Recent Sightings at Grimsargh Wetland
23rd July 2026
Greylag Goose, 180, (Geoff Carefoot)
Avocet, 3, Ad & 2 juvs
Snipe, 1
Green Sandpiper, 1
20th July 2026
Canada Goose, 27
Gadwall, 5
Mallard, 51
WeBS count
Teal, 2
Tufted Duck, 4
Adult pair asleep, 2 ducklings operating independently
Moorhen, 5
Coot, 4
Avocet, 3
Lapwing, 4
Little Ringed Plover, 1
Black-headed Gull, 14
Grey Heron, 2
Willow Warbler, 1
Blackbird, 4
Dunnock, 4
Linnet, 1
18th July 2026
Little Egret, 1
Reported at 09.45 as it departed. Scarce here.
Sparrowhawk, 1
Overflight put most birds up including 80+ Jackdaws from local trees
Buzzard, 2
High birds 'mewing'.
17th July 2026
Greylag Goose, 55
Flew in en masse
Gadwall, 6
Gadwall, 15
Including duck with 5 ducklings
Mallard, 30
5 with 6 ducklings, F with 2 ducklings
Teal, 4
Tufted Duck, 3, F & 2 ducklings
Swift, 4
Woodpigeon, 4
Moorhen, 5
3 juvs
Coot, 4
2 juvs
Oystercatcher, 1
Brief evening visitor
Avocet, 3, 1 ad, 2 juvs
Avocet, 3
Juvs now fledged and still feeding at 21.40
Lapwing, 5
Curlew, 1
Over
Common Sandpiper, 1
Green Sandpiper, 1
Feeding below N. bank screen at 21.40
Black-headed Gull, 21
Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1
Grey Heron, 1
Evening visitor
Jay, 1
Jackdaw, 15
Great Tit, 2
House Martin, 4
Willow Warbler, 1
Sedge Warbler, 1, m
Singer
Song Thrush, 1
Bullfinch, 2
Goldfinch, 3
13th July 2026
Canada Goose, 30
Includes well grown goslings.
Mallard, 30
Includes duck with 5 very small ducklings
Teal, 4
Swift, 6
Stock Dove, 2
Coot, 5
Three well grown juvs
Oystercatcher, 1
Avocet, 5
Last pair still minding three almost fledged young, at dusk
Little Ringed Plover, 1
Black-headed Gull, 7
Common Tern, 3
Adult with two fledged juvs on big island at dusk
House Martin, 4
11th July 2026
Gadwall, 6, (Mark Breaks)
Female with 5 small ducklings
Tufted Duck, 4
Including female with two ducklings
9th July 2026
Greylag Goose, 20, (Geoff Carefoot)
Turned up from elsewhere after a few months absence.
Mute Swan, 2
Non-breeding pair
Tufted Duck, 9
includes female with 2 small ducklings
Avocet, 5, 2 ads, three juvs
Chicks ranging widely, parents not particularly observant
Lapwing, 90
Nearly all lying down on island in substantial heat
Black-headed Gull, 15
Numbers decreasing after breeding
House Martin, 5
At least one regularly landing and taking mud. Nest repair?
Reed Warbler, 1, m
Still calling
6th July 2026
Avocet, 5
Pair with unfledged chicks, Older fledged brood currently at Alston.
5th July 2026
Canada Goose, 21
Incudes pair with 5 goslings and pair with 2
Stock Dove, 1
Moorhen, 1
Coot, 3
Oystercatcher, 3
Avocet, 5
Pair with fast growing chicks
Lapwing, 88
Black-headed Gull, 30
Successfully bred on island but less so on rafts
Common Tern, 1
Over the mere.
2nd July 2026
Tufted Duck, 3
Duck with 2 ducklings only (see 27/6)
Redshank, 2
Adult & Juvenile feeding - probably Alston Wetland birds
1st July 2026
Canada Goose, 16
Only 5 goslings seen,
Mute Swan, 2
Stock Dove, 1
Coot, 6
Oystercatcher, 3
Avocet, 3
2 ads, 1 chick seen. First fledged family group (5) now at Alston Wetland.
Little Ringed Plover, 1
Black-headed Gull, 40
Includes 14 juveniles,
Common Tern, 1
Fishing in Mere, briefly.
Jackdaw, 18
A 'nuisance' of jackdaws
Reed Warbler, 1, M
Singer
Song Thrush, 1
30th June 2026
Common Tern, 2, 2 Ads.
