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Sightings archive

August 2019

August 31st
Lea Farm GP – Greenshank, Hobby hunting low over Loddon 100m before hide, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Snipe (FJC); Pintail female (Geoff Emmett); Garganey (Roger Stansfield)
Lavell’s Lake – Redstart first winter male still at the top of the car park field, Hobby hawking insect above (Brian Bennett); 2 Redstart still the first winter male and a female, Lesser Whitethroat in the car park field (Marek Walford); 2 Snipe on the bund (Tim James); Kingfisher (Steve Powers)
Sandford Lake – Pintail female a new bird! (Marek Walford)


Redstart at the top of the car park field – Roger Stansfield


Female Pintail at Sandford Lake – Roger Stansfield


Female Garganey at Lea Farm – Roger Stansfield

August 30th
Lea Farm GP – 2 Greenshank flew in now feeding in the south west corner, Reed Bunting male, 2 Common Sandpiper (Geoff Emmett)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Redstart adult male near style and first winter male (FJC and Tim James); Little Egret on the bund, 4 Snipe, Green Sandpiper (Bob Bennett); Hobby over lake (Steve Rogers); Kestrel in the wet meadow (Geoff Emmett)


Greenshank one of 2 at Lea Farm field – Geoff Emmett


Snipe at Lavell’s Lake – Steve Rogers

August 29th
Lea Farm GP – 34 Teal, 5 Green Sandpiper in the south west corner, 3 Snipe in the south west corner, 4 Common Sandpiper (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Garganey female, Snipe on the bund, 6 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 3 Redstart male female and juvenile male bottom of car park field on fence right in middle, 10+ Blackcap mostly around big Hawthorn, 55+ Ring-necked Parakeet inbound from East towards Black Swan in groups of around 17-20 (FJC); Spotted Flycatcher just arrived on same fence as the Redstarts (Trevor Guyatt); Pied Flycatcher juvenile seen briefly in bushes (Roger Stansfield)


Spotted Flycatcher in the car park field – Geoff Emmett


Male Redstart in the car park field – Caroline Moore


Male Redstart in the car park field – FJC


1st winter Redstart in the car park field – Andy Tomcyznski


Juvenile Pied Flycatcher in the car park field – Roger Stansfield

August 28th
Lea Farm GP – 32 Teal, 8 Green Sandpiper in the south west corner, 3 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpiper on the east shore, Pintail also still present, 2 Shoveler, Mandarin Duck (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Garganey female thoughts are that this might be a new bird, 2 Wigeon, Hobby (Richard Marsh); Greenshank heard from Loddon footpath (FJC); Hobby just landed on bush in front of tall Poplar (Trevor Guyatt); Sedge Warbler near Bittern hide (Paul Wright)
Black Swan Lake – Cetti’s Warbler singing near golf course stream (Jonny Cox)


Female Garganey at Lavell’s Lake – Gavin Turner


Sedge Warbler at Lavell’s Lake – Paul Wright

August 27th
Lea Farm GP – 6 Green Sandpiper, Snipe (John McGovan); 4 Whitethroat family group of 2 adults and 2 juveniles, 2 Reed Bunting male and female, 2 Kestrel on vents on the landfill, Kingfisher flew low over the lake near the hide (Geoff Emmett); 2 Common Sandpiper on east shore but very mobile, Cetti’s Warbler heard then seen, Sedge Warbler in the growth in front of the hide, 4 Snipe by Sand Martin wall, 3 Pied Wagtail all juveniles in the south west corner (Bob Bennett)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Green Sandpiper flying low around the lake (Richard Marsh)


Whitethroat at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 26th
Lea Farm GP – 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Snipe (Andy Dearing); Greenshank first spotted on mud at south west corner then flew to east bank adjacent to the beached raft (Tim James); Snipe showing well just under Ron’s hide (Robert Williams)
Lavell’s Lake – Greenshank calling from the west side, Garganey on the bund, Wheatear on vent viewed from end of car park field (Brian Bennett); Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier flew past hide (Gavin Turner); Hobby flew over the lake (Keith Milner)
Black Swan Lake – 24+ Swallow on power line on old golf course (Anne Cronin)


