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Bittell Reservoirs and Hopwood area (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter wmtlynx
- Start date
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
LOWER....
The water level is slowly rising and most of the waders favoured places will soon be under water.
2 Common Sand
2 LRP
1 Snipe
1 Snipe ...uncropped
2 snipe
3 Snipe
4 Snipe....the rocks will probably be under water by now.
5...Snipe,Common Sand and LRP lining up for a size comparison.
The water level is slowly rising and most of the waders favoured places will soon be under water.
2 Common Sand
2 LRP
1 Snipe
1 Snipe ...uncropped
2 snipe
3 Snipe
4 Snipe....the rocks will probably be under water by now.
5...Snipe,Common Sand and LRP lining up for a size comparison.
Attachments
An hour round the loop between the two reservoirs early evening yielded 42 species, but nothing of any great note.
1 x Common Sandpiper (Lower)
2 x Oystercatcher (arrived at Upper calling loudly as I was heading for Lower)
Treecreeper on both the path through the horse paddocks and the return side of the loop.
1 x Buzzard on the ground in the horse paddocks
Plenty of Swallow and Sand Martin at Upper, although I struggled to find many House Martin.
Noisy Chiffchaff and Blackcap all over the place.
I still haven't seen any Yellowhammers - are they still around?
1 x Common Sandpiper (Lower)
2 x Oystercatcher (arrived at Upper calling loudly as I was heading for Lower)
Treecreeper on both the path through the horse paddocks and the return side of the loop.
1 x Buzzard on the ground in the horse paddocks
Plenty of Swallow and Sand Martin at Upper, although I struggled to find many House Martin.
Noisy Chiffchaff and Blackcap all over the place.
I still haven't seen any Yellowhammers - are they still around?
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
LOWER....
Water is so high now that the usual places for the LRP and Common Sand are almost gone....
Just 1 Common Sand left this evening.
Yesterday there was 30 + Tufted on Lower but only 2 today.
The 3 Gadwall have moved to Lower as well...1 pair and the spare Male off on his own.
A Female Mallard turned up with 11 Chicks.
Female Reed Bunting
Chiffchaff
Water is so high now that the usual places for the LRP and Common Sand are almost gone....
Just 1 Common Sand left this evening.
Yesterday there was 30 + Tufted on Lower but only 2 today.
The 3 Gadwall have moved to Lower as well...1 pair and the spare Male off on his own.
A Female Mallard turned up with 11 Chicks.
Female Reed Bunting
Chiffchaff
Attachments
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
LOWER...this morning...
1 Common Sand
Pair Lapwing...one doing display flights over water.
Mallard lost one of brood overnight..now 10
Another Mallard with 5 young.
Lots of Swallow and Sand Martin over Lower and going up to Upper.
20 plus Tufted flew in to Lower then some came up to Mill Shrub
Usual Grey Wagtail on roadside shore.
1 Common Sand
Pair Lapwing...one doing display flights over water.
Mallard lost one of brood overnight..now 10
Another Mallard with 5 young.
Lots of Swallow and Sand Martin over Lower and going up to Upper.
20 plus Tufted flew in to Lower then some came up to Mill Shrub
Usual Grey Wagtail on roadside shore.
Last edited:
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
LOWER....
Breeding...
with the water level down (but rising) there is nowhere for The Grebes or Tufteds to nest as there is no growth around the edges...and as like on Mill Shrub where the level goes up and down if they do try and build a nest it gets swamped....this is true most seasons so no idea why they bother to hang around all year with no chance of breeding...but glad they do else it would be REALLY bleak without them.
The Grebes are spending their days snoozing but 1st time I have seen one actually clamber ashore for a while with its partner wondering "what the hell"..lol
Also A Male tufted was getting all exited and displaying - head bobbing and neck outstretched - he must have really fancied the Female !!
P.S....after weeks of "loads" of Pied wagtails on the shorelines - non yesterday but one again this morning...normally never see one at all when teh waters high.
1..Displaying Lapwing
2..2 Lapwing
3..Clambering Grebe
4..Displaying Tufted.
5..Waggy.
Breeding...
with the water level down (but rising) there is nowhere for The Grebes or Tufteds to nest as there is no growth around the edges...and as like on Mill Shrub where the level goes up and down if they do try and build a nest it gets swamped....this is true most seasons so no idea why they bother to hang around all year with no chance of breeding...but glad they do else it would be REALLY bleak without them.
The Grebes are spending their days snoozing but 1st time I have seen one actually clamber ashore for a while with its partner wondering "what the hell"..lol
Also A Male tufted was getting all exited and displaying - head bobbing and neck outstretched - he must have really fancied the Female !!
P.S....after weeks of "loads" of Pied wagtails on the shorelines - non yesterday but one again this morning...normally never see one at all when teh waters high.
1..Displaying Lapwing
2..2 Lapwing
3..Clambering Grebe
4..Displaying Tufted.
5..Waggy.
Attachments
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Ended up with
3 OYSTERCATCHER
2 LAPWING
2 LR PLOVER
1-3.. Various Oystercatchers
4...3 Oyks and 2 Lapwing
5...2 Oyc ..2 Lawing and 2 LRP in bottom left corner...as close as they came.
3 OYSTERCATCHER
2 LAPWING
2 LR PLOVER
1-3.. Various Oystercatchers
4...3 Oyks and 2 Lapwing
5...2 Oyc ..2 Lawing and 2 LRP in bottom left corner...as close as they came.
Attachments
Upper, 4.30pm
Sizeable group of Swift, Swallow, House Martin over the Sailing Club buildings, and enjoying whizzing over the causeway on the wind.
Nine Grey Heron all in a line basking in the sunshine on the opposite side of the water.
At least one Common Sandpiper and one LRP at the water's edge along the dam, but very skittish and regularly disappearing off for long low flights over the water.
Sizeable group of Swift, Swallow, House Martin over the Sailing Club buildings, and enjoying whizzing over the causeway on the wind.
Nine Grey Heron all in a line basking in the sunshine on the opposite side of the water.
At least one Common Sandpiper and one LRP at the water's edge along the dam, but very skittish and regularly disappearing off for long low flights over the water.
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Lower.......
Couldn't find anything on the shoreline on my brief visit on Friday...but as well as the Swallows and swifts I also had a few Whitethroat in the hedge leading off the corner car parking area......
...all distant shots....
Couldn't find anything on the shoreline on my brief visit on Friday...but as well as the Swallows and swifts I also had a few Whitethroat in the hedge leading off the corner car parking area......
...all distant shots....
Attachments
Upper Bittell, 8pm, taking advantage of the lovely weather.
Common Sandpiper (2)
Lapwing (4) three over and one on the edge of the reservoir
Swift (5)
Numerous Swallows and House Martins
On the pools outside the Sailing Club, a small group of Canada Geese with at least a dozen goslings.
Around the horse paddocks on the way to Lower, Song Thrush in two different trees, and a pair of Mistle Thrush.
Common Sandpiper (2)
Lapwing (4) three over and one on the edge of the reservoir
Swift (5)
Numerous Swallows and House Martins
On the pools outside the Sailing Club, a small group of Canada Geese with at least a dozen goslings.
Around the horse paddocks on the way to Lower, Song Thrush in two different trees, and a pair of Mistle Thrush.
