December 2021 - reservoir logs

         This smart first winter Caspian Gull made its home on High Maynard pic @Chris_Farthing

      December, perhaps not surprisingly, was the first month in 2021 which saw no new birds added to the year list. But despite the often gloomy weather, it did produce the year's second Caspian Gull and two Scaup, all of which hung around for a few days. The blank December means the year list was stuck on 143 - exactly the same as 2018, three behind last year's record total but ten ahead of 2019. 

    And 2021 could have ended on a much higher note if the Dusky Warbler on Walthamstow Marsh, which at times came within 40 metres of the Wetlands, had flown over the West Warwick fence. The only saving grace was that it would not even have been a new bird for the reservoirs. 

Unusually this female Scaup was the easier of the pair to pick out pic @samuel_ei_jones 

       Shelduck were slow to arrive back this winter with a maximum count of five and just three by the end of the month. Shoveler numbers crept back up with 13 on the 28th. Three Wigeon were seen on the 17th and 28th with lone birds on three other days. They included a tame drake on the last three days of the month. 

     This tame drake Wigeon took a liking to the grass banks at the Wetlands pic @IvorHewstone

    SJ, fresh from his triumph in finding the Dusky Warbler on the marsh on the 14th, found two tricky immature Scaup on West Warwick four days later, the first multiple occurrence for some years. They were eventually identified as an immature female and male and were last seen on the 28th before apparently turning up on the Banbury Reservoir just to the north. 

   The second Scaup with male plumage just beginning to show through  pic @samuel_ei_jones 

    Goosander continued to be seen regularly with up to three on the north side although the peak total was a flock of five flying over. The highest count of Goldeneye was six - the same as last December - on the 21st and 31st with Lockwood their favourite reservoir this winter. 

Flying drake Goosander pic @ OwlTurbot and with two wind-blown females (below) pic @AMP

    Four species of waders were seen but nothing unexpected. There were 10 Lapwing on the 21st and four next day and single Snipe on the 17th and 21st.  The Common Sandpiper remained throughout December and single Green Sandpipers were seen on five days early in the month before the water levels in the flood relief channel became too high. 

    Evidence that Great Black-backed Gulls are getting commoner - not unalloyed good news if you are a nesting bird - came in a pre-roost gathering of 16 on Lockwood on the 6th and a remarkable 40 seen from No 5 on the filter beds on the 30th. But the gull excitement of the month was the first winter Caspian Gull found by CF on High Maynard on the 11th. Unlike other records including the January bird, this smart individual hung around the northern reservoirs until at least the 30th. It even handily had a distinctive light patch on its upper mandible to mark it out from any lookalike 1W Herring Gulls. 

           The long-staying Caspian Gull was often more obvious in flight pic @rudraksh9

    Single Buzzards were seen on the first two days of the month and got the usual warm reception from resident crows. Up to 15 Fieldfare and a dozen Redwing could be seen feeding around the reservoirs at times with the berry bushes near the Engine House a particular favourite for thrushes. Stonechats are also wintering in small numbers while November's four Redpoll were seen again on the 2nd with a single bird on the 17th.  

                         Buzzard with its accompanying fan club pic @rudraksh9

     While 2021 did not add a single species to the Wetland's all-time list, unlike last year's Yellow-browed Warbler, it did deliver some excellent birds. They included the first catch-able Little Stints and first sight record of Grasshopper Warbler as well as numbers of such scarce visitors as Kittiwake, Little Tern and, in recent years, Cuckoo. It also saw an extraordinary run of Great Egrets with perhaps twenty separate birds, a dramatic increase on the previous record count of four last year, an unprecedented flock of ten Scoter as well as what seems likely to be the first Sand Martin and last House Martin of the year in London.  

      A Cormorant, which are already nest-building, against the dawn sky pic @rudraksh9 

     Main misses were Mandarin - recorded annually since 2015 - and Osprey which had been seen for five consecutive years. Among other species which are overdue at the reservoirs are Red-breasted Merganser, Grey Plover and Knot which have all not been seen since 2018. Happy New Year to everyone and let's hope for good birding and, in time, a more normal 2022. 

DB @porthkillier

 

Reservoir Logs - November 21 round-up

 

   Water Pipit living up to its name on East Warwick pic @Chris_Farthing

     November, as usual, produced enough out-of-the-ordinary birds to keep interest high. The month saw the first Water Pipit of the year and second Woodcock as well as a nice mix of winter finches including feeding Lesser Redpoll. Great Egrets continued their exceptional year including an unprecedented flock of five while November also saw a very late House Martin and the third Brent Goose record. The Water Pipit takes the year list to 143 - two behind 2020 but well ahead of 2019.