Marsh Harrier at Lavell’s Lake – Gavin Turner


Hobby at Lavell’s Lake – Keith Milner

August 25th
Lavell’s Lake – Spotted Flycatcher on tree right of old Oak near the Lea Farm Buildings, Hobby showing very well from Bittern hide catching Dragonflies and even chased a Kingfisher (FJC)


Hobby in Alder tree at Lavell’s Lake – FJC

August 24th
Lea Farm GP – 3 Green Sandpiper, 15 Teal, 22 Gadwall, 4 Shoveler, 3 Mandarin flying over, 3 Yellow Wagtail over east calling (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Water Rail in reeds on scrape, 4 Shoveler, Little Egret (Peter Scudamore)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Grey Wagtail on the old golf course, 23 Black Tern still present favouring the south and east side but are very mobile (FJC); Yellow Wagtail flushed by me flew towards the activity centre (Trevor Guyatt); 3 Common Tern, Cetti’s Warbler (Marek Walford)


23 Black Terns over Black Swan Lake – FJC

August 23rd
Lea Farm GP – 4 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 12 Teal, 2 remaining Common Tern chicks on the raft, Reed Warbler in front of the hide, Cetti’s Warbler calling near Teal scrape (FJC); 2 Snipe, Little Egret in the south west corner, 2 Kestrel on landfill vents (Richard Marsh)
Lavell’s Lake – Water Rail at the edge of reeds at the back of the scrape, Common Sandpiper flew on to bund, Kingfisher (Richard Marsh)
Black Swan Lake – 6 Swift, Little Egret over along Emm Brook, Great Black-backed Gull west (FJC)

August 22nd
Lea Farm GP – 38 Gadwall, 12 Teal, 3 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Swift over, 2 Dunlin on east shore (FJC); Wheatear on vents on landfill (Tim James)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Water Rail chased from area of cut reeds by Moorhen (Richard Marsh)
Black Swan Lake – Swift, 70+ mixed hirundines (FJC)
Mortimer’s Meadow – Wheatear south of pylons close to Bader Way (Andrew Merrick); seen later by Richard Marsh


Wheatear in Mortimer’s Meadow – Richard Marsh

August 21st
Lea Farm GP – 4 Green Sandpiper, 8 Teal (FJC); Common Sandpiper, Hobby in tree in the south west corner (Andy Tomcyznski); Little Egret, 7 Green Sandpiper, 4 Shoveler, 2 Sand Martin chicks still in the wall (Bob Bennett); 4 Greenshank on east shore (Brian Bennett); 2 Dunlin on east shore (Geoff Emmett); Whitethroat, Reed Warbler (Caroline Moore)
Black Swan Lake – 10+ Swift over lake between Islands (FJC)

August 20th
Lea Farm GP – 4 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Wheatear on a distant post on the landfill beyond northeast corner of lake, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff (Richard Marsh)
Lavell’s Lake – Kingfisher (Richard Marsh)
Mortimer’s Meadow – Whinchat showing well by phragmites near power lines at south end of meadow (Andrew Merrick); Redstart female showing well near Whinchat (Dave Rimes)


Whinchat in Mortimer’s Meadow – Richard Marsh


Whinchat in Mortimer’s Meadow – David Hampton


Female Redstart in Mortimer’s Meadow – FJC

August 19th
Lea Farm GP – 5 Green Sandpiper in the south west corner, 8 Teal, Snipe on the east shore (FJC); Kingfisher (Rick Dawson)
Lavell’s Lake – Willow Warbler singing by Betty’s bench, Garganey, 6 Gadwall (FJC); 4 Little Grebe 2 adults and 2 juveniles on the Balancing Pool, Sparrowhawk in bush far side of wet meadow (Richard Marsh); Water Rail on edge of newly cut area (Rick Dawson); Nuthatch on the ground seen from the Bittern hide (Steve Rogers)


Nuthatch on the ground at Lavell’s Lake – Steve Rogers

August 18th
Lea Farm GP – Kestrel hunting over the landfill, Whitethroat (Geoff Emmett)


Kestrel hunting over the landfill at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett


