- 1st
|
-
- 12°C
- Sunny
intervals.
- ENE1
|
| An early arrival beat the first dog
walkers and was rewarded with 2 Redshanks and 2 Oystercatchers.
Later in the day a Peacock butterfly was seen (GR). The year's first
Common Sandpiper was on the west shore and 3 Little Ringed
Plovers were on the island but only 2 Sand Martins were seen. 3 Shovelers, 12 Gadwall, a Teal and
6 Goldeneye were on the lake whilst the gull roost held 2 Common
Gulls, 95 Lesser Black-backs, 5 Herring Gulls and 1-2 Black-headed
Gulls (GE). |
| 21 Waxwings were seen flying
over Clayhanger from the Brownhills area (CM). |
|
- 2nd
|
- 14°C
- Sunny
intervals
- E3
|
| A Ringed Plover, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers,
100 Sand Martins, a Swallow (GR, JJH) and a House Martin
(PW, JH) were present. The
gull roost held 150 Lesser Black-backs, 8 Herring Gulls, a Common
Gull and 3 Black-headed Gulls. Two quad bikes and a scramble bike
were racing along the North and Sailing Shores (GE). |
|
- 3rd
|
- 14°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SE1
|
| An Oystercatcher was
on the North Shore and 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and 2 Skylarks were
over Norton Bog Hill. At
least 2 Chiffchaffs were present and about 20 dead bumble bees
were found at the back of Fly Bay. Despite the sunny weather only 3
Small Tortoiseshells and 1 Peacock were seen (EO). 2 Grey Partridge
were on the North Shore and a Lesser Redpoll was seen (JT, VT). In
the gull roost there were 300 Lesser Black-backs, around 10
Herring Gulls and 29 Black-headed Gulls (GE). |
| 7 Waxwings were at
Rushall (PJ). |
|
- 4th
- Sat
|
- 13°C
- Sunny
intervals
- W3
|
| A Dunlin and Ringed Plover
were on the Sailing Shore, 2 Oystercatchers were on the North
Shore and a Blackcap was singing at the north end of the dam
where there were also 2 Redwings, a Green Woodpecker and 2 Stock
Doves. 8 Red Deer were in the Translocation Field and a Buzzard was
over the canal. On the Swag there were 6 Goldeneye, 86 Tufted Ducks, 2
Gadwall and 2 Little Grebes. On the Slurry Pool there were 2 Tufted
and 8 Gadwall. A few minutes watching from the top of Norton Bog
Hill produced a Swallow, Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 3 Buzzards
over the North Heath, 3 Buzzards over the No Man's Bank/Cuckoo Bank
area and 150 Golden Plovers flying over Cuckoo Bank. Two
Green-veined Whites were at the Slurry Pool and a Small
Tortoiseshell was below the dam. At dusk there
were 150 Sand Martins and 150 Lesser Black-backs (GE). |
- Bullfinch at the Feeding Station © Stu
|
- Slurry Pool © G Evans
|
- Jay at Anglesey Basin © G Evans
|
|
-
5th
- Sun
|
- 13°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SW2
|
| 2 Blackcaps and 3 Willow
Warblers were singing and 3 Oystercatchers were present (WMBC).
A Little Ringed Plover was on the Sailing Shore and on the
Swag there were 91 Tufted Ducks, 5 Goldeneye and a Little
Grebe. Around 100 Sand Martins were over the lake. The main interest
was left till the end of the day when the gull roost held a juv Iceland
Gull (probably same as on March 31st), a 2nd s Yellow-legged
Gull, 23 Herring Gulls, 180 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a 1st s
Great Black-backed and an interesting possible Glaucous x Herring or
very pale Herring Gull which was only seen in poor light and amongst
a tightly packed flock but gave the appearance of a very large
Iceland Gull due to its rather attenuated shape and darkish looking
distal half of the bill (GE). Unfortunately, two quad bikes and a scramble bike
were again racing along the North Shore and North Heath (PW). |
|
- 6th
|
- 13°C
- Sunny
intervals.
