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29 July 2010 - Mostly overcast, light north westerly
An otherwise relatively quiet morning was enlivened by an juvenile Arctic Tern which flew through at 8am. Migrant waders were limited to single Common Sandpiper and Ringed Plover whilst the "lonely" adult Ringed Plover remains. One adult Little Ringed Plover and a chick were still present on Car Park pool.
Of the breeding birds, there were two new broods of Tufted Ducks (seven in each) a Dabchick brood, three by Railway Hide, and a brood of Pheasants with three part grown young by Oak Hide.
28 July 2010 - Mostly overcast, light north westerly
A Water Rail chick was again visible from the causeway together with a Kingfisher but the only migrant wader was a Common Sandpiper.
27 July 2010 - Sunny intervals, light north westerly
Migrant waders this morning included singles of Common Sandpiper, juvenile Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, whilst in the evening there were four juvenile Little Ringed Plovers. A single adult Ringed Plover and two adult Little Ringed Plovers plus the part grown chick were present all day. The regular Little Egret reappeared in the evening.
A nest of Linnets in the causeway gorse yielded four fledged juveniles this evening. A single juvenile Grey Wagtail was also present in the evening.
26 July 2010 - Drizzly morning, slowly improving. Fine evening, light north westerly
The Little Egret was again present along with 16 Herons but no other reports of note.
25 July 2010 - Warm but mostly overcast, light north westerly
The only news of which I am aware was in the evening when the Little Egret was again present along with Shoveler, three juvenile Grey Wagtails and the Little Ringed Plover chick.
There was no sign of the Oystercatcher chick on Car Park Pool but the bird was close to fledging on Saturday.
24 July 2010 - Sunny start, clouding over by 10am but remaining warm and humid, light north westerly
Butterflies were probably the main attraction of the day, particularly in the warmth of the morning sun, with the Concrete Road probably the best place. Counts included two Peacocks, two Small Coppers, Large and Small Skippers, six Common Blues, two Small Tortoiseshell, two Speckled Wood, five Green Veined Whites, both Small and Large Whites; a Holly Blue showed well on the path to River Hide.
On the Dragonfly Pond, the first Small Red-eyed Damselflies of the year rested on the water weed in the centre of the pool. Diagnostic features are quite difficult to see at distance but the birds tend to raise the abdomen 45° and this is quite a helpful ID feature.
A Dunlin was the only migrant of note on the Pools but a Grey Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail flew over and the caged Little Ringed Plover nest on Car Park Pool hatched out a single young.
Warblers were again in good numbers on the Old Road. Whitethroat have fledged young opposite the Car Park and also a little further north towards the Dragonfly Pool whilst a number of Reed Warblers were feeding young. These included birds by the top gate and near the cottages with a fledged youngster in the blackthorn by the car park gates. It was noticeable that Reed Warblers from the Reed Bed were flying backwards and forwards from the crop field in search of food but I suspect most of the youngsters on the Old Road originate from the Car Park pond. A Skylark was seen carrying food into the crop field whilst another sang from near the Aeromodellers. A Song Thrush was feeding at least three fledged juveniles along the Concrete Road.
Other weekend counts included six Dabchick and a well grown youngster on Railway Pool, six Herons, three Cormorants, a Black Swan, two adult Mutes and four Cygnets, 57 Greylags, four Teal, a Shoveler, 25 Mallard and six ducklings (two broods), 13 Gadwall and 33 ducklings (six broods), a male Pochard, 14 Tufted Ducks and 69 ducklings (13 broods), 98 Coot, ten Moorhen, a juvenile Water Rail by the Causeway, 106 Lapwing, one adult Redshank, one fledged juvenile and one part grown chick, 16 Common Terns and 48 Black-headed Gulls.
Around the lunch period, at least 150 Swifts and 50 Martins fed in a wide arc from just north of Siden Hill Wood, east to the Aeromodellers. The birds did not appear to be on the move although odd Swallows and Martins were going south along the valley.
23 July 2010 - Sunny intervals, light south westerly
Not a great deal of change with an adult Redshank and one part fledged chick still present, the other three having fledged. A Kingfisher was again present on the Reedbed Pool.
22 July 2010 - Heavy showers
No records.
21st July 2010 - Overnight rain clearing, light westerly wind.
The pools remained busy with the breeders, including at least one nearly fledged Lapwing in front of Oak Hide and the half grown Oystercatcher in front of Car Park Hide, but there were no migrants on view. Lapwings continue to issue alarm calls from around the Dragonfly Pool, but I am not aware that anyone has seen any young there.