Whitethroat at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 17th
Lea Farm GP – 9 Green Sandpiper 8 in the south west corner with one off towards Lavell’s and 1 far north east corner, Common Sandpiper, 3 Teal, 25 Gadwall (FJC); Garganey juvenile (Paul Bright Thomas)
Lavell’s Lake – 3 Swift, Lesser Whitethroat in big Hawthorn to the left in the car park field (FJC)
Black Swan Lake – 3 Swift, 70+ House Martin, Sand Martin and Swallow (FJC)


The final Sand Martin young of the year at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 16th
Lea Farm GP – 6 Green Sandpiper, 6 Teal, 32 Gadwall, Mandarin Duck, Peregrine over heading south east along Emm Brook, Hobby low around big Hawthorn briefly then flew towards landfill (FJC); Garganey in the south west corner, Kestrel on post on the landfill (Richard Marsh)
Lavell’s Lake – Nuthatch in tree above entrance barrier, Green Sandpiper flew into water meadow area, 3 Kingfisher including one along the Loddon near the Green bridge (Richard Marsh)

August 15th
Lea Farm GP – Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 2 Teal, 30+ Gadwall, Little Egret to the left of the hide, 2 Shoveler, Garganey mostly asleep in the south west corner (Bob Bennett seen with Geoff Emmett); Kestrel on post on the landfill (Geoff Emmett)
Lavell’s Lake – Green Sandpiper on the bund (Alan Rymer); 3 Little Grebe on the Balancing Pool adult with young – second brood? (Tim James); Kingfisher seen from Bittern hide (Paul Wright)


Common Sandpiper at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett


Wren in the thicket at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 14th
Lea Farm GP – Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 4 Teal, 30 Gadwall, 4 Arctic Tern flew off south to Black Swan calling, Pintail female (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Tawny Owl calling on main island at west end (FJC); Kingfisher perched briefly in front of hide, Snipe in south west corner (Richard Marsh)
Black Swan Lake – 4 Arctic Tern arrived from Lea Farm albeit a brief stay (FJC)

August 13th
Lea Farm GP – 3 Black-tailed Godwit 2 more joined the long stayer (Andy Tomczynski); 4 Green Sandpiper, Garganey juvenile female, Hobby (Peter Newbound)
Lavell’s Lake – Willow Warbler singing by Jerry’s bench (Peter Scudamore); Barn Owl in the Wet meadows (Sharon Bell)


3 Black-tailed Godwits in flight at Lea Farm – Alan Travers

August 12th
Lea Farm GP – Black-tailed Godwit still present, 4 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper (Richard Marsh); Garganey juvenile female, Hobby sitting in Willow tree in the south west corner (Jenny Vaughan); 10 Common Tern chicks on raft, Pintail still present, Sand Martin chicks in 2 holes one as yesterday other was one with adults going in yesterday (Peter Scudamore)

August 11th
Lea Farm GP – 6 Green Sandpiper, 7 Raven on the landfill, Wood Sandpiper in the south west corner, Black-tailed Godwit (FJC); Garganey juvenile female in the south west corner, 2 Kestrel both juvenile on fence posts towards the north east corner of the landfill (Trevor Guyatt); Sand Martin young still being fed in different hole from last time and adults still coming and going in another hole, Pintail still present, Teal (Peter Scudamore)


Record shot of 4 of the 7 Ravens on the landfill at Lea Farm – FJC


Wood Sandpiper at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 10th
Lea Farm GP – 5 Green Sandpiper, 30 Gadwall, 2 Teal, Pintail, Garganey juvenile female in the south west corner, Black-tailed Godwit, Hobby chasing Sand Martins (FJC); Peregrine possible female flew south low over lake in front of hide and soared over river (Trevor Guyatt/Brian Bennett/John McGovan); Arctic Tern on the shingle island (Geoff Emmett)


Arctic Tern at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 9th
Lea Farm GP – 7 Green Sandpiper, 6+ Common Tern chicks fledged and off the raft (Richard Marsh); Garganey female in the south west corner, Pintail has just reappeared in front of hide with 7 mallard (Roger Stansfield); Black-tailed Godwit at the end of the shingle island (Jenny Vaughan)


