Saturday 31st May 2014

1100 - 1215 : Pochard, Mallard 20+, Tufted 8, Coot 12, Moorhen, Heron 3, Lapwing, Mute Swan 2 + 2 cygnet, Canada Geese 60+, G C Grebe 2, L B B Gull 7, B H Gull 11, Green Woodpecker, G S Woodpecker, Swallow 2, Swift 2, Sand Martin 2, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap 2, Willow Warbler 2, Reed Bunting, Skiylark, Chaffinch f, Goldfinch 2, Long Tailed Tit 10+ family group, Jackdaw 5, + regulars.

Also seen - Speckled Wood, Small White 2, Burnet Companion 6, Nettle Tap 3, Latticed Heath. Photo's : Pochard and Burnet Companion moth (with a green flower beetle). (PPN / GWR)

Friday 30th May 2014

0915 - 1030 : Buzzard 3 over, Heron 3 on sunken boats, Lapwing, G C Grebe 2, Mute Swan 2 + 2 cygnets, Canada Goose 60+, Mallard 15, Tufted 8, Coot 9, L B B Gull 7, B H Gull 8, Magpie 14, Carrion Crow 4, Swift 40+, Sand Martin 20+, House Martin 5, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap 2, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler 4 + at least 2 young birds, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Linnet 4, Goldfinch 5, Chaffinch, Greenfinch 1 + at least 4 young birds, Blackbird 3, Robin 2, Dunnock, House Sparrow 2, Starling 12, Wren 2 + 2 young birds, Wood Pigeon 8, Feral Pigeon 3. (total 37. no Moorhen or Terns seen).

Also seen - Green Lacewing 2 and Degeers Longhorn. Photo's : one of three Buzzards seen and Degeers Longhorn moth. (GWR)

Thursday 29th May 2014

1515 - 1545 : Oystercatcher (back to 2 birds today), Lapwing, L B B Gull 4, B H Gull 5, Sand Martin 10, Swift 20+, Swallow 5, Blackcap, Willow Warbler only species of note.

Photo - Chiffchaff on 26th May 2014. (GWR)

Wednesday 28th May 2014

1000 - 1030 (rain) : Common Tern, Heron, Swift 30+, Sand Martin 40+, Swallow 10+, House Martin 15+, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, G C Grebe 2, Mute Swan pair+ 2 cygnets, L B B Gull 2, Black-headed Gull 18, Moorhen 2, Tufted 6, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Linnet 4, Blackbird 4, Dunnock, Great Tit 2, etc

Photo's : Southern Marsh Orchid and Birds-foot Trefoil growing along the canal towpath. Make the most of it before the Waterways mowers come along and destroy it all in their desperation to turn everywhere into a lawn. (GWR)

Tuesday 27th May 2014

1550 - 1610 : Buzzard, Common Tern 2, Grey Wagtail 2, Oystercatcher, Great Crested Grebe 2, Heron 2, Sand Martin 40+, Swallow 10, House Martin 4, Swift 2, Herring Gull 3, Lesser Black-backed Gull 4, Black-headed Gull 10, + regulars.

Photo's : male Common Blue with torn forewing and other slight damage, and Angle Shades moth, both seen on 26th May 2014. (GWR)

Monday 26th May 2014 (Spring Bank Holiday)

1215 - 1430 : Common Tern, B H Gull (21 @ brickworks field), L B B Gull 11, Heron 2, Mute Swan pair with 2 cygnets, Lapwing (1 + 2 @ at brickworks field), Oystercatcher, Canada Geese, Mallard 10+, Tufted 4, Coot 20+, Moorhen, G C Grebe 2, Carrion Crow 4, Jackdaw 2, Magpie 3, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff 2, Blackcap, Swift 4, Swallow 2, Reed Bunting, Linnet, Greenfinch, Goldfinch 9, Bullfinch, Chaffinch 2, Skylark, Blackbird 2, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Starling 4, Wood Pigeon 15, Feral Pigeon 2, Great Titi 2, Blue Tit 3, Long-tailed Tit 2. (total 40).

