Cholsey, 17th May

Cloudy, 14º, light SSE.

An early visit to Cholsey marsh from 04:30 to 06:30, on arrival I could hear a Cuckoo and Grasshopper Warbler amongst the noise of mainly Sedge Warblers. I walked from one end of the marsh to the other trying to pick out everything in song or that was visible.

2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers, 4 Grey Heron, and 4 Stock Dove, seen,

Then: Cuckoo, ranging over a fair distance from the marsh to the 4 Arches then heard over the river in Little Stoke.

Green Woodpecker,

1 Lesser Whitethroat,

24 Sedge Warbler (+ more on opposite bank),

1 Grasshopper Warbler,

7 Whitethroat (+2 opposite bank),

3 Garden Warbler,

2 (pos 3) Reed Warbler,

2 Willow Warbler (+1 on the opposite bank),

6 Blackcap,

7 Chiffchaff,

12 Wren,

Treecreeper,

5 Blackbird,

3 Song Thrush,

2 Robin,

7 Chaffinch and

8 Reed Bunting.

3 Tufted Duck flew downriver, and then returned! A Kingfisher, 30+ Canada Geese, 10+ Greylag type Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Great Crested Grebe and several Coot and Moorhen.

A quick look on Lollingdon Hill later in the day proved quiet, 2 Pied Wagtail gathering food, 2 Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting and a Buzzard flew over.

Young Starlings seen in the meadow this afternoon.

                                  Pied Wagtail

                                         Goldfinch