May Sightings

31st May – (GB)

2 Sparrowhawk
Red-crested Pochard
2 drk Wigeon
2 Goldeneye
1 Common Sandpiper

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk (permit access only)

2 Grey Heron
2 Sparrowhawk
4 Marsh Harrier
3 Buzzard
12 Great Crested Grebe
26 Gadwall
36 Tufted Duck
9 Pochard
2 drk Wigeon
Cuckoo
2+ Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Treecreeper

Wassand – am

70+ House Martin

30th May – (GB)

KP am
drake Red-crested Pochard
2 Goldeneye
4 Common Sandpiper
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk (permit access only)

2 Grey Heron
2+ Sparrowhawk
4 Marsh Harrier
4+ Buzzard
Hobby
10+ Great Crested Grebe
5 Teal
18 Gadwall
32 Tufted Duck
7 Pochard
3 Shoveler
drake Wigeon
Cuckoo
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Treecreeper

Wassand am

60+ House Martin

29th May – (GB)

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk am and pm (permit access only)

2 Grey Heron
2 Sparrowhawk
3+ Marsh Harrier
Buzzard
10+ Great Crested Grebe
12 Gadwall
34 Tufted Duck
11 Pochard
Red-crested Pochard
3 Wigeon
2 Cuckoo
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Treecreeper

Wassand pm

70+House Martin
60+Swift

1st field pm

2 Goldeneye
200+ Swift
240+ House Martin
70+ Sand Martin
Cuckoo

28th May – (GB)

Heavy rain and drizzle for much of day-Wind ENE

KP am and pm

200+ Swift
260+ House Martin
120+ Sand Martin
Red-crested Pochard
2 Goldeneye

27th May – (GB)

Very wet – Wind NE

KP am and pm

c250 Swift
300+House Martin
160+Sand Martin
Red-crested Pochard
2 Goldeneye

26th May – (TM)

drk Scaup
drk RCP
2 Goldeneye (GB)

25th May – (GB)

2 Sparrowhawk
White-fronted Goose
3 Wigeon
Red-crested Pochard
2 Goldeneye
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Mute Swan-numbers increasing daily involving post-breeding and moulting birds
154 birds present throughout Mere (excludes cygnets)

1st field pm

200+ Swift
c220 House Martin

24th May – (LI)

Arctic Tern flew out east from 2nd field
2 Common Tern on Mere

Cowden – (MR)

Turtle Dove

KP in am – (GB)

2 Sparrowhawk
White-fronted Goose
drake Red-crested Pochard
3 Wigeon
2 Oystercatcher
2 Goldeneye
2 Egyptian Geese
2 Common Tern

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk-mid-aft (permit access only)

2 Sparrowhawk
4 Buzzard
2 Marsh Harrier
2+ Hobby
10 Great Crested Grebe
16 Gadwall
32 Tufted Duck
14 Pochard
3 Wigeon
Cuckoo
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Treecreeper

23rd May – (GB)

KP in am

3 Egyptian Geese
drake Goldeneye
2 Wigeon
9 Pochard

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk in am (permit access only)

3 Sparrowhawk
3 Buzzard
2 Marsh Harrier
2+ Hobby
12 Great Crested Grebe
14 Gadwall
38 Tufted Duck
11 Pochard
2 Cuckoo
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Treecreeper plus fledgling

1st field in pm

Little Egret flew towards Swan Island from the west
3 Arctic Tern flew ESE
drake Goldeneye

22nd May – (MR,TM)

early am from KP

1 LRP
drk Goldeneye
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Black-necked Grebe between KP and 2nd field
White-fronted Goose
3 Common Tern north

late aft – (TM)

2 Grey Partridge 2nd field
2 Common Tern thru
3 Common Sandpiper KP

KP am – downpour conditions – (GB)

Little Ringed Plover
2 Common Sandpiper
Red-crested Pochard
White-fronted Goose

KP pm – (GB)

2 Common Sandpiper
2 Goldeneye

Tunstall – (TI,AJ)

1 Temminck’s Stint

Temminck’s Stint at Tunstall – Ade Johnson

a size comparison shot with a Ringed Plover

21st May – (TM,LI)

from southside of Mere in am

1 Osprey west over Mere, then headed out NE late morning

Osprey – Alan Elkin

Osprey from Wassand/Decoy hide – Alan Elkin

Osprey – Alan Elkin

2+ Hobby
2 Common Tern over Mere
3 Common Sandpiper
2+ Common Buzzard north over Mere
Brown Argus in 2nd field

freshly emerged Brown Argus on thumb

from KP over midday – (TI)