Also seen - Common Blue m, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Small White 3, Burnet Companion 5, Angle Shades, Blue-tailed Damselfly 6. Photo - Pied Wagtail amongst the daisies along Stubbers Green Road, Sunday 25th May 2014. (PPN / GWR)

Sunday 25th May 2014

1500 - 1615 : Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Common Tern, L B B Gull 7, B H Gull 6, Heron, G C Grebe, Mute Swan, Coot 20+, Moorhen 3 + juvenile, Mallard 15 + young, Tufted Duck 2, Canada Goose 77, Pied Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler 2, Chiffchaff, Swallow 4, Swift 8, Sand Martin 2, Reed Bunting pair + 2 young, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Linnet 4, Bullfinch 2, G S Woodpecker 2, Robin 2 + 3 young, Dunnock 3, Blackbird 2, Song Thrush, Wood Pigeon 5, Feral Pigeon, Carrion Crow 3, Rook 4, Jackdaw 6, Magpie 2, Great Tit 2, L T Tit 2, Blue Tit, Skylark. (total 40).

Also seen - Speckled Wood, Small White, Burnet Companion 3. Photo - male Bullfinch seen on 24th May 2014. (GWR)

Saturday 24th May 2014

Water levels high due to recent rain. 1510 - 1620 : Heron 3, Herring Gull, L B B Gull 4, G C Grebe, Moorhen juvenile, Sedge Warbler, Swift 12, Swallow 4, G S Woodpecker, Bullfinch pair, Goldfinch 6, Linnet, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Starling 3, Blackbird 3, etc.

Photo : Linnet seen on the 8th May. (GWR)

Friday 23rd May 2014

0930 - 1030 : Oystercatcher, Cormorant, G C Grebe, Heron, Mute Swan (pair with only 2 cygnets today), Moorhen 2, L B B Gull 3, B H Gull 5, Common Tern, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler 2, Swift 35 with more coming in, Sand Martin 20, Swallow 5, Bullfinch pair, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet 2, Blackbird 6, Great Tit 4, Blue Tit, plus usual waterbirds (Canada's/Mallards/Coots/Tufted), most with young.

Photo : male Reed Bunting on 18th May. (GWR)

Wednesday 21st May

1530 - 1630 : Lesser Black-backed Gull 55, Herring Gull 3, Black-headed Gull 33, Common Tern 2, Great Crested Grebe 2, Heron 2, Lapwing, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Must Swan pair + 3 cygnets, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Swift 4, Swallow 2, Buzzard, + usual stuff. (GWR)

Tuesday 20th May 2014

1545 - 1700 : Lesser Black-backed Gull 28, Herring Gull 2, Black-headed Gull 6, Common Tern 2, Lapwing 2, Moorhen, Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Starling 4, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler 2, Chiffchaff 2, Linnet 3, Swift 4, Sand Martin 6, Jackdaw 2, Sparrowhawk (over quarry) + regulars.

Also seen - Dingy Shell, Burnet Companion 4, Speckled Wood. Photo : slightly blurry Skylark in songflight over the quarry on 18th May 2014.(GWR)

Monday 19th May 2014

A few Common Blues and Dingy Skippers seen this morning at the quarry.(PPN)

Photo shows a young Grey Wagtail in a weeping willow at the Swag, Sunday 18th May 2014. (GWR)

Sunday 18th May 2014

0930 - 1200 : Mute Swan (pair with three cygnets, pictured), Canada Goose 25+, Mallard 20+, Tufted Duck 8, Coot 12, Moorhen, Heron 3, G C Grebe 4, Little Ringed Plover 2, Lapwing 2, Herring Gull, L B B Gull 6, Black-headed Gull 15+, Common Tern 2, Carrion Crow 6, Jackdaw 2, Magpie 5, Swift 6, Swallow 3, Sand Martin 4, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat 2, Blackcap, Willow Warbler 2, Skylark, Reed Bunting 2m & f, Blackbird 2, Robin 2, Dunnock, Starling 2, Wren 3, Chaffinch m, Goldfinch 2, Linnet 2, Great Tit 4, Long-tailed Tit (flock of 12 including young birds), Grey Wagtail ( 1 + 2 young birds), Buzzard (over Swag). (38).

