Diary - Blagdon Lake Birds

Recent Site Updates:

The page relating to historical bird records deemed as not proven has been updated with some of my information, and correspondence from Richard Mielcarek. It is linked from the NP section of the Blagdon Lake Bird List, or by following the link Historical Records (Not Proven).
I’ve updated the Butterflies list with some new records and dates, plus some historical records that I’m searching through.

Last update: 17th May 2025

Diary: Click on the Main Menu to bring up this page, which will show news and sightings for the current month below. To see archived news, click on the year from the Main Menu Diary drop down to access news month by month. News is archived back to 2011 currently. I hope it provides a valuable resource to those of you interested in the birds and wildlife of the lake. Have fun exploring, there are nearly 500 pages and over 2000 photos.

June 2025

Sunday 15th June [Mainly dry with sunny spells]

I popped to the lake mid-morning to fill the bird feeder and have a look in front of the Lodge for any waders that may have flown in – they hadn’t. While I was there Wendy, a bat carer, called to say she and her husband had come for a a look at where it is proposed we release a female Nathusius’ PIpistrelle, with her two pups, that were born while in her care. This will probably happen in the next week or two. In the evening I got to the lake a bit late for a birding walk from the Lodge to Top End hide and back, but I did it anyway. I heard the Cuckoo singing still, heard a Water Rail squeal, counted 18 Tufted Duck in Holt Bay, and saw two Great White Egrets, and three Little Egrets at roost. Total 39 spp. Phil D. and I will be doing the monthly WeBS count tomorrow morning.

Saturday 14th June [Breezy and sunny spells. Some light rain.]

Again, I wasn’t able to get out until late evening. I heard the Cuckoo singing and saw one Little and two Great White Egrets. 28 spp.

Thursday 12th June [Rain clearing later to scattered clouds]

My trip to the lake was very late this evening, during which I birded on foot from Rainbow Point to Top End hide and back. I counted 185 Canada Geese, saw 2 Egyptian Geese, 5 Black-headed Gulls (first returning birds), 11 Little Egrets, 2 Great White Egrets, 8 Cattle Egrets and 4 Grey Herons, of note. 36 spp.

Late news from Mark H. to say he and Ali both heard a Curlew calling while they were working at the Lodge today.

Wednesday 11th June [Sunny spells]

I had the chance for a short visit to Chew Valley Lake with my sister to help her get to grips with her new telephoto lens. We saw the Spotted Redshank at Herriott’s Pool, a Little Ringed Plover, and the Egyptian Goose family. Later, after lunch, we popped down to Blagdon to photograph some insects. After I took my sister to Yatton for her train, I went back to the lake and birded my way from Home Bay to Top End hide and back. I heard the Cuckoo singing from somewhere towards Butcombe Bay/North Shore, saw a Hobby at Long Bay, singles of Great White and Little Egret, and recorded a male Banded Demoiselle, an Emperor Dragonfly, several Red-eyed Damselflies and Black-tailed Skimmers, and thousands of Common Blue Damselflies. The point of Tiny’s Shallow is just beginning to show itself now, and the birds are beginning to gather there to feed and roost.

Saturday 7th June [Heavy showers & persistent light rain until evening.]

Domestic duties conspired to prevent me getting to the lake during the day, but I birded from Home Bay to Top End hide and back in the evening, although it was quite late. I watched two Hobbies hunting low over the water at Top End. However, I was most excited to see that Tiny’s Shallow is about to be exposed by the dropping water level. This evening there was a sizeable flock of Coots gathered there standing in the shallow water. Provided the water level keeps falling we might expect to see a few waders at Blagdon this year. We can only hope. I only saw a single Little Egret fly in to roost, but others may have already arrived and disappeared into cover by the time I looked. 26 spp.

Friday 6th June [Clearing to a mainly sunny day. Breezy.]

I didn’t go to the lake to birdwatch, rather, to complete building the reptile/amphibian heap at Top End that Mark H. and I laid the foundations for last November. Hopefully, this winter it may get used by amphibians to hibernate, then in late Spring next year we will add more material to try and attract reptiles to use it. We were following a tried and trusted recipe to build the heap, and buoyed by our efforts will hope to add a couple more heaps at the lakeside to help the conservation endeavours, if BW approve. For the hour and a quarter I was there, I noted eight Cattle Egrets on Rugmoor Point, one Little and two Great White Egrets, plus two Cetti’s and a Willow Warbler singing in the usual spots. 25 spp.

