening counts comprised nine Goosanders, 33 Wigeon, 38 Shoveler, 44 Lapwing, one Redshank, two Pochard, two Shelduck, three Great Crested Grebes, eight Yellowhammers,13 Reed Buntings, two Bramblings and two Linnets. There was a Barn Owl seen at the north end of the Old Road.
27th March 2018
Wet start, blustery and cool.
The adult Mediterranean Gull was again on Railway Pool and there was a Chiffchaff calling at the back gate copse. The crop field held 20 Linnets, 20 Chaffinches and two Bramblings and on Car Park Pool there were three female Goosanders, four Oystercatchers, a female Pochard and three Great Crested Grebes.
Other birds included two Little Egrets and at least three Yellowhammers.
26th March 2018
Sunny.
It is pleasing to report there was quite a lot of Frogspawn or Toadspawn in Dragonfly Pool and both Coltsfoot and Lesser Celandine were in flower around the Reserve.
There was a Little Egret on Car Park Pool, two Chiffchaffs along the causeway a Mediterranean Gull on Railway Pool and the feeders were again busy with Finches and Buntings.
Kestrel at the top of large tree at the north end of the crop field – Photograph by Mike Pugh
Mediterranean Gulls on the island near Oak Hide – Photograph by Max Silverman
Chiffchaff along the causeway – Photograph by Max Silverman
25th March 2018
Sunny, mild, with temperatures over 10 degrees, light north-westerly wind.
There were at least three singing Chiffchaffs today with birds on the causeway, down the Old Road and in the back gate copse. The adult Mediterranean Gull was on site again and there were a pair of Goosanders on Car Park Pool. There were also two Little Egrets.
The crop field held 40 Linnets, five Yellowhammers and at least three Bramblings.
Three Ravens went over, a Water Rail was seen (no location) and there were at least three Redshanks.
Six Greenfinches and 12 Reed Buntings were commuting between the feeders and the crop field oaks.
24th March 2018
Mostly drizzly, light north-easterly wind.
What was presumably yesterday’s adult Mediterranean Gull spent much of the morning on Railway Pool displaying to the Black-headed Gulls.
In the crop field there were 30 Linnets, three Bramblings (two males and a female), 15 Chaffinches and 14 Yellowhammers.
A Jack Snipe was seen around the Dragonfly Pool.
Other counts today were as follows: Six Mutes, 14 Greylags, 11 Canadas, 174 Wigeon, 15 Gadwall, 42 Teal, seven Mallard, an increase in Shoveler to 45, 35 Tufted, two pairs of Goosanders, 20 Cormorants, one Heron, two Great Crested Grebes, two Little Grebes, 24 Moorhen, 68 Coot, 21 Lapwing on the main Reserve and 34 east of the A452, seven Oystercatchers, two Redshanks, 14 Snipe, 1100 Black-headed Gulls, five Common Gulls, seven Lesser Black-backs and a Cetti’s Warbler in the Reedbed.
Later in the day, Brambling numbers in the crop field had increased to seven. There were also nine Greenfinches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming by the south-west pond. A number of Bumblebees were also on the wing.
23 March 2018
Mostly cloudy occasional sunny intervals, light south westerly
The crop field held five Bramblings and seven Yellowhammers but a decreasing number of Chaffinches and Linnets with 10-15 and 20 respectively.
There were three Chiffchaffs on site with singles along the Old Road, Concrete Road and on the railway embankment. There was, however, no sign of yesterday’s Kittiwake.
12 Lesser Redpolls were seen around the back gate copse this morning and 25 Redwings flew into the south end of Siden Hill Wood. A Sparrowhawk went into the Marsh after Snipe and 40 birds came out.
Other waders included a Redshank and nine Oystercatchers. There were two Shelduck and three Common Gulls as well.
Gulls on Car Park Pool included 19 Lesser Black-backs, three Herring Gulls and five Common Gulls. A female Pochard was a new arrival and there was also a female Goosander.
In addition to the Redwings in Siden Hill Wood, there were eight Fieldfare and 15 Redwings on the flood plain.
In the afternoon, an adult Mediterranean Gull came in to Car Park Pool and at 3 pm a Ringed Plover appeared in front of Oak Hide.
