3rd – Pair of Lapwing displaying in over the stubble field N of Hicklin’s Bridge, 3 Song Thrush and 3 Mistle Thrush singing around the canal circuit, 1 Cetti’s Warbler singing in Stanhope Wood reed bed and another in the reed bed at the treatment works, Pair of Long-tailed tits nestbuilding near Watson’s Bridge, 1 male Bullfinch seen Stanhope Wood and 2 male Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works
6th – Pair of Gadwall and 5 Tufted Duck seen on Mercia Marina Pond, 1 Treecreeper and c20 Siskin seen at the Ballast Hole Pond
7th – 1 Cormorant seen flying over Cromwell Avenue, 2 pairs of Gadwall and 4 Teal seen on floodwater Blakemere Farm, 1 Lapwing seen in the horse paddock NW of Bakeacre Lane, 1 Chiffchaff (1st immigrant of this year) seen N of Lansdowne Farm, 1 male Yellowhammer seen in stubble field at the N end of Bakeacre Lane, pair of Reed Bunting seen Blakemere Farm flood
8th – Frogspawn seen in the wildlife pond Cardales Meadow, 1st sighting this year
10th – 1 Grey Heron seen eating a frog in the horse paddock N of Crow Park Way, 1 Sparrowhawk being mobbed by crows flying over the council estate, 1 Skylark seen over the stubble field N of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Grey Wagtail seem at the treatment works, 1 Goldcrest seen just E of Hicklin’s Bridge and c30 Linnet seen in the stubble field SE of Stanhope Wood (the first sighting this year)
12th – 1 Chiffchaff singing Stanhope Wood causeway, 1st singing this year, c60 Linnet seen in the stubble field SE of Stanhope Wood, pair of Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works
14th – 1 Water Rail seen in the reedbed at the treatment works, 1 Cetti’s Warbler heard in the reedbed Stanhope Wood, 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly seen Hillside garden, 1 Brimstone butterfly seen at the top of Cote Close and 1 Comma butterfly seen on Lower Green, the first sightings this year for the butterflies
17th – Pair of Gadwall, 12+ Teal and a pair of Shoveler seen on flood water at Blakemere Farm, 1 Lapwing seen in the horse paddock NW of Bakeacre Lane and 2 Yellowhammer seen in stubble field at the N end of Bakeacre Lane
18th – 3 Lapwing seen in the stubble field N of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 Skylark singing in the stubble field W of Watson’s Bridge, 1 Grey Wagtail seen at the treatment works and 1 Cetti’s Warbler heard near Hicklin’s Bridge
20th – 1 Meadow Pipit seen at the treatment works and 1 Cetti’s Warbler heard
23rd – 1 Sparrowhawk seen over Stanhope Wood, 1 Stock Dove seen feeding with a Pigeon flock in the stubble field W of Watson’s Bridge, 1 male Reed Bunting seen at the treatment works
27th – 1 male Gadwall and 1 male Tufted Duck seen on Mercia Marina pond, 1 Peregrine seen at the cooling towers, 2 Oystercatcher seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works (the first sighting this year), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker seen prospecting a nest site opposite the Ballast Hole Pond, 1 Blackcap seen N of the treatment works (the first sighting
29th – 7 Teal seen in flood Blakemere Farm, 3 Chiffchaff singing along Bakeacre Lane
April 2022
1st – 2 Oystercatcher seen in the cattle field SW of the treatment works, 1 Cetti’s Warbler heard in Stanhope Wood reed bed
7th – c6 Linnet seen in the stubble field SE of Stanhope Wood
8th – 1 Little Grebe seen on Mercia Marina Pond and 2 Greylag Goose seen flying over the pond
12th – 1 Willow Warbler singing at the treatment works, the first sighting this year
18th – 1 Holly Blue butterfly seen In a garden on Hillside, the first sighting this year
19th – 1 Skylark singing SW of Watson’s Bridge, 2 Swallow seen SW of Watson’s Bridge, the first sighting this year, 5 Lapwing seen in the stubble field N of Hicklin’s Bridge, 1 male Yellowhammer seen in the stubble field SE of Stanhope Wood, 1 Green-veined White butterfly seen canal side S of the treatment works, the first sighting this year
