Monday 30th September

I had the day of work today, my attempts to move to four days a week failed last week and I ended up working six! I wasn’t going to fall for that again so I took the day off! I had been over a couple of times but there has been very little around. Today was no exception. Around 100 Lapwing, Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher were the highlights. There were a few Shoveller and Gadwall on the main lake but little else.

Steve Cawthray had Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper last week and Steve Haynes a Med Gull which I might go and have a look for this evening.

Looking on the bright side “Winter is Coming”.

Monday 23rd September

Like I thought Scotland was a wash out, we only lasted two days as a family emergency necessitated out return after only two days!

I have been really busy so haven”t managed to get over at all, however, today there was a male Common Scoter (A Dean, S Haynes). In my hedgerow today was a female Blackcap and a pair of Raven were cronking away on the Pylon.

Friday 13th September

Unlucky for some (Friday 13th) but I walked the dog up the field this morning and found a male Redstart in the hedgerow. My 95th species for the garden, I count the hedgerow to make walking the dog a bit more exciting.

I am off to Scotland for a few days to visit my mother and try and get some hills in, although the weather forecast is not promising. I will try or drown trying.

Monday 9th September

It is official I am now stepping down to four day week! Well we will see how long that lasts for, at least it started well, although God only knows how I would have fitted all the jobs I had too do in, with an extra day of weekend.

I had a walk around today, I reasoned that the Reservoir would be quiet with the rain that was falling. I was right for a change although there were few birds. I made the mistake of going round the back of the fishing pool, now that is what I call an overgrown path. I am glad I had a thick coat on. It was the tunnel of death with five foot high nettles converging to meet in the middle. I might not have got stung, but I was soaked by the time I had fought my way to the other end!

The most interesting thing I saw today was a Hornet, (I’m glad I didn’t meet it on the aformentioned path there would have been no where to run. I did see a few warblers today with Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all seen. There were very good numbers of hirundines with estimates of 250 House Martin, 150 Swallow and 100 Sand Martin.

Saturday Morning 7th September

Had a walk around early, it was a fine morning but with the sun low in the sky viewing was difficult. The Terns from yesterday had gone and there was little of note apart from a male RD off the car park. We walked the whole way round and pleasant as it was there was little to get excited about.

Back at the car park I had a final scan, then all the gulls went up as an impressive immature female Peregrine flew over low, it didn’t appear interested in the snacks on offer beneath it and it sailed on past.

Friday 6th September

I have been over four times during the week and have seen very little. The rain this morning had me wishing I was out birding rather than at work. I did get over briefly at lunchtime and there were a lot of hirundines, plus around four Common Tern, although I had a text later from Steve Haynes that he had seen seven.

This evening had Joy and I walking around the Reservoir again this time there appeared to be two Common Tern and two Black Tern. There were also several Shoveler flying in late on and a Kingfisher.

The bushes between the two pool held a lot of passerines but it would have taken Clark Kent’s x-ray vision to id anything!

Monday 2nd September

Spent an hours this evening, lots of gulls about 1500 BH Gulls, 15 Herring Gull, 50 LBB Gull. Two Yellow Wagtail were present and two Common Sandpiper. Five Swallow and a Sand Martin passed through but on the whole it was rather quiet.