Hewenden Reservoir

 Friday 28th February p.m.

A foggy and frosty start this morning so it was this afternoon when the sun was out and the temperature had risen to 7°C that I had a walk on to Hewenden Reservoir.  The first bird of note was a Kestrel, the Buzzard was back on it's usual perch ,c50 Canadas and the same each of Lapwings and Gulls were at the Reservoir.  Good to see a pair of Gadwall here again, just distant views though before they disappeared behind branches at the edge of the far bank.  Still c20 Cormorants, 10 Teal, 8 Oystercatchers and four Goldeneye, others were Tufteds, Moorhen, Goosander, Robin and Mistle Thrush.

Kestrel

Lapwing

Mistle Thrush

Oystercatcher 

Distant Gadwall

Teal

Buzzard

Cormorant

Hewenden Reservoir 28/2/2025

Harold Park & Park Dam

Thursday 27th February a.m.

A lovely sunny morning with a temperature of 5°C on arrival at Harold Park where the water level is still low due to on going repairs. A few Tufteds, c100 Gulls, Moorhen, Coot, Mute Swans and a single Gt Crested Grebe.

Over the road at Park Dam there were four Goosanders, four Cormorants, a pair of Gt Crested Grebe, Grey Heron and Tufteds. 

G.C Grebe

Goosander

Grey Heron

Mute swans

Cormorant

Harold Park 27/2/2025

Redcar Tarn

Monday 24th February p.m.

Some good sunny spells up at the Tarn with a temperature of 12°C and a strong blustery wind, the bulk of the birds were c350 Gulls.  I was able to pick out the usual BH, Common, Herring and LBB Gulls, luckily for me KM and good to meet MC had spotted a couple of Caspian Gulls and kindly pointed one out for me.  A couple of Oystercatchers were on the island sheltering from the wind, the male Wigeon & Pintail were also present.  Others included Pied Wagtail, Canada, Greylag, Jackdaw, Rook and Tufted.

Oystercatcher

Sheltering from the wind

Pintail

Wigeon

Common Gull dancing for worms

LBB Gulls

Rook

Tufted

Plenty Gulls to sort through

Redcar Tarn 24/2/2025

Swillington Ings

Saturday 22nd February a.m

A trip out to Swillington with some sun and a very mild 7°C and plenty of birds with c50 Lapwings on Astley Lake.  Also here were Curlew, Little Egret, Pochard, Shelduck, Tufted, Oystercatcher, Cormorant and Shoveler.  A good walk around the site produced more birds including a good count of 43 Curlew, Goldeneye, Teal, Gt C. Grebe, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Bunting, Gadwall and Red Kite. 

Red Kite

Reed Bunting

Shoveler

Stonechat

Gadwall

Goldeneye

Little Egret

Mipit

Pochard

Curlew

Swillington Ings 22/2/2025