28th Sep 2016: Marsh Tit

Monday morning Steve found a juvenile Great Crested Grebe at the reservoir, just after we had been talking about not having any around for a while. It was only present for the one day though and obviously a migrant. We really should start predicting birds more often, maybe something rarer... There was also a Common Sandpiper, a Wigeon and in the evening a Green Sandpiper flew over and headed south east.

Yesterday John sneaked in a look before work and found a Marsh Tit in the wood with the roving tit/warbler flock. A great find as they normally turn up in autumn but there hasn't been one here for three years, it was actually a patch tick for him! Reg and the work party were out checking the bat boxes and found a Brown Long-eared Bat. Another good record for the reserve and reward for their hard work.

Both pictures courtesy and copyright of JFT

This morning, with clear skies and lighter winds there was a bit of movement overhead again. A steady trickle of Meadow Pipits went over and although I didn't count them the number was well into double figures. There was also the odd small groups of Swallows and one of three House Martins. I went to look for the Marsh Tit and found it at the back of the wood along the railway. The Willow Tit was also there and a Mistle Thrush flew off and was seen again near the canal. On my way out I saw Steve and as we were stood talking a Green Sandpiper flew in. It circled a few times and looked like it may land but eventually flew off south. Just before I left a little flock of four Siskins flew down into the Alders by the river, they only stayed about a minute though before continuing south.

This evening John checked the gull roost and had a huge number of big gulls for here. Over 1000 birds and at least four Yellow-legged Gulls. He also had quite a large number of Jackdaws around pre-roost.