Updates
31st October – Record added
30th October – Photograph added
17th October – Photographs added
18th October – Records added
17th October – Record updated (second update on 26th October)
1st October – Photographs added.
7th October – Record updated and photograph added.
28th, 29th and 30th September – Records added.
31st October 2022
Overcast with sunny intervals, fresh southerly wind.
A juvenile Peregrine made at least two passes over Car Park Pool this morning, apparently both unsuccessful.
The pair of Pochard on the same pool remain and Gull numbers are on the increase with 15 Commons, 13 Lesser Black-backs, six Herrings and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull.
In the period between 08.10 and 08.50, 1400 Wood Pigeons went south-west with passage again largely stopping after that. There were five Pied Wagtails by the cattle feeder, north of the Flood Plain.
30th October 2022
Murky start, slowly clearing, heavy showers around 1 pm and then sunshine to the end of the day. Brisk south-westerly wind.
An adult Greater Black-backed Gull joined 17 Common Gulls on Car Park Pool this morning and, in the early afternoon, there were three Herring Gulls and six Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Yesterday’s pair of Pochard remained and there were 40 Shoveler.
Three Siskin and a Lesser Redpoll went over, there were five Meadow Pipits by the Dragonfly Pond and one in Lower Siden, two Grey Wagtails, a pair of Ravens over Siden Hill Wood, a Kestrel hunting by Railway Hide, 12 Redwing along the path from the railway car park and two Little Egrets favouring the new scrape in Lower Siden.
Bullfinch from Railway Hide – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
29th October 2022
Heavy overnight rain, clearing slowly from about 11 am.
Between 9.15 and 10 am, at least 1,150 Wood Pigeons went south with passage thereafter largely ceasing. Another 180 went through in a short period between 10.45 and 11.06, with five Chaffinches, two Redpolls and a Linnet. There were 18 additional Linnets coming and going to the Railway Pool islands where there was also a Grey Wagtail.
Ten Redwings were either feeding in the Back Gate Copse or dropping into it, with a further ten more going over and a few along the Causeway. A pair of constantly calling Goldcrests were around the Car Park Pond area. A Great White Egret showed well in front of Car Park Hide, for part of the morning, before flying off south and there were at least two Little Egrets present on Railway Pool with a third later.
Along the river bank, at about 10.30, a Jay was trying to drive off a male Sparrowhawk which eventually got irritated and had a go at the Jay, to no avail, and then disappeared. There was another Jay along the Flood Plain.
The full count of other birds today comprised 14 Mute Swans, 248 Canadas, 352 Greylags, a Canada / Greylag Cross, a Farmyard Goose, 37 Shoveler, 74 Gadwall, 291 Wigeon, 42 Mallard, 173 Teal, a pair of Pochard, three Tufteds, 16 Cormorants, two Little Grebes, one Great White Egret, three Little Egrets, two Herons, 11 Moorhen, 51 Coot, 199 Lapwing, six Snipe, a Water Rail below Railway Hide, 41 Black-headed Gulls, four Common Gulls, two Herring Gulls, one Lesser Black-backed Gull, a pair of Stonechats on the Flood Plain, nine Fieldfare over the Flood Plain and a male Muntjac around the south side of Car Park Pool.
Last, but not least, a Coal Tit visited the Car Park feeder.
28th October 2022
Sunny spells after early rain, fresh south-westerly wind.
A paucity of records in the log book stretched only to a drake Pochard, a Raven and a Kestrel.
27th October 2022
Early rain, dry, light cloud later, light south-westerly wind.
An immature Peregrine was present this morning, putting the Lapwings to flight but, otherwise, it was relatively quiet with just three Egyptian Geese, a pair of Pochards, three Common Snipe and an adult Water Rail in the north Causeway channels.
26th October 2022
Sunny spells after heavy showers, gusty southerly wind.
Six Little Egrets were feeding along the river to the north of Car Park Pool this morning and three of the four Egyptian Geese were back on site. More Common Gulls today saw a morning count of seven, increase to 13 in the early afternoon. There were also three Herring Gulls, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the adult Greater Black-backed Gull.
