18-Sep-2026
Cheddar Res - part drained (3.00 pm 18-Sep). Distant waders on the exposed island between Cheddar Tower & Yacht Club: Ruff 4, Ringed Plover 5, Common Sandpiper 2, Dunlin 4 and Curlew Sandpiper 2 juvs.

2 Curlew Sandpipers currently with the ruff, dunlin and ringed plovers (there have been brief glossy ibises and common terns reported last couple of days and 3 spotted redshank stayed longer, but now gone). Garganey and RC Pochard present but not always easy to find. Ringed great egret AJP usually around.

Amongst the 21 mute swans, I’ve seen legs of 14, including the following:
White AJX hatched Abbotsbury 2024. Ringed 14th October 2024. Female. Metal ring AS02091. Last sighted Abbotsbury 5th May 2025.
White ALU hatched Abbotsbury 2025. Ringed 29th September 2025. Male. Metal ring AS02105. Last sighted Abbotsbury 4th July 2026. No previous reports away from Abbotsbury.
white AOL, which is a 2025 Abbotsbury hatched male cygnet ringed on the 16th October 2025. Its metal ring is AS02140. It was last sighted at Abbotsbury on the 17th April 2026. The is the first report we’ve had of it since.

This morning Little Stint, 2 Ruff, Redshank, Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plovers all on the island spit.

Island just appearing. Male and female ruff, 2 redshank, adult and juv common terns. Also little stint south of Cheddar Tower with 5 ringed plovers. 3 snipe. Blackwit on spit before everything was flushed by dog. Egyptian goose flew off as I arrived. GBB Gull still.

Midday today, 3 Black Tern, 3 Blackwit, 5 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper and 4 Redshank

The 3 black terns still this morning.. The female RC Pochard near Axbridge Tower. Also 2 GBB gulls still, half a dozen ringed plovers and common sandpipers and a redshank found by someone else (thanks!).

This morning 3 Black Tern, 1 Little Gull, 6 GWE, 4 L Egret, 1 Ringed-Plover, 4 Common Sandpipers, 2 Snipe and 5 Turnstone, a new bird for me on the Res

Little stint for last 3 days, 2 ringed and 3 LRPs, 7 blackwits, 1 little grebe. Great egret AJP has returned for this autumn

A good morning with wood sandpiper and black tern near Cheddar Tower. LRP and common sandpiper still on the spit. Mike M had 2 dunlin and ringed plover there yesterday evening.

Early morning 2 cattle egrets (1 juvenile still with dark bill) and 1 LRP on the spit. Also GBB Gull. Little grebe again near Axbridge entrance.

3 black-tailed godwits and 2 common sandpipers on the spit mid-morning (before being flushed by dogs). Also kingfisher with fish on the Sailing Club pontoon. Earlier Sean D. had 2 common terns, 13 cattle egrets and an oystercatcher.

Not much change at the reservoir. 3 LRPs and a common sandpiper on the spit and beach along with a GBB gull. Over 240 Canada geese and 2 pochard near Cheddar Tower.

Still there late evening. Also little grebe (almost scarcer than black necks here!)

4 LRP yesterday afternoon and today

Water level down significantly now. Spit appearing near sailing club.  Just 2 juvenile LRPs and a common sandpiper there this morning. At least 2 clouded yellow butterflies on the bank.