Common Toads in amplexus, Bell’s Bush, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

These Toads were about to cross the road at 1147 hrs on 20th March 2025 so I decided to give them a helping hand and took them to the water’s edge.

Thursday 5th June [Mainly wet, with occasional dry spells late afternoon.]

I wanted to see if I could get some photos of the small mammals I saw under the feeder on the 30th May, so got to the lake a little bit earlier this evening, but it was pretty miserable under grey skies, and dark under the trees. There was no sign of a mouse or vole, but a female Siskin popped onto the feeder, followed a little while later by a male. Could they be breeding close by again this year? It’ll be nice to see some juveniles. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Siskin, female, Lodge Copse, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Siskin, male, Lodge Copse, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

It was so gloomy under the trees when trying to photograph the Siskins at 1900 hrs., I went up to ISO 8000, 1/100 & 1/125th sec., Av 5.6. Less than perfect (a bit soft), but great to be able to get some images of them in the localitiy at this time of year. I didn’t walk this evening, but drove to Top End hide to have a look at the egret roost again. I saw two Great White and a Little Egret there, and on the way back to the Lodge, saw one each of Great White and Little Egret in Long Bay too. The Cuckoo was singing again, doubtless trying to attract a mate, perhaps, to lay an egg in the nest of a Reed Warbler, now they’re spreading into the marginal vegetation that has sprung up in the last couple of weeks. 32 spp.

Wednesday 4th June [Some rain, then drying out later.]

I’m still super busy, but managed to get to the lake before dusk. It was just the usual fayre, although I spotted four Little and one Great White Egret at roost together, and a Hobby, before I left. 30 spp.

Tuesday 3rd June [Wet in the morning, drying to sunny spells in the afternoon.]

I birded on foot from Home Bay to Top End hide and back. It was nice to meet Martin K. and have a catch-up while I was there. There were lots of Swifts over the lake, but it was pretty quiet as far as waterbirds were concerned. I saw two Great White and one Little Egret (Martin saw three of the latter). Martin also told me he’d heard the Cuckoo before we met, and later we watched two Hobbies hunting, after sun down, from Top End hide. 38 spp.

Monday 2nd June [Hot & sunny]

I went in search of Five-spot Burnet Moths with my camera for an hour or two this afternoon, but they managed to elude me. However, there were lots of Meadow Brown Butterflies on the wing, and I also saw a Small Tortoiseshell, a Painted Lady, three Marbled Whites, quite a few Large Skippers, a Burnet Companion Moth and several Six-spot Burnet Moths. I also saw Meadow Grasshoppers and Black-tailed Skimmer Dragonflies. A Cuckoo showed himself a couple of times, and I counted five Little Egrets on Rugmoor Point. 30 bird spp.

Meadow Grasshopper, adult male, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Although this adult has forewings, it does not have any hind wings, and is the only flightless grasshopper species in the UK.

Large Skipper Butterfly male, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

There are black streaks on the upper wings of males, the sex brands, which comprise two kinds of specialised scent scales, the androconia. Also, note the tips of the antennae which show distinct hooks that help to identify this as a Large Skipper – both Small and Essex Skippers have club-shaped ends to their antennae, the undersides of which are, generally, black on Essex Skipper and orange on Small Skipper. All three species occur at the lake.

Painted Lady Butterfly, a migrant species from North Africa, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Black-tailed Skimmer, probably an immature male, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Black-tailed Skimmer, maturing male, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Note that the colour of the abdomen changes in male Black-tailed Skimmers from black & yellow to blue, yellow & black. A blue waxy substance known as pruinescence, develops on the abdomen as the males age & mature. The bottom picture shows the dragonfly devouring a fly taken on the wing – possibly a Twin-lobed Deerfly Chrysops relictus judging by the bright green eyes – not uncommon at the lake, and a bit of a nuisance at times, as it has quite a bite.

Sunday 1st June [Sunny spells with the odd shower or two]

Due to the wind and intermittent sunny spells I decided not to go to the lake with my camera today. I was hoping to get some shots of the Five-spot Burnet Moths which are, seemingly, new to the lake. I checked historical records on the NBN Atlas which shows records held by BRERC (Bristol Environmental Records Centre), but that only showed Six-spot Burnet, which is common, and two records of Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet. With the weather looking more favourable tomorrow, I might try then, if I can find some time. This evening, I parked at Home Bay and made my way on foot to Top End hide and back, birding as I went. There were two Great White Egrets present, and I saw a Hobby, a Sparrowhawk, and heard a Cetti’s Warbler in a list of 34 spp.

