toward the river. several Blackcaps in song along with Chiff Chaff, around10 spots of Reed Warblers, single Heron heading toward the ‘res and a Sparrowhawk ,seen twice

There were several common whitethroat singing late yesterday acternoon so hopefully they will nest between the reservoir and Strawberry Line again. I think there are now two reed warblers in the few reeds on the Strawberry Line just down from. Holwell Lane but they are the devil to get a decent siting of and only sing specifically.

I took a relatively early morning cycle around the reservoir today; sightings of note were a gull roost of mostly LBBG and herring gulls, plenty of great crested grebes, a pair of tufted ducks, 12+ mute swans, decent numbers of swallows overhead, at least 2 white wagtails in amongst the pied wagtails that frequent the banks and 3 common sandpipers.

Saturday morning to the river, very good numbers of Reed Warbler including a location as far up the drove to the reservoir end as i have ever heard, around a dozen + birds singing up the drove, close up of a pair gathering nesting material , a few Chiff Chaff and two Bullfinch calling [audible only] 3 Skylark at the river in good voice

Friday am along the Cycle path , two Thrush 3 male blackcap and a pair of Dunnock

Large flock of 100 plus mostly housemartins over the reservoir this afternoon with some sandmartins and a few swallows. Lots more swallows over the fields and I counted at least 50 sitting together on the wires. Two song thrushes singing and a green woodpecker called. The whitethroat put in a brief appearance and I had a lovely view of the reed warbler singing from a Hawthorne.

Reed warbler has joined the common whitethroat on the Strawberry Line

Lesser whitethroat singing near the start of the now cut reeds this afternoon. Pair of Skylarks and reed warblers but couldn’t find any wheatear. at the river. The yellow wagtails were near the car park below the reservoir

Common whitethroat this morning by the Strawberry Line just down from Holwell Lane. Thanks both for the reports of yellow wagtail and wheatear. Found both the other day plus a dunlin with the common sands.

down to toward the river a Male Reed Bunting and around 5 House Martins swooping along it, a Green Woody and further on at the old iron /concrete bridge 3 Northern Wheatear possibly 4, all together ,in splendid condition , back up to the res and a group of about 30 mixed Martins and Swallow and one Common Sand on the pontoon

What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday, little of note, this evening hundreds of swallows and martins feeding over the trees to the east of the pumping station and along the southern end of Portmeade Drove, with many resting on bushes and fence wires.  Still yellow and white wagtails in the fields between Stubbington Drove and the end of Portmeade Drove: I counted five of each here.  Also 13 common sandpipers along the west bank.  Thanks to Dan Watson via Twitter for his report of this morning’s sightings.

Yeah, I know, seen a dipped there too.

Lovely flock of 100 plus swallows, housemartins and sandmartins over the Cheddar end of the reservoir late morning. Searched but couldn’t find a swift.

The only birds of note during a quick tour first thing were three Common Sandpipers and a Mallard with 14 ducklings.  No martins or Swallows.

just a week into their arrival and the Reed Warblers have been evicted!! the thatch was mown yesterday and they have now re located into the hedgerows, where i was given a 3+ minute close up of a male in full voice, totally in the open and high up in a tree, also single willow warbler and a Jay

probable Whimbrel in the newly ploughed field over the river end of Stubbington Drove around 08:45 ,startled as i walked over the bridge and flew off toward A38 ,and a pair of common sand’ on the res’ [lane side]