Black-tailed Godwit at Lea Farm – Roger Stansfield

August 8th
Lea Farm GP – 7 Green Sandpiper, Garganey female, 2 Teal, 4 Shoveler (FJC); 12 Tufted Duck adult with 11 ducklings, Marsh Harrier being harassed by a Buzzard (Geoff Emmett)
Lavell’s Lake – Willow Warbler in sub song at left bend on tarmac path to Bittern hide (FJC); Garganey female/juvenile on Bittern Hide bund (Alan Rymer)


Tufted Duck family at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett


Female Garganey at Lavell’s Lake – Geoff Emmett

August 7th
Lea Farm GP – 7 Green Sandpiper, Garganey female in the south west corner, Sedge Warbler in front of the hide, 2 Snipe, Little Egret (Richard Marsh); Pintail still around with the Mallards (Peter Scudamore); 28+ Tufted Duck probably four broods of 3 4 12 and 9 ducklings approx all very small (Renton Righelato)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Green Sandpiper flew onto the bund, Hobby (Richard Marsh)


Displaying Snipe at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett


2 Common Tern chicks at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 6th
Lea Farm GP – 8 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Teal, 6+ Shoveler, 10+ Gadwall, Garganey juvenile in the south west corner (FJC); 76 Lapwing 60 on landfill plus another 16 around lake (Michael Hubbard); Hobby flying fast but not stopping (Geoff Emmett)
Lavell’s Lake – Sedge Warbler flew past Bittern hide, Kingfisher (Richard Marsh)
Sandford Lake – 2 Little Egret on top of rushes before hide, Kingfisher flew over lake near pathway (Michael Hubbard)


Juvenile Garganey at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett

August 5th
Lea Farm GP – 8 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Redshank, Snipe in the south west corner (Geoff Emmett); Kingfisher flew over the lake, Bar-headed Goose in front of hide (Richard Marsh); Common Tern chick left the raft resting in the south west corner still 15 or more on the raft (Peter Scudamore); Marsh Harrier over the lake heading north (Keith Seymour)
Lavell’s Lake – Sedge Warbler flew past Bittern hide, Kingfisher (Richard Marsh)


Marsh Harrier high over Lea Farm – Keith Seymour

August 4th
Lea Farm GP – 7 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Reed Warbler (John McGoven); Hobby landed briefly on landfill (Richard Marsh); 8 Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Pintail female still present (Joseph Taylor); Bar-headed Goose in front of the hide (Mark Lauri)
Lavell’s Lake – Sparrowhawk flew low across lake (Richard Marsh); 2 Barn Owl on their box (Grant Evans)


House Martin at Lea Farm – Mark Lauri

August 3rd
Lea Farm GP – 4 Green Sandpiper (Brian Bennett); Pintail female on the shingle island (Geoff Emmett)
Lavell’s Lake – Barn Owl at the entrance to it’s box (Les Blundell); 2 Shoveler just in front of hide, Green Sandpiper on scrape (Peter Scudamore); Common Sandpiper seen from the Bittern hide (Caroline Moore)

August 2nd
Lea Farm GP – 6 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 2 Teal, 4 Shoveler, 50+ Ring-necked Parakeet in 3 groups heading down the Loddon, 19+ Tufted Duck in two family groups of roughly 11 and 8 ducklings respectively (FJC); Little Egret, Kingfisher, Kestrel female (Richard Marsh); Hobby chasing Sand Martins, Sedge Warbler (Mark Lauri)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Green Sandpiper on the Bittern hide scrape, Common Sandpiper on the Bittern hide scrape, 2 Little Egret (Richard Marsh); Kingfisher (Stephen Power)


Sedge Warbler in flight at Lea Farm – Mark Lauri


Common Sandpiper feeding at Lea Farm – Mark Lauri

August 1st
Lea Farm GP – 6 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 3 Teal (FJC); Oystercatcher just landed on east shore, Kingfisher flew around the lake earlier, Dunlin in summer plumage in the south west corner (Richard Marsh)
Lavell’s Lake – Great Created Grebe family now has 3 chicks (Peter Scudamore)


A Dunlin in summer plumage at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett


A pair of Green Sandpiper at Lea Farm – Geoff Emmett