| 2006-10-08 | Black Headed Gull, Bullfinch, Cormorant, Gadwall (5), Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Heron, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pintail (2) Sheepwash, Pochard (60), Red-crested Pochard (2) Millfields, Wigeon (60) Millfields, Greenfinch, Siskin (2) Stones Is, Tree Sparrow (20) Stones Is. | Richard and Frances Pittam |
| 2006-10-09 | 36 species of bird seen on or near the site around midday. The following are worthy of note: Barnacle Goose (2) - near the Sailing Club; Gadwall (6) - from the Wildlife Centre (WC); Red-crested Pochard (1) - female on Horseshoe Island; Common Pochard (2) - from WC; Sparrowhawk (1) - Brassington; Pheasant (4) - near Millfields; Snipe (3) - edge of WC Creek; House Martin (2) - over the WC; Long-tailed Tit (13) - Stones Island.
Butterflies: Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.
Plants: Common Knapweed, Ragwort and Water Forget-me-not.
Only the leaves of the Horse Chestnut are beginning to change
colour, heralding a very late autumn.
A Dip into the Logbook:
6th October: Red-crested Pochard.
5th October: Snipe (15); Pink-footed Goose (2) - overflying the site. | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-10-10 | A knot dropped in mid-afternoon and stayed for an hour before flying off. It was re-found at 5.15pm by Ben Young in front of the Fisheries building.
9 Snipe commuting between horseshoe island and shiningford creek
A kingfisher belted past twice in the morning
The female red-crested pochard present all day
Due to the fog, the Little Owl was just an indistinct blob for much of the day
Wildfowl numbers at the Wildlife Centre much reduced on previous days. We even struggled to find the visiting school party a Canada Goose!
Of other note, a Ringed Plover reported from Paul Stanley (also at Sheepwash on 8th)
Two Water Voles showed well all day outside the wildlife centre | Matthew Capper |
| 2006-10-12 | 41 species were seen from the Wildlife Centre during the day with the following highlights:
Three drake Common Scoter on the main lake were visible from the Wildlife Centre but gave exceptional views from Stones Island.
A Stonechat on the fence opposite the Wildlife Centre was first seen a week or so back but had gone awol for a few days.
A Dunlin stopped in only briefly but 12 Snipe were visible for much of the day.
The female Red Crested Pochard is still present in front of the wildlife centre - it is the laziest bird you will ever see!
The Little Owl showed in the morning but not in the afternoon and the Water Vole was only sporadic today.
Dave Newcombe also reported Pintail and Common Sandpiper from Stones Island and another visitor saw Shovelor from Paul Stanley Hide. | Matthew Capper |
| 2006-10-12 | 3 Male Common Scoter -Best seen from Stones Island, but visible from Lane End and Sheepwash.
1 Common Sandpiper- Seen from Paul Stanley and Sheepwash (probably same bird.)
At least 6 Pintail- Including 3 Drakes in breeding plumage.
1 Dunlin and 1 Stonechat- from Wildlife Centre.
1 Grey Wagtail- Sheepwash Spit.
Also seen-Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Raven and Snipe. | Clive Ashton / Dave Newcombe |
| 2006-10-15 | Wildlife Centre (8.30am)
31 Pochard ,12 Gadwall ,50+ Lapwing ,95 Wigeon ,2 Cormorant ,11 Snipe ,1 Pheasant (on the feeder) ,1 Kingfisher ,1 Shelduck ,15 Teal ,Stones Island (10.30am) ,3 Little Grebe ,75 Lesser Black-backed Gull ,1 Shelduck (it followed me around all day) ,25 Teal ,1 Tree Sparrow (only 1 at the feeder, although lots of ground rats!) ,2 Robin ,2 Long-tailed Tit ,No sign of the Common Scoters Paul Stanley (12.30pm)
13 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
56 Teal
85 Wigeon
1 Kestrel
87 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Shelduck (I told you it followed me!)
2 Pintail
45 Lapwing
Sheepwash (1.40pm)
43 Cormorant
2 Grey Heron
90 Wigeon
5 Little Grebe
36 Teal
31 Pochard
Millfields (2.30pm)
1 Kingfisher
20 Pochard
62 Wigeon
28 Canada Geese
1 Barnacle Goose
8 Great Crested Grebe | Richard Pittam |
| 2006-11-17 | 5 Snipe were on Horseshoe Island and the two Red Crested Pochards were quite active for a change. A Weasel showed in front of the Wildlife Centre and two Water Voles showed on and off in the pond outside. A Little Owl sat on its usual post near the pylon on the hill opposite the Wildlife Centre and another was heard closer by.