In amongst the increasing Wigeon flock, two colour-ringed birds (that were ringed in February this year) have returned.
25th October 2022
No records.
24th October 2022
Sunny spells, heavy showers, fresh southerly wind.
A full count of wildfowl today yielded 17 Mute Swans, 354 Canadas, 375 Greylags, two Canada / Greylag crosses, 30 Shoveler, 80 Gadwall, a noticeable increase in Wigeon to 213, 118 Mallard, 178 Teal, 12 Tufted, two Little Grebes, a Heron, a Little Egret, 21 Cormorants, ten Moorhen, 46 Coot, 118 Lapwings, two Snipe, 225 Black-headed Gulls, four Common Gulls, five Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Kingfisher.
Later in the day a Whooper Swan was seen on Car Park Pool, presumably the Packington bird.
23rd October 2022
Period of morning rain, light south-easterly, clearing in the afternoon.
The three Pintail were still on site and there was an impressive 35 Common Snipe. More Thrushes were seen with 60 Fieldfare and 30 Redwing and two Ravens flew over. The Kingfisher was again showing well.
22nd October 2022
Bright and sunny, light south-westerly wind.
Yesterday’s three Pintail were still present and the first marked movement of Thurshes saw 40 Fieldfare and 20 Redwing over, during the morning, along with 120 Starling, four Skylark and two Siskin. Birds on or around the pools comprised a drake Pochard, a Little Egret, two Common Gulls, the adult Greater Black-backed Gull, three Herring Gulls, 250 Black-headed Gulls, 325 Canadas and 315 Greylags, 51 Wigeon and ten Snipe.
A male Stonechat was present on the Flood Plain enclosures, but there was no sign of the female this morning.
Both Red Admiral and Migrant Hawker were also seen and a Nuthatch was heard in Siden Hill Wood.
21st October 2022
Showery, south-easterly wind.
The easterly element to the wind brought in a few additional birds, with the most noteworthy being a Water Pipit, which was visible from Oak Hide amongst 12 Meadow Pipits. Water Pipit is a less than annual bird at the Reserve, with the last record on November 19th, 2016.
Two immature or female Pintail were also new in, joining the male on Railway Pool. Yesterday’s three drake Pochard remained on site, whilst the Great White Egret came and went during the day. An adult Greater Black-backed Gull was seen, along with four Common Gulls and there was also a Grey Wagtail present.
There was another dead goose collection this morning, five dead Canadas, a Greylag and a Swan were picked up and buried. There were 13 carcasses which had effectively been cleaned by predators as well, but this total number is under half of the previous week and the outbreak appears to be on the wain.
20th October 2022
Light south-easterly, rain on and off throughout the day.
The quirky weather provided a bit more of interest today with three Dunlin flying over, an increase in Snipe to 30 and a Curlew. The latter was heard to call but was not found in the murk. A female Stonechat and a Green Sandpiper were visible from Railway Hide with the drake Pintail still present on Railway Pool. Other birds seen during the day included three drake Pochard, the four Egyptian Geese and a Grey Wagtail, with what was presumed to be yesterday’s Jack Snipe reappeared in the afternoon in front of Oak Hide. Water Rail was heard from the Reedbed and a Kingfisher was seen around the margins of Railway Pool.
19th October 2022
Sunny spells, fresh easterly wind.
The autumn’s first Jack Snipe was present in the Marsh this morning, feeding in the pools in the channel between the islands. There was also a Great White Egret, the drake Pintail, four Egyptian Geese, a drake Pochard and a pair of Stonechats. The latter at the top end of the Flood Plain.
18th October 2022
Sunny and still.
A female House Sparrow was a most unexpected visitor to the Car Park feeders. House Sparrows actually on the Reserve are few and far between yet, bizarrely, they are sometimes at the cottages by the entrance gate and there is a regular colony at Patrick Farm. The lack of records just confirms their sedentary nature.
