22nd Jan 2017

Steve and Colin out were out from sunrise for a couple of hours and had good selection of birds. The reservoir was nearly completely frozen over but there was three Mute Swan, 107 Canada Geese, two Wigeon and two Gadwall. There was also one Yellowhammer around and they had spectacular views of a Peregrine hunting, Colin wrote:
'Highlight of the morning was a peregrine, hunting with real deadly purpose over the res. It came in from the south, scattered the gulls everywhere, stooped on a crow that must have seen its life flash before its eyes, and even made a swerving pass at something small (pied wagtail or reed bunt?) before chasing the crow again off over the wood. We were on the river bank north of the railway when we saw it heading back south, and evidently it made a kill as when we passed back by the res later, the scattered remains of a BH gull littered the concrete apron of the res.'

They also had a male Stonechat and a Snipe in the wet field east of the river and an adult Yellow-legged Gull at the Borrow Pit pool.

Both photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

per Steve, Clive and John

Also of note, Mike and I independently found a Glaucous Gull in the valley (sadly off patch) near Chacombe in the afternoon. It later went to roost at Boddington Reservoir. Mikes account and some photos are on his blog here.