Sutton Bingham - Mon 3 Aug

A few fleeting visits over the past few days have not produced anything new, though a couple of Sedge Warblers were present on Saturday.

A brief visit before work this morning did turn up something new, with a Whinchat present along the arm. However, just as I was about to get a photo it was flushed by a couple taking a walk and I was unable to relocate it.

Also this morning, there were four Common Sandpipers and two Green Sandpipers at the southern end, and another Common Sandpiper on West Pool.

The vegetation along the water's edge held a few birds, with at least one Sedge Warbler present along with a few Whitethroat and Chiffchaff.

Finally, the White-tailed Eagle which has been at the reservoir on and off for a few weeks was again present this morning in a willow opposite the southern causeway.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 105 species.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 29 Jul

The Greenshank was still present at the back of West Pool, and I did manage a distant record shot of it today.

Also today, a small number of Common Sandpipers still and a Coot was off the northern causeway.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 27 Jul

Pete's had a good few days on patch, and today he found a couple more decent patch year ticks, luckily I was able to connect with them both. A Greenshank was present at the back of West Pool but spent much of the time I was there in deep vegetation so I was unable to get any sort of photo of it.

I was more fortunate with a Yellow Wagtail which was present on the fence line just south of West Pool with a couple of Pied Wagtails. It was very vocal and rather mobile and eventually flew south.

Pretty lucky to get another two year ticks today.

Sutton Bingham year list now at 104 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 25 Jul

Just a quick visit on my way home after a family day out and that was only to add Black-tailed Godwit to the year list with Pete having found one mid-morning. Luckily it stayed all day and I had some good, if distant, views of it as if fed at the back of West Pool. Too far away for a decent photo, but I managed a few records shots.

Also present this evening, two Redshank on the northern causeway.

A lone Common Sandpiper was also on West Pool.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 102 species.

Eastleach Downs - Fri 24 Jul

Somewhere different today as I took advantage of a day's annual leave to head up to Eastleach Downs on Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire border for a twitch...my second of the year! It was a fair journey, around 100 miles each way, but I arrived at the field that had been set aside for parking and made the recommended £5 donation before walking out to the area in question. Before long I was enjoying some wonderful views of the Long-tailed Shrike that had turned up a few days earlier.

I watched the bird for about thirty minutes, and managed to see it in bout Gloucs and Oxon. There were few other birds about, not that I was really looking for any, but a couple of Red Kites drifted overhead and a Yellowhammer was noted.

Soon after 1.30pm I headed back home after a successful twitch, and Long-tailed Shrike becomes the eighth species of shrike I've seen in the UK.

Sutton Bingham - Tue 21 Jul

A new bird this morning with an adult Little Ringed Plover at the southern end of the reservoir, unfortunately it was a little distant and whilst it gave great views through the 'scope, my photos are somewhat lacking!

So, a bit of wader passage at last but water levels are still much higher than they were this time last year. Also this morning a single Green Sandpiper (which was also present yesterday morning) and a couple of Common Sandpipers.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 101 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 16 Jul

Not much over the last few days, though an unseasonal Teal was present on West Pool on Tuesday.

A quick stop at the reservoir before work this morning produced a Little Grebe on West Pool, my first of the year on the patch of what is now a rather scarce visitor to the reservoir. It was always rather distant and very jittery, so much so that when I stopped off for a second look, having checked the southern end for birds, I couldn't find it.

Also present this morning, at least seven Common Sandpipers across the site but nothing else of note.

On a hunch, I also stopped off on the way home from work and this proved to be an inspired decision as I found an Oystercatcher, initially on the bank opposite the Sailing Club it flew off north but then banked back round and landed almost in front of me on the northern causeway!

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 100 species.