02/11/2024 | Off Sheepwash Hide of note late this afternoon:
Pintail (2); Goldeneye (1); Goosander (1); Egyptian Goose (1); Caspian Gull (1) Ad.; YLGull (2) Ads.; GBBGull (1) Ad. | Richard Lowe |
01/11/2024 | Just bits and bobs of movement this morning, no great numbers: 32 Pink-footed Geese, 1 Golden Plover, 80 Woodpigeons, 304 Redwing, 20 Fieldfare, 160 Starling, 12 Brambling (including a flock of 11). 28 Reed Buntings out of Hopton reedbed early morning. Goldeneye, probably a young male, at Millfields. | Simon Roddis |
31/10/2024 | With a halo of low cloud this morning, if anything was moving it wasn't visible! A Great Egret, maybe the same as the last couple of days, flew out of Millfields at 07:20, along with similar numbers of Canada and Greylag. 29 Gadwall, 6 Wigeon, 13 Teal, 1 redhead Goosander, 396 Tufted and c400 Pochard. 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls. 36 Cormorants. | Simon Roddis |
30/10/2024 | Movement this morning included 5,180 Woodpigeons, 290 Starlings, 220 Redwing and 22 Fieldfare. Early morning, 743 Greylags and 593 Canada Geese flew out, along with a single Egyptian Goose. 2 Goosander flew over WLC creek. Great Egret on the shore between Sheepwash and Lane End. 65 Lapwing - a marked increase. Adult Yellow-legged Gull Still. 2 Kingfishers (Millfields and Brown Ale Bay). Chiffchaff and 21 Redpoll on Stones. 20 Siskin at Millfields. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
29/10/2024 | Best this morning was a Great Egret that flew W at 09:30. Otherwise, 1520 Woodpigeons and 200 Starlings flew through. 8 Redpolls on Stones. Peregrine playing with a Carrion Crow over Hall Wood. 33 grey geese flew SW but I'm not committing myself on what they were. | SJR, CA, AHS |
28/10/2024 | Much less movement than previous days: 517 Redwing, 92 Starling and just 300 Woodpigeons. The drake Red-crested Pochard and adult Yellow-legged Gull still. 2 Chiffchaff on Stones. A Brambling over Millfields and 7 Redpoll on Stones. Didn't see or hear yesterday's Yellow-browed Warbler. | Simon Roddis |
27/10/2024 | Another(?) Yellow-browed Warbler was on Stones island this morning, the third of the autumn here. Not a great mix of species on the move but 14,180 Woodpigeons was the highest yet this autumn. 572 Canadas and 711 Greylags flew out over the dam wall early morning. 7 Grey Wagtails at Millfields. 5 Shoveler. 5 Redpoll over Stones. Clive had 4 Goosander and at least one Little Egret from Stones early in. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
26/10/2024 | From Sheepwash Hide late this afternoon:
Of note in the gull roost: YL Gull (5) - Ads; Mediterranean Gull (1) - 1st w. | Richard Lowe |
26/10/2024 | Movement this morning: 7,620 Woodpigeons S, 3,150 Starlings W (including a flock of 1,200) and 275 Redwing S. 322 Greylags flew out early morning. Pair of Shoveler and 4 Wigeon off Stones island. 370 Pochard from WLC. 35 Lapwing and 4 Snipe on Horseshoe island. 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls. 3 Chiffchaff on Stones. | Simon Roddis |
25/10/2024 | Foggy again so limited visibility. 46 Reed Buntings (a new site record) came out of their roost in Hopton reedbed early morning, and a Brambling flew over. Total of 22 Chaffinches over. The adult Yellow-legged Gull again patrolling around. | Simon Roddis |
24/10/2024 | 225 Pochard, 7 Little Grebe, 8 Red Kite, 20 Cormorant, 74 Wood Pigeon,40 Redwing, 90 Stock Dove, 20 Mute Swan, 12 Teal, 9 Gadwall, 2 Raven, 1 Kestrel | Dave Armitt |
