Wednesday 3rd November 2004
Little Grebe - 1; Great Crested Grebe - 3; Gadwall - 1m (+ 1 dead/half-eaten fem); Teal - 3m; Tufted Duck - 5; Ruddy Duck - 1; Kestrel - 1; Water Rail - 2 or 3; Grey Wagtail  - 1; Goldcrest - 5; Goldfinch - c.50 feeding on Alder cones; Bullfinch - 3.

Thursday 7th October 2004
Great Crested Grebe - 2ads, 1imm; Heron - 1; Gadwall - 1; Teal - 1; Shoveler - 1m; Tufted Duck - 1; Ruddy Duck - 1; Kestrel - 1; Kingfisher - 1; Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - 1m calling from top of dead tree in carr at end of large res; Little Owl - 1 calling; Chiffchaff - 2; Goldcrest - 1; Willow Tit - 5; Treecreeper - 1; Reed Bunting - 2;

Friday 24th September 2004
An Osprey over / through at 1625h [S.Mitchie].

Photographs Copyright © Simon Mitchie

Saturday 23rd July 2004
Great Crested Grebe - 1ad, 1juv; Grey Heron - 1; Mute Swan - 1ad, all cygnets presumed lost; Gadwall - 1; Tufted Duck - 4; Ruddy Duck - 2m, 2f + broods of 2 + 5; Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1; Willow Tit - 1. Also: Black-tailed Skimmer (5m + 1f ovipositing); Brown Hawker (1m); Common Darter (1-2 recently emerged); Red Admiral (1); Gatekeeper (numerous, many copulating).

Saturday 24th July 2004
A juvenile Cuckoo still present this morning [MAS]

Photograph Copyright © Mike Smethurst

Tuesday 20th July 2004
A juvenile Cuckoo this afternoon [MAS].

Wednesday 9th June 2004
Great Crested Grebe - 2 well-grown juvs; Mute Swan - 1pr + 2 cygnets; Ruddy Duck - 2m, 1f + 2juvs; Common Tern - 1; Turtle Dove - 1; Reed Warbler - 1 singing/carrying food; Willow Tit - 1. Also: Broad-bodied Chaser - 3m + 3 imm males.

Summary for Saturday/Sunday 5th/6th June 2004 [DWa]
Curlew - 4 adults, including a pair with 2 juveniles [the first proof of breeding]; Lapwing - at least 7 pairs with young; Mute Swan - pair with 3 chicks on 5th, reduced to 2 on 6th [first time breeding at this site]; Great Crested Grebe - 1 pair with 2 juvs, female on 2nd clutch; Ruddy Duck - 5 males, 4 females, plus a 1 pair with 2 ducklings; Tawny Owl - pair with 3 owlets; Little Owl - pair seen on both days, 1 carrying food; eight species of Warbler breeding; Willow Tit - no records now after several visits; Hobby - adult bird seen stooping into hirundines on aftrnoon of 5th then flew off.

Wednesday 2nd June 2004
Great Crested Grebe - 1 visible; Grey Heron - 1; Canada Goose - breeding confirmed: 1pr + brood of 5/6; Mute Swan - 1pr + nest; Gadwall - 1m, 2f; Curlew - 1 in adjacent field; Common Tern - 2 fishing (presumably Thrybergh CP birds); Grey Wagtail - 1; Reed Warbler - 1 singing; Sedge Warbler - 1 singing; Lesser Whitethroat - 1 singing; Willow Tit - 1 singing.

Friday 23rd April 2004 [DWa]
Wheatear - 12 [7m 5f]; Whitethroat - 5 singing; Brambling - 9 in treetops; Buzzard - 1; Mute Swan - 1st time breeding I know of; Coot - pair with 5 chicks already.

Thursday 22nd April 2004 [DWa]
Cuckoo - 1.

