Chard reservoir sign

Recent sightings

What to look for in March

March 11th 2010

  • Little Egret 3
  • Grey Heron 1


Egret and Mallard very close to fox


March 10th 2010

  • Little Egret 2
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Goosander 2
  • Tufted Duck 15
  • Kingfisher 1

2 Goosander


March 9th 2010

  • Little Egret 2
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Wigeon 1
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 3
  • Reed Bunting 1



March 8th 2010

  • Little Egret 3
  • Teal 8
  • Buzzard 2
  • Kingfisher 1

Teal


March 7th 2010

  • Little Grebe 1
  • Cormorant 19
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Little Egret 4
  • Tufted Duck 8
  • Goosander 1



March 6th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 38
  • Cormorant 18
  • Tufted Duck 12
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Black Headed Gull 211
  • Kingfisher 1



March 5th 2010

  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 3
  • Tufted Duck 17
  • Teal 6



March 4th 2010

  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 9
  • Tufted Duck 7
  • Shoveler 2
  • Black Headed Gull c.700
  • Herring Gull 137
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 21
  • Common Gull 1



March 3rd 2010

  • Little Egret 8
  • Tufted Duck 7
  • Teal 1
  • Snipe 1
  • White Gull 1
  • Treecreeper 2 singing

A dull day but the white birds brightened it up. It seems likely that the White Gull is the same one as seen last November. The bill may be wrong for Glaucous, but good for 1st winter Iceland. The eye is pale which would have to mean 2nd winter, not 1st winter Iceland. However the bird is probably just too white for either of these species and albino Herring/Lesser Black Back seems the most likely in fact.
Iceland/Glaucous Gulls

Some of the Grebes are full on displaying now.



March 1st 2010

  • Cormorant 23
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Tufted Duck 9
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 3
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
  • Kingfisher 1



February 28th 2010

  • Cormorant 18
  • Tufted Duck 5
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 9



February 27th 2010

  • Cormorant 25
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Tufted Duck 4
  • Teal 3
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 3
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 3
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Goldcrest 2



February 26th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 35
  • Cormorant 29
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 10
  • Tufted Duck 9
  • Teal 2
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 3
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 3
  • Common Gull 16
  • Black Heded Gull 220+
  • Grey Wagtail 1



February 25th 2010

  • Tufted Duck 5
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 7
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1



February 24th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 26
  • Cormorant 26
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Tufted Duck 5
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 2
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 9



February 22nd 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 26+
  • Cormorant 24
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Teal 3
  • Tufted Duck 4
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Coot 11
  • Mediterranean Gull 1 adult
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 21
  • Black Headed Gull 370
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Grey Wagtail 1



February 21st 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 25
  • Cormorant 24+
  • Teal 14
  • Tufted Duck 11
  • Wigeon 1
  • Siskin 3



February 20th 2010

  • Tufted Duck 11
  • Goosander 1
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 2



February 19th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 30
  • Cormorant 29
  • Little Egret 1
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Teal 9
  • Tufted Duck 3
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Common Gull 2
  • Reed Bunting 1



February 17th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 21+
  • Cormorant 30
  • Little Egret 1
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Tufted Duck 3
  • Teal 7
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Common Gull 1
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Green Woodpecker 1 heard
  • Bullfinch 1
  • Reed Bunting 1



February 16th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 25+
  • Cormorant 29
  • Little Egret 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Black Headed Gull 156
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Raven 1 over



February 15th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 26
  • Cormorant 29
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Little Egret 1
  • Mute Swan 2
  • Tufted Duck 7
  • Teal 19
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 1
  • Black Headed Gull 296
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 2
  • Herring Gull 60
  • Common Gull 3
  • Kingfisher 1



February 14th 2010

  • Cormorant 29
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Tufted Duck 8
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Black Headed Gull 185
  • Mediterranean Gull 1 1st winter
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1
  • Bullfinch 1



February 13th 2010

  • Cormorant 25
  • Great Crested Grebe 28
  • Tufted Duck 4
  • Teal 3
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1



February 12th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 28
  • Tufted Duck 4



February 10th 2010

  • Cormorant 33
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 2
  • Teal 35
  • Goosander 1
  • Pied Wagtail 1



February 10th 2010

  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 3
  • Goosander 1
  • Sparrowhawk 2
  • Buzzard 1
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
  • Goldcrest 1
  • Marsh Tit 2
  • Treecreeper 1
  • Bullfinch 2

Little Egret in field
Two of the Egrets were in a field to the East of the boardwalk.
Even the great might of a well attended RSPB field trip did not reveal the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker today.