The top gate was the liveliest place, with at least four Reed Warblers, two Whitethroats , a Willow / Chiff, seven Mistle Thrushes, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a juvenile Robin. A Buzzard with unidentifiable prey was flushed from the area.
In the evening a summer plumaged Dunlin which arrived during the day lingered into the evening together with the Little Egret again but there were only seven Common Terns about.
20th July 2010 - High cloud, occasional sunny intervals, light south-westerly wind.
Three Water Rails called from the Reedbed side of the causeway in the morning and at least one was seen from the north causeway screen in the evening. Two Snipe also flew over in the evening but, otherwise it was relatively quiet.
19th July 2010 - Overcast start, quickly clearing to hot conditions and then overnight rain.
The most noteworthy record was that of a Red Kite which circled the Reserve at 09.40 . It was quickly mobbed by Gulls and flew off to the east. The Little Egret again roosted on Car Park Pool for part of the day, and other birds of note were two Kingfishers on the Reedbed, Common Sandpiper and Garden Warbler.
18th July 2010 - Mostly overcast, occasional sunny intervals, blustery south-westerly wind.
The Little Egret was on Car Park Pool for most of the day and four adult Oystercatchers, four fledged juveniles and the half-grown chick were also present. Hobby put in a brief appearance in the morning, but otherwise it was relatively quiet.
17th July 2010 - Sun and showers, blustery westerly wind.
Hobbies were to the fore today, with three birds seen around the Reserve and they were particularly vocal in a walk through Siden Hill Wood. The number suggests that a pair of hatched out young locally.
Five adult and two fledged juvenile Little Ringed Plovers were present in the morning, indicating some immigration and hirundines were also obvious with at least 100 Sand Martins and 30 Swifts high over the fields just north of the Reserve during the morning. Other migrant waders included singles of Common and Green Sandpiper.
Of the more unusual sightings, two female or juvenile House Sparrows were present on the causeway, a very unusual location for this relatively sedentary local species.
Other counts of note were as follows:- five Dabchick and one chick on Railway Pool, ten Herons, three Cormorants, two adult Mute Swans and four cygnets, 110 Greylags, seven Teal, ten Gadwall and 43 ducklings in seven broods, 46 Mallard, 16 Tufted and 59 ducklings in nine broods, 62 Coot, six Moorhen, 50 Black-headed Gulls, 22 Common Terns, three adult Oystercatchers and the half grown chick and 94 Lapwing.
A Raven that flew over was astonishingly the first record since three on the 27th March. The Little Egret again put in an appearance.
A Water Rail was again seen by the causeway. The thick scrub at the northern end of the west side and near to the car park and pumping station proved good for Finches, including four Linnets, six Greenfinch, four Goldfinch, two Bullfinch and is always worth a look.
In the evening, thanks to a call from Ken Orgill, three fishermen who set up a tent in front of Railway Hide were ejected.
16th July 2010 - Sunny intervals, still blustery south-westerly wind, occasional heavy showers.
No records.
15th July 2010 - Regular heavy rain, blustery south-westerly wind.
The only news that I had is further good news on the breeding front with Tufted Duck broods now up to 11 (90 ducklings), and a second successful pair of Water Rails with at least one young present by the causeway screen.
Other birds of note during the day included two Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, a Little Egret and at least 80 Sand Martins in the evening. House Sparrows are again feeding young in the cottage near the gates.
14th July 2010 - Mainly overcast, occasional light showers and sunny intervals, south-westerly wind.
Whilst the Little Egret was again on the Dragonfly pond, the most interesting spectacle of the day was the interaction between a Hobby and a Peregrine. The former having hunted the pools, then perched in the dead top of the Larch Tree in Siden Hill Wood, before then mobbing a passing Peregrine on at least four occasions. The Hobby was not too impressed with the Buzzard, but did not go to the same lengths.
The evening work party, attended by seven, concentrated on Ragwort pulling and some strimming in between the showers. They were rewarded by three Common Sandpipers, 30 to 40 Swifts which trickled north and an evening roost of 150 to 200 Starlings, about 25 Sand Martins and a Swallow all in the Reedbed.
13th July 2010 - Periodic heavy showers, south-westerly wind, mostly overcast.
The Grasshopper Warbler reeled again opposite Oak Hide in the evening, and a Peregrine again caused disruption to the birds on the pools. The Oystercatcher chick was still being well protected by the adults on Car Park Pool, but only four Redshank chicks could be found.
Tufted broods are up to eight (58 ducklings), and Gadwall broods are now up to nine with 60 ducklings. Other birds of note included six Teal, a Common Sandpiper and Kingfisher.