24/10/2024 | In 2 hours from Stones island this morning, 5,000 Woodpigeons, 928 Redwing, 513 Starling, 17 Chaffinch and 2 Little Egrets. Adult Yellow-legged Gull still. Chiffchaff on Stones causeway. | Simon Roddis |
23/10/2024 | Very foggy until late morning. Best was a Barn Owl at Sheepwash first thing, the drake Red-crested Pochard off Lane End and Kingfisher(s?) at WLC. | Simon Roddis |
22/10/2024 | Quite a decent morning after the rain stopped: a total of 10,700 Woodpigeons flew SW between 08:45-12:00, along with a Hawfinch, a Great Egret W, 63 Starlings, 29 Chaffinches (and loads of unid'd finches/pipits) and 10 Skylarks in typically random directios.. 14 Pink-footed Geese went E at 09:25. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
21/10/2024 | Monthly wildfowl count: 68 Canadas, 7 Greylags, 32 Mute Swan, 1 Shoveler, 13 Gadwall, 19 Wigeon, 119 Mallard, 39 Teal, 505 Pochard, 332 Tufted, 3 Goosander, 24 Moorhen, 1,088 Coot, 19 Little Grebe, 68 GCGrebe, 27 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 31 Cormorant, 3 Heron, 2 Kingfisher. Also adult Yellow-legged Gull, Peregrine, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Redpoll over WLC, 24 Siskin. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
17/10/2024 | A Yellow-browed Warbler called several times in WLC creek around 11:00 this morning - almost a mile from the last sighting of one at Sheepwash 2 days ago, so perhaps a different bird? Vismig numbers: 1,914 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 624 Starling, 750 Woodpigeon. 1 Rock Pipit over Stones at 10:00. 12 Skylarks in random directions. 1 Shelduck. 4 Shoveler. Adult Yellow-legged Gull. 2 Kingfishers. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
15/10/2024 | The Yellow-browed Warbler was still calling near Sheepwash hide just after midday. Juvenile female Goldeneye at Millfields and Brambling over the visitor centre. Drake Red-crested Pochard at Big Island. 26 Wigeon. Water Rail calling in Hopton reedbed. Perimeter counts: 8 Coal Tit, 2 Willow, 42 Blue, 48 Great, 48 Long-tailed, 1 Chiffchaff, 27 Goldcrest, 81 Wren, 4 Nuthatch, 11 Treecreeper, 11 Song Thrush, 266 Redwing, 68 Blackbird, 146 Robin, 29 Dunnock, 23 Chaffinch, 15 Bullfinch, 10 Greenfinch, 53 Goldfinch, 15 Reed Bunting (13 out of Hopton reedbed early morning). | Simon Roddis |
14/10/2024 | A mere 5,880 Woodpigeons flew S in 2 hours this morning. A couple of hundred of them were forced to take evasive action to avoid a pair of Peregrines at one point. 5 Fieldfare among the Redwings were the first of the autumn here. Total of 389 Pochard (283m,106f). 2 Redpoll over the main carpark. No sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler near PS hide. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
13/10/2024 | 174 Pochard, 6 Wigeon,4 Grey Heron, 13 Cormorant,3 Pied Wagtail,4 Little Grebe, 12 Teal, 4 Gadwall, 5 Moorhen , 1 Red Kite , 1 Kestrel, 6 Long tailed Tit, 30 Greylag goose,15 Mute Swan, 6 Siskin, 2 Buzzard , 23 Whooper Swan heading east , 2 Skeins of Pink -Footed goose heading east | Dave Armitt |
13/10/2024 | Not a bad morning, the highlight being the Yellow-browed Warbler near Paul Stanley hide just after midday - thanks to Amanda P for alerting us to it. In 2 hours from Stones island, 11,500 Woodpigeons flew S (mainly down the east side), 340 Pink-footed Geese E in 4 skeins and a herd of 23 Whooper Swans E (plus another 9 probable distant Whoopers taking the same track). 300 Pochard, mostly at WLC. 3 Pintail. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
