June Sightings

Sightings are seen by the following birders unless stated:

Brendan Ryan, Marc Heath, Norman McCanch, John Cantelo, Martyn Wilson, Dave Dowell, Derek Smith.

29th June

Birds seen this evening at Grove Ferry included 4 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Black Tailed Godwit, 9 Green Sandpiper, 1 Barn Owl and 1 Yellow Wagtail.

27th June

An evening trip to Grove Ferry produced a minimum of 15 Green Sandpipers all on the flood from Harrisons Drove hide, also 7 Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff, 1 f Marsh Harrier, 1 Turtle Dove singing, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Great Crested Grebe, several small families of Bearded Tits, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Whitethroat singing, 1 Cetti's Warbler singing and 1 Kestrel.

26th June

A few waders at Grove Ferry today with 13 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Ringed Plover and 4 Redshank. Other birds seen included 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Chiffchaff, 3 Skylark, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Common Tern, 2 Cuckoo, 4 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 22 Lapwing, 7 Pochard, 1 Wigeon, 1 Tufted Duck, 5 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Jay, 4 Water Rail, 2 Ruddy Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Pheasant, 2 Yellow Wagtail and a pair of Shelduck with 8 young.

25th June

Birds seen today at Grove Ferry included 3 Cuckoo, 1 Curlew, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Little Egret, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Turtle Dove, 2 Marsh Harrier, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Wigeon including 3 drakes, 1 Ringed Plover, good numbers of juvenile Reed, Sedge Warbler and Bearded Tit and many eclipse ducks, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal and Mallard. Just outside the recording area good numbers of Heath Fritillary butterflies are on the wing in East Blean Wood.

22nd June

The bird of the day was an Osprey seen flying over the ramp at Grove Ferry at 2.50pm.

21st June

Birds seen tonight at Grove Ferry included 3 Spotted Redshank, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Black Tailed Godwit, 4 Little Egret, 5 Wigeon, 2 Garganey and 1 Barn Owl.

19th June

The bird of the day today was an adult male Honey Buzzard which was seen flying low from Harrisons Drove hide at Grove Ferry at 9.30am, the bird was seen to land and was refound sitting on a fence post near the entrance track before flying off towards Hersden at 10.15am. Other birds seen today included 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Black Tailed Godwit, 3 Ringed Plover, 8 Hobby, 7 Little Egret, 25 Teal, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Turtle Dove, pair of Shelduck with 8 young, pair of Pochard with 3 young, 2 Marsh Harrier, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Ruddy Duck, 1 adult and 1 juvenile Water Rail.

18th June

A good look around the Grove Ferry area produced the following species: 1 summer plumaged Spotted Redshank, 1 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Nightingale, 1 Kingfisher, 4 Wigeon, 5 Little Egret, 4 Marsh Harrier, 5 Green Sandpiper, 2 Cuckoo, 16 Teal, 1 Ringed Plover, 127 Lapwing, 30+ Bearded Tit, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Tern, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Ruddy Duck, 1 Tufted Duck, 3 Turtle Dove, 1 Redshank and 2 Snipe.

12th June

The following species were seen at Grove Ferry today: 4 Green Sandpipers, 1 Little Gull, 3 Black Tailed Godwit, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Wigeon, 2 Little Egret, 2 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 7 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, good numbers of Bearded Tits, 1 Swallow and 2 Turtle Dove.

11th June

Birds seen today at Grove Ferry included 1 Little Gull, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Showy Juv Water Rail, 5 Marsh Harrier, 6 Little Egret, 2 Little Stints, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Wigeon, 2 Ringed Plover, 3 Cuckoo including 1 Hepatic bird, 2 Turtle Dove, a few Swift and Sand Martin, 1 Swallow, several small flocks of Bearded Tit including a flock of 23 Juv birds, 3 Snipe, 2 Ruddy Duck, 4 Pochard and 3 Pied Wagtail.

10th June

Birds of the day were 3 Red Kites seen just outside the recording area soaring together near Hoath at 10.40am. Another bird or one of the three was seen an hour later near the Montgomery School were i failed to locate it. A Buzzard species was seen at 2.42pm low near Hoath.

4th June

Birds seen at Grove Ferry today included the following species: 12 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Little Egret, 2 Wigeon, 5 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Ruddy Duck, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Common Tern, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Turtle Dove, 2 Cuckoo, 4 Marsh Harrier, 3 Kestrel, 3 Hobby, 2000+ Swifts and good numbers of Sand Martin. Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warbler could be heard and seen in good numbers around the reserve.

2nd June

A few hours spent over Grove Ferry today produced the following species: 2 Shelduck, 6 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 156 Mallard, 3 Pochard, 4 Shoveler, 11 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Redshank, 4 Cormorant, 2 Ruddy Duck, 7 Teal, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Wigeon, 1 Water Rail, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Turtle Dove, 3 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Marsh Harrier, 5 Hobby, 3 Common Tern, 2 Skylark, 2 Nightingale, 1 Cuckoo, 5 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap and good numbers of Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warbler singing and showing well. Bearded Tits were again numerous and there was also 3000+ Swifts and good numbers of Sand Martin and a few House Martin and Swallow.

1st June

The bird of the day today was another Honey Buzzard over Grove at 3.20 - 3.30. Other species seen at Grove today included 4 Gadwall, 1 Teal, 2 Redshank, 5 Tufted Duck, 9 Pochard, 4 Shoveler, 3 Wigeon, 136 Mallard, 5 Ruddy Duck, 2 Common Tern, 9 Cormorant, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Water Rail, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Chiffchaff and a good sprinkling of Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warbler. Bearded Tits were numerous within the reeds and a 1000+ Swifts and good numbers of House and Sand Martins were also seen.