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Hill Hook Nature Reserve (1 Viewer)

A stroll around late morning produced the pair of Mute Swan on the Mill Pool with their 6 cygnets all still intact. Also present were a LBB Gull and at least 4 pairs of Tufted Duck although no sign of any broods yet. In the woods there were 3 singing Chiffchaff, 2 singing Blackcap, GS Woodpecker, Coal Tit and Nuthatch, plus an explosion of Blackbirds.

Just doing some internet research on the carpet of orchids just south of the Blake Street entrance and the damselflies seen around the Mill Pool.
 
A mooch round this afternoon produced several bits and pieces. Family parties of three finches were noted (Green, Chaff and Bull) and well as a family party of Nuthatch just north of the Mill Pool. Two Stock Dove fed in the field adjacent to the northern half of the reserve which has been left unplanted this year; only the second time I have noted this species. It will be interesting to see what the current weeds in the field produce as autumn progresses.

At the Mill Pool the swan family with six cygnets remained together with eight Tufted Duck which included a long-awaited brood of three ducklings. A new addition for reserve was a Kingfisher which was heard but not seen flying over the pool as I walked round the woodland path.

I had taken my camera with me in the hope of catching some of the many insects that were on show last time I visited but today only the Comma would play ball.
 

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A belated update from last Sunday (27th July):

The Mill Pool held a fishing Cormorant, a Grey Heron in the poolside trees, the 2 Mute Swans with their 6 cygnets, 8 Tufted Duck with the three ducklings growing well, 8 Coot, a swimming Grass Snake and a Buzzard circling overhead.

The woods held 3 calling Nuthatches, a family party of Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker and many 'hooeting' phylloscs.

The female Mute Swan was sporting a yellow leg ring "FCR" - will see if I can trace its origins.
 
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A few snaps to accompany last Sunday's visit
 

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A stroll late morning produced a Cormorant on the Mill Pond together with increased numbers of Tufted Duck (now 12 adults), the brood of three growing well and a new Tuftie family party with 6 young :t: One family party of Moorhen plus another fledged brood; one family party of Coot with three young. The family of Mute Swan with six cygnets and a LBB Gull completed the water birds. Not much of note in the woods other than a further surge in phyllosc numbers with "hooets" coming from all corners of the reserve.
 
This morning was very similar to yesterday. The Mill Pool held 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 LBB Gull, 10/12 Tufted Duck with the family of six still intact and the family of Mute Swans. Today it was the turn of the tits to be ever-present across the reserve. A family party of Nuthatch were at the southern end of the reserve where the new bridge has been installed adjacent to the access onto Sandhurst Road; the open area by the bridge and along the stream looks perfect for Spotted Flycatcher. Also Sparrowhawk over plus several Swallows and House Martins.
 
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A visit late yesterday morning produced 1 Grey Heron and 1 LBB Gull on the Mill Pool with the Mute Swan family still with 6 cygnets and 12 Tufted Ducks (first family party of 3 nearly fledged; the second now reduced to five ducklings). The woods held many tit family parties plus a Goldcrest brood and calling Nuthatchs in two locations.
 
A mooch around late yesterday morning produced 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant and 1 LBB Gull (I am assuming these are all resident individuals) and the two family parties of Tufted Duck; the three are virtually indistinguishable from adult females and the younger five doing well. A few Swallows and House Martins passed over the pool. Otherwise it was very quiet with a notable drop in phyllosc numbers.
 
Summary of the last few weekends:

MILL POOL
Regularly 1 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant and 1/2 LBB Gull. The family of Mute Swan with their 6 cygnets continue to thrive and the second brood of Tufted Duck fledged 4 young. Yesterday a single Greylag Goose was present. There are several fledged young Moorhen whilst the latest family of Coot with three young has yet to reach that stage. On several dates a small party of House Martins have hawked overhead. A Kingfisher was heard near the stream in the southern end of the reserve on Sunday and today I had my first sighting of one at Hill Hook NR as one sped across the water of the Mill Pool. A Little Grebe was heard today but couldnt be sighted.