February 8th 2010

Coal Tit pair

 



February 7th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 22
  • Cormorant 24
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Mute Swan 1
  • Teal 3
  • Tufted Duck 9
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 drumming
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Marsh Tit 1
  • Jay 1
  • Bullfinch 1

 



February 6th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 19
  • Cormorant 25
  • Tufted Duck 5
  • Goosander 1
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 drumming
  • Jay 3
  • Bullfinch 1

 



February 5th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 21
  • Cormorant 29
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 1
  • Teal 1
  • Tufted Duck 8
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Mistle Thrush (singing just outside reserve)
  • Marsh Tit pair
  • Bullfinch 2



February 4th 2010

  • Cormorant 31
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 1
  • Mute Swan 3
  • Teal 7
  • Wigeon 1
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 1
  • Lapwing 34 (landed briefly)
  • Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1 heard
  • Bullfinch 1
  • Jay 1

 



February 3rd 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 22
  • Cormorant 29
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Little Egret 1
  • Teal 51
  • Tufted Duck 7
  • Snipe 2
  • Coot 17
  • Common Gull 25
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1
  • Black Headed Gull 180

 



February 2nd 2010

  • Cormorant 26
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Little Egret 1
  • Teal 41
  • Snipe 7
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 calling
  • Bullfinch 1

 



February 1st 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 19
  • Cormorant 26
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Tufted Duck 11
  • Teal 77
  • Wigeon 1
  • Snipe 5
  • Pheasant 3
  • Mediterranean Gull 2 adults
  • Common Gull 5
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Treecreeper 1
  • Raven 2
  • Jay 2
  • Magpie 10
  • Carrion Crow 10
  • Reed Bunting 2+

 

treecreeper
Wigeon


January 31st 2010

  • Goosander 1

 



January 30th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 13
  • Cormorant 26
  • Little Egret 2
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Tufted Duck 6
  • Teal 35
  • Goosander 1
  • Snipe 1
  • Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 1
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 3
  • Marsh Tit 1

 



January 29th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 19
  • Cormorant 26
  • Little Egret 1
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Tufted Duck 5
  • Teal 20
  • Goosander 1
  • Common Gull 5
  • Reed Bunting 1

Female Reed Bunting



January 28th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 19
  • Cormorant 27
  • Little Egret 1
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Tufted Duck 11
  • Teal 13
  • Goosander 1
  • Common Gull 11
  • Jay 1

    A much warmer day today

 

Female Goosander


January 27th 2010

  • Cormorant 17
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Tufted Duck 11
  • Redwing 2
  • Reed Bunting 1

 

Herring Gull falls through ice
Reservoir partly frozen. The ice was thin as this Herring Gull discovered when it fell through.


January 26th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 13
  • Cormorant 18
  • Teal 12
  • Tufted Duck 4+
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 heard
  • Green Woodpecker 1 heard
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Goldcrest 1
  • Jay
  • Bullfinch 3+

 



January 25th 2010

  • Cormorant 6
  • Grey Heron 2
  • Teal 16
  • Goosander 1
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 1
  • Marsh Tit 2
  • Jay 3
  • Bullfinch 2

 



January 24th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 10
  • Tufted Duck 10
  • Goosander 1
  • Chiffchaff 1
  • Firecrest 1

 

Goldcrest seems to have taken to chasing the Firecrest, 2 times today
whilst watching the Firecrest, a similar bird (assumed it was a
Goldcrest, surely not 2 Firecrests) hurtled in to chase the Firecrest.
Hope it doesnt chase it off completely.
Ian Seward


January 23rd 2010

  • Firecrest 1

 

 


January 22nd 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 6
  • Cormorant 4
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Tufted Duck 4
  • Kingfisher 1

 

A Red Kite was reported over Chard itself today.


January 21st 2010

  • Teal 18
  • Tufted Duck 4
  • Snipe 1
  • Firecrest 1
  • Coal Tit 2
  • Marsh Tit 2

 

Firecrest


January 19th 2010

  • Wigeon 1
  • Teal 21
  • Tufted Duck 8
  • Buzzard 3
  • Snipe 3
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1
  • Common Gull 3
  • Siskin 4
  • Coal Tit 8
  • Great Tit 32+
  • Blue Tit 18+
  • Raven 1

There seem to be unusually high numbers of tits right now. They are obviously attracted to the feeders, but it is great that so many have survived the cold weather.


January 18th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 8
  • Goosander 1
  • Sparrowhawk 1
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
  • Green Woodpecker heard
  • Goldcrest 2
  • Firecrest 1 (east side)
  • Marsh Tit 5
  • Nuthatch 9
  • Treecreeper 2
  • Jay 1
  • Siskin 4
  • Bullfinch 1

Female Goosander


January 17th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 6
  • Cormorant 20
  • Tufted Duck 6
  • Teal 15
  • Goosander 1
  • Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
  • Grey Wagtail
  • Marsh Tit 2

Report of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker comes from Alick Simmons


January 16th 2010

  • Cormorant 6
  • Tufted Duck 1 pair
  • Goosander 1
  • Coot 21
  • Goldcrest 1
  • Long Tailed Tit 6
  • Coal Tit 5
  • Chaffinch 10
  • Reed Bunting 2



The reservoir is mostly thawed now. The Firecrest was not found at the south end despite many people looking. There was however an intriguing report of a possible Yellow Browed Warbler at the North end.


