Sunday, 25th May: A rather grey and cloudy start with a few bits of drizzle and a brisk W/NW wind force 4-5. Gradually brightening with sunshine from late morning, but with the blustery conditions continuing throughout.
Lidsey WTW area: There were 26 Mallard present this morning, the majority of them loafing around inside the WTW compound, whilst nearby were four Tufted Ducks, two Gadwall and two Little Grebes on the small reservoir, plus the Coot pair now well-ensconced on their nest. Two Pied Wagtails and c.300 Starlings were around the filter pans and several Swifts and Swallows were above. The regular warblers were present, with some still singing, but it was otherwise rather uneventful.
Mallards loafing inside the WTW (= sewage works)
Barnham Brooks area: This proved to be very disappointing for me this morning, with nothing beyond the normal being noted on my circuit. A couple of Buzzards and a Kestrel were about and at least six Swifts were over the Brooks, whilst regulars included Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer. At the heronry several nests were still occupied and a Little Egret was present nearby.
Bilsham farm: A Red Kite was soaring fairly high over the fields and often hanging in the wind, but each time it ventured lower it was immediately mobbed and moved on by several angry crows. A couple of Buzzards nearby also got much the same treatment, though a hovering Kestrel seemed to fare better. A Little Egret was oddly present in a dry agricultural field for some while, as were a mixed flock of roosting gulls. I estimated c.30 Great Black-backed Gulls were in the flock - consisting of birds of all ages from 1st-cycle immatures to adults - plus another ten on the reservoir and surrounding area, so a total of about c.40 present, plus one Lesser Black-backed Gull.
On the reservoir itself were two Tufted Ducks, three broods of Mallard, a Little Grebe and a pair of Great Crested Grebes, the latter occasionally displaying, though it seems unlikely they would choose to nest here?
Pair of Great Crested Grebes on Bilsham reservoir and gull flock including Great Black-backed Gulls in the fields
A just-about-discernible image of the Red Kite over the fields, with a crow moving in, whilst below, this lone Little Egret chose to spend some time in a very dry field.
Friday,23rd May: A cool and fairly bright start with some cloud, but plenty of blue sky, in a light NE breeze 2-3, which soon backed to a light SW2 and a fairly warm day later.
Elmer Rocks: A fairly short visit this morning, which produced nothing special but a few species of interest:-
Gannet - at least six offshore amongst a flock of feeding gulls
Oystercatcher - nine roosting on the rock islands at high tide
Turnstone - flock of 8W
Mediterranean Gull - c.8 o/s amongst feeding gull flock
Great Black-backed Gull - 15 roosting on rocks and on sea, presumably all non-breeders and some immatures
Sandwich Tern - 8 o/s, some feeding close in behind the rocks
Whitethroat - three still singing from hedgerows, presumed breeders
Linnet - pair in hedgerow, presumed nesters
Gannets fishing offshore at Elmer
Great Black-backed Gulls on the rock islands at high tide and Linnet in the hedgerow
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