12/10/2024 | Afternoon visit: nice surprise was 4 winter plumage Black-necked Grebes off Millfields, looking very smart in shades of black, grey and white. 135 Common Gulls off Stones by 6pm. Shoveler in Brown Ale Bay. | Simon Roddis |
11/10/2024 | 706 Woodpigeons flew S in 90 mins this morning. Handful of Redwing, Starling and Skylarks. 284 Pochard from WLC. No sign of Clive's YbWarbler at Brown Ale Bay but Tawny Owl and Kingfisher there. Redpoll over WLC creek. | Simon Roddis |
08/10/2024 | From Sheepwash Hide late afternoon:
Caspian Gull - 1 (Ad); YL Gull - 3 (Ads); Herring Gull - 1 (Ad). | Richard Lowe |
06/10/2024 | Late afternoon from Sheepwash Hide:
Caspian Gull - (Ad); YL Gull (2) - (Ad) and (1stW); GBB Gull - (Ad). | Richard Lowe |
06/10/2024 | BWB walk. House sparrow. coot. Canada goose. mute swan. pied wagtail. gt cr grebe. gadwall. moorhen. BH gull. teal. carrion crow. cormorant. long-tailed tit. kestrel. little grebe. magpie. robin. blackbird. blue tit. Dunnock. great tit. chiffchaff. raven 7. jackdaw. mallard. wood pigeon. pochard. lapwing. tufted duck. lesser Bb gull | Amanda Palethorpe |
06/10/2024 | A bit quiet this morning but a Rock Pipit flew over Stones island,125 Woodpigeons flew S, the Water Rail called on Horseshoe island and 3 Swallows over the WLC. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
05/10/2024 | At least 1 Rock Pipit again on the dam wall, Millfields end, this morning. 195 Woodpigeons, 20 Stock Doves and 175 Redwings S/W in an hour. 2 Pintail, single Shoveler and Goosander. Still c2,000 Black-headed and 3,500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls post-roost early morning. 2 adult Yellow-legs. 2 Tawny Owls calling at Millfields and 5 House Martins S there. | Simon Roddis |
04/10/2024 | A Yellow Wagtail on dam wall this afternoon | A & G Hattersley |
04/10/2024 | Two Rock Pipits were on the dam wall this morning and a first-winter Caspian Gull near the cormorant raft. Not as much moving as yesterday, with 99 Woodpigeons, 25 Meadow Pipits and a redhead Goosander S and 87 Redwings W in one hour. 33 Wigeon. 2 Shoveler off Stones. Blackcap on Stones. 3 Tawny Owls calling at Hopton end first thing. | Simon Roddis |
03/10/2024 | 2 Red Kites over Millfields Car Park on Thursday 03/10/2024
10.30am. | D and J Coates |
03/10/2024 | First definite Redwings of the autumn this morning: 414 west(ish) in 2 hours, 08:00-10:00. Also 190 Woodpigeons, 18 Stock Dove, 17 Skylarks. Totals of 40 Swallows and 10 Jays. 740 Canadas and 233 Greylags flew out early morning. Adult Yellow-legged Gull. Peregrine. | SJR, CA, RPJ, AMD |
02/10/2024 | I thought I'd finished for the morning when a last scan over the water produced 3 Gannets, 2 juveniles and a sub-adult, in flight off Sheepwash at 11:00. One juvenile stayed to 12:20 at least (last seen by Dave Horsley from Sheepwash hide). Second time in just over a week! Also 271 Pochard, 1 female Pintail, 12 Wigeon, 43 Cormorants, 2 Snipe, adult Yellow-legged Gull, 40 Swallows. | Simon Roddis |
01/10/2024 | In the rain this morning, 195 Greylags, 32 Mute Swans, 34 Cormorants, adult Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher at WLC, 25 Swallows. Alan S had a Water Rail on Sheepwash spit mid-morning. | Simon Roddis |
29/09/2024 | Roost count for the Winter Gull Survey this evening : 4,500 Lesser Black-backs, 1 Great Black-back, 3 Yellow-legs, 700 Black-heads, 120 Common. Earlier in the day, the drake Red-crested Pochard still off Stones, 65 Swallows and 30 Siskin at Millfields. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