WOODLAND
The last few days have seen a notable increase in Grey Wagtail and Jay sightings, a sure sign that autumn is progressing. Nuthatch have also been very visible, with potentially three different family parties whilst GS Woodpecker have been vocal. Other family parties noted include Goldcrest, Treecreeper and Coal Tit. Yesterday I caught the tail-end of what was probably a female / juvenile Redstart. A Spotted Flycatcher flitted on the edge of the trees immediately north of the Mill Pool on Sunday. There was a notable increase in phylloscs today whilst several Blackcaps were noted feeding on elderberries.

PASSAGE
The occasional distant Meadow Pipit has been heard calling whilst 185 Wood Pigeon passed south over the northern part of the reserve in 10 minutes today.
 
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Summary of the last couple of weekends:

Canada Goose - usually 1 or 2 but numbers increased at the weekend to 38 on Sunday
Mute Swan - the parents are now starting to get a little more aggressive towards their fledged offspring
Moorhen - looks like two family parties present
Coot - still and unfledged brood
Little Grebe - heard on several occasions but not yet seen
Cormorant - regularly one bird
Grey Heron - regularly one bird, often roosting on the island
LBB Gull - 1 or 2 birds on the Mill Pond on most visits
Sparrowhawk - more visible in the last few weeks
Buzzard - conversely now only sporadically sighted
Kingfisher - seen both along the stream and on the Mill Pool itself when quieter
GS Woodpecker - one bird resident in the southern part of the reserve
Grey Wagtail - seen on every visit in September with at least two birds in the area
Mistle Thrush - after a dearth of records over the summer the distinctive rattle call was heard on the last two visits
Nuthatch - birds frequently calling from three well defined locations
Treecreeper - at least one family party often encountered in the southern part of the reserve, esp around the bridge opposite the end of Sandhurst Road
Chiffchaff - recorded in decent numbers until last weekend when none were noted on either Saturday or Sunday
Goldrest and Coal Tit - large roaming parties with the three commoner tits
Magpie - up to 15 in the newly ploughed field at the northern end of the reserve
Jay - more regular as the autumn progresses although yet to see one perched
 
Phil Andrews said:
Summary of the last couple of weekends:

Canada Goose - usually 1 or 2 but numbers increased at the weekend to 38 on Sunday
Click to expand...

Numbers of Canada Geese have exploded, with 112 on the Mill Pool this morning, along with a single Greylag, one Little Grebe loitering in the overhanging vegetation and the family party of Mute Swan. No Grey Phal though :-C

Also encountered were Grey Wagtail, Buzzard, good numbers of Coal Tit and the first Mistle Thrush for ages, a sure sign autumn is here
 
Over 100 Canada Geese again this morning. No sign of the Greylag but the Little Grebe was showing well in open water for once. Of note in the woods were GS Woodpecker and Nuthatch whilst a Skylark flew over the ploughed field adjacent to the northern section of the reserve. Grey Wagtails were noted in three locations - over the Mill Pool, over the ploughed field and showing well on the stream in the southern section of the reserve adjacent to Sandhurst Road.
 
First signs of winter with a female Goosander on the Mill Pool plus 2 Little Grebe (think this is my first multiple sighting), 1 Grey Heron, 1 LBB Gull, 13 Tufted Duck and around 50 Canada Geese.

Elsewhere there were the first Siskin and Redpoll of this winter period, Grey Wagtail over, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Buzzard.

Yesterday's sightings were similar with a male Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a Magpie and a Grey Heron in the brook adjacent to the northern section of the reserve.

Last week's highlight was 17 Tufted Duck on the Mill Pool.
 
Bit of a clear-out at the Mill Pond - no geese, no sign of the Little Grebe and the swan family seems to have moved on. Compensation came in the form of three redhead Goosander. Also an influx of BH Gull (approx. 150) plus 2 LBB Gull and a Grey Heron

Away from the water the highlights were all in the northern section of the reserve with a Buzzard over, two Jays feeding on the ground (my first multiple sighting on the reserve) and good numbers of Blackbirds.
 
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