Also seen - Dingy Skipper 2, Green-veined White 2, Orange Tip f, Speckled Wood 3, Peacock 3. (GWR)

Saturday 17th May 2014

Rather quiet on the bird-front. Only Pied Wagtail, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Common Tern, Buzzard, G C Grebe 4, Skylark, Bullfinch 2 and Jackdaw 12 of note.

Insects seen 1600 - 1800 : Dingy Skipper 4, Common Blue 2m, Large White, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Burnet Companion 20+, Latticed Heath 6, Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly. Photo's : poor, distant shots of Dingy Skippers. (GWR)

Friday 16th May 2014

1600 - 1700 : Raven (quarry), Buzzard, Heron 2, Common Tern 2, Lapwing, G C Grebe 2, Black-headed Gull 25, L B B Gull 6, Jackdaw 3, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler 2, Chiffchaff, Swallow 3, Linnet 2, Goldfinch 7, Bullfinch 2, Great Tit 3, Long-tailed Tit 6, Wren + regulars.

Also seen were Burnet Companion 6, Latticed Heath, Orange Tip 3m, Brimstone m, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell. Photo : Cormorant on the Swag 8th April 2014. (GWR)

Thursday 15th May 2014

Only Lesser Whitethroat (in song) and Buzzard (circling over) of interest during a brief visit at 1000. Common Tern (2 seen over Swan Pool during the evening).

Photo : male Blackbird in Swag-side willow on 12th May 2014.(PPN)

Wednesday 14th May 2014

Footpath etc 1515 - 1615 : Rook (2 over), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail 2, Willow Warbler 2, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch 2, Starling 2, Long-tailed Tit 2, House Martin 2, Heron 2, L B B Gull 9, B H Gull 25+, Lapwing 2, Mute Swan 2, + usual birds at pools.

Also seen - Latticed Heath, poss. Dingy Skipper, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip m&f, Green-veined White 3, Small White, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Peacock 5, Hairy Shieldbug, Green Lacewing. Photo is of a Goldfinch near the quarry on 11th May 2014. (GWR)

Tuesday 13th May 2014

Footpath etc 0915-0945 : Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, Willow Warbler, Blackcap 2, Whitethroat, Skylark, Long-tailed Tit 2, Blue Tit, Blackbird 3, Robin 4, Wren, Starling 4, Linnet 2, Swift 4, House Sparrow 2, Wood Pigeon 8, Feral Pigeon, Magpie 2, Carrion Crow 2, Common Tern (2 over Swan Pool), Mute Swan (pair at Swan Pool). Green-veined White 2, Small White.

Photo's show Long-tailed Tits near the SeaStrike building. (GWR)

Monday 12th May 2014

0920 - 1000 highlights - Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Common Tern 2, Swift 8, Swallow 6, House Martin 8, Sand Martin 15+, L R Plover 2, Oystercatcher, G C Grebe, 2, Pied Wagtail, Long-tailed Tit 2.

Photo's show Common Terns on 25th April. (GWR)

Sunday 11th May 2014

0900 - 1050 showery/windy weather : Sedge Warbler (in song, see photo), Whitethroat (in song), Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler (2 in song), Pied Wagtail 4, Swift 9, Swallow 5, House Martin 7, Sand Martin 15+, Common Tern, Reed Bunting, Skylark (in song), G C Grebe 3, Mute Swan 2, Oystercatcher, Moorhen 3, Coot 12+, Tufted Duck 8, Mallard 18, Canada Goose 20 + 4 gosling, Heron 2, L B B Gull 7, B H Gull 6, Green Woodpecker, L T Tit 4, Great Tit 2, Robin 2, Starling 4, Dunnock 4, Blackbird 5, Song Thrush (in song), Wren, Linnet 6, Goldfinch 3, Chaffinch, Wood Pigeon 15+, Feral Pigeon 4, Carrion Crow 4, Jackdaw 2, Magpie 10+, Sparrowhawk (over quarry). (41).

Grey Squirrel (along footpath, not often seen), Brown Rat 2, Toadlet (small toad at back of Swan Pool, see photo). (GWR)