28/09/2024 | A female Merlin flew S past Stones island 09:00, first of the year here. 96 Greylag. 2 Shoveler. The drake Red-crested Pochard still at Shiningford. 2 adult Yellow-legged Gull.s Kingfishers at Millfields and WLC. 35 Swallows. | Simon Roddis |
25/09/2024 | 4 Black-tailed Godwits (probably juveniles) were on Stones island this morning, and 2 Golden Plover flew W. 710 Canadas and 42 Greylags flew out early morning. Drake Red-crested Pochard still. 4 Shoveler. A late Swift was among a mixed flock of c120 Swallows and House Martins over the east side, my first since 26 August. 2 Water Rails (Hopton reedbed and Horseshoe island). 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls still. In the dam wall fields, 60 Meadow Pipits, 4 Skylarks and 35 Goldfinches, and c100 Pied Wagtails on the dam wall. | Simon Roddis |
24/09/2024 | Big surprise this morning was an adult Gannet, apparently first seen around 10:00 from Stones and later at Millfields to 11:30. 2 Shoveler and the drake Red-crested Pochard still off Stones. Single fly-over Golden Plover and Yellow Wagtail, and a Ringed Plover flew around for about an hour mid-morning. 26 Common Gulls off Stones early morning. 2 adult Yellow-legs still. 1+ Kingfisher around Stones/WLC/sailing club. 7 Ravens, including 3 pairs formation-flying. 4 Skylarks and 13 Meadow Pipits on/over the dam wall. Total of 26 Swallows. Flock of 80 House Martins SW over Millfields at 13:00. | Simon Roddis |
23/09/2024 | Water Rail, male Red-crested Pochard and adult Yellow-legged Gull all still present this morning. 153 Teal, 7 Wigeon and 2 Shoveler off Stones. Total of 208 Pochard. First-winter Common Gull and 2 Great Black-backs. | Simon Roddis |
21/09/2024 | Monthly wildfowl count: 657 Canada, 13 Greylag, 25 Mute Swan, 48 Gadwall, 31 Wigeon, 121 Mallard, 162 Teal, 1 Red-crested Pochard, 183 Pochard, 264 Tufted, 1 Water Rail, 29 Moorhen, 1,238 Coot, 22 LGrebe, 55 GCGrebe, 20 Lapwing, 33 Cormorant, 1 Kingfisher, adult Yellow-legged Gull. | Simon Roddis, Jon Bradley |
19/09/2024 | Two skeins of Pink-footed Geese, c150 birds, flew NE at 09:30 before disappearing into the murk over Millfields. Clive heard more over the WLC later. Drake Red-crested Pochard at Shiningford. Female Shoveler off Stones. Adult Yellow-legged Gull. 2 Dunlin (CA). 1 Little Egret around Stones/WLC. Kingfisher at Millfields. Total of 9 Ravens. | Simon Roddis |
18/09/2024 | A Great Egret flew N over Stones just before 8 this morning. Single Curlew and Ringed Oliver flew N into the breeze. Dunlin on Horseshoe island. 21 Wigeon, 115 Teal, 53 Gadwall, 205 Pochard and the drake Red-crested Pochard still. Single Hobby and Peregrine. 30 Swallows. | Simon Roddis, Clive Ashton |
17/09/2024 | A bit of an influx of duck this morning: 58 Wigeon, 7 Pintail, 4+ Shoveler, 130 Teal, 142 Pochard. 605 Canadas and 6 Greylags flew out early morning. 600 Black-headed Gulls post-roost. 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls. 1 Dunlin on sailing club shore. Around the dam wall, Peregrine, Skylark, Yellow Wagtail and 15 Linnets. 1 Sedge Warbler still on Stones. Clive saw the Water Rail and a Snipe on Horseshoe island. | Simon Roddis |
15/09/2024 | Much less moving than yesterday. 75 Pink-footed Geese flew NE, 2 Little Egrets W up WLC creek (before one of them turned round!) and 44 Swallows. 448 Canadas and 7 Greylags flew out early morning. Drake Red-crested Pochard again off Stones. 91 Teal. Redhead Goosander. Green Woodpecker calling again in Tail Bay. The Water Rail still on Horseshoe island. One Redstart still in WLC fields. | Simon Roddis |
