Grimsbury and Boddington Reservoirs :: 26 May 2018

Yesterday's weather had created quite a change in the passage of birds through Grimsbury Reservoir. By 7.20am there were already reports of four black terns. Where there had been nine at Boddington on Thursday night there were none. Common sandpiper, little ringed plover an common tern were soon added, with hundreds of hirundines. Flying groups of warders past through including four snipe, 20+ ringed plover / turnstone with a female wheatear dropping in.

I woke and decided to look out the window - mist and a bit of drizzle - time to visit Grimsbury in case anything had been pushed in. I started a clockwise rotation but as soon as I made the western bank my phone alerted me that Gareth (@grimsbury_birds), had found a spotted flycatcher in the willows along the river by the sailing club. I looked across, spotted him and doubled back to join him. We chatted on the way round - his third circuit. There was little going on, other than dozens of hirundines cruising overhead. As we turned at the north end we came across the little grebe he had spotted before. We also had a little ringed plover which must have just arrived as he hadn't seen it on his previous circuits.

We parted as I decided to have one more circuit and Gareth headed for his car. Grey wagtail, song thrushes and chiffchaff added on the way round but nothing of particular note - the little grebe and little ringed plover were not around either.

I decided to head over to Boddington Reservoir to try my luck there. Sedge warblers called, a handful of common tern fished but no sign of any black terns. By the time I reached the turn I thought my luck was out - a number of whitethroat lifted my spirits. Then, from down the slope to the river, I saw a kingfisher [#125] buzz out over the reservoir, round in a circle, and back to where it had come from. I watched and soon saw it flash as it moved around. I went to the foot of the hill and saw it heading back left and out of sight. I waited but no further sightings.

Good views of chiffchaff on the return, and one of the fisherman landing a large carp from the bank.

Sightings today (30 from Grimsbury and 12 more from Boddington) included: [Grimsbury] blackbird, blue tit, carrion crow, chiffchaff, collared dove, coot, dunnock, goldfinch, great tit, greenfinch, grey wagtail, house martin, house sparrow, jackdaw, linnet, little grebe, little ringed plover, long-tailed tit, magpie, mallard, mute swan, pied wagtail, rook, song thrush, starling, stock dove, swallow, swift, woodpigeon and wren [Boddington] canada goose, chaffinch, common tern, great crested grebe, kingfisher, lesser black-backed gull, moorhen, pheasant, reed bunting, sedge warbler, tufted duck and whitethroat.