Grafham Water (1 Viewer)

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 24 May 2024; evening, Osprey again off Mander carpark. Three Sanderling on the dam. Several Cuckoo calling.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 14 Jun 2024; a nice surprise text message and a few hours later the Knot was still present walking up and down the dam this evening. The water level is about as high as it gets now.

 

[Matthebirder]

Back now from a mid-June Mallorca trip concentrating on Dragonflies and Butterflies; with some nice breeding birds too. (Recommend the Mallorca (Spain) regional Birdforum subgroup, some very committed birders throughout the year.)

Grafham starting to show Autumn arrivals; and Yellow-legged gulls present. Full attention being given to see if the Cape Gull returns for a third year.
Marbled Whites on the dam currently at least providing some interest while waiting...

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 03 Jul 2024; evening a few Yellow-legged Gulls around taking advantage of the dead fish washed up. These two were very approachable suggesting previous visitors to the dam. Also a Pink-footed Goose present with the feral geese.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 07 Jul 2024; a gathering of seven Common Sandpipers this morning on the dam surely spells Autumn is here....

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 18 Jul 2024 ; 27 degrees and the Caspian x Herring Gull hybrid X90A Yellow ring; has returned for 6th year running; seen briefly on the dam this evening feeding on a dead fish before being chased away by a Yellow-legged Gull.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 20 Jul 2024: The hybrid not seen yesterday evening or today; at range and in flight it looks like a Caspian Gull so can catch out the unwary if the yellow ring is not seen; also has a silver ring on other leg but almost impossible to see. Note it has a pale eye but that doesn't necessarily rule out Caspian I believe. Water still rising so no beaches for the gulls this autumn.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 20 Jul 2024: The hybrid not seen yesterday evening or today; at range and in flight it looks like a Caspian Gull so can catch out the unwary if the yellow ring is not seen; also has a silver ring on other leg but almost impossible to see. Note it has a pale eye but that doesn't necessarily rule out Caspian I believe. Water still rising so no beaches for the gulls this autumn.

Further to 20 Jul; X90A 'yellow' was present again in the evening on the dam. Currently reviewing two other 'Caspian types' also photographed that dropped in. Sounds like there is an influx of Caspians at the moment.

Couple more shots of the hybrid

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 24 July 2024; two Ospreys this evening. One caught a very large fish so will likely stay put.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 29 Jul 2024; evening, a huge gathering of Yellow-legged Gulls this evening with warm southerly winds. Impossible to count but my guess is 25 plus. The hybrid Caspian x Herring Gull ; yellow ring X90A feeding on dead fish again.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 29 Jul 2024; evening, a huge gathering of Yellow-legged Gulls this evening with warm southerly winds. Impossible to count but my guess is 25 plus. The hybrid Caspian x Herring Gull ; yellow ring X90A feeding on dead fish again.

Note; in flight the bird tends to hang the right leg that is slightly deformed maybe from the silver metal ring.

 

[Matthebirder]

Graham 31 Jul 2024; X90A yellow hybrid still around the dam in the evening.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 03 Jul 2024; hybrid X90A still along the dam.
On 02 Aug a green ringed juv at the fishing lodge at dusk looked like a Caspian or hybrid. The colour ring is used by the Dutch I believe at their Caspian breeding sites.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 06 Aug 2024; as per the main channel; the Cape Gull has returned for the third summer.....
Seen for 20 mins or so this evening on the dam before flying off south

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 07 Aug 2024; the Cape Gull photographed at he western end at midday; but not seen at the reservoir after.
On the dam in the evening the juv Caspian Gull C6 green and the X90A hybrid plus an adult Caspian.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 10 Aug 2024; Turnstone and Sanderling in the dam
Juv Caspian gull C6 green ring

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 11 Aug 2024; Turnstone & Ruff.
C6 juv Caspian and X90A hybrid also on the dam

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 13 Aug 2024:
(12 Aug : @20 Black Terns and 5 Little Terns)
6 Black Terns late evening from Fishing Lodge.

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 14 Aug 2024; 4 Ringed Plovers and 2 Dunlin on the dam.

Have attached a close up of the Cape Gull eye for reference

 

[Matthebirder]

Grafham 17 Aug 2024; Osprey and two Black Terns plus a lot of Yellow-legged and Great Black-backed Gulls giving some hope that if the Cape was still in the region it might drop in again ( realistically probably won't!).
A Lesser Emperor dragonfly appeared of the shore of Plummer Carpark and after many fly pasts I managed a flight shot; I am not aware of any previous records at Grafham. but the high water up to the vegetation this year will suit the dragonflies for a change.