Sutton Bingham - Fri 24 Feb

I've not had the opportunity to get to the patch much this month and the only birds I've seen there recently have been the Cattle Egret on 13 Feb, an adult Mediterranean Gull on 15 Feb and two adult Great Black-backed Gulls and an adult Yellow-legged Gull on 17 Feb.

Today I made the effort and popped up to the reservoir during my lunch break and was surprised to find a small flock of twelve Black-tailed Godwits feeding on the water's edge just south of the Canoe Club. A record count for me at Sutton Bingham and a most unexpected February find.

A female Stonechat showed well as I walked back to the car and there were still a few Wigeon and Teal knocking about.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 73 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sun 5 Feb

A fairly brief evening visit produced "the" regularly roosting Cattle Egret but no sign of anything else, the Kittiwake had been seen earlier in the day but there was no sign of it during my visit.

Sutton Bingham - Fri 3 Feb

A lunchtime visit today and the long-staying Kittiwake was again present at the southern end of the reservoir today but off the northern causeway I finally found my first patch Mediterranean Gulls of the year, with three birds present along with at least sixty Common Gulls.

There were also one hundred and thirty-one Wigeon present.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 70 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 28 Jan

A stop late last night produced a calling Tawny Owl at the southern end and a pre-work visit this morning turned up a Mute Swan on West Pool.

Mute Swan is increasingly scarce visitor to the reservoir these days, so always to nice to see one.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 68 species.

Sutton Bingham - Thu 26 Jan

About two hours on patch today and the biggest surprise was that the Kittiwake was again/still present. This time it was at the southern end, pretty much in the area Pete had first seen it on Saturday. I even managed to take a few ropey photos today.

There was a lone Gadwall in with the Wigeon flock this afternoon and two little groups of Tufted Ducks, eight in total. A pair of Shoveler were partway down the arm and were a nice addition to the year list.

A Peregrine showed very well over the Water Treatment Works and a lone Lapwing was in a field.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 66 species.

Sutton Bingham - Mon 23 Jan

I actually had the chance to check the reservoir before work today and that paid off with a drake Goosander in flight from the Fishing Lodge before it went down the arm. A total of thirteen Tufted Ducks were present.
Later in the morning Ash found a Black Redstart at the Water Treatment Works so I thought I'd give it a go during my lunch break. Despite a good scan of the area there was no sign so I thought I'd check out the dam wall as this was the location where I found a Black Redstart (probably the same bird over-wintering). Again no sign but I was shocked when a Kittiwake flew past me! Having dipped this species on Saturday I connected just two days later. I can only presume it is the same bird, though it was not seen yesterday. A Lapwing was on the deck briefly by the Fishing Lodge and a flock of around thirty flew over.

Sutton Bingham year list now at 63 species.

Sutton Bingham - Sat 21 Jan

A morning off work today so I popped up to the reservoir for about forty-five minutes mid-morning. It was a pretty decent visit with a few additions to the patch year list, the best being a number of Lapwings, around twenty-three, spread over a couple of fields behind West Pool. A Little Grebe was seen at the back of West Pool and a Kingfisher was also noted.

However, those positive vibes turned to despair when I learned upon getting home that a Kittiwake was at the southern end. A quick return visit failed to relocate this Sutton Bingham scarcity and I didn't have time to invest in a decent search due to other commitments.

Sutton Bingham year list for 2023 now at 61 species.