                      One of a very welcome flock of four Lesser Redpoll pic @MLP

      A Brent Goose flew south down Lockwood before resting for an hour on the 26th. The first Shelduck of the autumn returned on the 16th - bang in the middle of returning dates from the previous two years. A Mallard with 12 young on the 24th was either a very late or very early breeder.  A single Wigeon was seen on the 4th with nine on the 15th, seven on the 23rd, two on the 25th and another single on the 30th. The post-breeding Shoveler flock had dispersed by mid-month with just one left by the 19th.

            This Brent Goose made a brief stop on Lockwood on its way south @ AMP

    Three Goldeneye including two smart drakes were seen throughout the month largely on Lockwood with others occasionally across the complex. Goosander were early arriving back with the first on the 7th, ten days earlier than last year. They were also more regular with up to four surprisingly tame birds seen, most often at the north end of High Maynard until disturbance gets too great.  

         Drake Goldeneye showed well on Lockwood throughout the month pic @OwlTurbot

    Good numbers of Lapwing were seen with 45 on the 4th - a good day for movement - including a flock of 29,  another 20 on the 15th, three on the 9th and a single on the 23rd & 24th. Just as last November, the month delivered the second Woodcock with CF finding one on the 22nd. Passage Snipe were seen on the reservoir banks on the 4th and 23rd with two on the 22nd. 

    What might be a faithful wintering Common Sandpiper returned on the 4th - a day later than last year and two days later than in 2019. It stayed throughout the month with two seen from the 5th to the 12th. As last year, Green Sandpipers were also recorded more regularly from the 25th when the water level was not too high in the flood relief channel. 

   Scanning of the Black-headed Gulls turned up another visitor from Norway hard on the claws of last month's Rock Pipit. It had been rung near Oslo in 2011 when it was already a near-adult so is at least 12 years old. Although it is regularly seen in Norway in the summer, this is only the second time it has been recorded abroad with the last sighting in Regent's Park in 2017.

   The remarkable year for Great Egrets continued with PL having a flock of five flying north over Lockwood on the 4th - which were embarrassingly missed by several of us on the reservoir at the time - with another on the 8th. A Red Kite was seen on the 21st while the pair of Peregrines had still not managed to persuade one of last year's young to make its own way in the world.   

   After last year's flurry of Skylark records with twenty seen, there was, just as in 2019, only one record on the 9th. A very late House Martin - well over a month after the last record - fed over the flood relief channel for at least 15 minutes on the 19th. Blackcap are not regular winterers at the reservoirs so the males seen on the 4th and 5th at opposite ends of the site were presumably migrants.    

       In a good month for thrush migration, this Fieldfare was one of a few to land pic @MLP

                         Stonechats were back wintering at the Wetlands pic  @AMP    

    Thrush migration was stronger and longer than last year when four Redwing was the miserable peak count with 320 on the 4th and 140 next day with 60 still moving west on the 24th. Fieldfare numbers were also higher with 80 on the 4th, twice the highest count last year.  Stonechats were seen pretty much daily with a peak count of six on the 5th.  

         Highlight of the month was this Water Pipit, a less than annual visitor pic @IvorHewstone

    Water Pipit is by no means annual at the reservoirs with records in only two of the last seven years so the bird found by CF on East Warwick on the 16th is easily the scarcest species seen this month.It seems to have been a good month for winter finches across the region and, for once, the Wetlands did not miss out. Brambling were seen across the month with singles on the 4th, 15th & 25th, with two on the 10th and four on 14th. 

 The Lesser Redpoll which fed near the Engine House were very popular pic @LolBodini 

    Lesser Redpoll are usually only seen flying over so the four found the feeding near the Engine House on the 4th by LB were in great demand. The single seen in flight by CF the previous day was presumably from the same flock which was also feeding in the same small silver birch on the 5th with two still in the area until the 8th at least. In recent times, Siskin records have also largely been limited to flight records as was the case with the single bird on the 7th. But CF found a flock of 10 feeding in alders next day although, unlike the Redpoll, they unfortunately did not linger. 

