Sutton Bingham - Tue 21 Oct

I managed to spend three hours at Sutton Bingham this morning and as a result was able to cover most of the reservoir. Starting at the dam I noted nineteen Wigeon grazing on the bank, with a dozen Meadow Pipits and a White Wagtail on the dam itself. Two Raven drifted overhead.
On then to the Car Park and a walk around which failed to produce much at all other than a couple of Chiffchaffs! I then bumped in to a fellow birder who mentioned that he had seen a first-winter Mediterranean Gull on West Pool earlier in the morning, so along I popped but could only find three Tufted Duck. He then told me of another bird he had found near the Canoe Club...this time it was a patch year tick, so after thanking him I zoomed off and less than five minutes later I was watching a very smart Stonechat!

 

 

I think this must be the first Stonechat I've seen at Sutton Bingham for about three years, so I was pretty pleased to connect with it. A couple of Skylarks flew over whilst I was watching the chat.
Off then for a quick walk around the southern end of the reservoir but this was a dead loss with no birds at all...but I did round the morning off with four Clouded Yellows!