August 2004 Summary

Plenty of interest throughout the month, with the main highlights being a fly-through Honey Buzzard (4th SBR record) and a female/juvenile Pied Flycatcher (3rd SBR record). Waders were again present in numbers and variety, with the pick being a Spotted Redshank and three Oystercatcher. Further interest was generated by a pair of ducks showing characteristics of American Wigeon, and finally three duck that appeared to be Garganey. All in all a very profitable month.

Species

Highest Count

Date

Notes

Great Crested Grebe

20+

 

Fluctuating numbers all month
Little Grebe 1 2nd/31st  

Cormorant

20+   Numbers increasing through month
Grey Heron c.8    
Little Egret 3 (poss.4) 8th Ones or twos seen on other dates
Moorhen 10+    
Coot 6+    

Mute Swan

1

31st

 
Canada Goose c.200 12th  
Barnacle Goose 1 from 4th Presumed feral bird
Teal 5 16th  
Garganey 3 26th Probable, though distant views
Shoveler 2 19th  
Wigeon 7 15th  
American Wigeon 2 16th Pair showing characteristics of this species
Tufted Duck 1 2nd Single female present
Honey Buzzard 1 13th Single over - 4th SBR Record
Sparrowhawk 1 19th  

Peregrine

2

 

Single birds seen on several days throughout the month
Oystercatcher 3 23rd  
Ringed Plover

9

30th

Small flock seen in flight, thought to be this species
Black-tailed Godwit 12 19th Also a single bird on 26th
Common Sandpiper 12 2nd  
Green Sandpiper 4 3rd  
Dunlin 2 6th/23rd  
Spotted Redshank 1 31st  
Greenshank 20 8th In flight over reservoir, also four on 31st, and singles on several dates
Yellow-legged Gull 1   Present regularly all month
Black-headed Gull 100+   Numbers steadily increasing through the month
Common Tern 5 8th Also four on 23rd, and two on 26th
Arctic Tern 1 12th  
Kingfisher 2 23rd Single birds seen on several days throughout the month
Swallow 50+ 21st  
Treecreeper 1 5th  
Pied Flycatcher 1 25th Female of juvenile bird - 3rd SBR record
Spotted Flycatcher 4 25th  
Wheatear 1 23rd  
Stock Dove 2 20th  
Pied Wagtail 25 30th  
Chiffchaff 2 31st  
Willow Warbler 2 25th  
Reed Warbler 2 21st  
Whitethroat 2 2nd  
Bullfinch 2 5th  
Raven 1 30th