12th July 2010 - Overcast, some light rain, noticeably cooler, variable winds.
The Little Egret spent part of the day on the Dragonfly Pool with one of the Oystercatchers. With the falling water levels a number of waders are frequenting this pool and watchers are requested to approach the gate cautiously. At least 50 Sand Martins, two House Martins and ten Swallows were feeding over the pools in the cooler weather.
Later in the day, three Black-tailed Godwits dropped into Car Park Pool.
11th July 2010 - Hot.
In the morning Heron numbers increased to 16 and three Common Sandpipers were present but had disappeared by the middle of the day. Water Rail and Kingfisher were visible from the north causeway screen, a Hobby put in a brief fly-over appearance and the Little Egret was again present.
In the afternoon, a Peregrine put on a good fly-over display over Lower Siden, and a Grey Wagtail flew over there. Despite the temperatures, the Old Road was reasonably lively with both Nuthatch and Tree Creeper seen and heard just north of the Aeromodellers and recently fledged Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Blackcap were seen well just north of the horse paddock.
10th July 2010 - Hot, light south-westerly wind.
A Snipe on the Dragonfly Pool was probably the most unusual bird of the day, and the Egret again showed for much of the day.
The main counts for the day included one Great Crested Grebe, six Dabchicks, one Cormorant, 12 Herons, four adult Mute Swans and four cygnets, 19 Greylags, five Teal, 42 Mallard, 12 Gadwall and 34 ducklings in five broods, 19 adult Tufted and 39 ducklings in five broods, a male Pochard, 61 Coot, 11 Moorhen, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 84 Black-headed Gulls and 13 fledged, eight unfledged chicks, 12 Terns 26 fledged youngsters and seven remaining chicks, a Hobby, a Kestrel, six Oystercatchers and the chick, 42 Lapwings and two chicks, five Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshanks and three chicks (it would appear that the two oldest chicks have now fledged) and, lastly, a pair of Kingfishers were feeding around the causeway screens.
9th July 2010 - Sunny, hot, light south-westerly wind.
Yesterday’s cloud slowly cleared in the early morning and by 8 a.m. it was sunny and warm. The warm slightly autumnal feel was enhanced by the fact that Sand Martins were on the move and a single flock of 43 flew south at 7.30 a.m., with one Swift. The Rowan berries are nearly ripe in the hedgerows and the Tit flocks included dispersing warblers this morning - Willow Warblers by the car park gate and a Chiffchaff by River Hide.
Also by the car park gate were at least three Lesser Whitethroats of which one was a young bird, confirmation of breeding of the pair in the Old Road hedgerows which, like the Cetti’s, have not been seen since May. Both the area by the car park gates and by River Hide were lively this morning.
The first Brown and Southern Hawkers of the year were seen and Marbled Whites again showed around the car park.
8th July 2010 - Occasionally very light showers and sunny intervals. Mostly overcast, light south-westerly wind.
Whilst the Little Egret flew up river at 8 a.m., most interest this morning focussed on breeding birds again. On the water there were two new Tufted Duck broods (now four broods totalling 33 young), a seventh Gadwall brood (now 46 young), and at least two new Coot families on Railway Pool (four young). A family party of at least two young Reed Buntings were particularly vocal by Oak Hide; and young Goldcrests were seen and heard in the conifers at the entrance gate cottages (at lease one), and in the Scots Pine opposite the Kennels (at least three), with a Coal Tit calling in the latter location as well. Young Willow Warblers or Chiffchaffs called from thick cover by the back gate and refused to show, but the Cetti’s family did show briefly on the causeway.
Mobbing birds revealed the presence of a Tawny Owl in the ivy covered trees opposite Corry Farm, but it soon flew off as I approached.
In the evening, all five Redshanks remained and there are now 22 fledged Common Ternsand five chicks still being fed.
Despite the overcast conditions, it was warm enough for plenty of butterflies and a single Marbled White, two Small Coppers and three Commas were the best of the species seen.
7th July 2010 - Overcast, brisk south-westerly wind.
The Little Egret was the only bird recorded in the log.
6th July 2010 - Warm, light south-westerly wind.
The Little Egret spent part of the time on Car Park Pool this morning, but also flew to the river presumably to feed. The female Wigeon remained and a Goldfinch was feeding three young between the cottages and the car park. After much searching, all five Redshank chicks were relocated.
5th July 2010 - Sunny, south-westerly wind.