Friday 30th May [Warm, brightening as the day went on.]

I birded on foot from Rainbow Point to Top End gate & back this evening. Before I walked, I saw the first Mute Swan brood of the year, just a single cygnet, with its parents in Pipe Bay, thanks to a tip-off from Mark. I saw 8 Gadwall, 11 Tufted Duck and male Pochard, and heard a Cuckoo. One Great White Egret and a Cetti’s Warbler were the other birds of note. While I was at the feeder in the car, I saw a Wood Mouse and a Bank Vole looking for spilt sunflower hearts, but I couldn’t get a picture of either through the nettles unfortunately. 28 spp.

Thursday 29th May [A lovely still evening]

I was busy during the day but had time to bird from the Lodge to Top End and back on foot in the evening. I didn’t spot any waders or a Spotted Flycatcher, but was thrilled when a Barn Owl came floating into view. It flew off towards Holt Farm buildings. This was my first sighting of a Barnie at the lake this year, so I’m wondering if this is a poor year for Field Voles. I saw a Chiffchaff feeding a youngster by the Inspection House, heard a Cuckoo and Willow Warbler singing, and saw the two Little Egrets, that have been present for a while, in flight together. At Bell’s Bush I could see a number of pupal cases of Six-spot Burnet Moths on grass stems and noted my first Meadow Brown of the year at roost, after the sun had gone down. Day list 35 spp., and lake year bird list up to 100 spp., the lowest at this time of year for over a decade – by some margin.

Wednesday 28th May [A pleasant but breezy evening]

I won’t be able to get to the lake much over the next two weeks, or so, but I will update the diary as often as I’m able to. I did have a look late this evening and saw a wader on the shore at Green Lawn that I wasn’t able to identify straight way as I only had my binoculars with me. I walked back to my car and got my telescope, then popped home to get the camera just in case it was a mega. When I got back the bird was still there and I was quickly able to establish that it was a Sanderling, not quite what I was hoping for but, nevertheless, very welcome given how quiet it’s been the last month or two.

Record shot of a Sanderling, Green Lawn , Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

I managed to clinch the ID and get some pictures at 2035 hrs, which left me very little time for any more birding. In addition to the Sanderling, I heard a Cuckoo singing from the Butcombe Bay direction, and saw a Peregrine fly very low across the lake as if it had its eye fixed on something on the other shore that I couldn’t see. 29 spp.

Monday 26th May [Overcast & breezy, with sunny spells & showers.]

Phil, Rob & I did the WeBS count this morning from 0945-1206 hrs. The water level was about 72%. We didn’t see anything of special note, although there were good numbers of Swifts and House Martins over the lake. The count summary was as follows: Canada Goose 33 adults, 15 juveniles (4 broods), Mute Swan 19 adults, Gadwall 5, Mallard 84 adults, 8 juveniles (one new brood, the 4th, and one older brood), Pochard 1 male, Tufted Duck 9, Moorhen 1 (u/count), Coot 117, Great Crested Grebe 21, Herring Gull 1, Great Black-backed Gull 4, Lesser Black-backed Gull 3, Cormorant 2, Little Egret 3, Grey Heron 2, Kestrel 1, Cett’s Warbler 3. Phil and I saw the rather striking bug, Miris striatus, along Butcombe Bank too.

Tuesday 20th May

I am away at present, but Ray Barnett kindly sent me the list of invertebrates recorded during the Bristol & District Moth Group Meeting on 11th May as follows:

