Sutton Bingham - Sun 30 Apr

I did manage an hour at the reservoir on Thursday afternoon in pouring rain, and the highlight by a mile was a Common Tern that dropped in and lingered for about thirty minutes before vanishing.

A few Common Sandpipers have also been around, I had a nice count of eight at the start of the week.

Today a very quick visit did produce an addition to the year list with a Swift over the northern end.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 98 species.

Portland & Weymouth - Sun 23 Apr

Having met up with Steve and John in Yeovil we headed to Weymouth where we picked up the other Steve and set off for Portland, starting with a walk around Reap Lane, Barleycrates Lane and the Avalanche Hump.

The most numerous species initially were Willow Warblers, there seemed to be lots about, but we soon picked up a couple of different migrants when we reached Barleycrates Lane with a super male Pied Flycatcher shortly followed by an equally super male Redstart...thought admittedly these photos leave a lot to be desired.

As we walked towards Avalanche Hump a Marsh Harrier flew over but other than a singing Sedge Warbler there was little else about so we headed down to the Bill.

We walked down to the Bill from the Bird Observatory, a male Kestrel was showing well on overhead wires and one of the Little Owls was in the Observatory Quarry.

A sea watch off the Bill was not that productive, though we did see both Razorbills and Guillemots, a few Gannets and two distant Manx Shearwaters.

Leaving Portland we then headed back to Weymouth via a quick stop at Ferrybridge were we had good views of three Little Terns with some Sandwich Terns plus a few Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits.

Arriving at Lodmoor RSPB we walked around the reserve and were lucky enough to see some pretty decent birds as we wandered along. Three Garganey, including a smashing drake, were nice to see and were probably the pick of the birds. A Great White Egret was a nice sight and I also saw my first Swifts of the year.

All in all a brilliant day out with great company and some excellent birds.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 23 Apr

I was out for the day with friends, but thought a quick stop at the reservoir before meeting up might be worth it...and it was as I found a Garden Warbler in vegetation on the edge of West Pool. Garden Warbler is a really tricky species to get at Sutton Bingham, I've not seem that many over the years, so it was a real bonus year tick. I also managed to see my first Whitethroat of the year.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 97 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 22 Apr

Not much opportunity to visit the patch recently, and the few stops I have made have yielded very little, though a Red Kite on Tuesday 18 April was a new bird for the patch year list. Today though I had to make a made rush to the reservoir as Pete had found a Wood Warbler at the southern end. \it took a while but eventually I managed some excellent views, only the fourth for Sutton Bingham and the first since the one I found back on 21 April 2013. So an excellent patch year tick but it wasn't all good news as I did miss a male Pied Flycatcher that was also present, albeit briefly, in the same area.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 95 species.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 17 Apr

A quick pre-work visit today was extremely productive. Parking at the southern end I found a Common Tern hawking over the reservoir, and it eventually did the decent thing and landed on a buoy in front of me.

Having enjoyed the Common Tern for a few minutes I noticed a large bird in the trees on the far shore, an Osprey, my second of the year for Sutton Bingham.

Also at the southern end a singing Skylark and six Mute Swans, the latter still somewhat of a scarce visitor to the patch these days. I also flushed two small duck but I had a willow between me and them as they flew off so was unable to confirm identification, but the brief view I had showed fairly dark birds so I am presuming they were Teal.

Stopping at the northern causeway as I left the site an Osprey flew over heading north, initially presuming it was the bird from earlier I soon found out it was a second individual as Ash was still watching the perched up bird. So two Ospreys at the reservoir in one morning, awesome.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 93 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 15 Apr

A morning visit did produce a new bird for the year, with a couple of Feral Pigeons flying over, I know, it's not a good patch tick, but it's on the list nonetheless. Very little else of note this morning though other than three Sparrowhawks and a few hirundines.

A message at 8.00pm got me back out to the reservoir though as Pete had found four Greylag Geese that had dropped in to the main reservoir. Fortunately I arrived in time to see them distantly off the dam, photographic evidence below.

After a few minutes they took to the air, circled over the northern causeway, giving very nice views in the failing light, before flying off to the north.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 92 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 13 Apr

A singing Skylark on Sunday evening and a few House Martins at the start of the week were notable additions to the patch year list. A visit this morning produced a Great White Egret along the arm.

Highlight was an Otter that swam past just a few metres from where I was standing, they are such awesome creatures.

A return visit was necessary after work as Ash had found a Wheatear mid-afternoon. Fortunately it was still present (though it took a bit of finding) when I dropped in, but a bit too distant for one of my quality photos.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 90 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 8 Apr

A mid-morning visit to the patch today and West Pool hosted a lone Tufted Duck and a pair of Shoveler plus a single Coot.

Although conditions looked good I failed to locate any wandering raptors overhead but my first Reed Bunting of the year was present with a male around the end of the viewing jetty by the car park.

Also new today were a couple of Common Sandpipers that flew in from the north-east corner and settled on the northern causeway.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 87 species.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 7 Apr

An early afternoon visit added a couple of new birds to the year list with a male Blackcap and two Willow Warblers feeding around the outflow stream. Nothing else to report today though.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 85 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 6 Apr

Something amazing happened on patch today, I got a lifer! Sitting at work there was a message from Pete on the WhatsApp group that he had a distant first-winter Sandwich Tern, a great bird for Sutton Bingham. Over the next half an hour or so Pete realised it wasn't a Sandwich Tern and eventually identification was confirmed that it was in fact a Forster's Tern! Fortunately I was able to get over to the reservoir and managed to connect with a truly marvellous bird.

I didn't have long to linger on site, but having had my fill of my first ever Forster's Tern I was more than happy, a bird I'd long wanted to see and to get one on my patch was just unbelievable. What a bird, what a day!

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 83 species.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 5 Apr

A couple of quick visits since returning from Cornwall had failed to turn up anything but that all changed this morning as I found an Osprey during a quick stop on the way to work. Initially seen briefly in flight it alighted in a tree opposite the bottom of the car park, enabling some wonderful 'scope views.

Having watched the Osprey for a while I needed to head off for work, but did pause to check West Pool where my first Coot of the year was present. Not a bad start to the day.
Later in the morning I got a WhatsApp message telling me that whereas the Osprey was no longer present, an Egyptian Goose had flown in and appeared to be settled at the southern end. So taking a slightly early lunch I set off and got lucky as the Egyptian Goose was still present.

I watched it for about five or so minutes during which time it was very vocal. It then took to the air and flew off north, so I got really lucky with that one. I also picked up my first Swallows of the year with at least four over West Pool with a number of Sand Martins. All in all a very good day on patch.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 82 species.