Sutton Bingham - Sun 30 Jul

A few short visits over the week have failed to turn up anything new, though I did have a very brief and distant view of a wader at the southern end on Thursday morning which could only have been a Green Sandpiper, but I couldn't nail it. Anyway, it didn't matter as Pete found one today so I popped along late in the day and had a quick look. Other than the Green Sandpiper there were a couple of Common Sandpipers but the high water levels are putting pay to any decent wader passage.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 112 species.

Arne RSPB - Tue 25 Jul

A day out today and I made my second visit this month to Arne RSPB, I didn't write up a Blog entry for my visit last Sunday as to be honest I didn't really see anything of note. Today I spent pretty much the duration of my visit at the watchpoint overlooking the Middlebere channel and despite the high tide there were still a few birds of note. On the wader front it was quite quiet, though a lone Whimbrel and a couple of Dunlin were notable.

Passing birds did create some interest with two Spoonbills flying past the viewpoint and an Osprey which caused quite a stir. So an enjoyable day out and watching Siskins on the feeders at the café whilst we were having lunch was a nice sight.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 19 Jul

A Reed Warbler was half-heartedly singing at the southern end this morning, very elusive I finally got brief views and it didn't hang around either. Other than that there were five Common Sandpipers and not a lot else.

Sutton Bingham - Tue 18 Jul

Other than a sprinkling of Common Sandpipers and a couple of juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls there has not been much to see at the reservoir over the past few days. This morning I stopped off on the way to work and was surprised to see an adult Cattle Egret on the northern causeway, but unfortunately it flew off as soon as I got out of the car. It did briefly settle in trees at the end of the car park before vanishing.

I was then equally surprised to see an Oystercatcher on the causeway too, always a really good bird to add to the patch year list with usually only one or two annual records.

This particular Oystercatcher was a ringed bird and the report came back to say it was ringed in 2021 at Dawlish Warren.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 111 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 13 Jul

A few brief early morning and even briefer late afternoon visits this week have not really produced much more than a few Common Sandpipers. This morning there was a "new" singing Reed Warbler in vegetation on the side of West Pool. Returning in the afternoon my first juvenile Black-headed Gull of the year (there has been a steady increase in adult birds over the past few weeks) and a very smart juvenile Yellow-legged Gull.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 8 Jul

Heavy rain for most of the morning but I did get up to the reservoir early afternoon, albeit briefly. I arrived on site just after a fairly heavy shower and parked in the car park. As soon as I got out of the car I could hear a tern calling, a really harsh call at that. Eventually I located two terns flying quite high over the reservoir before they dropped down and flew past the car park towards the southern end...and they were Arctic Terns! I managed some pretty good views in the end but they didn't hang around, as soon as the rain fully cleared they were off.

Sutton Bingham year list for 21023 now at 110 species.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 7 Jul

A very quick visit this evening and I was surprised to find a Greenshank at the southern end. On the far bank it was a nightmare to try and photograph due to the distance and bright sun, but here's a couple of record shots anyway!

Not a lot else though other than a singing Skylark and three Common Sandpipers.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 109 species.