23rd Oct 2017

John was out this evening for the gull roost. There were five Yellow-legged Gulls today and a colour ringed Black-headed Gull. The ring was a white darvic on the left tarsus with the black code '26S3'. I found the scheme on cr-birding and it appears to have been ringed at the Cotswold Water Park in Wiltshire. I'm sure John will update us with some details when he has them.

22nd Oct 2017

Steve and John were out early this morning, John recently back from his honeymoon and getting straight back to the patch! Steve saw two Stonechats up by the Borrow Pit pool and there was a couple of Common Gulls at the reservoir. A few Redwings and Siskins were on the move overheard too. 

I managed a walk around lunch time and there was a small group of gulls gathered, including seven Common Gulls of various ages. In the wood there was a couple of Chiffchaffs and several Coal Tits. I'm convinced we've had a decent arrival of Coal Tits in recent weeks. Otherwise quiet in the very blustery conditions.

20th Oct 2017

I managed to have a look around this morning. Walking up the river side of the reservoir there was a Chiffchaff calling away in the Blackthorn scrub. There was a bit of passage overheard and by the time I left c.60 Redwings had gone over and there were several small groups of Meadow Pipit. A single Lapwing flew in from the north, circled around a bit and then left to the north again. A drake Wigeon also flew in but decided not to land and flew off west.

On the reservoir a group of gulls had gathered which included two Herring Gulls and a Yellow-legged Gull. The Yellow-legged was an absolute brute, making the other gulls look small.

In the wood there was a Jay calling a few times and there was a flock of Siskin around, but other than that it was fairly quiet.

19th Oct 2017

Colin was out on this very grey and mizzly morning. Not much on the water, but evidently a decent “fall” of Chiffchaffs overnight with a cumulative count of 19 in various bushes around the reservoir edge (inc 5 in one bush!) and even one singing briefly near the water works. Also, good Blackbird numbers (9) so may be evidence of continental birds arriving.

A little later Steve had four Lapwing fly over south and there was 322 Canada Geese were present (plus three hybrids), two Great Crested Grebes and two Mute Swans on the reservoir.

18th Oct 2017

Steve is back from his holiday and this morning saw a Snipe fly over south, a Stonechat along the fence line by the ditch in the cattle field, two Great Crested Grebes on the reservoir and over 40 Lesser Black-backs.

17th Oct 2017

Colin has been out a few times in the last few days. On Sunday (15th) there was four Yellow-legged Gulls in the roost and said Gull numbers are quite high at present with up to ~1000 individuals including 400+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls. There was also a Lesser Redpoll in trees by the sailing club and a Tawny Owl calling in Spicebull Park. The park is outside the patch area, but Tawny Owl is a rare bird for Grimsbury and it's nice to think we have a chance of getting one on patch. 

Today at first light, Colin had eight Cormorants, c.800 gulls inc 2 Yellow-legged Gulls before they dispersed, two Redwings over and at least 1000 Jackdaws dispersing from the roost at 0715 was impressive.

15th Oct 2017: Autumn arrival

Firstly apologies for the lack of posts recently. I have attempted to do a round up below, but I may have missed a few bits along the way.

Secondly, please check the post from 25th September, regarding the tern seen. Ian Lewington rather swiftly picked up on the fact that it didn't look like a Common Tern and provided a very good peace of identification information. Thank you again Ian.

27th Steve: 2 common gull and a tit flock with 3+ chiffchaff of note.  A grey heron caught and ate a large perch!

30th Steve and Colin: Not much to report at the reservoir, four grey wagtails and three swallows south. In the UCV seven little grebes.

2nd Steve: Two buzzards and two kestrels over the wood.  54 lesser black-backed gulls and c50 black-headed gulls on the water.

8th Colin and I: Colin had a Redwing over early morning, our first of the autumn. I failed to find much of interest, but noted a dramatic decrease in warblers from my last visit (two weeks before!). Later in the evening Colin had three Great Crested Grebes (one juvenile) and in the roost, one Yellow-legged Gull and two Herring Gulls. He also had one, or possibly two, Little Egrets flying over going to roost.

10th Mike: Did the gull roost this evening and had three adult yellow-legged gulls and one 3cy plus a 1cy common Gull, & a little egret flew over.