05th Sep 2015

I was out a bit late this morning and the although there were birds around, it was a bit quiet. There was also a lot of people around today which may have had an effect on the bird activity.

There were three Grey Wagtails around the reservoir entrance and they were very vocal. A Spotted Flycatcher was along the thick hedge through the cattle field and at least one more was in the wood. Around fifteen House Martins and a few Swallows were feeding over the reservoir and another few flew through. I also had my first Meadow Pipit of the autumn flyover.

At the back wood past the railway bridge there four Grey Wagtails. It's hard to know if this was the same group that was by the reservoir or if they were another group, either way it's nice to see so many around. As I was watching them I noticed a Roe Deer foraging in the riverside vegetation. It was well hidden and from watching it for a while I could see there was actually three. I think it was a doe and two fawns. From here I could also hear the Willow Tit calling in the trees over the river and heard it again a bit later in the wood.

Along the river the family of Mute Swans that were around earlier in the year made a reappearance but the cygnets are now considerably bigger! It's good to see they are all doing well.

The two Whinchats were still up by the Borrow Pit pool and seem quite settled here now. Several more Swallows and and House Martins flew through so it seems there was a quite few moving today today.

Walking back along the canal there was the remains of a Signal Crayfish and an Otter spraint nearby with mainly crayfish remains in it. It's great to know there's at least one Otter still in the area and doing a good job at getting rid of some unwanted alien species.