1 Honey Buzzard low over KP, then appeared to head north being mobbed
2+ Hobby
Cetti’s Warbler singing around Bull Hole

KP am – (GB)

2 Wigeon
drake Red-crested Pochard
9 Pochard
2 Sparrowhawk
2 Common Tern
2 Common Sandpiper

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk am – (GB,AE)

Grey Heron thermalling high and heading north
4+ Sparrowhawk
4 Buzzard plus 3 more circling high and heading north
3+ Hobby
male Marsh Harrier
Osprey (10:48-10:55) at close range flew low, passing the Hide, circled three times over Decoy Bay before gaining height and heading NNW
2 Egyptian Geese
10 Great Crested Grebe
10 Gadwall
42 Tufted Duck
7 Pochard
2+ Cuckoo
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
6+ Reed Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff

20th May – (MR,DB)

Wassand/Decoy hide mid/late am (permit access only)

2 Hobby
3+ Common Buzzard
3+ Marsh Harrier
1 Common Tern

Hobby over the Wassand hide

Mere – (GB)

2 Spoonbill on Swan Island early am – late morning

KP in am

drake Red-crested Pochard
White-fronted Goose
3 Wigeon
Common Sandpiper
distant Hobby over Lady Island – mid morning
7 Common Tern thru the Mere (TM)

19th May – (LI)

2 Spoonbill on Swan Island 18:45 till late evening, picked up from the southside in misty/poor light

recordshot of the 2 Spoonbill on Swan Island

18th May – (GB)

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk in am (permit access only)

4+ Buzzard
4 Marsh Harrier
2+ Sparrowhawk
14 Great Crested Grebe
2 Egyptian Geese
3 Wigeon
18 Gadwall
drake Red-crested Pochard
2 Cuckoo
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Curlew flew west

KP – late am

White-fronted Goose
Common Sandpiper

17th May – (MR,GB)

KP in am

1 Common Buzzard WNW over KP
5 Wigeon (3 drks + 2 fem)
1 Common Tern over Mere
1 Common Sandpiper
White-fronted Goose
Barnacle Goose
Pink-footed Goose
drk RCP

migrant Common Buzzard with entourage over KP

Wassand/Decoy hide late am (MR,BMJ, permit access only)

3 Marsh Harrier
4 Common Buzzard
1 Hobby over Decoy Bay
Sparrowhawk Wassand car park

distant Hobby over Decoy

Sparrowhawk over Wassand

16th May – (MR) late am from KP

Common Sandpiper from KP
drk RCP from KP

early am from KP – (GB)

1st sum drk Goldeneye
2 Oystercatcher
2 Wigeon

Wassand/Decoy hide early am (MR, permit access only)

4 Marsh Harrier
5 Common Buzzard
1 Cuckoo

a regular male Marsh Harrier sporting a ring

15th May – (GB)

2 Sparrowhawk
White-fronted Goose
3 drake Wigeon
13 Pochard
drake Red-crested Pochard
2 Oystercatcher
Common Sandpiper
3 Goldeneye (including a female)
Cuckoo
Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk am (permit access only)

3+ Sparrowhawk
4 Marsh Harrier
4+ Common Buzzard
6 Gadwall
2 Cuckoo
30+ House Martin
Treecreeper
2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
3 Reed Warbler

14th May – (MR,TM)

Wassand/Decoy hide early am (permit access only)

1 Cuckoo
6 Gadwall
4 Stock Dove Wassand car park
3 Marsh Harrier
4+ Common Buzzard
Grass Snake Wassand woodland walk in pm

KP mid am

drk RCP off KP
2 Goldeneye (ad drk + 1st sum drk)
White-fronted Goose
1 Common Sandpiper off Jetties

14th May – (GB)

KP early am

2 Sparrowhawk
Egyptian Goose
2 Wigeon
60+ Swift

13th May – (MR,TM) in am

drk RCP from Wassand hide early am
2 Goldeneye (ad drk + 1st sum drk) off KP
1st sum Little Gull off Jetties in am
2 Common Sandpiper from KP in am