Summary for 28th-29th March 2004 [DWa]
Long-tailed Tit - 5 nests found; Willow Tit - 1 nest being excavated, up to 3 singing birds; Great Spotted Woodpecker - nest site found; Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2 regular; Chiffchaff - up to 6 birds; Grey Wagtail - nesting on bridge; Kestrel - 4 males on 28th; Long-eared Owl - 1; Common Buzzard - daily up to 2 birds; Great Crested Grebe - new nest - sitting; Water Rail - today [29th] - very vocal; Curlew - 4 birds mobbed Buzzard; Lapwing - 7 pairs minimum; Stock Dove - 28th; Linnet - 220+ in west field; Skylark - 118 in same field; Fieldfare/Redwing - still good numbers about.

Thursday 25th March 2004 [DWa]
Common Buzzard - 1 hunting.

Tuesday 23rd March 2004
Little Grebe - 1; Mute Swan - 1pr; Canada Goose - 2prs; Gadwall - 3prs; Sparrowhawk - a male mobbing Buzzard; Curlew - 4 mobbing Buzzard; Grey Wagtail - 1; Chiffchaff - 1 singing; Willow Tit - 2.

Monday 8th March 2004
Water Rail - 1; Tawny Owl - 2 roosting together in woodland; Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2; Willow Tit - 2; Siskin - c.25-30.

Sunday 7th March 2004 [DWa]
Curlew - first returning bird.

Sunday 15th February 2004 [D. Warburton]
A drake Scaup as close as c.40 feet may have been one of the Thrybergh birds and a first for Firsby. Also: Fieldfare - 25; Green Woodpecker - a pair together on telepole; Great Spotted Woodpecker - drumming in woods; Little Owl - 1; Tawny Owl - 2 together; Barn Owl - a 'raggy' looking bird attacking Bullfinches on hedge; a distant falcon over fields to north looked very small but most likely to be one of the Peregrines seen in the area recently; Sparrowhawk - 1; Kestrel - 2 males together; Gadwall - 5; Tufted Duck - 48; Great Crested Grebe - 2 displaying; Lapwing - 4 west; Siskin - 40+; Treecreeper - 2 singing; Goldcrest - 7 including three singing.

Thursday 29th January 2004
Great Crested Grebe - 1; Cormorant - 2; Gadwall - 4prs; Shoveler - 2m,1f; Tufted Duck - 3; Moorhen - 35+; Willow Tit - 1.

Wednesday 7th January 2004
Great Crested Grebe - 1; Gadwall - 3; Teal - 6; Shoveler - 1; Tufted Duck - 22; Moorhen - 32; Willow Tit - 2; Siskin - c.10.

Friday 21st November 2003
Great Crested Grebe - 1; Gadwall - 2prs; Teal - 3+; Moorhen - 30+; Grey Wagtail - 1; Chiffchaff - 1.

Sunday 2nd November 2003 [DWa]
Water Rail - minimum 4 present in past week [3 seen together + 4th calling].

Saturday 11th October 2003 [per PL]
Red-rumped Swallow - one claimed by 2 observers, 1647-1649h, mobbed by wagtails before leaving to S (subject to acceptance).

Wednesday 3rd September 2003
Common Buzzard - 1 present for c.10mins before drifting W mobbed by Sparrowhawk at 1055h; Kingfisher - 1; Meadow Pipit - 9 feeding in adjacent paddock; Hirundines - c.200 feeding over water, 90-95% House Martins, the rest Swallows; Lesser Whitethroat - 2, including 1 singing; Whitethroat - 4 juvs; Chiffchaff - 5, including 2 singing. Also: Brown Hawker (3), Migrant Hawker (7, including pair in tandem), Southern Hawker (1), Common Darter, Comma (7), Painted Lady (1), Small Copper (1).

Monday 25th August 2003 [D.Warburton]
A Marsh Harrier through at 0804h [no further details].

Wednesday 20th August 2003
Small Copper butterfly and Common Blue Damselfly [at least 2].