Rain in evening
- SSE2-4
|
The water level is now exactly 2 m
below maximum and an extensive shoreline has been exposed. Sadly,
what used to be a lawn of the rare Shoreweed Littorella uniflora is
now just bare sand and mud. Littorella, an aquatic perennial,
is a characteristic plant of low nutrient (oligotrophic to
mesotrophic) waters which are rare in lowland Britain. Chasewater
was a wonderful example of such a habitat and the shoreline was
declared a Site of Special Scientific Importance in 1987. Let us
hope that its not a change in water quality that has caused this but
just a case of a different range of recent water levels. We will
see what a growing season will bring but I fear that when September comes I won't be able to take a similar photo to the one below,
taken 35 years ago. Certainly, if quad bikes are allowed to use the
shoreline there will be no chance of a recovery and protected
species such as Little Ringed Plovers will have no chance of taking
advantage of the present conditions to breed (GE).
|
|
|
| North Shore - early September
1974 (GE) after 4 years of
low water levels there was a 15m wide lawn of Littorella (green
on the photo), extending several metres into the water. |
North Shore - today (GE), after a period of
generally high water levels the current draw down has exposed
a 5m belt of Littorella
which is less abundant and further up the shore
than in 1974. |
|
| Bird sightings today included a Redshank, Ringed Plover, 2 Little Ringed
Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers, a Snipe, 2 Lapwings, 1
Goldeneye, 2 Shelducks,
2 Shovelers, a male Wheatear, 8 Siskins, 3 Lesser Redpolls,
over 150 Sand Martins, 10 Swallows (GE) and 4 House
Martins (PJ, IW). 11 Chiffchaffs were present along with
7 Willow Warblers and 4 Blackcaps. Two Jackdaws were
in Southacres Farm and 3 Buzzards were above with 2 others over
Cuckoo Bank and another was displaying to the west, probably over
Wyrley Common. 2 Green Woodpeckers and a Great Spotted Woodpecker
were calling. 27 Black-headed Gulls and a 1st s Common Gull
were present during the day and in the roost there was a 3rd s Yellow-legged
Gull, 2 1st s Great Black-backs, 23 Herring Gulls and about the
same number of Lesser Black-backs as last night but no sign of the
'white-winged gulls'. 110 dead Bumble Bees were on the short grass
at the end of Fly Bay. It seems that they have been there for a
couple of weeks and their demise coincided with a sharp frost.
|
|
-
7th
|
- 12°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SSW4
|
An Osprey
arrived from the east, over the dam, at 12:03 and flew the length of
the lake before plummeting down to presumably make a strike at a
fish but by the time we had driven round there was no sign of the
bird and it had probably continued its journey north. This could be
the same bird that was seen at Whitacre Heath, Warks at 11:20 (GE,
PW). Also present were 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Little Ringed
Plovers, 1st s Common Gull, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 150 Sand
Martins, 1-2 Swallows, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Siskins (GE), 2 Ringed
Plovers, an Oystercatcher (IW), 2 Sparrowhawks, a House Martin, 15
Goldfinches, a Cormorant and several Linnets (EO).
|
|
|
|
Wren and Reed Bunting at the
Feeding Station (© J Spencer) |
|
 |
| Osprey (GE) |
|
This space is
waiting for Phill's better flight shot!
|
|
-
|
|
| A fire was also started on the
heath by the OEC causing considerable damage to prime Green
Hairstreak habitat (GE). |
|
| Unfortunately, the Easter holiday has
resulted in an increase in undesirable activities with a quad
bike being driven around the north shore and Target Point.
There is little
chance of the shoreline vegetation recovering when it is
treated as little more than a quad bike racetrack. |
 |
|
On Cuckoo Bank there were 4 Jack
Snipe, 1 Snipe, a Grey Partridge, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4
Buzzards, 2 male Kestrels. 1 Little Grebe, a male Stonechat, 3
Wheatears, up to 90 Carrion Crows being seen off by nesting
Lapwings, 140 Linnets, reasonable numbers of singing Meadow Pipits
and Skylarks but no sign of the Golden Plovers. Two Hares and a
Peacock butterfly were also seen (EO).
|
|
A flock of Waxwings was
reported to be feeding on berries in at the top of Highfields Road,
Chasetown.
|
|
- 8th
|
- 13°C
- Sunny
- W4
|
| Two Ringed Plovers
were on the Sailing Shore and the pair of Oystercatchers were
on the main Island. On the Swag there were 65 Tufted Ducks but no
Goldeneye. A Jack Snipe and 2 Snipe were still present. A very obliging herd of 9 Red Deer grazed on
the side of the dam during the afternoon. Another fire was started
on the heath, this time it was near Target Point and fire fighters
stayed till dusk to ensure it didn't flare up again but
unfortunately, amongst other damage, another good Green Hairstreak
colony has been affected. The gull roost was affected by 18 sail
boats staying out on the water till 20:25 but 16 Black-headed Gulls
and 25 Lesser Black-backs eventually settled and 4 immature Herring
Gulls were amongst the 50 large gulls that left to the north-west.