BDMG Meeting 11th May at Blagdon Lake 1130-1300 hrs
Present: Ray Barnett, David Agassiz, Andy Pym, Anne Crowe, Jean Oliver, Alastair Stevenson, John Mason & myself.  
Odonata:
Azure Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Red-eyed Damselfly
Orthoptera:
Dark Bush-cricket
Speckled Bush-cricket
Roesel's Bush-cricket
Meadow Grasshopper
Hemiptera:
Hawthorn Shieldbug
Harpocera thoracica
Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus
Stenodema laevigata
Psallus perrisi
Cercopis vulnerata
Megaloptera:
Alderfly Sialis lutaria (gen. det.)
Lepidoptera:
15.010 Caloptilia stigmatella
16.002 Orchard Ermine
16.004 Spindle Ermine
19.003 Woodrush Moth
19.007 Cocksfoot Moth
32.018 Agonopterix heracliana
38.004 Elasticha argentella
49.039 Light Brown Apple Moth
49.097 Common Straw
54.008 Six-spot Burnet 
54.010 Five-spot Burnet (confluent form)
63.016 Cinerous Pearl
72.002 Straw Dot
72.083 Burnet Companion
73.015 Silver Y
Orange-tip
Holly Blue
Common Blue
Painted Lady
Marsh Fritillary
Coleoptera:
Swollen-thighed Beetle
Malachite Beetle
22-spot Ladybird
14-spot Ladybird
Athous haemorroidalis
Common Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
Phytoecia cylindrica
Grammoptera ruficornis
Cantharis fusca
Cantharis rustica
Bruchus loti
Plateumaris sericea
Phaedon tumidulus
Hymenoptera:
Large Meadow Mining Bee
Hornet
Diptera:
Drone Fly Eristais tenax
Empis tessellata
Arthropoda:
Nursery Web Spider
Larinioides cornutus
Tetragnatha sp.

A Rove Beetle Staphylinus dimidiaticornis, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Sunday 18th May [Sunny & hot]

I did a follow-up survey (with permission) of a few of the meadows with Ray Barnett from 1030-1330 hrs looking for Bee-hawks. Here’s a list of what we saw:

Invertebrate Survey 18th May at Blagdon Lake
Odonata: 
Azure Damselfly 
Common Blue Damselfly 
Red-eyed Damselfly
Common Darter
Orthoptera: 
Speckled Bush-cricket 
Roesel's Bush-cricket 
Meadow Grasshopper
Hemiptera: 
Coreus marginatus
Drymus sylvaticus
Capsus ater
Cercopis vulnerata
Trichoptera:
Mystacides longicornis
Lepidoptera:
Spindle Ermine
Orchard Ermine
Celypha lacunana
Cinerous Pearl
Six-spot Burnet
Five-spot Burnet
Large Skipper 1
Common Blue
Peacock
Painted Lady
Marsh Fritillary 4
Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth 4
Yellow Shell
Burnet Companion
Coleoptera:
Staphylinus dimidiaticornis
Swollen-thighed Beetle
Malachite Beetle
Agrypnus murinus
Grammoptera ruficornis
Cantharis fusca
Cantharis rustica
Hymenoptera:
Large Meadow Mining Bee
Common Carder Bumblebee
Red-tailed Bumblebee
Diptera:
Drone Fly Eristalis tenax
Eristalis pertinax
Rhagio tringarius
Urophora quadrifasciata
Arthropoda:
Nursery web Spider
Tetragnatha sp.

Among the birds noted were a Cuckoo (male) in flight, and a Great White Egret in flight past the Fishing Lodge.

Marsh Fritillary, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

I went back to the lake in the evening and birded from the Lodge to Top End hide and back. The Cuckoo was moving around the lake giving it the beans for most of the time I was there. I saw a third brood of Mallards (seven juvs.) a Hobby (Ross F. saw two), and two Great White Egrets in a list of 38 spp. to round off a good day.

Saturday 17th May [Started cloudy & cool, but the sun soon came out & warmed things up]

I went to Street this morning to do the Parkrun, so didn’t get down to the lake until mid-afternoon with my camera. I was primarily looking for Odonata but only came across Common Blue Damselfly and Red-eyed Damselfly. We’d seen a Red-eyed Damselfly on the moth group meeting last Sunday which was the first I’d seen for a long time at the lake. However, today, I found lots of them. I’m not sure if they’ve colonised in the years between sightings or we’ve had an influx like we did in 2010. While I was at the Lodge, I met angler John H. who told me he’d seen a couple of Marsh Harriers, two Hobbies very high over the lake, and heard the Butcombe Cuckoo briefly, while out fishing. Cheers, John.

Red-eyed Damselfly, male in a typical pose on a floating leaf, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Friday 16th May [Hot & sunny]

What a very interesting afternoon I had at the lake. Rich M. rang me in the morning to tell me he’d seen a Marsh Fritillary. Cheers Rich. I went to look for Dragonflies and Butterflies, and found my first site record of Dingy Skipper (photographed but not worthy of showing here), four Marsh Fritillaries and two Narrow-bordered Bee-hawks. Amazing!

