A lovely afternoon spent at the reservoir today, with the sun shining and a few birds around too. I started at the Fishing Lodge where a quick check produced five Meadow Pipits and three Wigeon but not much else, so I drove round to check out West Pool. A single Common Sandpiper was still present as well as a couple of Little Egrets and three Snipe. The Shelduck was still loitering around the northern causeway.
Parking in the car park I could hear a Chiffchaff in full song, somewhat of a surprise given the time of year. I then walked along the reservoir right to the southern end and back. There was plenty to keep me occupied with a Stonechat being a new arrival. It showed well but always with the sun behind it.
There were a small number of Meadow Pipits passing through, with at least six seen/heard heading north. The exposed mud at the southern end produced two Green Sandpipers and another two Common Sandpipers. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was also noted and duck numbers were continuing to increase with fourteen Wigeon, twenty-three Teal and a single female Tufted Duck.
I also came across this beast of a dragonfly this afternoon, which I have been reliably informed is a Southern Hawker.
So a pretty productive visit today with some nice birds seen, though nothing new for the patch year list.
Another short visit to the patch today with around forty minutes spent at the reservoir mid-morning. The southern end of the reservoir held thirteen Wigeon and a dozen Teal plus three Meadow Pipits which flew over heading north. A late Whitethroat was near the southern causeway and it was then back to West Pool.
Two Common Sandpipers were still present on West Pool, and the long-staying Shelduck was still on the northern causeway. I had just enough time to whizz round to the dam. but failed to fee anything of note other than a single Little Egret and a steady trickle of Swallows passing through heading south.
Not much time for birding on patch today, but a Whinchat was present on the fence line south of West Pool, and despite showing really well I couldn't get anything like a semi-decent photo due to strong winds.
A single Common Sandpiper and seven Snipe were also on West Pool.
I managed about ten minutes or so at the reservoir after work this evening and made straight for the southern end where a single Lapwing was a new arrival. Two Green Sandpipers (presumably the same birds that were present mid-week) and a couple of Snipe were also present along with seven Teal and nine Wigeon.
Back to West Pool where a Little Egret and a Little Grebe were present and a Common Sandpiper was heard, but I could not get my eyes on it. Finally, four more Snipe were present on the far edge of West Pool So all in all, not bad for a quick stop.
Was hoping for a bit of quality time at the reservoir this afternoon, but in the end I managed less than an hour so had to rush around the site. Starting at the southern end two Green Sandpipers were present feeding on the mud.
Back to the northern causeway, no time to check out the area around the car park or Canoe Club unfortunately, but West Pool hosted a Common Sandpiper and three Little Egrets (a fourth was present off the dam).
Round then to the Fishing Lodge where there was still a fair amount of action. A total of three Spotted Flycatchers were present which made me wonder whether this was a family group that had bred nearby and escaped my attention during the summer. The Linnet flock numbered at least thirty birds but didn't contain anything more unusual amongst their numbers. At least three White Wagtails were present and a single Meadow Pipit flew over.
About two minutes on patch this morning and a single Snipe was feeding on the far shore on West Pool and three Common Sandpipers were still about. A Little Grebe was also on West Pool while a Little Egret was near the Sailing Club and the long-staying Shelduck was still on the northern causeway.
A mid-morning trip to the reservoir and what were presumably the same three Common Sandpipers were still present on West Pool, with a fourth bird being seen at the southern end of the reservoir. A total of four Little Egrets were noted on site and fly-over birds included two Meadow Pipits, a Raven and two Stock Dove. Duck numbers have started to increase, with eleven each of Teal and Wigeon at the southern end. At least three Clouded Yellows were on the wing.
A return visit mid-afternoon concentrated on the area around the north-east corner and I focused my efforts on the dam and Fishing Lodge. The Linnet flock was still present with at least thirty birds counted. Pied Wagtails numbered well over twenty with a few White Wagtails present also.
I then had a mad few minutes as I noticed a Spotted Flycatcher in one of the fir trees, it eventually relocated to the roof of the Fishing Lodge and was joined by a second bird.
It is always good to find a Spotted Flycatcher on the patch and I never consider them a definite on the year list. As I was watching the Spotted Flycatchers I managed my second patch year tick of the day as a Garden Warbler suddenly appeared in a tree in front of me, put on a show for a short while and then vanished. This was my first Garden Warbler on patch for several years and a real unexpected bonus. It rounded off a great hour at the reservoir.
Sutton Bingham year list 2016 now at 114 species.
