26th Apr 2026

It has been quite a busy week and with most of our spring migrants now in the year list breached 100. We hope for a few more species that are not guarantied but we see most years (e.g. we haven't had Redstart yet or Grasshopper Warbler) and maybe we'll get a few rarer species.

There has been at least one Common Sandpiper all week but on Saturday morning there was obviously a push of birds moving through, with a total of 8 recorded, and back to one in the afternoon.

Clive found our first Swift of the year on Tuesday morning and 1-2 have been seen most days but only passing through. 

On Friday JFT spent a good bit of time here over a couple of visits and was rewarded with Our first Common Tern of the year and a rather rare reservoir Green Sandpiper. He also had a late Redpoll, Little Egret, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Little Ringed Plovers through and a Yellow Wagtail. 

This morning several people were out and racked up a few good species. Our first Garden Warblers and Reed Warblers of the year. Another late Redpoll, a very brief Common Tern over, 2+ Yellow Wagtails, Swift, Skylark singing over the cattle field.

Photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

19th Apr 2026: Osprey and Mandarin

On Monday morning Clive was lucky to witness an Osprey flying over and head off high to the north-west and on Tuesday morning had a Yellow Wagtail and a Little Egret over. 

On Wednesday morning there was apparently a mini fall of Blackcaps, with Ian seeing 12 (including 6 together in one tree) and a Lesser Whitethroat. Ian also had 90 Sand Martins on Thursday morning.

Ian and JFT were out Friday morning recording 3 Common Sandpipers, another Wheatear and a Peregrine over. 

Yesterday morning Adrian Tysoe and JFT had 6-7 Common Sandpipers at the reservoir and JFT saw a Mandarin fly over. Later in the afternoon Kev Heath got a count of 9 Common Sandpipers.

This morning was comparatively quiet, with apparently a bit of a clear out overnight. Only 1 Common Sandpiper and obviously fewer warblers around, but what was present did include 4 Whitethroats and 2 Sedge Warblers. 

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

Courtesy and copyright of Edwin Barson

12th Apr 2026

On Monday Adrian Tysoe found our first Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover of the year and the White Wagtail was still present. 

Ian found another Wheatear on Tuesday and Clive had a Little Egret flyover. Wednesday morning Clive found our first Sedge Wabler of the year up by the Borrow Pit pool. Thursday morning there were 4 Common Snapipers, 3 of which flew north but there was 3 again later in the day and for the rest of the week. 

On Friday there was a little arrival of migrants with JFT finding Whitethroat and Clive finding a Yellow Wagtail at the reservoir in the morning and then in the afternoon I found a Lesser Whitethroat up the valley as well as another 2 Whitethroats (and a Sedge Warbler at the reservoir). There was another Cetti's Warbler up the valley, so there's at least 3 on patch, as well as the 1 still by Lidl. 

Adrian found another Little Ringed Plover yesterday which was still present today. Generally there was nothing new today, but an obvious increase in Willow Warblers with 3 at the reservoir, 1 in the wood and 2 just into the valley before the M40.

5th Apr 2026

A steady trickle of early spring migrants again this week but nothing new for the year. 

The number of Sand Martins increased to 40-50 over the weekend, with singles Swallow and House Martin noted through the week. A Willow Warbler was present mid week and Clive confirmed that there's (at least) two Cetti's Warbler territories, with one along the river and one along the canal (there is also at least one still by Lidl).

Friday morning there was a pair of Shoveler present early on and a Bullfinch near the car park (sadly quite a noteworthy bird now). This morning there was a White Wagtail along the western shoreline.

Pics courtesy and copyright of JFT