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suttonbingham.bsky.social
Patch birder at Sutton Bingham Reservoir (SBR) in Somerset, UK. Devoted husband, proud father, lover of rock music and Spurs fan!
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Sanderling at SBR at 2.50pm, showing quite well.

What a totally awesome couple of weeks.

A rather late, or very early, Common Sand at SBR this afternoon.

Osprey at SBR at 17:30.

Well April at SBR went out with a whimper...a lone Red Kite on Sunday and today just 2 Common Sand, a drake Tufted Duck and a singing Reed Warbler. Here's hoping for a productive May on patch.

Three of six Egyptian Geese at SBR this evening.

Nice walk around Ninesprings, Yeovil late morning. Common Sand and Sedge Warbler the pick but several Mandarin also present.

Whimbrel at SBR mid-morning. A very scarce bird on patch and my first for many years. Also three Common Sand.

Greylag at SBR this morning. Also my first Whitethroat of the year.

Two tricky patch year ticks today, GBB Gull on the Sherborne patch late afternoon but that was surpassed by a singing Cetti's Warbler in a private area of SBR.

LRP and Green Sand both new for the patch year list this morning.

My first Common Sand of the year at SBR this evening. The ranger had an Osprey fly through at 8.20am.

Scaup and four Spoonbill at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB this afternoon, I was too late for the dowitcher which flew off late morning apparently.

Red Kite over the house this morning. Many thanks to the Carrion Crow for letting me know.

Pair of Mandarin at Sherborne sewage works stream this lunchtime...my second patch lifer of the year!

Dunlin on northern causeway, SBR late afternoon and showing extremely well.

Shelduck at SBR early afternoon, plus a Mute Swan.

Drake Garganey, Spotshank and two Glossy Ibis from.VP1, Ham Wall this afternoon. Also Red Kite and usual suspects.

Firecrest at Sherborne sewage works at 13:15.

Single Hawfinch in churchyard at Milborne Port at 1pm.

Not the best by a country mile, but this was taken just handheld on my mobile. Rosy Starling at Monkton Heathfield today.

Mini tour of Somerset today between family commitments. Dipped Hawfinch at Milborne Port, but then connected with Bewick's Swan on Wet Moor, good views of RC Starling at Monkton Heathfield, three Whoopers and a Goldeneye on Noah's at Shapwick. Missed Glossy Ibis at Ham Wall. Not a bad day.

Patch mega, just had a Nuthatch calling from outside the office at work and then saw it fly over. Result! Only my second ever record on the Sherborne patch.

Little Gull still at Chard Res from Angler's car park at 15.30.

Back home after a relaxing family holiday in Cornwall, non-birding of course, but still managed Booted Eagle, Glaucous Gull, Slav and BN Grebe, BT and GN Diver, RN Duck and Common Scoter.

Three Slavonian Grebes off Portscatho early afternoon and the BN Grebe still off Porthcurnick.

BN Grebe still off Porthcurnick this afternoon. Also, two Common Scoter flew west and two GN Diver on the sea. Flock of c.30 Turnstone feeding on rocks.

Three BN Diver and at least six GN Diver off Pendower this afternoon. Also seven Razorbill.

Three GN Diver off Towan beach early afternoon and at lone Med Gull.

Booted Eagle on the list, makes up for dipping the Chew bird by 5 minutes all those years ago. Flew in at 16:25 to roost site giving wonderful flight views.

BN Grebe off Porthcurnick again this afternoon plus a drake Common Scoter. Two Sanderling on Portscatho beach still.

Two BT Diver and at least 6 GN Diver off Pendower late morning plus Razorbill but rather blustery!

BN Grebe between Portscatho and Porthcurnick, viewable from Portscatho. Also two Sanderling on beach at Portscatho plus single Med Gull mid-afternoon.

Three RN Duck (1 drake) at Dozmary Pool this afternoon. Makes up for twice missing the Somerset birds last weekend. Also a drake Goosander on Collyford Lake and a couple of hundred Golden Plover flying around.

Marsh Harrier north through SBR at 14:30. Also 12 Lapwing north and pair Shoveler (both absent from the patch list in 2024) and, believe it or not, my first Fieldfare of the year.

Pretty uninspiring WeBS at SBR late afternoon, Little Grebe the pick, took me until Sept to get one on patch last year. The 11 Tufted Duck present yesterday cleared off overnight, not surprised by that. Cattle, Great White and Little Egret present.

Sprite-fest on the Sherborne patch this lunchtime with YBW, Firecrest and Goldcrest, plus a few Chiffchaff. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

2024 year list for SBR was a dismal 107 species, my lowest total since 2015. 2025 didn't start well with just 26 species and shed loads of rain. Happy New Year!

GWE and Cattle Egret at SBR mid-afternoon. YBW and Firecrest on the Sherborne patch early afternoon.

WTE and Cattle Egret both present again at SBR this morning at 8.30am.

Cattle Egret again at SBR this morning.