A cold overcast day at my Dorset #PWC2026 was brightened massively by my first singing Willow Warbler. Also 5 Sand Martin present & an adult GBB Gull briefly. At #ChardRes Somerset, a Swallow had joined the 6 Sand Martins, but otherwise quiet. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Greylag Goose
4 (of 6 present) Great Tit & 3 (of at least 4 present) Blue Tit, which were actively anting in warm sunshine!
Greylag Goose NFY at #ChardRes today. Nearby at Chaffcombe I watched 6 Great Tit & at least 4 Blue Tit 'actively anting' along this kerb. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Two Shelduck at a drizzly Chard Resevoir.
2 Shelduck were NFY at #ChardRes this morning. Pair Wigeon also present. #PWC2026 @somersetbirds.bsky.social At the Dorset patch a flushed Woodcock was also NFY. Drake Gadwall, 12 Teal, 30+ Tufties also present here. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Water now spilling through tunnels under road. Very rare occurrence, I think I've seen it happen once before in over 50 years!
Footpath near hide under several feet of water.
Entrance path to hide!
Hide submerged in at least 2 feet of water!
A few more photos of #ChardRes taken yesterday after #StormChandra had finished dumping at least 2" of rain. Anyone who knows the hide, I reckon the water level is at least seat height! @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Sluice on dam not coping with the volume of water!
View from dam car park
East shoreline & all fishing swims are submerged & fishing suspended.
Hide under at least a foot of water & obviously closed at present
#ChardRes is well & truly flooded at present, the highest level I've seen for decades & that's before tonights deluge from #StormChandra Many birds seem to move on when it's like this! @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Dapper drake Goldeneye in the rain
Drake Goldeneye in the rain & murk at Chard Resevoir
5 Wigeon (2 drakes) & 5 drake Shoveler in the murk at Chard Reservoir.
Patch gold with this superb drake Goldeneye at #ChardRes today (less than annual here) Bit of waterfowl movement with 5 Wigeon & 5 drake Shoveler also present + 9 'local' Tufties. #PWC2026 @somersetbirds.bsky.social
I think you may be right Steve....drake Goldeneye, 5 Wigeon & 5 Shoveler on #ChardRes today.
Pair Pintail at the Dorset patch, a very scarce bird here! (NFY)
Great White Egret inflight over my Dorset patch (NFY)
2 of the 7 Wigeon at Chard Reservoir
5 of the 7 Wigeon at Chard Reservoir
The thaw in the weather had a few things moving today. Pair Pintail & a GWE at the Dorset patch & 7 Wigeon at #ChardRes
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social & @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Adult Mediterranean Gull, centre back, with BH Gulls at a gloomy Chard Res this morning.
Adult Mediterranean Gull at #ChardRes this morning. NFY #PWC2026 Also GWE still present, 15 Tufties, 30+ Mandarin & GC Grebe are slowly returning after the freeze, now 22 from a low of just 5 (39 present before freeze) @somersetbirds.bsky.social @patchbirding.bsky.social
GW Egret at Chard Reservoir
Mistletoe clad tree near Donyatt
Male Blackcap, one of at least four present eating Mistletoe berries.
Filterbed at Dowlish Wake STW held at least 19 Chiffchaff, including a possible Siberian.
GW Egret at #ChardRes for its' forth day. At least 4 Blackcap feeding on Mistletoe berries in this impressive tree near Donyatt. Exploring Dowlish Wake STW gave at least 19 Chiffchaff & set-a-side fields held 2 Stonechat, c.100 Linnet, 40+ Chaffinch, Greenfinch & Siskin @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Two Redhead Goosander with drake just behind, all perched on fallen tree trunk.
Now two Redhead & a drake Goosander at #ChardRes Photo taken at dusk this evening. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Drake Goosander
Redhead & Drake Goosander
Drake & Redhead Goosander
Drake Goosander having a flap after bathing.
The drake & Redhead Goosander showed quite well from the dam at #ChardRes early this am, shame the light was so poor! #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social
No sign of Scaup this am. Didn't realise the significance of my find yesterday...this is the first record at #ChardRes for 24 years & the largest group since the 1950's! #PWC2025Mega @patchbirding.bsky.social #LocalPatchBirding
3 sleeping Scaup, a female, drake & 1st winter drake.
drake Goosander & Redhead at dusk
3 Scaup still present at #ChardRes at dusk. Also drake & redhead Goosander & 14 Tufties. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Juvenile Redhead Goosander perched on tree branch in early morning sunshine.