Kingfisher and Grey Heron also showed well down at Tailbay early morning. | Matthew Capper |
| 2006-10-22 | Millfields: Coot 150, Long-tailed tit 2, Pochard 20, Tufted 80, Wigeon 55.
WLCentre: Barnacle goose 5, chaffinch 10, Coot 200, Cormorant 3, Gadwall 4, goldfinch 2, great Crested Grebe 6, Lapwing 55, Lesser Black-backed Gull 2, Little Grebe 5, Mallard 30, Moorhen 15, Mute Swan 3, Pochard 45, Snipe 5, Teal 45, Tree Sparrow 20, tufted duck 40 and Wigeon 65. | Richard, Frances and Ken Pittam |
| 2006-10-24 | Quite warm and sunny on site today. Many visitors about because of the half term school holidays. The "Aren't Birds Brilliant" event was run again today by Matthew Capper who manned a stall in the open area within the visitor centre. His band of RSPB volunteers showed birds to people in the Wildlife Centre (WC). Many telescopes were available for use by the general public. There were no birds on Horseshoe Island today due to the presence of rangers reinforcing the edges of the island's pools.
Very few species of bird were found but the following are worth a mention:
Barnacle Goose (1), winter ducks - Wigeon & Pochard as well as Teal (mostly winter visitors), Gadwall, Mallard and Tufted Duck. Also Kestrel (male) and Long-tailed Tit (4).
A Commn Hawker dragonfly was found by the water's edge near the WLC. Holly trees are full of berries, a month earlier than normal. The "fall" of autumn leaves has barely started. Horse Chesnut leaves are rapidly turning to yellow and gold and some are dropping onto the ground. Most other species of trees are still very green. The splendour of autumn tints will be very late this year.
A dip into the logbook for the last few days:
23rd October: Whooper Swan (1), Pied Wagtail (40), Meadow Pipit (18), Skylark (2), Red-crested Pochard (2), Kingfisher (2).
22nd October: Barnacle Goose (3), Gadwall (2), Pochard (80), Snipe (5).
21st October: Garganey (female), Water Vole.
18th October: Barn Owl (1) - near WC, Snipe (20+). | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-10-29 | 5 Snipe - Bank to the left of the Wildlife Centre
2 Red-Crested Pochards - Infront of the Wildlife Centre
3 Barnacle Geese - In the the field to the left of the Wildlife Cenre
1 female Goldeneye - Swimming and diving near the bank to the left of the Wildlife Centre | sam Pedley |
| 2006-11-02 | 2 Whooper Swans were seen briefly in front of Sheepwash hide but,harassed by Mute Swans,flew away South/East.They were later relocated in Fishtail Creek.
At least 10 Goldeneye were seen,4 Drakes and 6 Female/immature.
1 Reed Bunting and several Lesser Redpoll were seen on Stones Island.
2 Jays were seen on the bank below Hall Wood.
Also seen were Snipe,Buzzard,Sparrowhawk and Great Spotted Woodpecker. | Clive Ashton / Dave Newcombe |
| 2006-11-03 | Wildlife Centre:
Mistle Thrush (2), Bullfinch (m and f), Wren (2), Canada Geese (110), Gadwall (2), Barnacle Geese (5), Little Grebe (10), Wigeon (40), Little Owl (1), Dunnock (1), Redwing (21), Kestrel (1), Red Crested Pochard (2), Collared Dove (2), Jackdaw (2), Goldfinch (6), Redshank (1), Snipe (1), Pochard (10)
Paul Stanley Hide:
Willow Tit (1), Coal Tit (1), Tree Sparrow (4), Lesser Black backed Gull (50), Yellow-legged Gull (1), Pheasant (1), Wigeon (245), Little Grebe (12), Cormorant (15),
Sheepwash Hide:
Wigeon (36), Teal (18), Pied Wagtail (2), Lesser Black backed Gull (50), Grey Heron (1), Cormorant (13), Moorhen (3) | richard and Frances Pittam |
| 2006-11-04 | Sunny on site around midday, with a stiffish breeze. A total of 38 species found on Stones Island and at the Wildlife Centre.
OF NOTE:
Barnacle Goose (2), Gadwall - many pairs, Snipe (2), Lapwing (100+), Little Owl (1). The best sighting of all was of a Water Vole seen at the back of the pond next to the Wildlife Centre. It sat there quite happily in full view munching on leaves, taking no notice of the audience (about 8 of us) leaning on the rail by the pool. It performed for us for about 10 minutes before disappearing into the undergrowth. GREAT!!
