Sutton Bingham - Sun 31 Mar

Well March on patch has been pretty dreadful this year, until this afternoon's visit I had only added two new birds to the year list. I made one last desperate attempt to add something today and I actually succeeded. Arriving mid-afternoon I stopped at the northern causeway where a Common Sandpiper was present, albeit looking rather tired and fed up.

I then drove down to the southern end where three Sand Martins flew in from the south and headed up the reservoir. Finally, a Blackcap was in song at the southern end. So three Spring migrants...at last!

Rather frustratingly, I did also have a very poor and distant view of a large all dark thrush that flew away from me with a rather distinct flap, flap, glide flight. It didn't look right for a Blackbird and it left me wondering whether it was a Ring Ouzel, but the views just were not enough to clinch ID, so one that got away there.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2024 now at 76 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 24 Mar

An afternoon visit today and I actually managed to see something new today with a Red Kite over Coker Wood before it drifted over the reservoir and off towards Closworth. About thirty minutes later I found another two Red Kites over the southern end, so a good day for Red Kites but there was nothing else of note at all.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2024 now at 73 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 14 Mar

The recent trend of Sutton Bingham failing to produce any decent birds has been continuing, hence the total lack of blog postings this month. I did manage a year list addition today with one, probably two, Skylarks singing over fields near the Canoe Club. Access to the southern end has been closed off for several weeks, though I'm not entirely sure why, which is not helping when it comes to seeing if anything is about. A couple of Chiffchaffs have been heard singing, indicating Spring is on the way, but that has been all other than a roost of ten Little Egrets in trees below the car park one evening.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2024 now at 72 species.