At spit now - only 3 common sandpiper (again haven’t fully covered other half of shore), 4 teal, 12 gadwall (more on west side & 2 juv BH gulls), 1 grey heron (2 in shallows), 1 little egret, 18 Canadas (34 more with 6 mutes on west side) and the black swan, plus a GBB gull (that was also here yesterday). Also summer plumage redshank on opposite side of sailing club & an oystercatcher flew along shore without appearing to land

N.B. Sean saw the LRP and counted 40 gadwall (well up on yesterday), but I’ve noticed very few GC grebes on last 3 visits

LRP present this morning (& was photographed yesterday, so didn’t become peregrine snack), there are c.15 common sandpiper around the sailing club/ spit (haven’t walked west or South sides). 3 grey heron, 1 little egret, still 53 canadas inc. 1 separatist on spit, the black and 10 mute swans, with at least 3 teal, 7 gadwall & 2 swifts. Also male Linnet feeding 2 juveniles

1 LRP, 2 common sandpiper and 2 oystercatchers on spit this morning until local peregrine passed through. Black swan south of cheddar tower with 7 mutes and 50+ Canadas. Also 1 juvenile BH gull amongst 30 (mostly adults), 2 grey herons and 2 little egrets.

The suspension will be in effect from sunset on Thursday 17 July till sunset Friday 18 July.

4 LRPs either side of Cheddar Tower this morning.  Black Swan on the spit. Reservoir now temporarily closed again.

For information, the reservoir is closed to public from sunset tonight until Monday

Yesterday late morning, oystercatcher, redshank and 3 common sandpipers on the spit near the Sailing Club.

3 redshanks on water’s edge between Cheddar Tower and sailing club, before being flushed by dogs.

A common tern fishing at the reservoir late morning.

A drake garganey at the south end of the reservoir this morning was a surprise.  Also 4 common sandpipers, 2 mallard ducklings broods (4 and 9) and 3 drake gadwall.

Lesser whitethroat singing from hedgerow on west side of reservoir. Another singing further away ti the south. Just 3 common sandpipers around the perimeter. 6 gadwall and a pair of shoveler the only other birds of note.

Possibly my worst bird count when boats / boards not present - except 2 common sandpiper on west side, there were only 5 GC grebes, similar number of cormorant, 10 coot, c.20 mallard, a few pied wagtail and some herring/ LBB gulls. Willow warbler singing by axbridge car park though

A group of 7 common sandpipers near Cheddar Tower (there was a loose flock of about 14 flying about last Tuesday). Singing sedge warbler on the west side. Singing Cetti by the sailing club probably means at least 4 territories now occupied (1 by rugby pitch and at least 2 in the lane on the west side).

I hadn’t seen any sand martins this year but, fortunately, had a short walk from the Cheddar Tower towards the yacht club late morning. They were present in really significant numbers but I made no attempt to count them all. Wonderful sight. Also there was a Grey Wagtail and, amongst the gulls, a single Med Gull.

No sign of BNGs today and they don’t seem to have been reported since Sat 29th. Just 1 cetti’s warbler, a pair of grey wagtails and 3m,2f tufties of interest, before sunset