Sutton Bingham - Tue 30 May

A brief morning visit yielded a single Common Sandpiper at the southern end and the Reed Warbler was still belting it out at the northern causeway.

An hour on the patch from 4.00pm did produce something of much more interest as I found myself watching a Goshawk for a good ten minutes. Such an awesome sight.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 105 species.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 26 May

I'd not had the chance to visit the patch much over the last week so I made the effort to pop up during my lunch break today and arrived at the northern causeway soon after 1pm. I thought I'd scan the area south of West Pool towards Coker Wood as Dave had seen a couple of Hobbies over in that direction yesterday. Scanning the skies I located a large raptor and immediately thought "that's different". Over the next minute or two it drifted closer to me and after getting a good look through the binoculars I grabbed my scope to try and get more detail. I soon had it in the scope and my initial thoughts were confirmed...it was a Honey Buzzard! I watched it for the next five minutes until it finally drifted away to the east and was lost to view. Fortunately I had enough time to clinch the identification, the constant soaring on drooped wings certainly helped along with the protruding head and long tail. I've seen plenty of Honey Buzzards over the years, including migrating flocks of thousands in southern Spain, but this is only my third for Sutton Bingham. I moved down the arm to see if I could relocate the bird but was unable to, however, another quality raptor as a Hobby flew north up the arm affording some excellent views. Apart from these two awesome birds of prey the only other bird of note was a singing Reed Warbler near the small jetty at the end of the northern causeway.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 104 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 21 May

A flying visit early evening produced a Common Tern that flew over the northern causeway and out to the dam where it settled on a buoy, but in the three minutes it took me to drive round to the Fishing Lodge it had vanished, never to be seen again!

Sutton Bingham - Thu 18 May

Ash and Pete were busy posting some good sightings all morning whilst I was stuck at work, but as it was my half day I was able to get to the reservoir in the afternoon, though admittedly not the best time of day to see birds. In fact I missed pretty much everything they saw but did get lucky and heard a Cuckoo that Ash had initially located and was later seen by Pete...though after some discussion it appears there may have been two birds involved.
A Red Kite over the northern end was followed by two more over fields some of West Pool but that was all I could manage in about two hours on site.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 102 species.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 15 May

Not many opportunities to get to the reservoir over the past week, though a singing Reed Warbler present on Saturday 13 May was new for the year. A very skulking bird, it was singing right in front of me in deep cover and I never did actually see it.

Other than that I've not had much to report other than a drake Gadwall on Sunday evening.

This morning I made a brief pre-7am visit before work and was surprised to find a Tawny Owl perched on a fence halfway along the arm. Viewed using the car as a hide it typically flew off just as I was about to take a photo. Although I hear Tawny Owls at Sutton Bingham almost annually, I've only ever seen a small number, so this was a real pleasure. Two Common Sandpipers were in the north-east corner this morning also.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 101 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 7 May

Pete is having a great run at the moment, today he found a singing Pied Flycatcher at the southern end, the second there this Spring. Despite him calling me soon after he found it, for which I am very grateful, it was nearly two hours before I could get to the reservoir and take a look. After a bit of a walk I found the area that Pete has described and could hear the bird singing, and it sounded as if it was right in front of me...however, it probably took about 15 minutes for me to actually see it, and when I did I got some brilliant views both in the bins and in my scope. It was very mobile, so no chance to get a photo unfortunately, but it was great to just savour the bird, a smashing male in full song. After missing the male last month, this was certainly unexpected. So having finally gotten Pied Flycatcher on my SBR list last Autumn, it's taken a little over six months to see my second for the patch.
A quick return visit in the evening produced a single Common Sandpiper and a pair of Tufted Ducks in the north-east corner.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 100 species.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 5 May

Having missed a singing Cuckoo earlier in the week (found by Barrie) I thought I was going to miss out again today as Pete found a pair of Pochard on West Pool late morning. I was without my car so was unable to make a lunchtime visit, instead I had to wait until the evening to try and find them. Luckily they were still about, though initially tucked up in the vegetation on the water's edge. Fortunately, the drake and then the duck eventually got a bit lively and swam around West Pool for a bit. Now it was getting dark and they kept to the far end but here's a photo nonetheless.

Pochard is a scarce bird at Sutton Bingham these days so it is always a pleasure seeing them on patch.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 99 species.