Marsh Fritillary, Blagdon Lake © Nigel Milbourne 2025

Thursday 15th May [Hot & sunny]

I had a walk with friends at RSPB Ham Wall this morning. We saw Marsh Harrier, Redshank, Lapwing, Great White and Little Egrets, juvenile Great Crested Grebes, and thousands of dragonflies and damselflies including Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers and a male Banded Demoisellle of note.

When I got back to Blagdon, I joined a gathering at the Fishing Lodge to wish Alan Dymock a long and happy retirement, and thank him for his help and friendship during his 47 years with Bristol Water. A top bloke.

Wednesday 14th May [Hot & sunny]

I had a brief look around Wood Bay and Holt Copse after receiving a text from Jeff. H. telling me he’d seen some dragonflies this morning while fishing. I was just about to go to Somerset for another look at the woodland butterflies. I didn’t see anything except Common Blue and Azure Damselfies. In Somerset I noted Norfolk Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Scarce Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, and Common Blue Damselfly. After tea I had another pop down to the lake. I saw eight Cattle Egrets fly in from the west and head up the lake. 27 spp.

Tuesday 13th May [Thundery, with some heavy local showers.]

The weather cleared a little towards dusk, so I birded the last two hours of daylight. I saw three Great White Egrets go to roost, heard two Cetti’s Warblers and saw five Frogs out and about, no doubt responding to the first rain in ages. 28 spp.

Monday 12th May [Warm & dry]

It was quite late this evening before I got to the lake. I filled the feeder and made my way along the south shore to the Top End hide. I sat there for quite a while, although I could barely see any water. After a while a fox came sniffing through the undergrowth and was within 30 metres without even acknowledging my presence – sadly, I had no camera to hand. There were still two Little Egrets at dusk and a Great White Egret that, I think, probably flew off to Chew at dusk. 23spp.

Sunday 11th May [Warm, mainly sunny with some cloudy interludes.]

What an interesting day today. It started with a Bristol & District Moth Group meeting on the North Shore looking for Narrow-bordered Bee-Hawk which hasn’t been seen since 2012. I recorded it each year from 2009 until my last sighting on 25th May 2012, although to be honest I haven’t looked for it too hard. We didn’t see it today, but we did spot an adult Marsh Fritillary which caused great excitement. The last record of one of those was 6th May 2011. Ray B. collated the list of finds which I hope to be able to add when I receive it. On the way to meeting with the others I came across a female Pheasant with seven, I think, little fluff balls following her. Somerset naturalist John M. joined us and after the moth group meeting, he and I went down to The Levels where he took me for a walk to show me where he’d found a Vagrant Emperor and several Norfolk Hawkers, both of which I’ve not seen before. We entered a woodland clearing and found several Norfolk Hawkers, together with lots of Scarce Chasers, and a few Hairy Dragonflies. We continued our walk and came across a few Black-tailed Skimmers and Broad-bodied Chasers in addition, but didn’t relocate the Vagrant Emperor. Big thanks to Ray and the group members who came to Blagdon, and John for a very interesting late afternoon excursion.

Saturday 10th May [Hot & sunny]

This morning Mark H., Ken A., and I led a few members of Avon Bat Group at Chew Valley Lake checking bat boxes. What an amazing difference there was this morning when compared to last weeks checks at Blagdon Lake. We found 80-90 Soprano Pipistrelles and two groups of about 20+ Natterer’s at BL, and just 14 Sop Pips at CVL. It, perhaps, suggests that most of the female Soprano Pipistrelles have moved off from the lakes to pre-maternity roosts during the week in response to the hot weather. My companions and I came across some splendid Adder’s-tongue Fern on Parkland that I hadn’t spotted there before. On the way to the mandatory tea and cake afterwards, I watched a female Mallard with about about five ducklings in a line behind her cross safely across the road at Heron’s Green from the pond to the main lake. One of those heart-warming moments on a glorious day.

Friday 9th May [Warm, with a light breeze that died away at dusk.]

I spent an hour and a half in the evening birding from Rainbow Point to Top End and back, including some time in the hide. It was a beautiful, still evening with a stunning sunset. I saw four Great White Egrets and a single Little Egret, but didn’t see any Hobbies. However, one of the Fishery Rangers told me angler John H. and some others had seen an Osprey over the lake during the day, but it didn’t show up again in the evening. I recorded 35 spp.

