Last night's singing Whitethroat was belting it out from the railway embankment bordering West Pool during a quick visit this morning. Six Common Sandpipers were present and a Kingfisher was seen carrying food, which is an encouraging sight. Finally, a drake Tufted Duck was also seen.
A return visit in the afternoon yielded a dozen Common Sandpipers plus a fly-over Kestrel and Raven. A Little Egret was also seen.
NB: Late news for Sat 29 Apr - the warden heard a wader calling this morning, though he did not see it he thought it was either a Redshank or Greenshank. At 8.30pm an Oystercatcher flew down the reservoir.
Saturday, 29 April 2017
Riseley - Tue 25 Apr to Thu 27 Apr
A few days away on business this week and I was based in Riseley, just south of Reading in Berkshire. Obviously being on business I wasn't able to do much in the way of birding, but just down the road was Wellington Country Park which I thought might be worth a visit...until I saw the £11 entry fee! Fortunately, after a bit of driving around, I found a pull in at the back of the country park where, by standing on the door sill of the car, I could get a bit of a view of the lake! Quite a bit of effort just to get a birding fix, but it was enjoyable none the less.
I only managed a couple of brief visits whilst away with the pick of the birds being a pair of Egyptian Geese, a single Common Sandpiper and a fly-over Hobby. Overhead Red Kites were ever present, with my single highest count being of twelve birds up in the air together. Four Barnacle Geese were grazing in a nearby field and a couple of Red-legged Partridge were feeding in the garden of the hotel that I stayed in.
So a few bits and pieces of interest whilst away, including a couple of Corn Buntings seen near Stonehenge whilst I was in transit!
I only managed a couple of brief visits whilst away with the pick of the birds being a pair of Egyptian Geese, a single Common Sandpiper and a fly-over Hobby. Overhead Red Kites were ever present, with my single highest count being of twelve birds up in the air together. Four Barnacle Geese were grazing in a nearby field and a couple of Red-legged Partridge were feeding in the garden of the hotel that I stayed in.
So a few bits and pieces of interest whilst away, including a couple of Corn Buntings seen near Stonehenge whilst I was in transit!
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
Sutton Bingham - Sun 23 Apr
An early morning visit turned up a couple of Greylag Geese...most unexpected. Originally present off the dam they moved to the southern end before flying of north after which I was unable to relocate them. Also from the dam a total of nine Common Sandpipers and an unseasonal adult summer-plumaged Black-headed Gull flew through.
Moving to the southern end of the reservoir there were three Mute Swans new in and what was presumably last weeks pair of Tufted Duck and the pair of Teal were noted again. A Little Egret flew in to the southern end but I guess didn't like it much and flew back north after ten minutes or so.
A Reed Warbler was in full song and a Raven passed over. Finally, three Sand Martins and a few Swallows trickled though. A return visit in the afternoon produced a Kingfisher but nothing else!
Moving to the southern end of the reservoir there were three Mute Swans new in and what was presumably last weeks pair of Tufted Duck and the pair of Teal were noted again. A Little Egret flew in to the southern end but I guess didn't like it much and flew back north after ten minutes or so.
A Reed Warbler was in full song and a Raven passed over. Finally, three Sand Martins and a few Swallows trickled though. A return visit in the afternoon produced a Kingfisher but nothing else!
Sutton Bingham - Sat 22 Apr
A real patch scarcity today with a singing Cuckoo present somewhere in trees south of the Fishing Lodge. I first heard it calling in the morning and then again during a return visit later in the day. This is the first Cuckoo I've heard singing at Sutton Bingham for more years than I care to remember.
As well as today's Cuckoo there was also another surprise, just a week or so after my first ever Spring Sutton Bingham Wheatear today I found two more, one of which is shown below!
Other birds present today included a Little Egret on West Pool and ten Sand Martins, five House Martin and a good number of Swallows passing through. More Common Sandpipers today with seven birds counted.
Yesterday evening a drake Mandarin was on West Pool briefly.
Sutton Bingham year list 2017 now at 89 species.
As well as today's Cuckoo there was also another surprise, just a week or so after my first ever Spring Sutton Bingham Wheatear today I found two more, one of which is shown below!
Yesterday evening a drake Mandarin was on West Pool briefly.
Sutton Bingham - Sun 19 Apr
Three hours at Sutton Bingham this morning and not really that much to show for it. The southern end of the reservoir provided most of the interest with a pair of Tufted Duck and a pair of Teal present and a Snipe was an unexpected surprise given the time of year. Four Common Sandpiper were also noted at the northern end of the reservoir. Highlight of the morning though was a fly-through Feral Pigeon!!! OK, it's rather pants, but it does give me a much-needed Patchwork Challenge point, and they all count!
Shapwick Heath NR - Fri 17 Apr
A trip up to the Avalon Marshes this afternoon, and after the disastrous walk around Ham Wall RSPB dodging dog walkers and seeing no birds a month or so ago, today I walked out on to Shapwick Heath...good call!
Starting at the drained lagoon I soon picked out a rather smart adult Little Ringed Plover, a real cracker. Other birds on the lagoon included single Ruff, Lapwing and Redshank plus a flock of seventy-one Black-tailed Godwit.
I then walked on to Noah's Lake where a Great White Egret flew up from the reeds and a Bittern treated me to a prolonged fly-by. At least four Bitterns were also heard "booming" away and a male Marsh Harrier was also noted.
All in all a brilliant hour or so out and no dogs!
Starting at the drained lagoon I soon picked out a rather smart adult Little Ringed Plover, a real cracker. Other birds on the lagoon included single Ruff, Lapwing and Redshank plus a flock of seventy-one Black-tailed Godwit.
All in all a brilliant hour or so out and no dogs!
Sutton Bingham - Fri 17 Apr
OK, I know, I've not posted any updates for a while...but I've been busy. Over the past week there have been a few things passing through at Sutton Bingham, primarily Common Sandpipers with the highest count being eight birds today.
Other bits and bobs of note since my last posting include a fly-through drake Mandarin on 14 Apr, a Little Egret on 13 Apr and 14 Apr. The first Reed Warbler of the year was seen and subsequently heard singing on 14 Apr and a snippet of the song can be heard here: https://soundcloud.com/user-974772027/reed-warbler-sutton-bingham-apr-2017
The first Lesser Whitethroat heard singing on 16 Apr. A flock of forty Linnet was present near the Canoe Club on 15 Apr and a Skylark was in the same area on the same day. Finally, an unseasonal Common Gull was noted on 14 Apr with two Great Black-backed Gulls.
And there we have it, you are now pretty much up to date with what's been happening at the reservoir recently!
Other bits and bobs of note since my last posting include a fly-through drake Mandarin on 14 Apr, a Little Egret on 13 Apr and 14 Apr. The first Reed Warbler of the year was seen and subsequently heard singing on 14 Apr and a snippet of the song can be heard here: https://soundcloud.com/user-974772027/reed-warbler-sutton-bingham-apr-2017
The first Lesser Whitethroat heard singing on 16 Apr. A flock of forty Linnet was present near the Canoe Club on 15 Apr and a Skylark was in the same area on the same day. Finally, an unseasonal Common Gull was noted on 14 Apr with two Great Black-backed Gulls.
And there we have it, you are now pretty much up to date with what's been happening at the reservoir recently!
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