Bunk, Gravel pit and a Cuckoo

Sunny spells, 16°, light to breezy SSE.

Bunk and Gravel pit:

A Greenshank appeared briefly and called, only to fly and disappear into one of the pits with no view of it.

In fact most of the birds were doing this today as the viewable pit was being worked and very little on it.

A Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher, a Common Sandpiper, 6 Lapwing, a Little Grebe, a Raven over and an ever-dwindling number of Gulls.

A Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 2 Common Whitethroat, 5 Swallow and 3 Yellowhammer.

Geoff Wyatt had a pair of Peregrine above Ilges Lane today repeatedly making the “ee-chup” call, a pair bonding call. They were circling and tangling frequently.

James Beaumont found our first Cuckoo of the year on Cholsey Marsh, towards the 4-Arches railway bridge, plus Reed Warbler, Swallow and Kingfisher.  

Mammals: Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Summer arrivals

Mainly cloudy, 10°, light S.

Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler and Common Whitethroat, Cholsey Marsh. Per Brian Wyatt.

Bunk area: on the walk out there were 10+ House Martin feeding high over CSW. On the way back the numbers had grown to 20+ House Martin, 5+ Swallow and several Sand Martin, this time feeding a lot lower over the beds.

The Gravel pit hosted a Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 4 Gadwall, 3 Oystercatcher and 30+ Lapwing, c12 House Martin, 5 Swallow and several Sand Martin.

2 Peregrine over. I think I’ve mentioned these before and I believe these 2 males to be the ones raised in South Stoke last year. I’ve seen them together on several occasions this year and they appear to hunt together. Maybe a successful survival strategy.

Elsewhere on the walk: 2 Common Whitethroat, several Blackcap and Chiffchaff and a couple of Jay etc.

Butterflies: just a couple of Brimstone and Peacock.

Mallard & Muntjac both in garden today

A warm one

Sunny, 23°, light W.

A couple of hours well spent up by the gravel pit today:

3 Shelduck, an Egyptian Goose, 2 Gadwall, 2 pair of Mallard with 18 young between them, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, 7 Lapwing, a Peregrine and 2 Grey Heron over, a Sedge Warbler, a Swallow and 2 Sand Martin.

On the walk out: a Willow Warbler at CSW, a Common Whitethroat, Green Lane, 4 Blackcap and 5 Chiffchaff.

A single Fieldfare flying alongside the road on Cholsey Hill.  

Good to see Michael P at the pit today. yesterday he had 3 Wheatear on Lollingdon Hill, 6 Fieldfare nearby and a singing Cetti’s Warbler on Cholsey Marsh.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Bunk

Sunny spells, 22°, light WNW.

Bunk area still fairly quiet, 40 Swallow and 14 House Martin through, 12 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 9 Yellowhammer, 50+ Linnet, a Hobby, a Peregrine (m) and a Grey Heron etc.

2 Yellow Wagtail over garden yesterday and a Raven.

Mammals: A Weasel along Green Lane.

Dragonflies: Common Blue Damsel, Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: a Clouded Yellow, Large White, Small White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

2 European Hornet caught and released from indoors yesterday.

Bunk & Lollingdon

Sunny spells, 27°, Light WSW.

2 Common Redstart, Lollingdon. Per RW.

Tree Pipit, Bunk area. Per RB.

Bunk: a Stonechat, a Willow Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff, 3 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, 12 Swallow, 4 House Martin, 7 Swift, 5 Yellowhammer, 30+ Linnet, 2 Sparrowhawk, a Hobby, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Herring Gull, etc.

8 Swift over garden at 20:10 last evening.

Mammals: Short-tailed Vole. Common Pipistrelle hunting around garden frequently in last few weeks.

Dragonflies: Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker.

Butterflies: Small White, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.

Redstart courtesy Roger Wyatt

Stonechat

Lancaster Bomber with a Swallow above but a lot closer

Still moving

Sunny periods, 16°, light NE.

