Sutton Bingham - Sun 12 Sep

My monthly WeBS count today so I spent about an hour on patch checking and recording things of note...there were not many! A Little Grebe at the southern end was the pick of the birds, just the second record at the reservoir this year.

Just two Common Sandpipers were seen and a lone Teal was noted, and that was pretty much it.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 12 Sep

A flying visit late afternoon today to try and connect with a Spotted Flycatcher that Pete had located earlier in the day, in fact he had found two and a Redstart! Whereas I failed to locate the Redstart I did manage to see one of the Spotted Flycatchers.

Always a decent bird to get on the year list and some great views, even if the photo does not suggest it.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now on 111 species.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 11 Sep

A quick stop on the way home from work produced nothing of note other than a Whinchat which was favouring an area of vegetation on the southern fringe of West Pool. Herewith an excellent record shot:

A scan of the exposed mud at the southern end failed to produce anything.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 10 Sep

Not much opportunity to visit the patch over the last week, and the brief visits I have made have been unproductive, despite a continuation in the drop in water levels. I spent some time at the reservoir this afternoon and to my surprise there was a flock of eight Ringed Plover at the southern end, along with half a dozen Common Sandpipers. Despite showing very well, the flock was always a little distant, but a much welcome year tick.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 110 species.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 3 Sep

Recent visits have failed to deliver much of interest, with consistent numbers of Common Sandpipers, reaching up to fifteen birds, and a small group of five Teal. A drake Gadwall has been with the Mallard flock off the northern causeway.

A Wheatear was feeding on the southern fringe of West Pool this evening.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 27 Aug

A late morning visit today was somewhat productive with three Whinchat showing well along the hedgerow on the opposite side of the road to the Canoe Club.

Also in the same area a couple of mobile Yellow Wagtails and five Skylarks.

The other significant bird of note today was a Greenshank that was heard passing through but it didn't make landfall, simply carrying straight on. Still a few Common Sandpipers around and also today, a Gadwall and Tufted Duck.

So, some good birds but no year ticks today.

Sutton Bingham - Tue 25 Aug

I missed a flock of eight Avocet yesterday morning that Pete discovered, they were present very briefly but still a painful dip. Today Dave found a Redstart and it was more heartache as I missed it during a lunchtime visit and after work, another one missed, until I got a call from Pete later in the evening to say he had relocated it. Fortunately, I was able to get back out to the reservoir and connected with the Redstart, a scarce bird on patch and my first for a few years.

I've not had much else of note to report over the past few days,

Sutton Bingham year list now on 107 species.