July

July was another quiet month, with many of the resident or visiting nesting species busy raising chicks. However, mobile or early returning birds were seen throughout the month.

From the 1st to the 4th John and I had up to three Yellow-legged Gulls, a Little Ringed Plover on the 1st and two Herring Gulls on the 2nd.

On the 8th a Kingfisher had returned to the river and there were fairly fresh broods of both Tufted Duck (6) and Little Grebe (2) at the Borrow Pit pool up the valley.

On the 9th I had eleven (yes 11!) Common Sandpipers around the reservoir. This is the highest recorded count for the site and highest count in the B.O.S. area since 1996. Ian Rowe also had a Hobby fly through. 

Mike Pollard had one each of Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover on the 10th, I had Common Sandpiper and Yellow-legged Gull on the 11th and another Yellow-legged Gull on the 19th. I also had four Purple Hairstreaks on the 19th, in the tops of the oaks along the river.

John was up on the 25th and had a Yellow Wagtail, three Sand Martin and 30+ Swift.

Adrian T had over 100 (!) Swift on the 31st as well as a Little Ringed Plover and the three regular Hirundine species. 

10 of the 11 CS