Sutton Bingham - Fri 31 Aug

A text from Dave Chown telling me of two Black-tailed Godwits was enough to tempt me up to the reservoir during my lunch break today. The Black-tailed Godwits were showing well if somewhat distantly at the southern end with the long-staying Dunlin and juvenile Shelduck. A single Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers were also present. I then turned round and noticed another Common Sandpiper with a smaller wader, a Little Ringed Plover.

A return visit at the end of the day added Snipe to the list with a single bird on West Pool. So a good bit of wader action today, albeit no year ticks.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 29 Aug

More of the same today with the Dunlin and Shelduck still present at the southern end along with three Green Sandpipers and six Common Sandpipers.

Sutton Bingham - Tue 28 Aug

A very long-billed Dunlin gave me a bit of a run around this afternoon. When I first got on the bird it was rather distant and I was hoping it might be something rather more interesting, but closer views including a flight view proved identification.

The juvenile Shelduck was still present as well as two Green Sandpipers and half a dozen Common Sandpipers. Three Mute Swans were present on West Pool. A much welcome patch year tick in the form of three fly-over Yellow Wagtails was the highlight of the visit.
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 111 species.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 27 Aug

Another Wheatear today, present on West Pool but always distant, but never wanting to disappoint here's a photo for you anyway.

The Shelduck was still present this afternoon and there were three Green Sandpipers along with five Common Sandpipers at the southern end of the reservoir. Four Teal and a Mandarin were also noted today.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 26 Aug

A juvenile Shelduck was a new arrival today, present at the southern end of the reservoir.

Also today, two Wheatears, with one on West Pool and the other opposite the Sailing Club. Add to that two Green Sandpipers and six Common Sandpipers plus singles of Teal and Mandarin.

Arne RSPB - Sat 25 Aug

A trip down to the RSPB reserve at Arne today which started with a walk over Coombe Heath where an Osprey was present albeit rather distant.

A Dartford Warbler was heard but not seen and that was pretty much it on the bird front. I did manage to successfully see both Raft Spider and Wasp Spider though.

After lunch I took a walk out to Shipstal Point which again was pretty devoid of birds other than a flock of Black-tailed Godwits and a few Sandwich Terns. Returning to the car park a Whinchat popped up and was the pick of the day by a mile.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 22 Aug

An impressive fourteen Common Sandpipers on the patch today, a really good autumn count. There were also two Green Sandpipers this afternoon along with four Linnet and a Mandarin. There was also a good movement of Swallows and House Martins today.

Sutton Bingham - Tue 21 Aug

A sub-adult Tufted Duck was a new arrival today along with a very strange aythya hybrid which held a metal ring (it looked as if it could have been the same bird seen before over the last two years). Common Sandpipers had risen to eleven birds and a Green Sandpiper was also seen. The growing flock of Canada Geese numbered 169 individuals.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 16 Aug

Two Black-tailed Godwits were present off the northern causeway early morning.

At the southern end a single Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers were seen.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 15 Aug

A Green Sandpiper was present for its second day at the southern end of the reservoir along with half a dozen Common Sandpipers. Another Yellow-legged Gull today, this time a second calendar year bird. Four Great Black-backed Gull were present, including two juvenile birds. A couple of Kingfishers added a splash of colour and several Chiffchaff were evident today.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 13 Aug

A third calendar year Yellow-legged Gull was present today and was the pick of the birds.

Five Common Sandpipers were noted and two Reed Warblers were in vegetation at the southern end of the reservoir. A fly-over Raven was also seen along with the first patch Whitethroat for several weeks.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 12 Aug

A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in the car park mid-morning but despite there being several birds flitting around very few showed themselves so I have no idea what may have passed through undetected. A couple of fresh Willow Warblers were nice to see whilst five Common Sandpipers were noted along the water's edge.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 10 Aug

A single Green Sandpiper and three Common Sandpipers first thing faded to insignificance when a second calendar year Yellow-legged Gull turned up at lunchtime. Initially found by Dave Chown yesterday, it was an absolute beast.

The only other bird of note today was a Peregrine which flew over the Fishing Lodge heading south.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 9 Aug

A Sedge Warbler provided a bit of interest this morning, but other than five Common Sandpipers there was not much else about.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 8 Aug

A pre-word visit today was more productive than recent visits with a juvenile Redshank on the northern causeway when I arrived on site at around 7.00am. It didn't hang about though and flew south soon after I got there. A Green Sandpiper was on West Pool and a total of five Common Sandpipers were noted. A single Great Black-backed Gull was still present and three Mandarin were seen.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 5 Aug

Really quiet on patch this weekend, with just a couple of Common Sandpipers, however, a summer-plumaged Dunlin at the southern end of the reservoir today was a nice find, though it was very distant so no chance of even a really rubbish record shot.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 3 Aug

A Greenshank was a new arrival this morning, present at the southern end of the reservoir, though always distant so no hope of a photo I'm afraid. Just five Common Sandpipers today and not a lot else to report.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 2 Aug

A couple of Green Sandpipers were present on West Pool first thing and a total of twelve Common Sandpipers were on site. Two adult and two juvenile Great Black-backed Gulls were over the southern end of the reservoir.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 1 Aug

It's been pretty much Common Sandpipers and not much else since the weekend, but today a single Green Sandpiper was present at the southern end of the reservoir in the morning and two Redshank flew through heading south at 7.30am. Common Sandpipers numbered nine birds, down from the peak of eleven seen at the end of July.