Sutton Bingham - Mon 15 Feb

I've made a few brief visits to the reservoir over the last week, but I have to say it has been somewhat disappointing...hence the lack of blog postings. Wigeon and Teal numbers seem to have dropped markedly but seven Tufted Duck were seen on 11 February (with six present the following day but just one the day after that).
A quick morning visit today though did produce a very smart Lesser Redpoll feeding on the northern causeway and the edge of West Pool.
But the main reason for today's post? Well a patch year tick of course! A flock of around forty Golden Plover were seen in flight passing north over the fields behind West Pool. Been several years since I've seen any Golden Plover on the patch, so was pretty thrilled to see this morning's birds.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 7 Feb

I managed my first "proper" visit of the month to Sutton Bingham this morning and it was surprisingly quiet on the water, with a pair of Teal the only wild duck I saw, though I am sure there were probably a few more tucked away at the extreme southern end of the reservoir.
I started off at the dam, but that turned out to be a waste of time with nothing of note seen, so round to the northern causeway and an equally bird-less West Pool. Finally a bit of action in the car park where I heard a Nuthatch calling, my first of the year on patch, and the alders held a flock of seven Lesser Redpoll and six Siskin which put on a good show. The wintering Stonechat was again present between the car park and the Canoe Club and a single Snipe was flushed.
Despite a good search around a few other areas of the reservoir I failed to see much more until a check of the pylons produced a Peregrine, my second patch year tick of the day and a good way to end the visit.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2016 now at 66 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 24 Jan

Despite feeling pretty awful I dragged myself out for an hour over lunchtime and took a walk around the southern end of the reservoir and Cotton Bridge. I failed again to flush any Jack Snipe, though four Snipe were put up. There were good numbers of duck around with over sixty Teal and at least seventy-eight Wigeon and another year tick in the form of a female Gadwall. A Little Grebe was also present.
Overhead a Raven was seen and three Meadow Pipits were also noted.
Finally, a flock of thirteen Tufted Duck were on West Pool.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2016 now at 64 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 23 Jan

Having spent the morning painting the stairs and landing as well as coming down with a beastly cold I thought a bit of fresh air might help so popped up to the reservoir for an hour late afternoon.
I managed to add Mute Swan to the patch year list, with three birds present at the southern end of the reservoir and the flock of eighty-three Wigeon were still present. A walk from the "hide" up to the Canoe Club and back flushed three Snipe from the water's edge but that was it.
Back then to the northern causeway and a check of the gulls, and a single adult Mediterranean Gull was amongst the masses, of which the majority were Herring Gulls with over a thousand present.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 22 Jan

A stop off on the way home tonight produced a pair of Shoveler new in at the southern end of  the reservoir, though they didn't hang around when they saw me and took flight and headed north. As a result I drove round to the dam thinking they may have relocated but I failed to find them amongst the flock of eighty-three Wigeon. Two Ravens flew over but there was little else of note. Back then to the northern causeway to check the gulls, which was rather unrewarding!

Sutton Bingham - Thu 21 Jan

Now don't ask me why, but for some reason I felt I just had to pop along to the reservoir during my lunch hour today...and it turned out to be an inspired decision. Stopping at the northern causeway first of all I found six Tufted Duck on West Pool and then scanning the main reservoir I picked out a flock of eight Pintail and three Shelduck...result! They were all rather distant, and asleep!

A quick drive round to the dam to get a better look and a further four Tufted Duck and eighty-one Wigeon were also present.
There were loads of small birds around the Fishing Lodge and entrance road, but time was against me so I had no chance to check them all out thoroughly, but never mind, I had added another two ticks to the year list.
Sutton Bingham year list for 2016 now at 62 species.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 20 Jan

I managed about seven minutes on the northern causeway on my way home from work this lunchtime and I added Canada Goose to the patch year list, with a flock of eighty birds new in. Five Tufted Duck were off the dam whilst West Pool played host to a Little Grebe. At least four Snipe were seen in flight around West Pool, which was covered in large parts by a sheet of ice...just goes to show how cold it has been over the past day or two.