22 March 2018
Sunny start, slowly clouding over from the south-west.
There was a Little Ringed Plover on Car Park Pool between 7 and 7.30 am, seemingly not put off by the placing of the Common Tern houses on the gravel patch.
There were four Bramblings either in the crop field or along the causeway with at least 15 Chaffinches, three Yellowhammers and 60 Linnets. In the afternoon, an adult Kittiwake appeared on Car Park Pool. Other Gulls included 15 Lesser Black-backs, five Herring Gulls, ten Common Gulls and two Greater Black-backed Gulls. There was still 270 Wigeon on site and a male Goosander appeared in the afternoon.
21st March 2018
Sunny, light northerly, frosty
The north end of Car Park Pool was thinly iced over this morning. There was an non singing Chiffchaff in the back gate copse and a Jack Snipe was new in the Marsh. The crop field held the usual 40 Linnets plus two male and a female Brambling and two Yellowhammers. There were 23 Redwings along the Old Road and the adult Greater Black-back was roosting on the Car Park Pool islands. Max Silverman took the photo below of an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull consuming what appears to be a mole.
Chiffchaff in back gate copse. Photograph by Max Silverman
20th March 2018
Sunny intervals, cool north-easterly
Gulls today included at least ten Common Gulls, ten Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the regular Greater Black-backed Gull whilst on the water there were four Goosanders (one male and three females). In the crop field, there were still at least three Bramblings and 40 Linnets. The Cetti’s Warbler was along the causeway, a Chiffchaff along the Concrete Road and three Redpoll were also noted though with no location.
Waders included two Oystercatchers and two Redshank.
19th March 2018
Mostly sunny, cold north-easterly wind.
Although temperatures were above freezing and there was some melting of the snow and ice, it was still pretty cold. Despite this the first Little Ringed Plover of the year put in a brief appearance on Car Park Pool before departing at 10.50. There were 55 Starlings, at least eight Snipe feeding with some Lapwings and an Oystercatcher on the grass in front of Car Park Hide. The usual adult Greater Black-backed Gull was asleep on the islands.
In the crop field there were 40 Linnets about 15 Chaffinches and two Yellowhammers.
18th March 2018
Snow on the ground, snow showers, cold easterly wind.
A reasonable selection of birds today included two Curlew to the right of Car Park Hide on the grass until at least 3.30 this afternoon and there was a Dunlin on the islands. 25 Snipe were, all bar four, also around the edge of Car Park Hide. Other birds on site included two Meadow Pipits, one Common Gull, one Herring Gull, a Redpoll over the car park and a pair of Brambling at the car park feeders.
17th March 2018
Mostly overcast, cold, easterly wind.
Despite the cold weather there were two unsigning Chiffchaffs along the causeway this morning and seven Bramblings and 11 Yellowhammers around the crop field. 19 Fieldfares and 11 Redwings were feeding along the Old Road or on the edge of the flood plain and there were also 40 Linnets in the crop field.
Other birds today included five Mute Swans, 33 Greylags, nine Canadas, the Greylag / Canada hybrid, 278 Wigeon, eight Gadwall, 53 Teal, seven Mallard, 20 Shoveler, 29 Tufted, 27 Cormorants, one Little Grebe, one Heron, 14 Moorhen, 78 Coot, nine Oystercatchers, 18 Lapwing, four Redshank, 11 Snipe, 750 Black-headed Gulls, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Herring Gulls, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull and, in addition, a Grey Wagtail at Patrick Bridge and two Mistle Thrush feeding just west of the farm on the flood plain.
Two colour-ringed Black-headed Gulls seen on March 17th. Yellow 2DJV was ringed as an adult on Rainham Tip, London, on the 22nd February 2014. The only other sighting of this bird was at the Wildfowl & Trust Reserve at Llanelli Wetland Centre on the 29th June 2014.
The other bird on the same day was Red V418. This was ringed as a chick at Hirsholm, Denmark, on the 12th May 2011. Hirsholm is an island of the Kattegat, off Fredrickshavn on the northern tip of mainland Denmark. After ringing it was seen in the colony until the 7th January 2011 and was back in the same colony from the 16th May to 26th June 2012. There have been no further sightings until the record on the 17th March. This is the second colour-ringed bird from Hirsholm to be seen at Marsh Lane, the other was White SKH, seen on the 12th February 2016.
