5th Apr 2020: Common Tern and Swallows

A bit of migration action today. When I got to the reservoir at 7 there was a Little Ringed Plover but it soon flew off NE. A (or the) Common Sandpiper was still present but had disappeared by 8:30, while I was up at the Borrow Pit pool where the drake Pochard was still present. A single Sand Martin also flew through.

Back at the reservoir 17 Fieldfare went over west, which I thought was an odd direction to be going. I was also watching large gulls fly through that included a few Herring Gulls, when a Common Tern called and I saw it flying straight towards me at the northern end. It doubled back and flew around the bottom end, but unfortunately I got distracted by the gulls again and when I looked back for the tern it had gone!

Later in the afternoon Mark had c.20 Sand Martins and several Swallows at the reservoir. 

4th Apr 2020: Common Sandpiper

Ian was out today and had our first Common Sandpiper of the year.

2nd Apr 2020: Teal

This morning a female Teal was present (which I think was new for the year?) and a drake Gadwall, both at the reservoir. There were at least three Blackcaps singing this morning.

26th Mar 2020: Blackcap

A male Blackcap singing along the river this morning was new for the year. Otherwise there wasn't much of note.

25th Mar 2020

The drake Mandarin and pair of Shovelers were still around this morning, as well as a Little Ringed Plover and two Greylag Geese flew over.

24th Mar 2020: Shovelers and Mandarin

Over the end of last week there was a further trickle of Sand Martins moving through, with several Saturday mid morning. On Sat (21st) the Marsh Tit was singing in the wood again.

Courtest and copyright of JFT

On Sunday (22nd) John had 67 Fieldfares through SE, c.9 Chiffchaff, Coot, Jay and Marsh Tit.

This morning there was a pair of Shoveler and a drake Mandarin on the reservoir and a Peregrine flew over. 

18th Mar 2020: Wheatear

I was out this morning and there was two Coots on the reservoir and three Sand Martins went through north. At lunch time Ian had 12 Sand Martins.

Late afternoon John found our first Wheatear of the year. It was flighty, but he managed to get a pic.

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

16th Mar 2020: Sand Martins

Our first report of Sand Martins this morning from M Hunt, with three around for about 10 mins before departing to the north.

15th Mar 2020

The weather was truly awful today, but there was at least one Chiffchaff singing along the river in the morning. During the very heavy rain mid morning at least four Meadow pipits were downed along the western edge of the reservoir.

Mike was out late afternoon and had a drake Pochard at the Borrow Pit pool.

14th Mar 2020: Little Ringed Plover

What a difference a day makes... Yesterday afternoon there was virtually nothing at all at the reservoir.

John was out reasonably early this morning and was well rewarded for his effort. We had our first Little Ringed Plover of the year and possibly first for the county again?

Courtesy and copyright of JFT

There was also at least four, possibly five, singing Chiffchaffs around the reservoir and woodland. It's worth noting we haven't recorded any over the winter, for the first time in a few years now, and these are all very likely freshly arrived migrants.

13th Mar 2020: end of winter summary

I think it's fair to say the end part of the winter was rather dull and uneventful! Although I believe people weren't visiting very frequently, when they did there was virtually nothing to see at all. So here's a very short summary of the better sighting from the last month and a half. 

On the 29^th Jan there was the drake Gadwall still at the Borrow Pit pool in the valley. 

Photos courtesy and copyright of JFT

On the 7^th Feb Adrian saw a pair of Wigeon also up on the Borrow Pit pool. 

John was out on the 8^th Feb  and had a female Stonechat and Gadwall at the Borrow Pit and another female Stonechat and a Snipe in the usual wet field. 

Mike called in very briefly on the 17^th Feb and jammed in on a drake Goosander while he was there. They were quite uncommon here this winter compared to the last few years.

On the 26^th Feb there was a female Stonechat along the ditch in the cattle field. During a big influx of Stonechats nationally at the time, I'm surprised we didn't get more.

In the woodland on the 8^th Mar there was a pair of Marsh Tits and the male even sang briefly. 

27th Jan 2020

Mike Curnow was out today and had the Gadwall at the Borrow Pit still and 60 Lapwing over.

25th Jan 2020: Gadwall

John was out on this morning and had a Gadwall up at the Borrow Pit pool and a Great Black-backed Gull at the reservoir. There was also the Marsh Tit and a Jay in the wood.

24th Jan 2020

I had a walk around today, it was fairly quiet really. Although c.45 Lapwing in a wet field up the valley was nice to see and possibly the most I've seen on patch.

11th Jan 2020

I had a walk around with John this morning. To be honest not any huge changes or big news, but the was still a Little Egret and a Greylag Goose up the valley.