14/09/2024 | Movement in 2 hours (07:00-09:00) this morning: 365 Swallows and 8 House Martins SW; 59 Meadow Pipits S; 23 Stock Doves S, 13N; 82 Woodpigeons S, 44N; 76 Rooks. 1 Little Egret. 3 female-type Pintail at WLC. 3 redhead Goosander. Peregrine and Hobby from Stones. Adult Yellow-legged Gull. Female/juv Redstart in WLC fields. | Simon Roddis |
13/09/2024 | Despite the high water level, the star bird this morning was a wader: a Spotted Redshank flew SW over Stones island at 08:45, calling as it went. Along the dam wall early morning, c100 Pied and 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Skylark, 4 redhead Goosander and a juvenile female Peregrine. 86 Woodpigeons (76S,10N) and 13 Stock Doves (7S,6N) in an hour. 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls. Total of 120 Swallows and 10 House Martins. Another Peregrine perched in WLC fields, perhaps the same adult male as last winter. 2 female/juv Redstarts in WLC fields, including the long-stayer. Willow Warbler singing on Stones. | Simon Roddis |
12/09/2024 | An Osprey flew slowly S down the res at 11:10 this morning. Earlier, a cream-crown Marsh Harrier had flown N through Millfields (RPJ,AMD). Totals of 75 Teal, 168 Pochard and 240 Tufted. 1 redhead Goosander flew N. Adult Yellow-legged Gull again. 80 Swallows and 20 House Martins. 2 Sedge Warblers still on Stones and the female/juv Redstart in WLC fields. 15 Meadow Pipits S. c100 Goldfinches feeding on Stones. | Simon Roddis |
11/09/2024 | The main event between the showers this morning was a fly-over summer plumage Black-throated Diver which circled the res for 10 minutes before departing high SW at 10:30. The first in the county since 2011 (also at Carsi). Earlier, 11 Pink-footed Geese flew E, first of the autumn here. Supporting cast of Redshank, first-winter Caspian and adult Yellow-legged Gulls, Kingfisher, Sand Martin, 40 Swallows, 70 House Martins, female/juv Redstart still in WLC fields and 25 Meadow Pipits S. | Simon Roddis |
10/09/2024 | 4 female/juv Pintail off Stones mid-morning were new, and c150 Pochard (100+ in Brown Ale Bay) indicates a further arrival. The drake Red-crested Pochard off Stones again, and 212 Tufted. The juvenile Water Rail was on Horseshoe island again. 3 Common Sandpipers at Millfields. 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls. Female Sparrowhawk mobbed by 3 Rooks over WLC creek. 116 Swallows, most of the moving SW. Female/juv Redstart still in WLC fields. | Simon Roddis |
09/09/2024 | A juvenile Black Tern was off Stones island from 08:00-08:30 this morning. Also off Stones, the eclipse drake Red-crested Pochard, 138 Tufted, adult Caspian Gull and 2 Common Sandpipers. The Water Rail again showed well on Horseshoe island. Total of 810 Coot. 3 Yellow-legged Gulls. Kingfisher on Horseshoe island. 32 Swallows and 57 House Martins. 1 Sedge Warbler still on Stones. 16 Mistle Thrushes over Blackwall plantation, my highest count of the year. | Simon Roddis |
08/09/2024 | A tiny bit of wader activity this morning, with 7 Ringed Plovers N, 4 Snipe and 2 Common Sandpipers. The drake Red-crested Pochard still off Stones, 2 Wigeon and a total of 64 Teal. The juvenile Water Rail showed well from WLC late morning. 3 Yellow-legged Gulls. Kingfisher(s) at WLC and Stones. Total of 175 Swallows. | Simon Roddis |