Photographs Copyright © Paul Leonard

Friday 11th July 2003
Great Crested Grebe - 1pr + 3 juvs; Heron - 2; Gadwall - 2; Tufted Duck - 4; Ruddy Duck - 1m, 1f; Grey Wagtail - 2; plus Swallow, Goldfinch and Linnet all feeding young.

Wednesday 2nd July 2003
Great Crested Grebe - 1pr + 2 juvs; Grey Heron - 3; Canada Goose - 7ads, 10 juvs; Gadwall - breeding confirmed - 1f + brood of 4; Tufted Duck - breeding confirmed - 2f + 2 tiny juvs; Kingfisher - 1; Little Owl - breeding confirmed - 2 fledged juvs. Also: Large Skipper - one.

Photograph Copyright © Paul Leonard

Tuesday 17th June 2003
Great Crested Grebe - 1pr + 4juvs; Heron - 3; Mute Swan - 2; Canada Goose - 7ads + 10juvs; Gadwall - 1; Tufted Duck - 1pr; Ruddy Duck - 3m; Reed Warbler - 1 singing; Tree Sparrow - 4+. Also: alive with dragon-/damselflies, including: Broad-bodied Chaser (3m + 1 ovi-positing f); Black-tailed Skimmer (4m + 2 ovi-positing f); Emperor Dragonfly (1m). Also Speckled Wood (4); Painted Lady (1).

Wednesday 11th June 2003
Great Crestred Grebe - 1pr; Heron - 1; Reed Warbler - 2 singing.

Saturday 26th April 2003 [D.Warburton].
Hobby - one through.

Thursday 24th April 2003
Great Crested Grebe - probable breeding; Grey Heron - probable breeding for third year (still just 1 pr); Gadwall - 5; Grey Wagtail - probable breeding; Swallow - 1; House Martin - 5; Blackcap - 1 singing; Common Whitethroat - 1 singing; Chiffchaff - 2 singing; Willow Warbler - 4 singing.

Tuesday 25th March 2003
Little Grebe - 1; Gadwall - 2 prs; Tufted Duck - c.30; Curlew - 1; Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 drumming; Redwing - 1 singing; Chiffchaff - 2 singing.

Saturday 22nd March 2003 [RDRW]
Five Chiffchaffs including 3 singing males.

Thursday 6th March 2003
Teal - 5; Gadwall - 2; Tufted Duck - 33; Ruddy Duck - 1; Grey Wagtail - 1; Tree Sparrow - 5.

Saturday 18th January 2003 [Des Warburton]
A Firecrest roaming with a Long-tailed Tit flock.

Wednesday 27th November 2002
Gadwall - 2; Tufted Duck - 24; Water Rail - 1.

Monday 11th November 2002
Great Crested Grebe - 1; Gadwall - 8; Shoveler - 1; Tufted Duck - 30-35; Little Owl - 2 calling at dusk; Fieldfare - c50.

Monday 4th November 2002
Great Crested Grebe - 1; Gadwall - 8; Shoveler - 1; Tufted Duck - 30-35; Lesser Redpoll - c.20.

Sunday 13th October 2002
Great Crested Grebe - 1pr + 1 dependent juv; Gadwall - 1; Teal - 3; Pintail - 1m; Water Rail - 1; Kingfisher - 1; Little Owl - 1; Tawny Owl - 1; Long-eared Owl - 1; Redwing - 7; Fieldfare - 1 (present most of week); Siskin - 19.

Sunday 25th August 2002
A Bittern flew in from ENE mobbed by crows at 0851h. Flew around for 6mins before landing in dense willow crop. Seen in flight again briefly at around 0935h when it flew from willows to reservoir. edge but was forced into dense cover by Grey Heron. Not relocated, or seen on subsequent visits. Also, recently: Wigeon - 1 f/imm, 26/08; Kingfisher - 1-2 regularly; Wheatear - 1 juv, 25/08; Common Redstart - 1, 26/08; Chiffchaff - 7, inc 3 still singing, 26/08; Willow Tit - 9, 26/08; Greenfinch - 100+, 25/08. In addition [AJM] 2 Kingfishers this evening and at least one Tawny Owl calling.

