It is a mark of just what a great run of birds the reservoirs have had that I have been up here every day this week before or after work (and both in the morning and evening on Monday). It has not always been easy mixing work clothes and rain but the result has been that I have caught up with much of what has been found and added a new bird for the year - and two on Monday - each day. The Garganey was the latest welcome addition last night (thanks to Phil A for telling me that it had moved to East Warwick) taking me to 105 species for the year for the reservoirs just two less than all of 2015.
So it was entirely predictable that, having the entire day off today, this run would come to an end. My plans to see if the Garganey was still around were aborted when I met Davey L who told me he had seen it fly off south over West Warwick. I diverted to Lockwood which, after the eerie calm of recent days, was back to its norm of near-gale force winds. This made looking for the Black-necked Grebes more difficult but they were either constantly feeding or, more likely, gone. I did find a lovely summer-plumaged Dunlin at the top end along with an apparently settled Little Ringed Plover and three-plus Common Sandpipers. There was a scattering of Swallows beating their way north which I had not seen for a few weeks. Doesn't seem likely that a northerly would make them migrate so perhaps it just forces them lower so they are easier to see.
I wandered slowly around the southern reservoirs in a vain hope that the Garganey would return or that a Black Tern might drop in to join the posse of Commons feeding over the Warwicks but neither happened during my stay. It was, however, a very pleasant visit in the sunshine with plenty of breeding activity and birdsong. No 1, 2 and 3 reservoirs are going to be crowded all weekend as they are hosting qualifying rounds of the British Carp Angling Championships which started with a klaxon at midday and finishes at noon on Sunday.
DB @porthkillier
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