Wassand/Decoy hide (MR) in pm (permit access only)

Turtle Dove heard and seen in flight mid aft from Wassand woodland walk
Grass Snake
Fox
c200 Swift from 2nd field early evening
Water Rail along southside (LI)

Fox – Wassand woodland

12th May – (GB)

KP in am

2 Sparrowhawk
2 Wigeon
9 Pochard
2 Avocet flew NW
4 Oystercatcher
Cuckoo
Great Spotted Woodpecker
40+ Swift

1st Field/Heslops

6 Gadwall
44 Tufted Duck
80+ Mute Swan (includes KP birds)
White-fronted Goose
100+ Swift, mainly heading west
2 Long-tailed Tit
Whitethroat
4 Reed Warbler
Cuckoo
Distant Marsh Harrier and Buzzard at west end

11th May – (GB)

KP in am

2 Sparrowhawk
2 Wigeon
drake Goldeneye
13 Pochard
42 Tufted Duck
8 Gadwall
Common Sandpiper
2 Oystercatcher
Great Spotted Woodpecker
60+ Swift
Cuckoo

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk in am (permit access only)

2 Sparrowhawk
5+ Buzzard
3 Marsh Harrier
6 Great Crested Grebe
5 Gadwall
2 Cuckoo
30+ House Martin
200+ Swift
2 Treecreeper
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
4+ Reed Warbler

10th May – (GT) in pm

1 Arctic Tern
2 Common Sandpiper
130 Swift

KP in am – (GB)

Grey Heron
2 Sparrowhawk
3 Wigeon
drake Goldeneye
14 Pochard
36 Tufted Duck
10 Gadwall
2 Little Ringed Plover
5+ Common Sandpiper
Great Spotted Woodpecker
120+ Swift

1st/2nd field in pm

220+ Swift
70+ Sand Martin
40+ House Martin
30+ Swallow

9th May – (GB)

KP am

White-fronted Goose
2 Wigeon
drake Goldeneye
8 Gadwall
14 Pochard
c45 Tufted Duck
Common Sandpiper
60+ Swift

1st/2nd field late aft

30+ Sand Martin
200+ Swift

8th May – (GB)

KP in am

drake Wigeon
drake Goldeneye
12 Gadwall
c40 Tufted Duck
14 Pochard
1 LRP
3 Common Sandpiper
Curlew over to NE
Whimbrel flew ESE
40+ Swift initially increasing to 110+ as incoming birds moved westwards
and 180+ present by mid-morning

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk (permit access only)

2 Grey Heron
3 Sparrowhawk
4+ Marsh Harrier
10 Great Crested Grebe
8 Gadwall
34 Tufted Duck
2 Pochard
2 Shoveler
2 Cuckoo
60+ House Martin
150+ Swift
2 Treecreeper
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Jay

1st field late aft

160+ Sand Martin
c30 Swallow
c40 House Martin
40+ Swift

7th May – (GB)

KP in am

drake Goldeneye
2 Wigeon
10 Gadwall
c70 Tufted Duck
2 Sparrowhawk
2 Common Sandpiper
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker

1st/2nd field late aft

220+ Sand Martin
c40 Swallow
c60 House Martin
25+ Swift

from KP in evening – (LI)

Little Egret
2 Common Sandpiper
drk Goldeneye
Marsh Harrier
good no’s Swift

6th May – (MR)

early am Wassand/Decoy hide (permit access only)

4+ Reed Warbler
4+ Marsh Harrier
drk RCP
2 Coal Tit
2 Redpoll
2 Cuckoo

Great crested Grebe – Wassand hide

from KP in am – (MR,GB)

4 Egyptian Goose
2 Teal
3 Shoveler
drk Scaup
40+ Swift
White-fronted Goose
2 Common Buzzard
2 Marsh Harrier
2 Sparrowhawk
1 Oystercatcher
Cetti’s Warbler singing from east end

late pm from southside – (MR,LI)

2 Common Sandpiper 2nd field
Marsh Harrier east over 1st field
Cetti’s Warbler singing from east end
Yellow Wagtail
Cuckoo
6 Pochard off 1st field reedbed

Marsh Harrier flew east over 1st field

KP late aft – (GB)

drake Goldeneye
drake Wigeon
10+ Swift
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Yellow Wagtail