Monday 5th August 2002
Little Grebe - breeding confirmed - 1pr + 1juv; Great Crested Grebe - an adult (possibly another sitting?); Canada Goose - 14; Gadwall - fem + brood of 10 half-grown juvs; Ruddy Duck - fem + brood of 5; Kingfisher - 1; Swift - 50-60 over. Also: Hobby - at least 3 sightings in the area over past week or two.

Wednesday 3rd July 2002
Little Grebe - 2+; Great Crested Grebe - 1 [ Neither grebe sp seems to have many, if any, surviving young anywhere - what's happened to them this year?! ]; Cormorant - 1; Grey Heron - bred in dense willow carr, juvs heard calling and ads seen leaving carr - [late this year]; Canada Goose - bred - 1 pair + brood of 5; Gadwall - bred - 2prs, broods of 9 and 4-6; Ruddy Duck - 4 males; Coot - bred - minimum of 5 broods.

Sunday 19th May 2002
No sign Marsh Harrier this morning [see below].

Saturday 18th May 2002
A 'Cream-crown' Marsh Harrier for 30 mins around 1900h was thought to have gone to roost but not present 0530h next day [19th].

Saturday-Sunday 11th-12th May 2002
A singing Wood Warbler.

Singing Wood Warbler there previous weekend. Sunday 14th April 2002
Little Grebe - probably 1pr on each resr; Great Crested Grebe - 1pr nesting; Mute Swan - 1pr; Gadwall - 2prs; Tufted Duck - 36; Ring Ouzel - superb male [apparently present since 09/04]; Fieldfare - still c.20; Redwing - 3 with above.

Sunday 17th March 2002 [RDRW]
A singing male Chiffchaff and 2 Brambling this morning.

Sunday 10th March 2002
Little Grebe - 3; Great Crested Grebe - 1pr; Gadwall - 3prs; Teal - 5; Pochard - 2; Tufted Duck - 34.

Thursday 28th February 2002
Great Crested Grebe - 1 pair regular; Pochard - 2; Tufted Duck - 26; Curlew - single returning bird(s) on 27th and 28th.

Friday 15th February 2002 [RDRW]
Great Crested Grebe - a pair; Pochard - 2; Tufted Duck - 24+; Kestrel - 2.

Tuesday 29th January 2002 [RDRW]
One Great Crested Grebe, 46 Tufted Duck, a male Ruddy Duck and c.24 Reed Buntings which were all on the south bank/hedgerow.

6th December 2001
Great Crested Grebe - 1; Tufted Duck - 15; Kingfisher - 1; Reed Bunting - 18+, inc close flock of 16.

1st September 2001
Ruddy Duck - Breeding confirmed - brood of 5; Kingfisher - 1; Goldfinch - Flock of 51.

26th to 29th June 2001
Little Grebe - 1+ on 28th; Great Crested Grebe - 1pr + 4juvs; Grey Heron - 1pr + 2juvs now fledged with adultss now showing antagonism towards them; Gadwall - breeding confirmed, a female + brood of 8 on 28th & 29th; Ruddy Duck - 1m, 1f on 28th & 29th; Curlew - 3+ in area on 28th; Turtle Dove - 1 singing 29th; Yellow Wagtail - 1 on 28th; Whitethroat - 5+ singing on 26th.

18th June 2001
Great Crested  Grebe - 1pr + 3juvs (1 juv lost); Grey Heron - 1pr + 2 juvs, adult coaxing juvs from nest; Reed Warbler - 1 singing.

27th May 2001
Great Crested Grebe - 1pr + brood of 4; Grey Heron - 1pr at nest containing at least 1 juv (Helped by lack of disturbance due to site closure); Canada Goose - 5 + hybrid Canada x 'grey' goose incubating; Gadwall - 1m; Ruddy Duck - 2m displaying; Curlew - 5 birds together over fields to SW where breeding has taken place in recent years.

26th May 2001
Osprey - 1 fishing.

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