At dusk a flock of around 100 Starlings wheeled around above the
Slurry Pool (GE). |
|
|
- Another fire!
|
| 21 Waxwings
were feeding on berries and insects near the Spot Garage in
Chasetown and on occasion were seen to fly towards Chasewater (PW).
Local residents say that their bird tables have also been visited by
2 Ring-necked Parakeets during the winter and early spring (per PW). |
- Phill at work with the Waxwings!
|
|
|
- 9th
|
- 14°C
-
Light rain
- S4
|
| Today the road across the dam has been
closed to traffic by a rather permanent looking barrier preventing
access beyond the South Shore. Up to 200 hirundines, mainly Sand
Martins were over the lake and a Ringed Plover was on the
Sailing Shore. At dusk two anglers were fishing from the island off
Pimpernel Point which rather destroys any hopes of the
Oystercatchers nesting on it and only 35 Lesser Black-backs, 4 1st s
Herring Gulls and 15 Black-headed Gulls roosted (GE, IW). |
| On the White Horse Estate 25 Waxwings
were on a telephone wire in Chapel Avenue at 09:15 and as these flew
across my garden towards Brownhills Common they were followed by
around 15 more which had been feeding in a neighbouring back garden
(GE). At 11:00, 11 Waxwings returned to near the Miner's Rest
in Highfields
Road, Chasetown having also been seen at around 08:00 (PW). |
|
- 10th
-
|
-
- 12°C
-
Heavy rain
- S2
|
| A Yellow Wagtail and up to 100
Meadow Pipits were on the North Shore (IW). A Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plovers
and the 2 Oystercatchers
were present along with 150 hirundines, still mainly Sand Martins,
27 Black-headed Gulls, 48 Mute Swans, 15 Canada Geese and 9 Red Deer
were at Church Street Open Space (GE). |
| Around 50 Waxwings were present
at Chasetown both in Highfields Road near the Miner's Rest (PW) and
in Lawnswood Avenue (JS). |
- Waxwings in Lawnswood Avenue, Chasetown
- (© J Spencer)
|
|
- 11th
- Sat
-
|
- 13°C
- Sunny
intervals
- W1
|
| A Curlew flew off north at
09:00. A Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plovers, 2 Little Ringed
Plovers and 6 Gadwall were on the North Shore (GE, IW). Also
present were a Common Sandpiper, 2 Buzzards and two
Oystercatchers
landed on the island and started displaying. These may be the
Clayhanger birds and I suspect they will be sorry if they start
breeding at Chasewater as the water level is so low that people are
already trying to walk to the island. The
final drama was on the bus home. As it passed the end of Pool Road
at 15:00, a female Red
Deer walked straight out in
front of it. Had it not been for the driver's quick reactions it
would have been venison for tea! (CM). |
- North Shore disturbance! (GE)
|
| On Cuckoo Bank there were 3 Grasshopper
Warblers reeling (IW, MY). |
| At Chasetown up to 40 Waxwings
were briefly joined by another flock giving a total of around 100
and in the evening numbers again rose to 60 before they all flew
north towards Chasewater and presumably onwards to roost on Cannock
Chase (PW). |
|
- 12th
- Sun
|
- 15°C
- Sunny
intervals
- N1
|
| The Dunlin and 2 Ringed
Plovers were present (PW). 6 Buzzards and a Kestrel were
soaring over the Slurry Pool and 2 Oystercatchers flew around during
the early afternoon but probably headed back to Clayhanger when they
saw the Easter crowds (GE). |
| Up to 60 Waxwings were again in
Chasetown (PW, GE). |
|
- 13th
|
- 14°C
- Sunny
intervals
- SE3
|
| A very quiet morning with the only
hirundines being 2 Swallows. No new migrants appear to have arrived
but we still have 3 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Ringed Plover,
a Gadwall, 2 Teal, 24 Great Crested Grebes and the 2 Oystercatchers.
