Sutton Bingham - Wed 2 Aug

Unbelievably the Lapwing was again present this morning just off the northern causeway and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was on a buoy in the middle of West Pool. The rain was pretty constant so I didn't hang around for long, might pop back in later if it clears up!

Sutton Bingham - Tue 1 Aug

The Lapwing was again present today, for its third day, though this morning it was just off the northern causeway rather than between the car park and Canoe Club where it had been on the previous two mornings. Two Common Sandpipers were also noted during a quick visit and a Peregrine was atop one of the pylons at the southern end of the reservoir. Finally, there were still a handful of Little Egrets knocking around.
A quick stop in the afternoon produced a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and an adult Great Black-backed Gull.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 31 Jul

Yesterday's Lapwing was still present this morning but just a single Common Sandpiper today though there were still six Little Egrets about. Just one Mandarin this morning also.
I did come across the following sunning itself on the dam wall. I believe it is a Black-tailed Skimmer.

A return visit after work turned up a surprise find in the form of a very smart summer-plumaged Dunlin feeding just off the northern causeway near the small jetty. A less than annual visitor to Sutton Bingham it was a real bonus find.

Sutton Bingham year list 2017 now at 101 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 30 Jul

I spent a little over an hour at Sutton Bingham this morning, where the highlight was a Lapwing, present on the water's edge between the car park and Canoe Club.

There were still half a dozen Little Egrets on site but I could only find two Common Sandpipers this morning. Two adult Great Black-backed Gulls were still present as were three Mandarin. There was also a bit of a patch rarity this morning, with a Feral Pigeon near the Canoe Club!

Sutton Bingham - Sat 29 Jul

A slightly longer than normal visit to the reservoir this morning, starting at the northern causeway where a juvenile Stonechat was an unexpected find on the wire fence to the south of West Pool. Too distant for anything like a decent photo, but I don't like to disappoint the readers so how's this?

A first-summer Great Black-backed Gull was present with two adults on the northern causeway.

Other bits and pieces this morning included a Sand Martin which flew over the northern causeway and headed in a general southerly direction. A flock of twenty-two Goldfinches consisted of juvenile birds with the exception of a single adult. Common Sandpipers numbered some five birds, spread along the length of the reservoir, and half a doze n Little Egrets were also present. A Kingfisher was seen and a Raven heard.
A quick return visit later in the day in pouring rain produced a total of 104 moulting Mallard in the north-east corner of the reservoir and two first-summer Great Black-backed Gulls.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 28 Jul

More of the same this morning, just a single Common Sandpiper and one Mandarin, plus a pair of Stock Dove and two Ravens alongside the long-staying Great Black-backed Gull and up to four Little Egrets.
A brief return after work produced this mighty fine juvenile Yellow-legged Gull on the northern causeway.

Also this afternoon, the first-summer Great Black-backed Gull was again present, though the battery on my phone died before I could get a photo.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 27 Jul

Another Oystercatcher at the reservoir this morning, first seen flying over the northern causeway and West Pool before being relocated on the dam.

Not much else about this morning, just the usual suspects with a single Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher, plus the two adult Great Black-backed Gulls, a Mandarin and three Little Egrets.