At least 41 Great Crested Grebe at #ChardRes this am in awful weather. Redhead Goosander also still present (photo taken yesterday in much better conditions!) #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Redhead Goosander in bright sunlight, swimming away from camera.
Redhead Goosander again at #ChardRes this morning. #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Poor photo of 3 Pochard, half hidden in reeds.
It might be just 3 Pochard, but they're the first of the year on my 10km #PWC2024 !! Seen at #ChardRes this morning. 131st species for the patch to date (153 points) @somersetbirds.bsky.social @patchbirding.bsky.social
Redhead Goosander
Redhead Goosander with Mallards & drake Mandarin
Redhead Goosander flew into #ChardRes at 16:20. Record count of 44 Mandarin on the 29th, also recently up to 49 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 32 GC Grebe, Water Rail & Cetti's Warbler heard. Pied Wagtail & Starling roost just starting to get underway. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Common Tern (right) about to settle on wooden post. LBB Gull in centre.
Common Tern at a very windy #ChardRes today! @somersetbirds.bsky.social
A sad post. Found this very poorly Tufted Duck at the Dorset patch on concrete today & on the 26th a dead juv Cormorant at #ChardRes Both records uploaded to Bird Track to be forwarded to Defra.....not looking good locally! @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social & @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Common Tern perched on dead tree branch
Pair of Great Black-backed Gulls, the one on right wearing ring P:62A
GBB Gull wearing ring P:62A
Two Common Tern at #ChardRes on 18th Aug & the annual returning pair of GBB Gull (P:62A) + 1 juvenile. Waders seem to be bypassing the res though! #SomersetBirding @somersetbirds.bsky.social
3 of the 5 Common Tern, settled on posts, with BH Gulls along shoreline.
Common Tern inflight, in misty, dull weather. The new dam wall can be seen in the distance.
Common Tern inflight showing forked tail.
5 Common Tern at #ChardRes early this morning in the drizzle & murk. #SomersetBirding @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Juvenile Little Ringed Plover on muddy shoreline, with an immature Moorhen walking behind.
Another juvenile LRP at #ChardRes today, also the GWE reported again. Single Common Sandpiper & 3 Swift this evening. @somersetbirds.bsky.social #PWC2025 #LocalPatchBirding
Great White Egret on shoreline with BH Gulls.
Little Grebe
GWE at #ChardRes this morning. Greenshank & 2 GBB gull on the 3rd & Lt Grebe on the 4th. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Juvenile LRP on shoreline at Chard Reservoir.
Juvenile Little Ringed Plover at #ChardRes this morning.
@somersetbirds.bsky.social
Wood Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Three Teal all in a row!
Three counties birding today, very quiet on the Dorset patch with just a Green Sandpiper. A visit to BHM, Seaton, Devon for the gorgeous Wood Sandpiper & the first returning Teal (3) at #ChardRes , Somerset this evening! #LocalPatchBirding
4 Blackwits feeding along muddy shoreline
4 Black-tailed Godwit at #ChardRes this evening. Found by Sue (Thx for text, Sue) Also 2 Common Sandpiper & an adult GBB Gull. #SomersetBirding
Summer plumage Cattle Egret standing on fallen tree trunk
Cattle Egret
Cattle Egret flew into #ChardRes at 20:50 this evening. Still very much a rarity in South Somerset surprisingly! #SomersetBirding
Great White Egret, with yellow bill.
Marsh Snipe Fly Rhagio tringarius
Scolopostethus thomsoni, a Ground Bug found of Nettles
Paederus littoralis a flightless Rove Beetle
GW Egret at the Dorset patch today, probably the bird frequenting #ChardRes . Marsh Snipe Fly; Scolopostethus thomsoni Ground Bug on nettles & Paederus littoralis Rove Beetle #insects #bugs #beetles
Non breeding plumage Great White Egret on shoreline, photo taken into sun.
GWE #ChardRes yesterday evening, in the company of 4 Littles. Otherwise quiet with 13 GC Grebe & pair Pied Wagtail with 1 juvenile. #Somersetbirding