A Great White Egret was again on site this morning, along with five Little Egrets and the drake Pintail was also still present. The four Egyptian Geese from yesterday were on Car Park Pool, the regular Kingfisher was hunting the margins of Railway Pool and there was a Grey Wagtail feeding in front of Oak Hide in the Marsh. Two Ravens flew over the Flood Plain, the male Stonechat was still by the Dragonfly Pond and there were still at least five Cetti’s Warblers in song.
Great White Egret and Little Egret from River Hide – Photograph by Dale Rose
Great White Egret – Railway Pool – Photograph by Stef Fraczek
17th October 2022
Sunny and warm, light south-westerly wind.
The drake Pintail continues to please the visitors, remaining on Railway Pool. Four Egyptian Geese were new in (having had few records for some weeks), as was a drake Pochard.
A pair of Stonechats were on the fences at the top end of the Flood Plain and a separate one by the Dragonfly Pond, there were again five Cetti’s Warblers in song and other birds making the log were seven Snipe, an adult Greater Black-backed Gull, five Common Gulls and a Kingfisher. The continuing mild weather was sufficient for Red Admirals to be seen, one by the Car Park and one along the Old Road.
The Black-headed Gull was ringed as an adult in Oslo on March 27th, 2020. The only other sighting was at Zutphen, The Netherlands, on February 6th, 2022.
A Ringing session in the Back Gate yielded three Blackcaps, two Redwings, six Robin, two Dunnocks, six Goldcrest, seven Long-tailed Tits and a Cetti’s Warbler. All were new with the exception of two Robins from 2021 and a Long-tailed Tit from earlier this year.
Photographs by Ben Dolan
Redwing
Cetti’s Warbler
16th October 2022
Sunny and warm, light south-westerly wind.
No Records.
15th October 2022
Sunny, fresh south-westerly wind.
Early migrants moving over Patrick Farm this morning comprised eight Skylarks and five Meadow Pipits, with at least six Rooks presumably moving towards the Flood Plain, along with a Raven.
A late Swallow moved south later in the morning and there were two male Stonechats on site today, one by the Dragonfly Pond and one towards Patrick Farm.
Other counts, care of Graham Rowling, Glen Giles and Dave Scanlan were as follows: ten Mute Swans, 223 Canadas, 284 Greylags, a Canada / Greylag Cross, 32 Shoveler, 41 Gadwall, 16 Wigeon, 15 Mallard, the drake Pintail, 117 Teal, ten Tufted, one Great Crested Grebe, three Little Grebes, 21 Cormorants, three Herons, a Great White Egret, six Moorhen, 44 Coot, 68 Lapwing, 61 Black-headed Gulls, a Common Gull, three Herring Gulls, six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, an adult Greater Black-backed Gull, a Kingfisher from Oak Hide and two Cetti’s Warblers.
14th October 2022
Overcast, drizzle, light southerly wind.
The drake Pintail remained all day today, showing well on Railway Pool, as did a Great White Egret. The now regular Kingfisher was seen on Railway Pool and other counts today were as follows: nine Wigeon (presumably the others were on the Flood Plain), 51 Teal, 34 Shoveler, 30 Gadwall, six Tufteds, two Little Egrets, three Herons, 127 Lapwing, 12 Snipe and Grey and Pied Wagtail.
A further gathering up of dead Geese took place this morning, with 41 mixed Greylags and Canadas, and sadly also a Mute Swan. That takes the total of birds to die to 264.
13th October 2022
Sunny and warm, after a murky start.
A new arrival today was a fine drake Pintail, which spent all day feeding on Railway Pool, favouring the water between the Marsh and the gravel bar. Although not totally out of eclipse, it was nevertheless as smart as one would expect of this duck.
A Great White Egret flew over, south, at 12.15 with four Ravens shortly after. Visible migration was limited to a couple of Skylarks. Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in evidence around the Car Park.
12th October 2022
Sunny spells, fresh, southerly wind.
There was a male Stonechat on the Flood Plain fences this morning and a Coal Tit on the Oak Hide feeders. A mixed flock of three Siskins (the first of the autumn) and 25 Goldfinches were feeding in the trees by the south-west pond. A single Grey Wagtail went east over Railway Pool, at least three Cetti’s Warblers were in song this morning and a Water Rail was heard from the Reedbed.
