Kittiwakes down to just 1 imm this morning

cettis warbler heard briefly this AM between the cycle track and the 2nd phase of the Bloor housing development

Was told of a Little Gull when I arrived just after 4 this afternoon and eventually I could confirm 2 a bit later, both imms. 

2 Arctic Tern ranging around and giving super views when close to the sailing club.  1 Common favoured the southwest corner.

2 imm and 1, probably 2, ad Kittiwake.

4 or 5 Goosander and the RC Pochard.

Loads of hirundines, mainly Sand Martins but plenty of Swallows and I saw 1 House Martin.

The 3 adults were still there at 5pm, all giving very close views - although one was also in the field behind the sailing club!

4 Kittiwakes were present around midday, 3 ad and 1 imm, the latter showing down to 3m. Also 2 sum plum Med Gulls, 1 full ad, 1 sub-ad. The drake RC Pochard and a female Goosander too.

Ps. Checked Cheddar Gorge as well but saw no swifts.

A Cetti’s warbler heard briefly in the copse/scrub north of the rugby pitch. (My first here - did they used to be regular?). 3 goosander (1 male) still around. 2 great and 5 little egrets in the fields to the west. A buzzard circled over. Water level at maximum!

3 Sand Martins (between Axbridge entrance & Sailing Club) and a Female Goosander (South side) this morning.  Time to start the Spring 2023 thread??

Shelduck flew north from the reservoir at midday - a scarce species here.

Curlew flew west over the reservoir at 10.55, a new reservoir bird for me! The RC Pochard back in the southwest corner with his mallard buddies. A pair of goosander south of Cheddar Tower.  The pochard hybrid with sizeable pochard flock by the sailing club. And increased numbers of pied wags and meadow pipits all the way round.

First sand Martin of the year just before midday

Pochard hybrid was with a small group of pochard by Cheddar Tower midday. Very few diving ducks around. Just one female goosander. Both great and little egret in fields to the southwest.

Really interesting, Tim, and a bird I’d like to see, so will try at the weekend I hope. Might be the hybrid individual that is occasionally seen at Blagdon.

Having looked at Collins, it seems to be a pochard x ferruginous hybrid. It was near the Axbridge entrance.

A very confiding dunlin on the west side this afternoon. Also a pair of goosander and a very strange Aythia hybrid - a male Pochard x something. Pochard coloured and shaped head. Dark smokey grey sides and darker mantle neatly delineated. Whitish undertail coverts.

RCP back with the mallard near axbridge entrance, female goosander along west edge & finally a Canada goose is back (in the middle!) Male goosander at SW & 40+ shoveler right out, plus 2 male gadwall amongst the coot. Green woodpecker heard to north & drumming GSW to south. Only 1 pair of tufties & 2 male pochard in SE, about 30 pied wagtail circled over me from playing fields & back, with chiffchaff & greenfinch singing amongst the trees. Grey wagtail between clubhouse and axbridge entrance. More of BH gulls seem to have goods now, but nowhere near majority