A dip into the logbook:
3rd November: Bullfinch (a pair), Barnacle Goose (5), Kestrel (1).
2nd November: Dunlin (1), Meadow Pipit (8), Skylark (1), Brambling (1).
1st November: Red-crested Pochard (2 females), Redshank (1), Snipe (3), Brown Hare (1).
31st October: Garganey (one female), Redwing (25).
30th October: Kittiwake (one adult), Golden Plover (1). | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-11-05 | At ten to four, as we were going home in our car over the dam, I noticed a long-winged grey bird of prey. It had a longish tail . It was was battling with the wind trying to hunt on the grass on the dam wall. I thought it was a Hen Harrier but I am not 100% sure. | Sam Pedley |
| 2006-11-09 | Goosander (1 female), Kingfisher (1), Goldeneye (pair). | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-11-10 | An adult Ring billed Gull was reported on the Birdnet pager as being outside Paul Stanley Hide at 2.50pm.
Presumably this is the returning bird from 2003 and 2004 following an apparently blank year last year.
Hopefully it may remain in the gull roost for a while as it has done previously in 2003/2004. It can, on past experience, if it's the same bird, be a little erratic in its' visits and difficult to pick out at times. | Steph' hicking |
| 2006-11-12 | Highlights - Wildlife Centre highlights:
Snipe (8), Red Crested Pochard (2 male, 2 female), Gadwall (8), Wren (2), Willow Tit (1), Redwing (12), Fieldfare (15), Goldfinch (4), Redpoll (8), Dunnock (2), Jackdaw (2), Carrion Crow (10), Tree Sparrow (8), Brambling (1), Siskin (1).
Stones Island: Greenfinch (1), Brambling (1), Bullfinch (2), Goldfinch (4).
Sheepwash: Redshank (1 - ringed)
Paul Stanley: Lesser Black Backed Gull (78), Gadwall (8), Wigeon (95), Black Headed Gull (70). | richard Pittam |
| 2006-11-13 | Kittiwake (1) - juvenile. | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-11-15 | Gull Roost on 14th included 1 adult Caspian Gull, 1 adult Yellow Legged Gull.50-100 Common Gulls (moving around!), around 3000 Lesser Black-backs and around 2000 Black Headed Gulls.
Also present of note, 10 plus Goldeneye around Sheepwash area,20 Gadwall (Sheepwash/Paul Stanley) 1 or 2 Redshank (Sheepwash, 3 Snipe (Paul Stanley Hide. | Steph' Hicking |
| 2006-11-15 | Snipe (21), Redshank (1), Goldcrest (2). | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-11-16 | Birdnet pager again reports adult Ring-billed Gull from Paul Stanley Hide at 2.50pm this pm. | Steph' Hicking |
| 2006-11-17 | Adult Ring-billed Gull showed in the roost from around 3.15pm till dusk. Viewed from Sheepwash Hide. | Steph' Hicking |
| 2006-11-18 | 2 Black Swans and 9 Goosander off Millfields/Dam wall. 1 Black-tailed Godwit at W.Centre. | Richard and Frances Pittam / Barry and Jose |
| 2006-11-19 | Black Swan still present today between Stones Island and the Wildlife Centre. Adult Male Red Crested Pochard also at the Wildlife Centre and at least 7 Snipe.
Matthew Capper ( Aren't birds brilliant! Project Officer ) | Matthew Capper |
| 2006-11-20 | A Tittesworth Water Snippet: A Ring-billed Gull turned up on the site today. | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-11-21 | Wildlife centre- 1 Black Tailed Godwit,1 Dunlin,1 Redshank,
1 Black Swan, 1 Red Crested Pochard and 1 Peregrine.
Sheepwash-Peregrine again sighted (could be same bird)
4 Meadow Pipits,1 Grey Wagtail also a Singing Song Thrush in the car park.
Lane End-2 Goldeneye. | Clive Ashton / Dave Newcombe |
| 2006-11-21 | 3 Redshank, 1 at Wildlife Centre, 1 at Millfields, 1 at Paul Stanley Hide. 1 Black-tailed Godwit at WLC. 1 Dunlin at WLC. 3 Snipe at WLC. 1 Black Swan at WLC. 1 Stoat seen several times on Horseshoe Island today. 1 Peregrine reported from WLC. | Roger Carrington |
| 2006-11-23 | Cormorant (51), Goldeneye (4), Grey Wagtails (2). | Ray and Margaret Perry |
| 2006-11-24 | Black Swan (1), Kestrel (one male), Snipe (3), Black-tailed Godwit (1), Redshank (1), Collared Dove (10). | Ray and Margaret Perry |