I took a call for help last night and went to Bruton vets. this morning to check and pick up a grounded bat that had been brought in, having been picked up in a town car park. It turned out to be a Brown Long-eared that had an injured wing, rendering it unable to fly. I have taken it into care to get it checked over on Sunday in the hope that we can care for it until it might regain the ability to fly. However, the damage to the outer wing membrane is pretty bad and it may turn out that it can’t grow the membrane back owing the the extent of the damage. Finger’s crossed for it. On the subject of bats, we will be at Chew Valley Lake tomorrow morning checking the boxes. It’s a busy time…

Thursday 8th May [Cold & cloudy until lunchtime, when it warmed up a bit.]

I had an email from a friend, John M., this morning to show me pictures he’d taken yesterday in central Somerset of Norfolk Hawker and a Vagrant Emperor. He saw the Norfolk Hawkers in two separate places, so thinks it possible they might be breeding on The Levels. Something to keep an eye out for locally in the next week or two guys. I watched two Hobbies feeding at Top End late morning, and saw at least one other from Rainbow Point, which I think I saw later, as I drove home, hawking insects over Long Bay. While chatting to a couple of other birders we had a Red Kite over the lake, and I saw two over the Mendip ridge as well. At Top End hide I saw five immature, non-breeding, Great White Egrets and a third Little Egret (two others in Butcombe Bay). 40 spp.

Tuesday 6th May [Mainly sunny & warming up when the sun rose after another chilly night.]

I drove along the south side of the lake in the afternoon hoping to see Hobbies feeding over the water, but that didn’t happen while I was there. There have been increasing numbers of teneral damselflies drifting off the water into the meadows and hedges over the past week, and I saw one that had developed its colour sufficiently for me to identify it as a Common Blue Damselfly. It was very quiet from a birding point of view. 24 spp.

Note the typical black ‘mushroom’ shape on the second abdominal segment, which aids identification, although be aware this can be variable.

Monday 5th May [Still mainly sunny & warm]

I birded from Rainbow Point to Top End hide and back this evening, hoping to see my first Hobby of the year. On the way there, I came across a small flock of five Swifts over Holt Farm, which were a first for the year at the lake, and when I walked past Bell’s Bush there was a sizeable flock of c. 40 House Martins feeding over the meadows and water. Once I got to the hide, I waited for the sun to drop below the horizon to see if any Hobbies put in an appearance. Just as the sun went down I heard footsteps approaching the hide and three Hobbies flew out over the Top End. Melanie P. came in and we watched as two birds fed around Top End, and another flew back across the lake towards us. We also saw more Swifts over Holt Farm, plus two Little Egrets and three Great White Egrets flying off to roost. 29 spp.

Saturday 3rd May [Hot]

Mark H., Ken A. and I led small teams checking the bat boxes around the lake this morning. We found Soprano Pipistrelles and two groups of Natterer’s (will be updated later). Mark H. came back in the evening to video the bat roost exit we saw on Thursday. Just one bat came out this evening. It had gone off quite chilly by the time they were due to come out so, perhaps, they may have thought better of it.

Friday 2nd May [Hot with a welcome light breeze]

I went to the lake in the evening and had a quick look using my car to get around. There was a Common Sandpiper on the dam and I saw two Great White Egrets. Tomorrow, we will be checking the bat boxes around the lake. 29 spp.

As I’ve intimated this week, I’ve been doing some BTO survey work up on Black Down which has made a very welcome change from the lake. I have been surveying for heathland species, so today I decided to go back with my camera, as I had couple of areas (STW Lot’s Reserve & SWT GB Gruffy) to check in addition to Black Down itself. One of the Cuckoo’s was singing throughout my time on the hill, and whilst I didn’t find any species we’d not already recorded, I did get some pictures to share:

In addition to the birds, I saw Small Heath and Dingy Skipper on SWT GB Gruffy Reserve, which were my first of the year.

Thursday 1st May [Scorchio]

As if to add substance to yesterday’s dismay at the lack of waterfowl at the lake, this evening I only have a single Great White Egret, of note, to report. The Ring-necked Duck, present up until 29th April, appears to have moved on, leaving about 20 or so Tufted Ducks, some paired up and a small group of unattached birds. 25 spp. While chatting in the Lodge car park as Mark H. was locking up, we noticed bats exiting the roof space, almost certainly Soprano Pipistrelles.