31st May 2008

Afternoon only (12.10-5.50pm)

1 1st summer Red-footed Falcon seen distantly over Rookery from outside visitors centre cafe, also 8+ Hobbies, 1 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel.

Common Blue Butterfly and a day-flying moth (possibly a Burnet Companion..) seen near centre. Amazing views of a Grasshopper Warbler near the centre, with a male Common Whitethroat in same area.

Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damselflies, Four-spot Chaser around boardwalk near centre.

Adult and young Mistle Thrush by gullwatch in evening. (5.30pm)

Singing Grasshopper Warbler, near centre.

Young Mistle Thrush, near gullwatch.

30th May 2008

Brief visit to Gullwatch only (6.15-6.30am)

c. 6 Common Terns on Stewartby Lake

Silver-ground Carpet moth, near to gullwatch entrance gate.

Silver-ground Carpet moth.

26th May 2008

Gullwatch (6.15-6.30am)

Oystercatcher on sailing club lawn

Gullwatch - Millbrook Station (6.30-8.25am)

Canada goose family on pond in front of visitors centre, Hobby, Kestrel, 2+ Common Terns - Wetland 3.

Gullwatch (8.35-10.50am)

FULMAR!! Excellent find by Bob Hook, who very kindly gave me a lift to the gullwatch from Millbrook Station. Seen very well mostly in flight, unfortunately the bird never came closer than about 200 yards whilst I was there. The Fulmar sat on the water about half a dozen times in the 2 hours it was present before flying off over the Pillinge towards Brogborough ,where it was re-found by Neil Wright.

Fulmar - Stewartby Lake.

Canada Geese - near visitors centre cafe.

25th May 2008

Gullwatch (11-11.15am)

Very quiet, with just a few Common Terns on Stewartby Lake.

Centre - Millbrook Station (12noon -5.10pm)

Very wet afternoon, spent almost entirely in the wetland hides.

1 Common Sandpiper, 11 Common Terns, breeding Great-crested Grebes - Pillinge

Hobby, Jay, pair of Pochard and pair of Gadwall, Little Grebes, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Redd Bunting, Dunnock and Reed Warbler -all from Wetland 3 hide. Green Woodpecker - near Millbrook Station.

Hobby - Wetland 3.

Jay- Wetland 3.Woodpigeon- Wetland 3.

Coot-fight- Wetland 3.

Common Tern - Pillinge.

Great-crested Grebes.

Squirrel- Wetland 3.

Tufted Duck- Wetland 3.

Little Grebe - Wetland 3.

24th May 2008

Most of morning (6.30am-1.30pm)

Highlights

6.30-7am (Stewartby Lake)

1 Oystercatcher on sailing club lawn, c. 5 Common Terns on Stewartby Lake

Turtle Dove and 2 Hobby near sewage works

Grizzled Skipper and Common Blue Butterflies near lagoon corner of Stewartby Lake

2 Oystercatchers on sailing club lawn (1pm)

A roosting Tawny Owl was also seen during the morning

Then went to Coronation with Dave Ball and saw the Red-footed Falcon again with several Hobbies and a Cuckoo.

Jubilee Cottages area (6.20-7.40pm)

2+ Buzzards, 1 Hobby, 2+ Stock Doves.

Roosting Tawny Owl.

Turtle Dove on path near sewage works.

Beetle on a Daisy.

Four-spot Chaser.

Adult and young Coot near visitors centre

Grizzled Skipper.
Yellow Flag Iris by pond near visitors centre cafe.

23rd May 2008

Jubilee Cottages area(6.10-9pm)
1 Lesser Whitethroat feeding in bushes, c.10 House Sparrows, pair of Pheasants, 4+ Hares, 2+ Chinese Water Deer, Hobby over "gap-wood" poplars, 2+ Common Terns and Cuckoo heard.

18th May 2008

Boardwalk (near visitors centre) from 11.30am -2.25pm.

Highlights

A few hours spent watching and photographing dragonflies and damselflies.

Hairy Dragonfly (2+), Azure Damselfly (5+), Four-spot Chaser (2+), Large Red Damselfly(c.10) and Blue-tailed Damselfly (c.8) all present on the pond by the boardwalk.

Cuckoo and Yellowhammer heard.

Hairy Dragonfly.

Azure Damselfly.

Two photos of Large Red Damselflies.

Exuvia (casing) shed by an emerging dragonfly.

17th May 2008

All morning (5.40am-1.30pm)

Highlights

1 Black Tern on Stewartby Lake (5.40-6.40am at least) -too far out to photograph

c6 Common Terns, 1 Oystercatcher on sailing club lawn.

Cuckoo seen near sewage works from gullwatch

Male Red-crested Pochard on Pillinge as well as 2 Redshank and a Sparrowhawk.

Hobby near visitors centre.

(Went to nearby Coronation Pit in the afternoon with Martin Palmer and Paul and Neil Wright, saw the immature male Red-footed Falcon well, but fairly distantly as well as several Hobbies and a cuckoo.)

Male Red-crested Pochard on Pillinge.

One of two Redshanks near Pillinge

Male Whitethroat near sewage works.
Grey Heron flying past gullwatch.

Dunnock near sewage works.

16th May 2008

Gullwatch (6.40-7.15pm)
Highlights
1 Cuckoo in tree near sewage works
2+ Common terns
10 Mute swans
100+ mixed hirdundines (all 3 species)
1 male Sparrowhawk flew past gullwatch

4th May 2008

Morning visit to gullwatch (7- 8.30am)

1 Common Sandpiper on lakeshore infront of gullwatch

3rd May 2008

Morning (4.45am - 9am) and evening (7-8pm)

Highlights

(morning)

Dawn Chorus walk - good turn of people (about 30), and approx 55 different birds seen / heard

Black Tern on Stewartby Lake and Little Gull on Pillinge

2 Oystercatchers on lawn near Visitor's Centre

Whimbrel heard near Long Meadow, but not by me.. :-(

Usual selection of warblers, notably good views of Garden Warbler near sewage works

(evening)

Little Egret over Pillinge

One of two Oystercatchers on lawn near Visitor's Centre

2nd May 2008

Late morning to evening (11am-12.30pm) and gullwatch (6.40-8pm)

Highlights

(morning)

2 Hobbies, Kestrel, 2 Chinese Water Deer and Buzzard (Wetlands 1 and 2)

(afternoon)

Common Tern with fish near Visitor's Centre

(evening)

1 Imm little Gull flew over Stewartby Lake and into Rookery, 4-5 Common Terns and Sparrowhawk over Stewartby Lake

Common Tern with fish near Visitors Centre

Male Kestrel hovering at Wetland 1

Chinese Water Deer - Wetland 1

Cowslips near Visitors Centre

Dandelion

1st May 2008

Most of day (6.50am-7pm)
Highlights
(morning)
2 Common Terns on Stewartby Lake (6.50-7.10am)
2 Shelduck near access track
Female/Imm Marsh Harrier around Wetland 3
(afternoon)
1 Imm Little Gull on Stewartby Lake (3.50 - 6.05pm at least, may have spent some of time on Rookery)
3 Yellow Wagtails on Sailing Club lawnFemale/immature Marsh Harrier over Wetland 3.Immature Little Gull on Stewartby Lake.
Distant shot of a pair of Shelduck over the access track.