17 Jan 2021: Redpoll, Yellowhammer and Lapwing

Most of the 'usual' bits and bobs around this week. On Monday Mike had three Pochard still at the Borrow Pit and on Wednesday the female Stonechat still at the reservoir. 

On Friday, Adrian, Mike C and Mike P were all out and confirmed a Stonechat still at the reservoir, three Pochard still and now two pairs of Stonechat at the Borrow Pit. There was also 20 Wigeon, 12 Teal and 28 Mute Swans on the UCV floods just north of the Borrow Pit.

Yesterday the number of Wigeon up the valley went up to 30. Mark also had a drake Pochard, female Wigeon and Little Grebe all at the reservoir.

This morning the Little Grebe was still on the reservoir and a pair of Goosanders flew over. Up the valley I couldn't find any of the more interesting ducks, but had a Yellowhammer and a Lesser Redpoll flyover. Mike P later had a Lapwing over the Borrow Pit and two Stonechats again.

10 Jan 2021: Pintails et al

Visits by several people over the weekend yielded some good records. The two to three Pochard were still at the Borrow Pit pool, although as it was mostly frozen over the Tufted Ducks were using the reservoir more. Yesterday morning there was a drake Wigeon on the reservoir and 49 Tufted Ducks and in the afternoon there were counts of 36 Tufted Ducks at the reservoir and 35 at the Borrow Pit. I expect these were mostly the same birds moving between the two water bodies but it'd be interesting to know what the total was. 

A dozen Siskins at the reservoir and just a single Stonechat was at the Borrow Pit this morning. The number of Great Crested Grebes grew to a peak of six on the reservoir today (including a pair displaying).

This morning several new birds were added to the year list, taking it up to 64. The most notable was a pair of Pintail on the Borrow Pit pool, but there was also a 2nd winter (3rd calendar year) Yellow-legged Gull also on the Borrow Pit, Jay, Sparrowhawk, Skylark, Red Kite and Bullfinch.

GB, Mark Ribbons, Adrian Bletchley, Mike Pollard, Kevin Heath, Iain Brown and Clive Payne

6th Jan 2021

It was rather quiet when I went around the reservoir this morning, but a little later in the morning Adrian T reported that there were four Pochard on the Borrow Pit pool up the valley (with 44 Tufties) and then a Wigeon on the reservoir.

3rd Jan 2021: New Year listing

It's always an exciting time for birdwatchers, the start of the new year and a new year list. When all the common birds are valued ticks to get your list up as high as possible and as quickly as possible and when frustrations rise when something so easy to see throughout the year (or even just a few days ago... like Jay) seemed to have all but disapeared! It's a bit silly really, as they will all probably get seen by the end of January and if not then by the end of the year for sure but it livens up the mid winter birding a little.

On the 1st common birds and a few uncommon winter visitors got the patch year list up to 51 species. Highlights were the drake Goosander - on the reservoir, a Common Snipe - in the usual wet field and three Stonechat - a pair at the Borrow Pit and a female at the wet field (probably the same bird that is sometimes in the cattle field). Late in the afternoon, eleven Herring Gulls at the reservoir is a good count for here. 

Yesterday morning Adrian T picked up Siskin and there was still at least one around in the afternoon. The Goosander was absent in the morning but back in the afternoon when there was also two Gadwall on the reservoir.

Early this morning the Goosander was present still and there were three Wigeon on the reservoir and two drake Pochard flew in from the south and landed. They soon departed north and were later seen on the Borrow Pit pool with an additional female Pochard and ~45 Tufted Ducks. A Raven was also seen flying over the woodland and then the reservoir and the female Stonechat was back at the cattle field. Several Siskins were in the Alders along the river today. This took the patch year list up to 57 species. 

Photos courtesy and copyright of Dave Fuller (taken in Dec)