I walk around the reservoir daily and on Friday I approached a woman with 2 dogs off the lead and running freely where the sheep are. I reminded her that dogs should be kept on leads and I was met with verbal abuse. Sadly that is usually the case.

Single Dunlin the only bird of note this morning

2 Little tern currently buzzing about the north end.

Certainly an idea, and I shall contact them over the weekend. I’m not anti-dog, but owners should be a bit concerned about their dogs swimming out too far, and the possibility of blue-green algae. I’d love to see some fencing erected around a section of the western edge where birds could feed undisturbed, but that’s perhaps a bit ambitious. A tern raft could be more manageable.
Of slightly more concern has been a few owners letting their dog run out of control and chasing sheep, very much the minority but very stressful for the sheep, and unpleasant to witness.

On a slightly more positive note, the water level appears to be dropping, hopefully good news for the autumn!

Hi Daniel,  How about contacting Wessex Water and asking them to put up 20 or so new signs round the reservoir, about dogs on leads.  It’s the sort of thing they might be surprisingly sympathetic to.  Also, perhaps Somerset Ornithological Society could offer to pay for half the cost of the signs??? 

I know, it’s all a bit ‘pigs might fly’, instead of birds flying off, but if you are a regular user of the site, and make a good argument backed up by SOS, they might just listen!

You should try having it as your local patch Jeff,  I’ve given up trying to reason with folks. Such a shame as it means that any waders/passerines on the shore get constantly flushed. At least the ducks, gulls and terns are more likely to hang about!

25-May-2018
No sign of yesterday’s Black Terns at Cheddar Res this morning, only a single Common Tern; but later, at Chew Valley Lake, a single Black Tern at 11:30 hrs.
The pair of Mandarins still at Cheddar Res trying to evade the dashes of a small dog that was chasing them into the water. Entrance sign say’s please keep your dog on a lead and do not allow it into the water. I asked the owner about this and her reply was that dogs naturally chase ducks. (sigh!!)

After a lean few weeks, my 47th visit since moving to the county produced another treat this evening - 4 pristine Black tern hawking over the res. As usual, some very poor record shots on my twitter account.

Two little gulls, kittiwake on red buoy and common sand late afternoon.

2cy Little gull (presumably the individual I found some 14+ days ago) and the Kittiwake (likely also 2cy based on slightly better views) present in the murk this evening, also a Commic tern was at the southern end.

Wheatear and common sandpiper between Cheddar Tower and scaffolding bridge this afternoon.

A fine Kittiwake and the 2cy Little gull present this evening when I had a quick look, couple of ropy record shots on my twitter feed.

Very quiet first thing this morning: just 3 common sandpipers, a solitary little grebe, a few swifts and swallows moving through, reed warbler off the west bank and Cetti’s warbler south of the clubhouse.  No sign of the little gull today.

Between 11.30 and 12.30 the birds coping best in the windy conditions were 4 terns out in the middle of the reservoir. With just binoculars it was difficult to say with certainty whether they were Common or Arctic Terns but I lean towards the former.
The long-staying Little Gull was hunkered down on the pontoon in front of the yacht club and towards the Cheddar Tower some Mallard appeared uncomfortable that they had ventured well away from calm waters.
Along the southern perimeter where the wave action was much calmer about 8 Common Sandpipers flew away from the edge, leaving another 7 on the concrete.
The pair of Mandarins were loafing among Mallards, out of the water, near the Axbridge entrance.
Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin were all present but only seen in very small numbers.