16th March 2018
Cloudy, light southerly wind.
No records.
15th March 2018
Sunny intervals, light southerly wind, mild in between the showers.
A Peregrine shot through Car Park Pool at 11.30 and flushed all the Gulls but they had returned quite readily by early afternoon. A non singing Chiffchaff was along the causeway and waders included eight Oystercatchers and a Redshank. There were still over 300 Wigeon on site and around the crop field there were at least two female Bramblings and a male. The Cetti’s Warbler was heard in the causeway area.
14th March 2018
Mostly overcast.
No records.
13th March 2018
Sunny intervals light north-westerly wind.
The first Chiffchaff of the year was seen on the west side of the Old Road this morning. It is difficult with these early non singing birds to know whether they are migrants, newly arrived, or over wintering birds moving on.
There were a pair of Goosanders, three Shelduck, seven Oystercatchers, three Redshanks, an impressive 56 Snipe (20 around Car Park Pool and 36 in the Marsh), four Bramblings in the crop field, a Yellowhammer at the car park feeder, four Little Grebes spread between the pools and also a pair of Pochard.
Later in the day, there was a Dunlin on site and an impressive 20 Common Gulls plus a male Siskin on the car park feeders.
12th March 2018
Wet all day.
It was hardly a surprise with the River that the Blythe had burst its banks and four Redshanks were feeding on the margins towards Patrick Bridge.
A male Brambling visited the car park feeder and 30 Snipe were spread across the Reserve. There was also a drake Pochard with that species having been conspicuous by its absence recently.
11th March 2018
Sunny morning, overcast and then rain pm.
The Dunlin was still on Car Park Pool this morning and there was one Redshank on each of the two pools. One of the latter was the colour-ringed bird from previous years. There was also a male Goosander, male Shelduck, an adult Greater Black-backed Gull, three Common Gulls, two Meadow Pipits over to the north and a Skylark singing over the tip field. Seven to eight Snipe were feeding in front of Car Park Hide and there was still at least one Brambling on site.
10th March 2018
Still a reasonable selection of wildfowl and waders and, within the crop field, four Brambling and six Yellowhammer joined the small group of Chaffinches around the spinner feeder. There was, however, only a single Linnet.
The main counts today were as follows: four Mute Swans, 95 Greylags, nine Canadas, the Greylag / Canada cross, 324 Wigeon, six Gadwall, 55 Teal, five Mallard, 54 Shoveler, two male and a female Goosander, 52 Tufted, 37 Cormorants, three Little Grebes, one Great Crested Grebe, 18 Moorhen, 54 Coot, 138 Lapwing, 19 Snipe, a Dunlin, a Redshank, eight Oystercatchers, 650 Black-headed Gulls, three Common Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, eight Siskins by the back gate copse, a Lesser Redpoll along the Old Road; and, during the afternoon work party, a Water Rail was flushed by River Hide in the process of clearing the sluices and a Jack Snipe was flushed east of the A452.
The first Coltsfoot of the year was seen in flower around the causeway.
Ten attended the work party and created some small nesting scrapes for Lapwings east of the A452 whilst the Alder encroachment in the north causeway bay was checked. Many thanks to Heather for the refreshments.
9th March 2018
Mostly wet.
No records.
8th March 2018
Mostly overcast.
Six to eight Oystercatchers were displaying to each other for most of the day and there were up to 38 Snipe, eight in front of Car Park Hide and 30 flew over from Railway Pool. The Dunlin remained on Railway Pool and the first Redshank of the year appeared briefly on Car Park Pool.
Four Raven flew high, over Siden Hill Wood and both male Brambling and male Yellowhammer visited the feeders. Greater Black-backed Gull was also on site.
Dunlin – 8th March 2018 – Photograph by Max Silverman
7th March 2018
Mostly overcast.
The Dunlin had moved from Car Park Pool to Railway Pool this morning. There were at least five Oystercatchers on site along with the regular adult Greater Black-backed Gull. Cetti’s Warbler was seen around the causeway area, there were at least two Bramblings and three Yellowhammers in the crop field and 18 Snipe were counted overall.
