Month: January 2018

WeBS Report for January
 
All Reservoir: 14 Great Crested Grebe, 20 Cormorant, 2 Canada Geese, 27 Mallard + 1 domestic feral, 18 Black-headed Gull.
 
Dam End: c150 Wood Pigeon, 1 Grey Wagtail, 55 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing, 2 Raven, 1 Buzzard.
 
South Bank: 1 Marsh Tit, 3 Bullfinch.
 
West End: 2 Little Grebe, 17 Grey Herons @ heronry including 1 leucistic almost white bird, 2 Greylag flyover, 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, 1 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 72 Lapwing but very flighty and rarely settled, 2 Snipe, 1 Common Gull, 9 Stock Dove flyover, 1 Kingfisher, 2 GS Woodpecker, 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Jay, 5 Greenfinch flyover, 13 Reed Bunting flyover, 2 Mandarin.
 
Feeders: 2 Coal Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 3+ Long-tailed Tit, 10+ Blue Tit, 5+ Great Tit, 6 Chaffinch, 1f Brambling, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Lesser Redpoll.
 
Whillets: 30+ Siskin & 10+ Lesser Redpoll feeding on Alder with a few Goldfinch also mixed in, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Mandarin, 1 Moorhen.

West End:- 1 Kingfisher, 7 Gadwall, 15 Teal, 30 Mallard, 2 Lapwing, 10 Chaffinch, 2 Buzzards, 20+ Reed Buntings heading to roost at Whillet’s. 35 Canada Geese,15 Grey Herons in heronry.

West End – 10.10 to 10.40
4 Little Grebes, Moorhen, Coot, 14 Herons at the heronry, Great Crested Grebes, Mallards, Cormorants, Black-headed Gulls.
At feeders:- Great, Blue, Coal, Marsh, and Long-tailed Tits, Goldfinches, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinches and Brambling (on ground).

West End:- 3 Little Grebes, 2 Barn Owls, 10 Snipe and a Bullfinch.
The photo shows mysterious clear jelly blobs – one suggestion is that they are the regurgitated innards of frogs, possibly from a Heron.

Viewing today from the road looking over the Whillet’s reed-bed between 14:45 & 16:20, I saw the following:-
Reed Bunting – Roost count – 194 went IN & 28 came OUT over the 95 minute period.
Also saw:- 2 Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, Green Woodpecker & Stock Dove heard, also c.300 Starling flock flyover.
Herons are starting to come into the Heronry at dusk, at least 6 noted.
Observed between 13.40-14.40; Car Park. Mainly around feeders:- 6 Chaffinch 1 f Brambling with them under feeders. 8 Blue Tit. 2 Great Tit. 1 Coal Tit. 1 Treecreeper. 1 m Great Spotted Woodpecker. 1 Robin. 1 Blackbird. 1 m Pheasant. 1 Goldfinch. On reservoir 4 Cormorant. 3 Great Crested Grebe.15 Black-headed Gulls. 5 Common Gull.

West End:- Male and female Tawny Owl, 4 Bullfinch.
Dam End:- 3 Hawfinch in top of trees by Southern Water,plus large Linnet flock, 1 Little Egret,122 Lapwing flew south, 3 Common Gulls.

6+ Black-headed Gull, 5+ Blue Tit, 2 Carrion Crow, 2+ Coal Tit, Coot, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 50+ Greylag Goose, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 10+ Mallard, Nuthatch, 4 Rook, 2 Blackbird, Brambling, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Common Gull, 6 Cormorant, 5+ Goldfinch, 2 Great Tit, 50+ Jackdaw, 2 Magpie, 2 Marsh Tit, Robin, 7+ Woodpigeon.
 
A fly tipper has dumped a pile of rubbish in the North Bank car park.
Ringing in the study area in the morning saw the normal winter species – Blue Tit and Great Tit. Other species of note were Bullfinch (last year female), Chaffinch (full adult female), Goldcrest (last year female) and Marsh Tit (full adult).
A loud Raven flew over the study area and a Buzzard flew off from the ground in the area. A Short-tailed Vole was the only mammal of note. The reservoir levels are the highest they have been for a while.

Some items of camera equipment were found at Weir Wood today. For further information please contact the Membership Secretary at membership@weirwood.me.uk