11th October 2022
Sunny and still.
At least one Kingfisher has become a regular visitor to Railway Pool and often favours (as this morning) either the vegetation or the fence in front of Oak Hide. It showed well in the morning and again at 6.15 pm. There were at least four Cetti’s Warblers in song today and Common Gulls are beginning to reappear with at least two amongst the Black-heads this morning.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker showed particularly well along the path to River Hide, perched in the top of a dead tree there in the late afternoon. 14 Moorhen comprised ten on Railway Pool, three on Car Park Pool and one on the Reedbed. At 6.30 a large bat was hawking insects over the Causeway, possibly a Noctule.
10th October 2022
Sunny, fresh north-westerly wind.
There were a pair of Stonechats this morning feeding in front of Railway Hide before moving towards the railway arches. Nine Snipe were principally on Railway Pool and two Grey Wagtails comprised singles on Railway Pool and along the Concrete Road, in the new Settlement Ponds there.
Five singing Cetti’s Warblers were as follows: top stream, pond by the Car Park, Causeway, River Hide and Railway Arches. The Wigeon count has now reached 67.
9th October 2022
Mostly sunny, warm, light south-westerly wind
There was a reasonable variety of birds today with passage of migrating birds including 25 Skylark, 20 Meadow Pipits, a Swallow and a Grey Wagtail. A male Stonechat showed well on the fencing around the Dragonfly Pond, whilst around the pools there were three Snipe, Water Rail, Kingfisher, a Common Gull and a Herring Gull. An adult Greater Black-backed Gull, briefly on Car Park Pool, was thought to be a smaller bird than the regularly returning adult male (and therefore presumably a female). It was driven off by other birds which did not happen to the long-returning male.
8th October 2022
Sunny, cool start, light westerly wind.
A pair of Great White Egrets put in a very brief appearance on Railway Pool, not present at around 8.45 to 9 am, appearing at about 9.40 but not seen ten minutes later.
In the meantime, during the period from 8.45 to 10.25 am, there was particularly good visible migration with notable counts of 106 Meadow Pipits and 120 Skylarks. Other birds moving through in that period comprised three House Martins, five Swallows, 20 Linnets, five Goldfinches, seven Chaffinches, five Pied Wagtails and two Reed Buntings. A Mistle Thrush, briefly, over the Flood Plain may have been a local bird.
Along the Old Road at 8.30 there were three Bullfinches, six Chaffinches and two Linnets in a small group by the cottages, along with a Goldcrest, with at least one further Goldcrest and three Chiffchaffs along the Causeway.
Visible migration did carry on after 10.25 with a further 20 Skylarks, 17 Linnets, five House Martins and four Swallows.
Wildfowl counts extended to 13 Mute Swans, 318 Canadas, 380 Greylags, three Hybrids, a Farmyard Goose, 11 Wigeon, 23 Shoveler, 42 Gadwall, 25 Mallard, 89 Teal, six Tufted, 20 Cormorants, four Little Grebes, two Herons, three Little Egrets, 19 Moorhen, 29 Coot, two Snipe, 63 Lapwing, 192 Black-headed Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Green Sandpiper and a female Kestrel. At least three Cetti’s Warblers were counted, one along the Top Stream, one by the Car Park and one along the Central Stream. There was also a Treecreeper by the Back Gate Copse.
The warm weather meant that there was a good showing of Odonata, with two Common Blue Damselflies, a Brown Hawker, four Migrant Hawkers and at least 20 Common Darters counted.
In the afternoon, seven attended the Work Party which started with a useful Health & Safety presentation, followed by the clearance of the container in the Car Park to evict the mice (only three counted) and some opening up of the vegetation around the Back Gate Copse. Thank you to all those who attended.
7th October 2022
Mild and sunny start with heavy showers in the afternoon, south westerly
The bird flu continues to affect the Greylags and Canadas with 98 dead birds collected today and no sign of a let up unfortunately, and there were still plenty of geese with counts of 363 Canadas and 345 Greylags made this morning.
