Sutton Bingham - Sun 11 Oct

I finally managed to get a prolonged period of time at the reservoir this afternoon and as a result managed to cover most areas. Yesterday's Little Grebe and Stonechat were both still on and around West Pool, but that was pretty much it from the northern end of the reservoir.
So off then to the extreme southern end of Sutton Bingham and a walk around Cotton Bridge which produced a fair sized mixed feeding flock consisting of the commoner tit species plus three Chiffchaffs, a Marsh Tit and a couple of Goldcrests. Overhead a pair of Ravens passed by, and a sub-adult female Peregrine whizzed through causing quite a scir amongst the various gathered gulls.
Also overhead, a single Siskin and a couple of Meadow Pipits.
On the water, Wigeon numbers had increased to twenty-seven birds and the first returning Teal of the winter was present alongside a single Tufted Duck and drake Mandarin. Highlight on the wildfowl front though was a drake Pochard that flew in from the north and after a couple of circuits landed on the water.

 

This was only the third Pochard I'd seen on patch in the past three years, it is somewhat of a patch rarity nowadays, and a much welcome patch year tick.
Back then to the dam and Fishing Lodge for a quick look and the horse paddock held three Meadow Pipits amongst the wagtails and there were flocks of around fifty Goldfinch and thirty Linnets to be seen.