    

DB @porthkillier

   

Reservoir Logs - October 2021 round-up

                 This photogenic Short-eared Owl was a highlight of the month pic @OwlTurbot

   October added Brambling belatedly to the year list as well as delivering a very photogenic Short-eared Owl and not so obliging Black Redstart. A rather lacklustre month also brought the now expected flurry of Rock Pipit records including one rung in Norway and late Reed Warblers and Swallows. Brambling takes the year list to 142 at the end of October which - for the first time this year - is behind 2020's total of 144 but still 11 ahead of 2019.

   The first Rock Pipit of the autumn turned out to have been rung in Norway pic @LolBodini

    A female Wigeon was seen on the 8th, a drake on the 9th with three more on the 13th and a flock of six on the 24th. The first Goldeneye of the winter turned up on the 27th, a week earlier than last year. This year's exceptional run of Great White Egrets continued with singles on the 5th, 15th and 18th. Two Buzzards were seen on the 9th with singles on 6th,10th and 30th.   

                                            One of two Dunlin this month pic @AMP

   Six species of wader were recorded this month, one more than last year but, as usual, numbers were low. Two Lapwing were seen on the 8th with singles next day and on the 16th. The only Dunlin were on the 9th and 12th. Common Snipe were seen on the 7th, 8th, 13th and 15th although there were likely to be more hidden in the No 1 reedbed and East Warwick island.  

                           A single Redshank is about norm for October pic @AMP

   After a gap of over two weeks since the last record in September, three Common Sandpipers turned up on the 5th with singles on the 19th and 21st. The fox family continued to occupy the Green Sandpiper ramp so the only records were on the 16th & 19th while a Common Redshank was seen on the 15th. 

    The only noteworthy gull was an adult - which at least makes identification easier - Yellow-legged on the 4th. October is one of the best months for a chance of Short-eared Owl but it is very unusual for one to linger long enough to allow such good photographs as was the case on the 10th. 

  October's Short-eared Owl unusually hung around pic @OwlTurbot and (below) @sjnewton

   Single Skylarks were seen on the 24th and 28th. House Martins usually remain at the Wetlands into October with 100 still on the 6th, a day earlier than the final big count in 2020  but there was no repeat of last year's late bird which passed through on the 28th. After a worryingly blank month for Swallow, there was one on the 5th with the final two next day.  

 The Norwegian Rock Pipit was replaced by two fresh birds pics @AMP (above) & @OwlTurbot

   It was a good month again for Rock Pipits with fascinating proof of just how far these birds come. LB found and photographed the first two of the autumn on the 7th with one carrying colour rings. It was quickly discovered that it had been rung back in April as an adult in Brekneholmen on the southern tip of Norway, a journey of 520 miles as the pipit flies. They started a run of records with two again on the 10th and 17th with singles on the 11th, 13th, 15th & 16th.  

   Stonechat were seen regularly across the month with at least two resident. CF found the second Black Redstart of the year on the 22nd. After single birds on several days at the beginning of the month, the final Wheatear of the year was on the 11th, nine days earlier than last year. 

                                         The final Wheatears of the year remained until mid-month pic @HarringayBirder

   The first Redwing of the winter were two on the 3rd - a week later than in 2020 - but passage was stronger with a peak of 320 over on the 24th. The same day also saw 12 Fieldfare, the first of the autumn.  Two Reed Warblers were seen on the 10th with one rung around the No 1 reedbed and another seen on West Warwick. 

   There was a good passage of Jackdaw through the month with a peak of  80 on the 25th. They dragged along a Rook with them on the 10th. With no Brambling seen in the Spring, they were finally added to the year list on the 21st when CF had three although there were also two probables on the 4th. 

DB @porthkillier

Reservoir Logs - September 21 round-up

                                        

                 These Little Stints lit up a rather disappointing month pic @HarringayBirder

    The star birds of September were two obliging Little Stints - the third ever record for the reservoirs - which spent a morning on Lockwood. Red-crested Pochard and Tree Pipit were also added in a month which, after an excellent start continuing August's late purple patch, petered out.  But it did produce Black Tern, Marsh Harrier and Coal Tit, all second records for the year, along with a smattering of uncommon waders and other migrants. The three additions take the annual list to 141, still above the 139 of last year and 2018, and well ahead of 2019. 

   Just as last year, Red-crested Pochard waited until September to make an appearance at the Wetlands with a single on the 10th, eight days later than in 2020. More unexpected was the drake Common Scoter which made a brief stay on Lockwood on the 1st. The highest count of Shoveler was 74, below the 100-plus flocks of the last couple of years although they may have only migrated to nearby Woodberry which has had larger numbers than usual.

