May 2006 Summary

After the excellent birds seen last month, May proved to be very disappointing. However, a brief Red Kite was the highlight, though enjoyed only be a single lucky observer. The only other real site scarcity was a splendid summer-plumaged Black Tern, again present early morning for a couple of hours only. An elusive female Ruddy Duck was another brief bird, while a Shelduck was again present for a day.

Species

Highest Count

Date

Notes

Great Crested Grebe

40+

5th

 
Grey Heron

1

5th

 
Mute Swan 8 9th  
Shelduck 1 2nd  
Wood Duck 2 26th Male seen on three dates
Mandarin 1 6th/12th  
Gadwall

2

12th-22nd

Pair seen on four dates within this period

Teal

2

2nd

 

Tufted Duck 4 2nd  
Ruddy Duck 1 1st Single female
Red Kite 1 27th  
Falcon ssp 1 24th Unidentified falcon thought to be either a Hobby or Merlin
Sparrowhawk 2 2nd  
Common Sandpiper 6 2nd  
Black-headed Gull 7 3rd  
Herring Gull 150+ 3rd  
Lesser Black-backed Gull 50+ 3rd  
Black Tern 1 9th  
Mistle Thrush 1 11th  
Swift 17 22nd  
Kingfisher 1 9th  
Cuckoo 1 20th/31st  
Reed Warbler 1 2nd  
Cetti's Warbler 1 9th  
Garden Warbler 2 1st First bird on 1st
Whitethroat 3 8th  
Lesser Whitethroat 1 6th/27th  
Goldcrest 1 27th  
Jay 1 30th/31st  
Bullfinch 1 26th  
Goldfinch 2 20th  
Reed Bunting 2 8th