Sutton Bingham - Sun 7 Jun

Another day and another quick visit between rain showers. No sign of the Osprey but I did find two Common Terns along the arm. Always a little distant, I still managed a couple of record shots.

Terns seem to be rather thin on the ground this year, so it was good to see these.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 93 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 6 Jun

Another brief early afternoon visit on my way home from work and, despite no reports since I saw it on Thursday, what was presumably the same Osprey was present again today. After first seeing it at the southern end in flight, including an aborted stoop for a fish, I finally nailed it down perched up in a tree where it gave some wonderful views.

Nothing else of note today though.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 4 Jun

May was a very quiet month on the patch, hence the lack of postings, but there was one late addition which didn't really warrant a full post and that was a singing Reed Warbler next to the jetty at the end of the northern causeway.

Today I only had a few minutes at the reservoir around 1.30pm and with nothing to see at the northern end I went down to the southern end and when I got out of the car I could hear a couple of gulls going rather mad so I rushed out into the meadow and was surprised to see the gulls mobbing an Osprey! I watched for about five minutes before the gulls finally got their way and the Osprey drifted off to the south and was lost from view. I did grab a couple of record shots through my binoculars.

I don't recall ever having seen a June Osprey before, as it's rather late for a Spring migrant so I wonder whether it was a failed breeder heading back south. The only other bird of note during my fifteen minute stop was a Hobby, mind you the weather was pretty poor with some quite heavy rain.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 92 species.

Arne RSPB - Mon 25 May

A trip down to south Dorset today and it was blisteringly hot, with the temperature up around 30°C. A walk out towards Shipstal Point was mainly under the trees, but was also very devoid of birds, with a small number of Bar-tailed Godwits being the pick.

We that took a walk out onto Coombe Heath, where I did see a couple of Dartford Warblers to provide some much needed interest.

All and all it was a lovely day out, though the heat was stifling.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 17 May

Not much opportunity to visit the patch over recent weeks, and the few visits I have made have been very unproductive other than a Hobby on 7 May and a lone Swift passing through before gathering rain clouds on 14 May.

Today there wasn't much of note other than two pairs of Mute Swans, which is a rare occurrence at Sutton Bingham these days. The long-staying pair were still at the southern end but a second pair were present in the north-east corner too this afternoon, so felt that must be worthy of a mention.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 90 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 25 Apr

A brief trip on the way home from work at lunchtime today was not as productive as I had hoped, but a pair of Mute Swans were at the southern end, whether the same pair that were present a week ago or not, I don't know. It's been several years since Mute Swans attempted to breed on the patch, so maybe these two might just give it a go.

There were two Common Sandpipers on the northern causeway and two Red Kites were seen over the south of the reservoir.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 20 Apr

A very quick visit this morning produced five Common Sandpipers in the north-east corner, but the highlight was a Wheatear present on the dam wall briefly and then moved into the horse paddock before I lost it.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2026 now at 87 species.