             The second Marsh Harrier of the year drifted slowly north pic @rudraksh9

   In the best ever year for Great White Egrets, singles were seen going north on the 3rd & 5th and south on the 19th with a report on eBird of another on the 25th. The numbers seen this year must be fast approaching the total recorded before 2021.The second Marsh Harrier of the year was picked up over East Warwick by RE on the 4th and kindly made its way north so slowly that all the birders on site caught up with it. 

    The 4th also saw a Buzzard, which continue to be scarce this year, forced to land in the trees around Lockwood by a gaggle of crows while a Red Kite went over on the 22nd. After last year’s flurry of Hobby records in September, this year returned to normal with just a single on the 12th. Unless a late Osprey flies over, this will be the first year since 2015 when the species has not been seen at the Wetlands.

       Avocet and Ringed Plover were two of the scarcer waders this month pics @sjnewton

     Nine species of wader were seen on the reservoirs this month compared to five last year. SN's Captain Ahab-style hunt for an Avocet on the reservoirs finally ended on the 4th when he found and photographed one which settled briefly on Lockwood. He also found a juvenile Ringed Plover - the fifth of the year, a much better showing than normal - on the same reservoir on the 14th after torrential rain. The monsoon brought down a Lapwing while a Curlew circled East Warwick. There was another Lapwing on the 19th while four silent Curlew or Whimbrel flew west on the 11th.  

                           The Stints showed well during their morning stay pics @OwlTurbot (above) & @LolBodini

    The most welcome birds of the month - and not just because of their rarity - were the two Little Stints found by PR & TR on the 2nd. They were incredibly tame as they wandered up and down the Lockwood shore. They are only the third record for the reservoirs with the last bird in September 2019 particularly painful for a group of local birders - including the finders of this pair - as it was flushed just a couple of minutes before we got there. The first record was back in 1998 so another sighting was not expected for a couple of decades.  

   A Snipe was seen on the 3rd and a Redshank on the 6th. The peak count of five Common Sandpipers on the 1st just beat last year's maximum of four with the last migrating bird seen on the 13th. Green Sandpipers were seen on at least five days but the constant presence of a family of foxes on their favourite ramp did little for sightings. The first Water Rail of the autumn was heard on the 27th, a week later than last year. 

     

               The second Black Tern of the year was another juvenile pic @Chris_Farthing

    The second Black Tern of the year - again a young bird - was found by CF on the 1st. Next day saw five rather distant young terns arrive on Lockwood mid-afternoon which, after some confusion, were identified from photographs as Common.

    It has been the best year for a long time for Cuckoo at the Wetlands with at least four birds by August and September produced another on the 1st. There were still 35 Swifts over the Wetlands on the 3rd but numbers quickly fell with the last bird on the 7th, four days before the final record of 2020 and a full week ahead of 2019, After the second and third record of Raven in February, PL had another on the 16th. Along with the Egrets, this is another species which is likely to become commoner. 

  The second Coal Tit of the year was found by AMP in a mixed flock on the 11th. House Martins lingered on around their filter beds colony until the end of the month but there were few records of Sand Martins and, depressingly, none of Swallows at all. Cetti's Warblers, after falling silent over the late Summer, re-found their voice and could be heard across the site. 

      Cetti's Warblers are much more often heard than seen as well as this pic @giles_greenwood

    Cetti's are resident but it seems as if the summer warblers departed slightly earlier than last year. The last September record of Sedge Warbler was on the 18th (29th last year), Reed Warbler 21st (22nd), Common Whitethroat 13th (24th),  Lesser Whitethroat 21st (26th) although a singing Willow Warbler on the 19th (16th) did its best to buck the trend.

    Warblers, like this Common Whitethroat, seemed to have left slightly earlier pic @rudraksh9

    The poor autumn for Spotted Flycatchers at the Wetlands - although not at other London sites - continued with just one brief appearance on the 7th. In contrast, they were seen on six days last September. The day before saw the second Redstart of the year appear briefly just inside the main north gate with perhaps the same bird turning up two days later across the road. 