January 15th 2010

  • Little Egret 1
  • Teal 41
  • Shoveler 1
  • Tufted Duck 1 pair
  • Coot 21
  • Common Gull 9
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Firecrest 1
  • Long Tailed Tit 4
  • Marsh Tit 1

Firecrest
Photo: Ian Seward (Firecrest as seen on 9th Jan)

Reservoir 90% frozen and thawing


January 14th 2010

  • Teal 9
  • Coot 13
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Bullfinch 1
  • Goldfinch c.20
  • Reed Bunting 4

The reservoir is still very frozen despite the roads thawing out now. It was also foggy today so I couldn't see the gulls on the ice if there were any. This is the best number of Reed Buntings for 5 years.


January 13th 2010

  • Teal 55 stood on ice
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Marsh Tit 1
  • Reed Bunting 1

 

Male Reed Buntings


January 12th 2010

  • Coot 18
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Marsh Tit 1

 

Reservoir 98% frozen still, but ice getting thinner


January 11th 2010

  • Grey Heron 1
  • Teal 1
  • Tufted Duck 1
  • Coot 21
  • Common Gull 4
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Goldcrest 4+
  • Treecreeper 3

coots on ice

Reservoir 98% frozen still


January 10th 2010

  • Grey Heron 1
  • Mute Swan 1
  • Teal 14
  • Tufted Duck 1
  • Coot 20
  • Moorhen 8
  • Green Sandpiper 1
  • Snipe 1
  • Mediterranean Gull 1 adult (missing right foot)
  • Common Gull 3
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 2
  • Chiffchaff 1

The hide may be locked during the freeze for safety reasons.

 


January 9th 2010

  • Mute Swan 1
  • Coot 21
  • Common Gull 1
  • Black Headed Gull 135
  • Herring Gull 39
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 drumming
  • Firecrest 1 (near the feeding station)
  • Goldcrest 2
  • Marsh Tit 1

 

Reservoir 99% frozen


January 8th 2010

  • Mute Swan 1
  • Shoveler 1
  • Teal 20+
  • Tufted Duck 2
  • Coot 19
  • Water Rail 1
  • Common Gull 1
  • Black Headed Gull 131
  • Herring Gull 45
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Robin 5
  • Blackbird 9
  • Firecrest 1 (near the feeding station)
  • Goldfinch 20

 



January 7th 2010

  • Mute Swan 1
  • Wigeon 1 pair
  • Teal 154+
  • Tufted Duck 6
  • Coot 15
  • Snipe 1

 

Only the SW corner is now open water


January 6th 2010

  • Little Egret 1
  • Mute Swan 2
  • Teal 220+
  • Tufted Duck 3
  • Buzzard 1
  • Snipe 1
  • Coot 22
  • Herring Gull 125+
  • Black Headed Gull 76
  • Pied Wagtail 1
  • Marsh Tit 3
  • Long Tailed Tit 8+
  • Coal Tit 2
  • Nuthatch 2
  • Treecreeper 1
  • Bullfinch 1
  • Redwing
  • Song Thrush

 

Blizzard today


January 5th 2010

  • Mute Swan 2
  • Teal 196
  • Tufted Duck 4
  • Buzzard 1

 

Mostly frozen still but a little open water - More cold weather and Snow forecast


January 4th 2010

  • Great Crested Grebe 0
  • Cormorant 0
  • Mallard 128
  • Tufted Duck 5
  • Teal 80+
  • Buzzard 1
  • Coot 21
  • Moorhen 4
  • Snipe 1
  • Herring Gull 114
  • Black Headed Gull 18
  • Lesser Black Backed Gull 1 dark mantled
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Pied Wagtail 1
  • Grey Wagtail 1
  • Chiffchaff heard

Large percentage of res frozen over again.


January 2nd 2010

  • Cormorant 18
  • Grey Heron 1
  • Tufted Duck 4
  • Teal 52
  • Goosander 1
  • Grey Wagtail 1

 

Large percentage of res frozen over with snow/frost covering it giving a proper wintry feel.


January 1st 2010

  • Tufted Duck 7
  • Goosander 1
  • Kingfisher 1
  • Raven 2
  • Siskin 2

 

 

2009 sightings
2008 sightings
2007 sightings
2006 sightings
2005 sightings
2004 sightings
2003 sightings
2002 sightings
2001 sightings
2000 sightings


Scrolling Panorama panorama360 degree view around Chard Reservoir

If anyone has information or observations on the wildlife at Chard reservoir:

email sightings to: kevin@chardres.totalserve.co.uk


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