A milder day than of late and a few more Butterflies on the wing as migrant birds still continue to arrive and pass through and Gull species virtually absent.  

Bunk: 14 Tufted Duck, 2 Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, 3 Lapwing, Herring Gull, 2 Yellow Wagtail, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellowhammer, 5 Common Whitethroat, a Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, 8 Swallow and 2 Sand Martin.

Yesterday on Cholsey Marsh: a Cuckoo and poss Grasshopper Warbler.  

Mammals: Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

Oystercatcher

Dunnock

Red Admiral

Rain & Shine

Overcast with a few light showers then clearing later, 14°, light W.

Lollingdon, River, Marsh, Bunk and Lees.

8 Tufted Duck, Greenshank, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 8+ Sand Martin, 6 House Martin, 20+ Swallow, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 2 Wheatear ( 1 Lollingdon and 1nr Church Road), 6 Blackcap, 3 Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Jay, 2 Reed Bunting, 5 Yellowhammer and Corn Bunting.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Orange Tip.

AD, MP & PC.

Grasshopper Warbler courtesy Alan. Just outside the Cholsey boundary so can't count it in the annual stats.

Cholsey

Sunny at first then mostly cloudy, 15°, light S.

Bunk, Lollingdon and River/Marsh:

6 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Lapwing, 4 Black-headed Gull, 20+ Swallow, 3+ House Martin, 14+ Sand Martin, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, many Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, 5+ Blackcap, 2+ Common Whitethroat, 3 Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Sparrowhawk and Tawny Owl.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

AD & PC.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy Alan ↕

A change in the weather

Cloudy with some light rain showers. 12°, light SW.

River: Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler, Oystercatcher over, 2 Swallow + usual suspects.

Bunk: 6 Swallow, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank, 20 Tufted Duck, Grey Wagtail, Oystercatcher, 4 Yellow Wagtail over, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

AD.

Common Whitethroat courtesy Alan

Greenshank courtesy Alan

Black Red & Green

Another sunny one, 20°, light NNE.

Bunk, River and Lees areas: A female Black Redstart (3rd record) found by Alan late in the day out towards the Lees, elsewhere, 3 Willow Warbler, usual Chiffchaff and Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Oystercatcher, Little Egret, 2 Herring Gull, 8 Black-headed Gull, 5 Lesser Blackback Gull, Gulls becoming less frequent now, 2 Little Grebe, a Teal, 12 Tufted Duck, a Sparrowhawk and a Raven over.

A Ring-necked Parakeet north over Church road approx. 19:00. Per RB.

Mammals: Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip and Peacock.

AD & PC.

Black Redstart courtesy Alan

Black Redstart ↕

Greenshank courtesy Alan

Roe Deer

Migrants trickle in

Sunny, 14°, light to mod NE.

Usual spots covered today:

A Common Redstart, Willow Warbler, many Chiffchaff, several Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, 10 Swallow, 8 Sand Martin, 2 Treecreeper, several Reed Bunting, a Yellowhammer, 1+ Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, 6 Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Kingfisher, a handful of Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull and a Sparrowhawk.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

AD & PC.

Chiffchaff

Just over the Oxon border in Streatley, Berks yesterday Alan made the trip for a Hoopoe. One of many to hit the UK’s shores recently.

More sunshine

Sunshiny day, 17°, light ENE.

Lollingdon, River and Bunk areas: Another sunny day but we need some rain.

Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, several Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Mistle Thrush, Swallow, Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Lapwing, 8 Tufted Duck, a Teal and a Little Egret on Church road flood again.

Mammals: Brown Hare and Roe Deer.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Peacock and Speckled Wood.

AD, MM, PC & RB.

Kestrel

Roe Deer

Wren

Wheatear courtesy Alan

Peacock courtesy Alan

Marsh Harrier

Sunny spells, 24°, light SW.

Richard Broughton was lucky enough to find a female Marsh Harrier over the Bunk/Green Lane area today.

