This morning Slavonian Grebe well out in reservoir with shoveler. Then yachts started sailing and at 13:00 Grebe was in front of Cheddar tower. When I left at 14:00 it had moved clockwise round to south side where the common scoter had been showing.
At 17:00, male common scoter about 100 metres or so out in south-western quadrant. Slavonian grebe still present but even further out and near to middle of reservoir.
two Song Thrush, a calling Bullfinch ,Buzzard, several Chiff Chaff, Two Grey Wagtail ten Goosander [4 m] and what appeared to be a group of eleven Shoveller. just slightly out of “bin range” to confirm
The description of the red billed Tufted Duck suggests it is probably the Rosy-billed Pochard often to be found at Apex Lake in Burnham.
Three wheatears below the west side of the reservoir this afternoon (two male; one female). No sign of the goosander. One of the male tufted ducks has a bright red bill, looks knobbly so I guess a deformity?
4 males this am and the calling of two Chiff Chaff in the wooded area alongside the football pitch/cycle path… further sign that spring/summer is here !! or close to being so..
23-Mar-2018
A quick ‘scope scan, in passing, from the Cheddar Tower saw 7 Goosander (3M) early-afternoon.
Pair of goosander, three sand martins and two meadow pipits this afternoon from the Holwell Lane scaffolding ramp area. Also one redwing, one fieldfare and two song thrushes on the playing field. [I was somewhat alarmed the other day to find people surveying for housing along the lane including the field between the Strawberry Line and the reservoir.]
Teusday morning seen one male and two female goosander, while this am there were two males an one female , in both instances close to the Cheddar tower
At least two Med Gulls in the gull roost this evening. Also a male goosander. No sign of the Dunlin at the sailing club.
Two male and one female goldeneye late afternoon and the Dunlin asleep on the pontoon
Male Goldeneye and pair of Goosander.
Dunlin again by the sailing club this afternoon
Dunlin still by sailing club this afternoon, braving paddling dogs and children and retreating to the pontoon when it got too manic. Also pair of pintail and three teal with shoveller, gadwall, mallard and pochard and saw great created grebes perform the weed dance. Green woodpecker in trees below the reservoir on the west side (is that Middlemoor Lane?) plus about 15 meadow pipits on the side of the reservoir and a flock of about 40 lapwing flew north towards the Mendip. Grey wagtail the only bird of interest I could find on the Strawberry Line.
two single Dunlin this am, at the boathouse and on the opposite side of the res’,.. in Middlemoor lane, a green woody and a treecreeper