Sutton Bingham - Sun 18 Sep

A mid-morning trip to the reservoir and what were presumably the same three Common Sandpipers were still present on West Pool, with a fourth bird being seen at the southern end of the reservoir. A total of four Little Egrets were noted on site and fly-over birds included two Meadow Pipits, a Raven and two Stock Dove. Duck numbers have started to increase, with eleven each of Teal and Wigeon at the southern end. At least three Clouded Yellows were on the wing.
A return visit mid-afternoon concentrated on the area around the north-east corner and I focused my efforts on the dam and Fishing Lodge. The Linnet flock was still present with at least thirty birds counted. Pied Wagtails numbered well over twenty with a few White Wagtails present also.
I then had a mad few minutes as I noticed a Spotted Flycatcher in one of the fir trees, it eventually relocated to the roof of the Fishing Lodge and was joined by a second bird.

 

 

 

It is always good to find a Spotted Flycatcher on the patch and I never consider them a definite on the year list. As I was watching the Spotted Flycatchers I managed my second patch year tick of the day as a Garden Warbler suddenly appeared in a tree in front of me, put on a show for a short while and then vanished. This was my first Garden Warbler on patch for several years and a real unexpected bonus. It rounded off a great hour at the reservoir.
Sutton Bingham year list 2016 now at 114 species.