The tiny gull roost held 15 Black-headed Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backs
and a probable 3rd s Yellow-legged Gull standing on a buoy but it
was too dark to see any detail (GE). |
| Around 30 Waxwings were near the
Miner's Rest until 10:00 and then again during the evening until
they flew to roost (PW). |
|
- 14th
|
- 14°C
- Overcast
- SSE2
|
| At 16:10 there was the
wonderful sight of 2 Common Cranes flying over the southern
end of the dam and circling the lake several times before drifting
off to the north-west. They were in view for 27 minutes and must
have been over Cannock before they eventually defeated my scope
(GE). Prior to arriving at Chasewater these birds were seen flying
over PW's garden in Burntwood whilst he was at work and they must
have flown over GR's garden whilst he was in it!!(per PW). This is a new bird for Chasewater,
the last such record being the Gannet last October (GE). |
- Common Cranes (© G Evans)
|
- Common Cranes (© G Evans)
|
| Also present was an adult Kittiwake,
3 Common Terns, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 1 Ringed
Plover, 2 Gadwall, the pair of Oystercatchers, 16 Black-headed
Gulls, 2 Buzzards, 60 Sand Martins, a House Martin, 2 Stock Doves
and a Green Hairstreak was on the heath near the OEC (GE). During
the morning there were 2 adult Little Gulls and an Arctic
Tern flew through (PW). At 07:35 a Peregrine flew to the
west and a pair of Sparrowhawks and a Kestrel were present (EO). The
gull roost consisted of the Kittiwake, 25 Black-headed Gulls and 5
Lesser Black-backs (GE). |
|
On Cuckoo Bank there were 55 Golden Plovers,
3 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk, a Little Grebe, Green Woodpecker, 4
Jays, a Pheasant, 6 Stock Doves, 100 Carrion Crows and 125 Linnets
(EO).
|
| 4 Waxwings
were near the Miner's Rest, Chasetown, early in the morning (PW) and
20 were in a garden in Queen Street later in the day (GT). |
|
- 15th
|
- 14°C
-
Cold,wet, thundery start. Sunny late afternoon
- ENE4
|
|
An adult Little Gull arrived during the early
morning to join a group of 4 Arctic Terns, which increased to 5
during the afternoon. 3 Oystercatchers were on the Sailing
Shore whilst the regular pair were on Target Point, 5 were later seen
noisily flying out over the north end of the dam only for what were
presumed to be the same 3 intruders to arrive back over the south
shore a few minutes later (GE). Other records included 2 Ringed
Plovers, a Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper,
a Dunlin (PW), 2 Gadwall, a drake Shoveler, 2 redpolls, 20
Siskins and 150 hirundines, still mainly Sand Martins (GE).
|
|
A Cuckoo was heard on Gentleshaw Common (VR).
|
|
- 16th
|
- 14°C
-
Heavy showers
- ENE4
|
| Two adult Little Gulls during
the morning (GE, PW) rose to an impressive 11 in the late afternoon
(PJ). Also present in the morning were 8 Common Terns, a Little
Ringed Plover, 2 Ringed Plovers, 3 Oystercatchers,
2 Common Sandpipers, a Wheatear and 200 hirundines
including rising numbers of Swallows and House Martins (GE, PW). |
|
- 17th
-
|
- 14°C
- Sunny
intervals
- NE4
|
| The inevitable has now occurred with
the water level at 222cm below maximum the island is now easily
accessible from the west shore and two scramble bikers have made
their home there, even to the point of making earth ramps to jump
over. Somehow I don't think the Common Terns, Oystercatchers and
Little Ringed Plovers are going to have a chance unless this
illegal activity is stopped and some proactive nature
conservation management is undertaken to protect Schedule 1
breeding birds at this proposed Site of Special Scientific
Importance (SSSI) and Local Nature Reserve (LNR).
|
| Another good day of passage with a drake Garganey,
4 Arctic Terns, 6 Common Terns, 4 Oystercatchers,
Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Wheatear,
2 White Wagtails, 200 hirundines, 2 Shovelers, 2 Gadwall and
2 Teal. Little Gulls were again in evidence and showing signs
of an active passage with none present at 08:00, 1 adult at 9:00, 4
adults later in the morning, 6 adults and 2 1st summers two hours
later, back to one adult during the early evening and none at dusk
(GE, PW, IW, N, PJ, NS, RS et al). |
-
- Garganey (GE)
|
|
- 18th
- Sat
-
|
- 14°C
-
Overcast morning Sunny afternoon
- NE3
|
| A big sailing weekend with the Phantom
Open today and the GP Open tomorrow. Today's sideshow appeared to be
how to play 'Swallows and Amazons' resulting in 14 people and their
boats landing on the island - farewell Oystercatchers!