The Little Egret was again on Car Park Pool, together with a Kingfisher. Wildfowl included three Teal, two Shoveler and a drake Pochard. A Common Sandpiper, four adult, two fully fledged and one juvenile Oystercatcher, a Ringed Plover, two adult Little Ringed Plovers and a fledged Little Ringed Plover, six adult Redshank and two youngsters made up the waders.
Other records of note included a Hobby, two Treecreepers in Siden Hill Wood and 15 Mistle Thrushes at Patrick Farm.
4th July 2010 - Sunny intervals, strong south-westerly wind.
The Little Egret again roosted on Car Park Pool for much of the day and a Hobby put in a brief appearance mid-morning. In the early afternoon, a Peregrine made a number of passes over the Reserve and disturbed most of the birds and a badly injured Black-headed Gull was probably the result of one of its visits.
A few Swifts appeared to be drifting south. Despite the blustery weather, there were plenty of butterflies on view in the more sheltered spots, although yesterday’s Marbled Whites proved elusive. Commas were seen at both the back gate and top gate.
3rd July 2010 - Continuing warm, south-westerly wind.
Excellent breeding successes were the highlights of the day. Unfamiliar calls by River Hide proved to be at least two fledged Cetti’s Warblers, the first successful breeding for the Reserve. Only a new species for the Reserve earlier this year, a pair have wasted no time in getting down to breeding. Interestingly, there have been no records in the log since the 13th May, suggesting early on in the breeding cycle the males, like other warblers, become silent and it will be interesting to see when further song is heard. As the species, like many warblers, is at least double brooded, it is quite possible this will be a late summer and may in turn depend on whether there is another male on site.
Other successes included at least two young Kingfishers from the causeway screen in the Bullrushes and later on Railway Pool, and a fledged juvenile Grey Wagtail on the Car Park Pool islands. A pair of Oystercatchers on the same islands hatched out a single youngster. The sitting adults have been obscured by the vegetation, so the appearance was somewhat of a surprise. The adults have got their work cut out defending the young from the marauding Herons, with at least 12 present on Saturday morning. The adults were having to stand between the young and at least three Herons to keep them away.
A Little Egret was present for much of the morning and other counts included six Little Grebes, two Great Crested Grebes, four adult Mute Swans and four cygnets, ten Greylags, a female Wigeon, nine adult Gadwall and six broods, totalling at least 32 young, three Teal, 54 Mallard and four nearly fledged juveniles, two Pochard, 30 adult Tufteds and two broods totalling 17, Buzzard and Kestrel, five Little Ringed Plovers and the fledged juvenile, one Ringed Plover, 186 Lapwing and at least three juveniles, eight Redshank and five juveniles, 50 Black-headed Gulls and 20 juveniles, 25 Common Terns and 17 juveniles.
The first Marbled White butterflies of the year were seen, with at least two between Oak Hide and the south-west pond and one, probably two, around the car park area. The first Gatekeepers of the year were also on the wing, with plenty of Ringlets and Meadow Browns visible as well.
2nd July 2010 - Drizzly start with a cool south-westerly wind, but clearing quickly.
The evocative call of a Curlew was a good start to an otherwise murky early morning as the bird flew south low over the Reserve.
The Lapwings in the crop field had vanished quickly and although they were well advanced, they seemed too young to have fledged and predation seemed a distinct possibility. Fortunately, however, one adult and at least one young were visible in the long grass just in front of Car Park Hide this morning.
A few Sand Martins appeared to be on the move and departing birds have already been recorded at Dungeness and Portland.
The female / first year Wigeon and drake Teal and Pochard were all on Car Park Pool.
1st July 2010 - Warm, drizzly in the early evening.
There is usually something of interest at the Reserve but occasionally a sighting stands out; such was Graham Rowling’s fortune yesterday evening when two adults and four half grown young Water Rails swam from the river side of Railway Pool, past the gravel bar and into the cover of the bank near the causeway. Presumably some threat had caused the adults to move the young. Aside from the occasional sighting in the Marsh and infrequent calling birds in the Reedbed, the species has been very elusive and I am not aware of any sightings from the north causeway screen recently, where young have been seen in previous years.
Waders are moving back through. Three Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper were present during the day, but had moved on by the evening: conversely only two Little Ringed Plovers could be found early on, but six adults and a fledged juvenile appeared in the evening. The breeding Little Ringed Plovers mask movement of this species. On a larger scale, Belvide saw Common Sandpiper numbers jump from three on June 29th to 25 on June 30th and there were also significant double figure counts of Little Ringed Plover there.
Hobby, Wigeon, Pochard and now six broods of Gadwall were the other more significant records.
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