               One of four Whinchats which graced the Wetlands this month pic @IvorHewstone

    There seem to have been plenty of Whinchats around the London area but only four singles at the Wetlands; on the 2nd, 7th, 11th and 21st. Stonechats took their time arriving with the first record at the reservoirs not until the 20th, six days later than last year. Wheatear were seen regularly throughout the month with two still on the 29th and a high peak count for autumn of seven on the 11th. 

            Stonechats arrived for the winter a little later than last year pic @Chris_Farthing 

         Single Yellow Wagtails were recorded on at least ten days, presumably on their way to join the mass gatherings down on Walthamstow Marshes where a remarkable 15 were counted feeding on one day. The first Meadow Pipit of the autumn arrived on the 12th, eight days later than last year, with small numbers flying south or around the reservoir banks until the end of the month. Tree Pipit remains a rarity at the reservoirs so the bird RE heard over Lockwood on the 15th was a welcome addition to the year list. 

DB @porthkillier

  

Reservoir Logs - August 21 round-up

           The first ever Grasshopper Warbler to be seen at the Wetlands was caught pic@AMP

      After a dismal first half of the month, August sprang to life with a series of good birds including the first Grasshopper Warbler to be seen at the Wetlands. August also brought the fourth ever record of Cattle Egret along with the first Marsh Harrier and Curlew of 2021. Black Tern and Spotted Flycatchers closed the final gaps of the species seen every year over the last decade. 

 Black Tern pic @OwlTurbot and Spotted Flycatcher pic @rudraksh9 were both new for the year

    The second half of the month, also brought a steady trickle of migrants including Whinchat and Yellow Wagtails along with scarcer waders including a mass arrival of Greenshank. The six additions take the year list so far to 138, eight more than in 2020 and 12 more than in 2019. 

    In a great month for Greenshank, this roosting bird on No 3 showed best pic @rom_london 

    A touch of northerly on the 23rd saw early flocks of nine Wigeon and 35 Teal arrive at the reservoirs with five more Wigeon on the 27th and three on the 30th. The first Wigeon were not seen until mid-September last year. Shoveler numbers also built up quicker with around 50 by the month's end although they were more scattered across the site than recent autumns. An all-site count mid-month found 2564 Tufted Ducks had gathered at the Wetlands for their post-breeding moult which is a higher number than recent years. As the largely male flock was loafing, females were still raising young with perhaps as many as 40 pairs breeding this summer. 

      Both Shoveler (pic @IvorHewstone) and Wigeon arrived early pic @Chris_Farthing

    A drop in the water level saw a count of 55 Little Egrets feeding around the edges of the northern reservoirs on the 18th. The 29th was a red-letter day for rarer herons when first three Great Egrets went high north followed later by a flock of smaller herons which included at least one Cattle Egret. Examination of the photographs taken by CF at Woodberry of the same flock showed not just the adult  but also a black-billed juvenile. It is only the fourth time Cattle Egret has been recorded at the Wetlands but it is a sign of their UK expansion that three of these occurrences have been in the last two years. Another Great Egret - again seen first at Woodberry and again becoming commoner - landed briefly on Lockwood before continuing north. 

    Great Egret (pic @IvorHewstone) and Hobby were seen over Lockwood (pic @Rudraksh9) 

    The stand-out bird of prey was a female-type Marsh Harrier on the 26th which was seen by Earl and RT while they were fly-fishing. The only Red Kite was on the 23rd and the sole record of Buzzard - which have been perplexingly scarce this year - was on the 30th. Hobby flashed through on at least eight days while Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and particularly Peregrine were seen more regularly.

      Oystercatcher was one of 12 wader species seen and easily the noisiest pic @Rudraksh9 

     Twelve species of waders - one more than last year - were recorded in August. The only Oystercatcher was a very noisy individual on the 21st. Single Lapwing were seen on the 3rd & 23rd while the third and fourth Ringed Plovers of the year were on Lockwood on the 19th & 31st. Little Ringed Plover had been scarce over the summer but a juvenile took up residence on Lockwood on the 24th staying until the last day of the month when it was joined by two more. 

Little Ringed Plover top (pic @rom_london) and Ringed Plover (pic @porthkillier) on Lockwood

   

    Two Curlew rested on Lockwood on the 29th - one of three new species for the year recorded that day - before heading off north. Four Black-tailed Godwit went high in the opposite direction on the 28th. After three single Dunlin in July, the only record in August was on the last day of the month. The first Snipe of the autumn was seen on the 19th, two days later than last year. 