During collection, five Golden Plovers flew over calling along with at least 14 Skylarks and eight Pied Wagtails. 15 Snipe were flushed from the pool margins and the islands and a Water Rail from the east side of Car Park Pool.
Later in the morning, two Cattle Egrets were found on the flood plain feeding amongst the herd of cows.
Cow taken from Car Park Hide – Photograph by Rowland Hopkinson
A pair of Pochard were new in and there were at least three Cetti’s Warblers in song this morning, one around the Car Park, another between Oak Hide and the South-west Pond and a third by River Hide.
6th October 2022
Dry with sunny intervals blustery south westerly, remaining mild
A good selection of birds was recorded in the log today but unfortunately no numbers or locations. House Sparrows were one of those species recorded which were presumably from Patrick Farm.
5th October 2022
Overcast, brisk south-westerly wind, with rain later.
I met a contractor appointed by DEFRA this morning to collect a sample of Geese for testing to prove Bird Flu. I did not hear anything from them last week but perhaps as a result of another call helpfully made by Val Pike on Saturday last, they have sprung into action. Two Canadas and two Greylags were collected from along the river between the north end of Car Park Pool and Patricks Bridge. We await the results.
Further Geese are looking rather sad on Car Park Pool and another pick-up is proposed later this week.
4th October 2022
Mostly overcast, fresh south-easterly wind.
The Stonechat was still showing well in front of Railway Hide this morning. Other birds making the log were 54 Wigeon, seen Little Grebes, a single Green Sandpiper, 23 Cormorant and one Raven, over.
3rd October 2022
Sunny spells, light south-westerly wind.
There was a male Stonechat to the right of Railway Hide this morning, favouring the Bullrush stems. There was also a Green Sandpiper below Railway Hide and singing Cetti’s Warblers could be heard from the Central Stream and the north end of Car Park Pool.
Despite the presumed Bird Flu losses, there was still plenty of Geese today: 367 Canadas, 250 Greylags, two Farmyard Geese and two Canada / Greylag hybrids.
Other counts now Graham Rowling is back from holiday comprise: 24 Wigeon, 46 Gadwall, 24 Shoveler, 51 Teal, ten Mallard, a single Tufted, eight Cormorants, three Little Grebes, three Herons, five Little Grebes, eight Moorhen, 42 Coot, 80 Lapwings, 106 Black-headed Gulls and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull.
2nd October 2022
Warm and sunny, brisk south-westerly wind.
The first 12 Redwings of the year flew over this morning, along with a late Sand Martin, at least 20 Swallows and five House Martins. On the pool margins there were two Green Sandpipers and ten Snipe. Also on the move were 15 Skylarks and 12 Linnets.
In the afternoon, there were vocal Cetti’s Warblers along the top stream by the railway arches, with presumed calling females in the gorse clump opposite the back gate and part way down the east side of Car Park Pool. A Grey Wagtail was feeding around the margins of Railway Pool as well.
The second dead Geese clear-up took place on Sunday afternoon, lasting four hours. With huge thanks to Ben Dolan, Nicki Chester and John Hunt, we cleared up 89 mixed Greylag and Canadas from Car Park Pool and a further eight Geese, a Heron and a Mallard from Railway Pool. Chris Laight again provided help with a digger and many thanks to him. Also thanks to Steve Bradley and Brian Harris for their help during the week.
Pretty grim all around, with no end in sight.
1st October 2022
Sunny, light south-westerly wind, cool overnight but warm during the day.
Between 8.30 and 9.30 am there were at least 20 House Martins over the site, but birds were clearly coming and going and final totals were difficult to estimate. There was a Nuthatch in the Back Gate Copse, a singing Chiffchaff along the Causeway, a calling Water Rail in the North Causeway Bay, seven Little Grebes across both pools and, overhead, three Linnets, a Skylark and three Meadow Pipits passed through.
Other birds were recorded in the log but unfortunately with no numbers or locations.
Photographs by Bob Breaches
Fairy Ring Mushroom – Car Park
Pestle Puffball – Car Park
Spiked Shield Bug near River Hide