Mappleton – (TL)

3+ Wheatear

5th May – (GB)

KP am

Grey Heron
2 Sparrowhawk
White-fronted Goose
Barnacle Goose
2 Oystercatcher
3 Common Sandpiper
2 Common Tern flew ESE
8 Pochard
2 Swift

1st/2nd Field/Heslop’s

Sedge Warbler – well established
Reed Warbler – still scarce
2 Lesser Whitethroat
4 Whitethroat
Blackcap – well established
2 Long-tailed Tit
2 Bullfinch
2 pairs Lapwing on territory
2 Yellow Wagtail(LB)

Wassand Hide/Woodland Walk (permit access only)

2 Sparrowhawk
1 Grey Heron
4+ Marsh Harrier
22 Great Crested Grebe
28 Gadwall
drake Scaup
88 Tufted Duck
4 Pochard
drake Shoveler
Cuckoo calling
c30 House Martin
1 Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Great Spotted Woodpecker

4th May – (LI)

from KP in am

1 LRP
Common Sandpiper
15+ Swift
Cetti’s Warbler singing at east end

from south side early am – (TM)

Greenshank over
2 Common Tern north
1 Cuckoo

KP am – (GB)

2 Grey Heron
2 Sparrowhawk
Marsh Harrier ”cream-crown” in off sea-flew west towards Decoy Bay
drake Scaup
2 Wigeon
1 Goldeneye
2 Oyster Catcher
3 Common Sandpiper
48+ Swift – coming in from the east (light shower), 60+ birds by mid morning
Great Spotted Woodpecker

1st/2nd Field am

2 Common Sandpiper
2nd summer Little Gull
Barnacle Goose-coming from the east and flying west
2 Whimbrel over to east
5 Redpoll

Wassand Hide am (permit access only)

1 Grey Heron
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Sparrowhawk
4+ Marsh Harrier plus the earlier incoming bird being mobbed by a Resident male
2 Buzzard
1 Peregrine flew high to east
2 Wigeon
14 Gadwall
2 Shoveler
74 Tufted Duck
2 Scaup – adult drake and first summer drake
4 Pochard
42 Swift
60+ House Martin
Cuckoo
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
2 Treecreeper
3 Great Spotted Woodpecker

KP late aft

1 White-fronted Goose
10+ Swift
1 flava Wagtail over

3rd May – (LB) early pm

4 Wheatear Heslop’s area

KP am – (GB)

2 Grey Heron
2 Sparrowhawk
1 White-fronted Goose
1 Egyptian Goose
5 Shelduck
2 Wigeon
drake Scaup
3 Goldeneye
2 Oystercatcher
2 Common Tern on red buoy
3 Common Sandpiper
1 Redshank
10+ Swift
40+ House Martin

2nd May – (MR,GB)

6+ Swift from KP early am
Cetti’s Warbler singing from east end

Wassand Hide am – (GB, permit access only)

2 Grey Heron
3 Sparrowhawk
5+ Marsh Harrier
12 Great Crested Grebe
drake Scaup
70+ Tufted Duck
4 Pochard
4 Shoveler
3 Goldeneye
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Whimbrel flew east
2 Cuckoo
2 Swift
40+ House Martin
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
2 Treecreeper
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker

2nd Field pm

Little Egret roosting on Swan Island
Iceland Gull – presumed second summer bird off Swan Island
Whimbrel over to east
450+ Sand Martin
60+ Swallow
30 House Martin

1st May – (LI) in am

2 Arctic Tern flew out east over the KP approach road early am
1 Barwit flew out west
2w Iceland Gull on Mere in am
2 Common Sandpiper on KP
1 LRP on KP
Whimbrel over
male Wheatear KP
1w Little Gull
Cetti’s Warbler
drk Scaup
White-fronted Goose
Redshank

from KP in am – (GB)

3 Arctic Tern flew ESE
2 Wigeon
drake Goldeneye
1 Swift

1st/2nd field late aft

adult Kittiwake off KP flew east out to sea
Little Egret on Swan Island
2 Common Sandpiper
350+ Swallow
120+ Sand Martin
30 House Martin
1 Hobby

Mere late pm – (TM)

Kittiwake off KP – scarce bird on the Mere
Barwit over
3 Whimbrel over

approachable White-fronted Goose on KP – Simon Pugh

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