    Unusually approachable Redshank (pic AMP) and Common Sandpiper (pic @Chris_Farthing) 

      Common Sandpipers were seen throughout August with a maximum of ten on the 4th, around half the peak count in the last two years. Green Sandpipers were recorded on four days with two on the 3rd while Redshank were seen on the 3rd & 27th. 

                         A trio of Greenshank spent four days at the Wetlands pic @AMP

     The wader event of the month was an influx of Greenshank with perhaps as many as eight including a probable six on one day. The first was found late on 18th by QG with three next day which stayed around Lockwood until the 22nd. While they were still in the overflow channel on the 21st, two more were seen heading off east high with another confiding bird roosting on No 3 reservoir in the afternoon. A single bird was briefly on Lockwood on the 23rd with the final record one heading west on the 30th.  

      A juvenile Arctic Tern showing off its ID features on Low Maynard pic @IvorHewstone

   Another young Yellow-legged Gull was picked up by RE on the 19th. Common Terns, which stayed until the end of the month last year, left en masse much earlier with the 25-plus seen on the 13th dwindling to three on the 15th with none two days later. Their departure made it easier to pick out a juvenile Arctic Tern on the 24th feeding over the Maynards. Most Arctics seen at the reservoirs are adults in Spring.

           Black Tern is always appreciated and this juvenile showed well pic @OwlTurbot 

    CF picked up a juvenile Black Tern on West Warwick on the 16th which stayed around all day. The species has been seen every year over the last decade at the reservoirs but seems, for some reason, much scarcer and is always a crowd pleaser. One that got away was a probable small skua - either Arctic or Long-tailed - seen by PL going south early on the 22nd in good conditions for inland passage.  

    The exceptional year for Cuckoos continued with juveniles seen on the 17th and 25th. Large numbers of Swifts - with lingering local birds presumably boosted by migrants - could be seen right through August with a flock of 150 feeding over Banbury on the 31st. Both House and Sand Martins also stayed throughout August but Swallows were again scarce with just two on the 16th and four on the 24th. For the first time in several years, Kingfisher successfully bred on the reservoirs on the small No 5 island with the fledged young seen enjoying No 2 & 3 reservoirs.  

     A recently fledged Kingfisher proved breeding at the Wetlands pic@Chris_Farthing 

    Small numbers of Willow Warblers were seen and heard from mid-month with three being caught during the constant effort ringing sessions around the No 1 reed-bed on the 15th. The results of the regular  sessions continue to amaze with an astonishing 228 Reed Warblers rung by the end of the month. Although many will be migrants passing through, it is clear that the Wetlands has a far higher breeding population than anyone ever imagined. 

This Grasshopper Warbler was an unexpected addition to the year list pic @PaulHawky

     There was always the hope that something unusual would be caught and that was the case on the 29th when the first bird in the net before it had even been properly opened was a Grasshopper Warbler. While birds have been heard reeling from the reservoirs before - with the last record in May 2018 - this seems to be the first ever to be seen on the site. Sedge (10) and Garden Warblers (3) along with Lesser Whitethroats (3) have also been caught over the summer with one or two of all three species seen regularly in August. 

      Only three Spotted Flycatchers were seen but this bird at least performed pic @sjnewton

    It was a slightly disappointing month for Spotted Flycatcher with the first not seen until the 20th when LB and SN found different birds. The one in the copse by the Maynard entrance stayed next day but the only other record was on the 29th. But so far there has been no repeat of the Pied Flycatchers of the last two Augusts although one did spend a couple of days over the fence on Tottenham Marsh. Whinchat, another scarce autumn migrant, had a slightly better showing with records on the 17th, 19th and 27th with two on the 22nd. 

Wheatears were scarce with few multiple arrivals pic@AMP 

    Wheatears turned up in modest numbers with the first on the 3rd followed by two on the 12th and records then most days until the end of the month.The peak count was three from the 17th to 19th and on the 26th which is about average in recent years. Three Yellow Wagtails were also recorded on the 25th and 30th with single birds - often fly-overs - on at least four other days. The grass sadly was finally cut around Lockwood but enough was left to continue to attract Linnets with up to 20 seen in the first few days. 

Linnets enjoyed the longer vegetation around Lockwood and became less wary pic @rudraksh9

    September often vies with April as the best month of the year with nine new species added in 2020 so hopes are high. Red-crested Pochard is still the most obvious miss from the year list but it is also getting late for Osprey which has been seen in each of the last five years. 

DB @porthkillier