150+ Linnet, Willow Warbler and 30+ Yellow Wagtail overhead.  

Also had 2 Hobby over Church Road yesterday.

Photo taken on phone so not the greatest quality but there you go.

Lollingdon

Sunny, 22°, light SSE.

Almost identical observations out at Lollingdon today compared with Wednesday.

A single Common Redstart and Willow Warbler, 4 Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, several Chiffchaff, a Reed Bunting, 3 Yellowhammer, 2 House Martin and a single Swallow, plus a flyover Raven.

Dragonflies: A Migrant Hawker, 2 Southern Hawker and 6+ Common Darter.

Butterflies: again vey poor abundance. A section of Buddleia that would usually hold around 2 dozen butterflies this time of year had just 4. Overall, the majority being seen today were Small White with a few Large White, several Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper, 2 Holly Blue and a single worn Comma.

Other than the Buddleia and some Bramble in flower there was a complete lack of any other flowering plants.

Common Darter

The Hill

Cloudy with rain showers, 21°, light NNE.

A visit to Lollingdon today: 1 Common Redstart, 1 Willow Warbler, 5-6 Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, c10 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Yellowhammer, 3 Raven over and a few small flocks of Swallow and House Martin and 2 Swift.

Mammal: Roe Deer.

Dragonflies: singles of Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Common Darter.

Butterflies: very few, Small White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper.

Raven ↕

Bunk

Sunshine, 28°, light SSE.

A Common Redstart and Willow Warbler amongst the birds noted today. Several Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat and Blackcap.

A Little Ringed Plover heard calling, a Grey Heron, 20+ Swallow, a few House Martin and 100+ Swift.

Swift were passing over very high and some were not visible to naked eye.

Dragonflies: Banded and Beautiful Demoiselle, Common Blue Damsel, Azure Damsel, Emperor, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Butterflies: Large Skipper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

A warm one

Sunny, 22°, light SSE.

Lollingdon and Bunk area: 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Common Whitethroat, 5 Blackcap, a Willow Warbler, several Chiffchaff, a Sedge Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Swift, House Martin, Lapwing, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Black-headed Gull and 2 Lesser Blackback Gull.

River: Birds & Insects, no change. Per Alan.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

Dragonflies: Beautiful Demoiselle, appear to be more numerous now than Banded.

Butterflies: Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Peacock & Speckled Wood.

AD, AK & PC.

Lapwing courtesy Andy King ↕

Azure Damselfly courtesy Alan

Green Hairstreak courtesy Alan

Common Whitethroat courtesy Andy King

Yellowhammer courtesy Andy King

Cholsey

Mainly cloudy, 10°, Light N.

River: Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler, Kingfisher and Reed Bunting.

Lollingdon: Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Blackcap, Swallow, Lapwing and Yellow Wagtail.

Bunk: Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Blackcap, Swallow, House Martin, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat and Yellow Wagtail over.

Per Alan.

Yellow Wagtail

Bunk & Lollingdon

Sunny spells, 12°, light WSW.

2 Oystercatcher, a Common Sandpiper and 2 Willow Warbler, Bunk area. Per Alan.

Greenshank, Lollingdon. Per Tony W.

Tree Pipit heard flying north over Cholsey Station. Per Richard Broughton.

A blustery day

Rain at first then sunny, 10°, blustery SW.

Lollingdon and Bunk area:

3 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Wheatear, a Common Redstart, Willow Warbler, several Chiffchaff and Blackcap, 10+ Swallow, c50 House Martin, 6 Lapwing, 3 Lesser Blackback Gull and a Sparrowhawk.

Whilst Alan was watching the Yellow Wagtails and Pied Wagtails, a Sparrowhawk appeared and went for one of the Yellow Wagtail. It missed but took a Pied Wagtail that was present.

Mammals: Brown Hare.

AD & PC.

Yellow Wagtail courtesy Alan