Arctic Tern flew briefly around pool then flew North West. Male Goosander. Herring gull and 140+ Black Headed Gull. Oystercatcher and Lapwing on site. Kestrel Buzzard over moss Peregrine falcon overhead with a possible second bird Yellowhammer pair on feeders Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush singing. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap singing. Raven heard.
Common Sandpiper on the pool this morning. Pair of Yellowhammer coming to feeders and Pied Wagtail pair still on compound. First Blackcap of the year heard with Four Willow warbler and six Chiffchaff. 200+ Black Headed gulls.
Ringed Plover again calling and seen on site. Pied Wagtail pair in same area as the plover. Single Mediterranean gull in amongst 240+ Black Headed Gulls Oystercatcher pair flying over reserve onto site. Willow Warbler and 5+ Chiffchaff. Three Buzzard and a pair of displaying Sparrowhawk over the moss plus a Kestrel and several Skylark.
Ringed Plover 1 a previously breeding bird now rare. Siskin 2 Redwing 8 Stock Dove 3 Raven 1 Buzzard 3 over the moss. Sparrowhawk 1 also over the moss. Skylark 3 Black headed gull 150+
Drake Scaup on the pool this morning with Tufted Duck flock. 200+ Black Headed gulls and a 2nd winter Herring Gull. Goldcrest in with Great Tit flock. Mixed flock of 90+ Redwing and 30+ Fieldfare flew up from are of field F5 on moss.
-- Edited by Chris Roberts on Sunday 18th of February 2024 01:18:25 PM
2 male and 4 female Goosander on the pool this afternoon, Raven seen and calling around the reserve. 50+ Redwing in trees along the edge of the reserve with field F4.
Nice to meet you today Chris.
Managed to see 4 Goosander (3f 1m) through the fence at the Isherwood Road end.
Linnet/Finch flock not apparent today, although there were 2 motorbikes in the area they usually occupy.
2 male and 4 female Goosander on the pool this afternoon, Raven seen and calling around the reserve. 50+ Redwing in trees along the edge of the reserve with field F4.
Five little egret dropped in at 11-50 this morning, flew off northwards approximately 25 minutes later. Little grebe with newly hatched youngster, very late brood for reserve.
Brief sighting of Lesser Whitethroat this morning. Five Mandarin duck amongst numbers of Mallard and Gadwall, five Shoveler. Black headed gulls have decreased to a few individuals with the last of this years young ready to fledge. Good year for Little Grebe.
Kingfisher seen briefly plus two house sparrows on feeders. The sparrows are almost certainly a first record for the reserve. Tree sparrow recorded on a couple of occasions but no house sparrows. Apart from that fairly quiet. Large mixed flock of tits accompanied by young warblers. Good numbers of mallard and gadwall and at least three mandarin.
Common Sandpiper at back of pool this morning. Tufted Duck brood of eight and five well grown Canada goose goslings. Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker, four Little Grebe young and plenty of Coot and Moorhen young.
A ridiculously confiding juvenile black-necked grebe gave great views on the pool today and was still present when I left. Sadly now just a throwback to the days when several pairs would breed on the pool (last attempt 2011). Presumably this individual was dispersing from Woolston Eyes.
Merlin chased across pool by Carrion crow this morning, possibly hunting over Carrington moss as flock of skylark put up shortly before the bird was seen. Female pintail on pool. Three skeins of pink footed geese seen, details on relevant post.
Pectoral sandpiper on flooded disused trailer park adjacent to reserve at 9.40. Not sure how long it had been there as only just arrived. Flew west at 9.50 so worth looking for on other pools nearby, particularly on the west side of ship canal.
Mandarin duck 7 drake and 8 duck flew in mid morning. Eclipse drake pintail 6 Shoveler 7 Teal 40 plus Skylark over F4 on moss 60 plus Starling on pylons on moss 4 Redwing
I had Female Brambling, at the junction of the path that runs parallel to the reserve and up past the old orchard on the moss at about 0700hrs yesterday.....
20+ Redpoll, this morning, plus a group of 6 Brambling, 5 Redwing also on the reserve. A pair of Sparrowhawk were displaying over the pool and the edge of field F4 for at least ten minutes.
Not sure if this is a regular occurrence but yesterday I had the unfortunate experience to witness a juvenile Cormorant kill a juvenile Tufted Duck and attempt to eat it whole, a la Grey Heron. After 30 minutes no success, so it decided to have a wing-drying session, with the Duck floating sadly nearby. Had to leave at this juncture, so no idea if the Cormorant had a second go. I hope it did in a funny way, as otherwise it would have been a complete waste of a life.
Just being pedantic but the last but one post should be 3rd Calendar year Herring Gull chased off a 2nd Calendar year bird. I'm giving up on cycles, so don't tell Chris Boardman.
This morning a male Blackcap on a feeding table. 2 Chiffchaffs singing short songs only. 2 Herring Gulls adults flew through, whilst the near resident 2nd CY Herring Gull chased off a 1st CY. 1 Lapwing on the main island. etc.etc.etc.