Sutton Bingham - Sat 28 Jul

An early morning visit before breakfast produced a total of eleven Common Sandpipers but the highlight was a Little Ringed Plover that was present on West Pool, albeit distantly as the photo below can testify!

Just a couple of Little Egrets this morning and two Great Black-backed Gulls. The only other birds of note were four Mandarin.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 27 Jul

Not a lot of note during my morning visit today, but returning at lunchtime I found a Greenshank at the southern end of the reservoir. Distant record shots included!

Also at the reservoir today, four Common Sandpipers were present and five Little Egrets were noted. Three Great Black-backed Gulls (all adults) were also seen and at least a dozen Grey Herons were present.
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 110 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 26 Jul

A visit pre-work was fairly productive with a Green Sandpiper on West Pool and a second at the southern end. Common Sandpipers numbered eight birds. I also found a Sedge Warbler this morning, seen briefly in vegetation just north of the site of the old hide, obviously a passage bird as Sedge Warblers have not bred at Sutton Bingham for a few years.
A return visit later in the day turned up a Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwing on West Pool.

I'd like to take credit for finding them, but just as I pulled up and got them in my 'scope a text from Dave Chown came through telling me they were there...so I guess I can't really claim finder's rights for either!

Sutton Bingham - Mon 23 Jul

No sign of yesterday's Great White Egret today though I did get a call from the Warden mid-morning to say he had two fly south. As I had a half day at work, obviously I stopped off on the way home but no sign of them unfortunately. I did find a new Green Sandpiper at the southern end though and there were at least five Common Sandpipers milling about.
Some late news from last night, Oli Mockridge found a Dunlin which was viewable from the northern causeway. I couldn't make it up there to take a look, luckily not a patch year tick thanks to the March bird!

Sutton Bingham - Sun 22 Jul

An early start this morning with a couple of Common Sandpipers near the dam and then a fly-through Hobby just as I left the Fishing Lodge (my first Hobby on patch since the mid-May bird). Round then to the northern causeway where I had a real shock! A Great White Egret was stood on the causeway. Not wishing to risk flushing it I parked at the Sailing Club entrance and set up my 'scope, managing to get a few photos of it before a car zoomed past and flushed the bird.

 

Fortunately it didn't fly too far and when I left it was feeding under the trees below the car park. This is only my fourth Great White Egret at Sutton Bingham and my second "self-found" bird. As you can see from the photos, it was ringed but unfortunately I could not make out any details, though apparently it could be one of four juveniles ringed at Ham Wall RSPB this year.
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 109 species.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 20 Jul

Nothing more than Common Sandpipers recently but a juvenile Mediterranean Gull was present this afternoon on the northern causeway, quite a smart looking gull!

Not much else about though today.

Sutton Bingham - Wed 18 Jul

A Green Sandpiper was a new arrival this morning, and a welcome addition to the patch year list. The bird was present on the exposed area of mud at the southern end of the reservoir. A total of four Common Sandpipers were also seen today along with the long staying handful of Little Egrets, a calling Raven, a single Great Black-backed Gull and a five Mandarin.
A return visit in the afternoon produced two Green Sandpipers and five Common Sandpipers.
Sutton Bingham year list 2018 now at 108 species.