At dusk there were at least 350 to 400 Black-headed Gulls, mostly concentrated on Railway Pool and Shoveler numbers were back up to 54.
6th March 2017
Overcast start.
Most of the snow has gone but the south parts of Car Park Pool are still iced over. On Car Park Pool this morning there was a Dabchick and a male Goosander and a pair of Oystercatchers could be heard from Railway Pool. There were at least 50 mixed Finches in the crop field oaks split approximately as follows:- 35-40 Chaffinches, a least three Bramblings (two males), six Greenfinches, four Goldfinches and a few Reed Buntings. Eight Fieldfares were perched in the top of one of the tall ash trees along the flood plain and there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker at the car park feeders. A Dunlin was also seen on Car Park Pool.
Photographs by John Hunt
Goosanders – 6th March 2018
Dunlin 6th March 2018
As the day progressed, Goosander numbers increased to at least five (two males and three females), the adult Greater Black-backed Gull appeared as usual and Oystercatchers increased to five.
5th March 2017
Sunny morning, overcast afternoon, rain pm.
Two Dunlin were new arrivals on Car Park Pool islands this morning and there were 11 Goosanders (four males and seven females). A pair of Bramblings were at the car park feeders again and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull put in one of its regular appearances along with two Herring Gulls and two Common Gulls. There are also three Oystercatchers and 12 Common Snipe.
On the flood plain there were five Fieldfare, two Redwing, a Little Egret and two Stock Dove.
4th March 2017
Misty start, snow on the ground, some free gaps in mostly frozen pools, generally milder.
There is an immature Greater Black-backed Gull on Railway Pool this morning, along with three Common Gulls and ten Lesser Black-backs. There are also two Shelduck and three Goosanders. Despite the cold snap, the Cetti’s Warbler has survived and showed well from the north Causeway Hide. This bird was bearing a metal ring on its right leg.
The crop field held at least one Brambling, 60 Linnets, 20 Chaffinches and nine Yellowhammers and there were six Snipe in the rushy area behind Oak Hide. Additional birds of interest included 30 Fieldfare around the car park and three Song Thrush and a Coal Tit in the back gate copse.
3rd March 2017
Mostly overcast, some rain, temperatures at zero degrees.
With many wildfowl deserting the Reserve in the cold and icy conditions, a total of 354 Wigeon today was noteworthy, although Teal were down to 55, Gadwall to two and Shoveler to only seven.
Other ducks of interest included two male and three female Goosanders.
At the car park feeder a pair of Brambling showed well and, in the crop field, the Linnet flock had increased to 200 and there were also nine Yellowhammers.
Other counts today comprised ten Mute Swans, 144 Greylags, one Farmyard Goose, 21 Canadas, two Shelduck, 13 Tufted, 16 Cormorants, two Little Grebes, one Water Rail along the central stream, 23 Moorhen, 61 Coot, 56 Lapwings, one Oystercatcher, seven Snipe, 39 Black-headed Gulls, one Common Gull, five Lesser Black-backs and an adult Greater Black-backed Gull. A Fox showed well on the railway embankment.
2nd March 2018
Strong cold easterly, overcast.
The strong wind had opened up a bit more water but despite this there were few ducks on either of the pools. These however did include five Goosanders (two males, three females) and a further pair came in a little later in the morning.
The 80 strong Linnet flock was still in the crop field where Yellowhammer numbers had increased to 12 but Chaffinches had dropped to only a handful and there were no Bramblings at 9.30am. Four Fieldfares and a Redwing went west and most of the Lapwings seem to have moved as well with just three birds and a Meadow Pipit in the field east of the A452.
1st March 2018
Cold easterly wind, snow showers.
With the “Beast from the East” causing a “blast from the past” it was arctic at the Reserve this morning with decreasing areas of open water present. Nevertheless, the area on Car Park Pool was sufficient to pull in two male and seven female Goosanders at 9.40 to join a dwindling number of other ducks.
A Sparrowhawk was hunting around the car park where many birds are congregating at the feeders. The crop field held at least 80 Linnets, 38 Chaffinches, three Bramblings and five Yellowhammers along with a few Pheasants and Corvids.
Despite the cold weather, there were two wheezing Greenfinches either side of the car park gates and a singing Goldfinch!