It was a day of very little visible migration with
only 6 Sand Martins, 6 Swallows and 2 House Martins,
3 Oystercatchers, a Ringed Plover and a Common
Sandpiper. Up to 5 Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel were
overhead and wildfowl totals were 48 Mute Swans, 22 Canada Geese,
128 Mallard, 62 Tufted Ducks, 1 Ruddy Duck, 124 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 22
Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Heron, 10 Black-headed Gulls
and 5 Lesser Black-backs. Butterflies included 5 Orange Tips, 2
Green Hairstreaks,3 Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell.
At dusk a Cuckoo was calling near the
Slurry Pool and the island had been claimed by anglers and their
three tents (GE).
|
|
- 19th
- Sun
|
- 15°C
-
Sunny
- ENE2
|
| I managed a bike ride along the canal
to the dam but one Black-headed Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backs, 30 GP
sailing boats and numerous dog walkers didn't draw me any closer
(GE). It was good to hear the first singing Whitethroat and
there were two reeling Grasshopper Warblers on the North
Shore heath and 2 Speckled Woods and 6 Green Hairstreaks were seen (NS). |
|
- 20th
|
- 16°C
-
Sunny
- NNE1
|
| Water levels have now dropped
to 228cm below maximum with water now being let out for canal top up
rather than dam maintenance purposes. Early in the morning on the Sailing Shore
there were 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher
and a Common Tern (GR). Later in the day 4 Oystercatchers,
1 Little Ringed Plover and a Lesser Whitethroat were
present (IW). Four cattle are now grazing the
Anglesey Basin heath. At dusk there was an angler's fire burning on
Pimpernel Point and the gull roost totaled 2 Lesser Black-backs and a
Black-headed Gull (GE). |
|
- 21st
|
-
- 16°C
-
Sunny intervals
- W3
|
|
The CWG outdoor meeting centred on the North Shore
and produced 4 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers,
1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Oystercatchers, a Snipe,
1 Great Black-back, 7 Lesser Black-backs, 1 Black-headed
Gull, 4 Goosanders, a Cuckoo, 2 reeling Grasshopper
Warblers, 9 redpolls and 9 Red Deer (GE, NS, IW, N, PS,
TH, BS). Eight Green Hairstreaks, a Comma, several Orange Tips and a
Speckled Wood were seen earlier in the day (EO).
|
|
On Cuckoo Bank there were 2 Little Grebes, 2
Sparrowhawks, 3 Buzzards, 8 Swallows, 80+ Crows, Great Spotted
Woodpecker, over 40 Linnets and a Peregrine circling high and
diving towards Norton Bog. Good butterfly numbers with
4 Green-veined Whites, 10+ Peacocks, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, Comma
and several male Orange Tips (EO).
|
|
|
22nd
|
-
- 17°C
-
Sunny intervals
- SSW2
|
| At the Slurry Pool there was a singing Reed
Warbler and Sedge Warbler along with a Cuckoo and 15
Sand Martins. On the Sailing and North Shores there were 4 Ringed
Plovers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Oystercatchers
and 2 Grasshopper Warblers. 3 Common Terns were present
and the gull roost consisted of 2 Lesser Black-backs and a
Black-headed Gull (GE). A Yellow Wagtail was also seen (GR). |
|
- 23rd
-
|
- 16°C
-
Sunny intervals
- S3
|
| At dusk there were 4 Oystercatchers,
a Little Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwings, 2 Common Terns, 4
Black-headed Gulls and a Grasshopper Warbler (GE). With the
water level now 238 cm below maximum the island is now joined to the
west shore. |
|
- 24th
-
|
- 18°C
-
Sunny intervals
- SSE4
|
| A late dusk bike ride produced Cuckoo
and Sedge Warbler at the Slurry Pool, Common Sandpiper
calling over the lake, Little Ringed Plover on the South
Shore and 4 medium/small bats at the south end of the dam (GE). |
| At 16:20 a Red Kite was
seen over the Summerfield Road area of Chasetown and
was watched for a good 15-20 minutes before it finally headed
towards Hammerwich with two crows pursuing it (JL). |
|
- 25th
- Sat
|
- 14°C
-
Sunny intervals
- S3
|
| An early start meant that for the first
2 hours the only canine I encountered was a Fox at the end of Fly
Bay where I also had brief and inconclusive views of what was almost
certainly Chasewater's first Turtle Dove for many years. Two Ravens flew north between
the Swag and the Slurry Pool at 06:35. 32 Swifts were over
the lake with about 120 Sand Martins, 40 Swallows and 1-2 House
Martins. 3-5 Oystercatchers were present along with 2 Ringed
Plovers, drake Gadwall and Shoveler, a Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler,
a Grey Wagtail, a
Buzzard, an intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull,
3 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Terns and a Stock Dove. The Sedge
Warbler and Cuckoo were again very vocal at the Slurry
Pool (GE). The terrapin has appeared again for another year and was
perched, as usual, on the 'No Swimming' sign on the Nine Foot Pool
(TS) (which presumably is now only the One Foot since the water
level has been drawn down 8 feet). |
| 2 Garden Warblers were singing
near Biddulph's Pool. On Cuckoo Bank at least 4 Grasshopper
Warblers were reeling, several Whitethroats were present
but no Stonechats were seen (GE). |
| A Common Sandpiper was at
Stubbers Green (GE). |
|
-
26th
- Sun
|
- 15°C
- Sunny
intervals
- S3
|
|
Another busy day with a vintage car rally on the South
Shore. Two Common Terns, 3 Ringed Plovers, 4 Oystercatchers,
a Cormorant, 20 Black-headed Gulls, 17 Swifts, a pair of Gadwall, 2 Buzzards and a
Sparrowhawk were all seen but no hint of the passage noted elsewhere
in the region eg. 5 Whiskered Terns at Croxall! (GE).
|
|
- 27th
|
- 10°C
- Heavy
rain
- W2
|
| Unfortunately it seems no-one was
around to see if the heavy morning rain brought anything down but by
early evening there were 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Little Ringed
Plover, 3 Oystercatchers and 2 Gadwall (GE). |
|
- 28th
|
- 10°C
- Showers,
cloudy
- NNW2
|
|
Maximum counts for the day included 1 Dunlin, 5 Ringed
Plovers, 3 Little Ringed Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers,
3 Oystercatchers, 3 Gadwall, 2 Common Terns, a Cuckoo,
2 White Wagtails, Grasshopper Warbler, 150 Swifts,
<100 House Martins, 60 Sand Martins, 40 Swallows
and several Reed Warblers were singing around the Slurry Pool (GR,
PW). At 19:45 as I was watching four free running dogs simultaneously
clearing the Sailing and South Shores of any bird-life, I received a
text from JW to say that two very angry and shocked Waterski Club members had witnessed the
cob Mute Swan being either savaged to death or drowned by two Huskies
and when they had tried to speak to the dogs' owner they had been verbally
abused. I know my thoughts, what are yours? (GE)
|
|
A gloomy start on Cuckoo Bank with just 15 Linnets, 2
Grey Partridges, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and 50+ Carrion Crows
on the top fields. A possible parakeet was heard in Eights Wood, a
Little Grebe was on the top pool, 3 Buzzards were over the heath and
a Cuckoo was calling (EO).
|
|
-
29th
|
- 14°C
- Sunny
intervals
- S3
|
| A quick look from the South Shore at
19:20 produced 5 Oystercatchers including the pair on the
North Shore and the three alternating between the shore by the pier
and the Sailing Shore depending on dog activity; 6 were off the lead
at the time (GE). |
|
|
30th
|
- 12°C
- Heavy
showers
- SW2
|
| Two Ringed Plovers, two Oystercatchers
and a pair of Gadwall were on the South Shore and a Common
Tern and up to 200 hirundines and Swifts were over the lake during
the evening (GE). |
|