Post-breeders? One adult losing black cap.
28th June 2026
Mute Swan, 2
Shelduck, 7
Juvs now flying.
Gadwall, 1
Swift, 6
Moorhen, 3
Coot, 2
Oystercatcher, 4
Avocet, 10
All 6 chicks constantly feeding
Lapwing, 2
Curlew, 1
Arrived at 1840
Jackdaw, 40
Includes fledged juvs begging from parents
Long-tailed Tit, 3
Wren, 2
Singers
Pied Wagtail (yarrellii), 1, M
27th June 2026
Tufted Duck, 7
6 small ducklings trailing female on the lake.
Mute Swan, 2, (Muhummed H)
Avocet, 7, 2 chicks and 3 juveniles
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Redshank, 2
Common Tern, 3
Pair on Island Lake and single fishing on Mere
Reed Warbler, 1
singing
Grey Wagtail, 1
flyover
26th June 2026
Shelduck, 7, (Geoff Carefoot)
Oystercatcher, 4
Avocet, 10
Lapwing, 146
Black-headed Gull, 30
Numerous fledged young
Common Tern, 0
Not present this morning.
Jackdaw, 42
Reed Warbler, 2, Males
25th June 2026
Common Tern, 2
Resting together on large island but both also fishing in the Mere
24th June 2026
Shelduck, 7
Well grown ducklings spend most time loafing.
Moorhen, 5
Includes 4 almost full grown juvs.
Coot, 2
Oystercatcher, 4
Includes a possible late brooder
Avocet, 10
6 chicks still surviving...
Lapwing, 15
Black-headed Gull, 20
Uncounted
Common Tern, 2
Most likely common terns on island but no scope
Jay, 1
Under Oaks in compound
Chiffchaff, 2
Singers, but Reed warblers quiet by 20.00
22nd June 2026
Mandarin Duck, 1, Female type, (Gareth Morgan)
Curlew, 2
Briefly
Redshank, 1
Mediterranean Gull, 6, 5 ad 1 1stS
Reed Warbler, 2
Singing
21st June 2026
Buzzard, 3, (Geoff Carefoot)
3 over again
20th June 2026
Shelduck, 8
3 ads, 5 fast-growing ducklings
Little Grebe, 1
Oystercatcher, 3
Avocet, 10
4 ads, 6 chicks
Lapwing, 40
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Black-headed Gull, 30
Mediterranean Gull, 2
In flight, calling
Buzzard, 3
Over, causing consternation.
Jay, 2
Reed Warbler, 2, 2m
Singers
Reed Bunting, 1
17th June 2026
Gadwall, 10, Adults
Mere.
Jay, 2
Under oak trees
16th June 2026
Mute Swan, 2
Mere
Shelduck, 7
Family group, usually loafing.
Tufted Duck, 6
Little Grebe, 1
Mere
Oystercatcher, 2
Avocet, 10
Second pair, on small island eventually hatched 3 chicks (after 39 days incubation!)
Lapwing, 36
Start of post-breeding flock, already.
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Black-headed Gull, 50
Includes 6 fledged juvs from elsewhere
Buzzard, 1
'Mewing' to the north.
Jay, 1
Willow Warbler, 2
Reed Warbler, 2
Males singing from phragmites in fen and NE corner of lake
Wren, 3
Blackbird, 6
14th June 2026
Canada Goose, 27
Monthly WeBS count, includes a mere (pardon the pun) 5 goslings
Mute Swan, 2
Shelduck, 7
2 ads and 5 ducklings
Mallard, 6, No ducklings seen.
Pandemonium! Everything put up, including geese, by loose dog' porpoising' in the lake!
Tufted Duck, 4
Stock Dove, 1
On island
Moorhen, 2, adult and well-grown young.
Coot, 7
Little Grebe, 1
Mere
Great Crested Grebe, 1
Oystercatcher, 2
Avocet, 7
4 ads, (males fighting) presumed sitting bird now abandoned overdue clutch.
Black-headed Gull, 116
Includes 4 fledged juveniles from elsewhere
Mediterranean Gull, 2
First post breeders (?) from elsewhere
Jay, 1
Again, foraging beneath Oak trees in compound.
Jackdaw, 19
Bathing in shallows, as usual.
Willow Warbler, 1
In reedmace
Chiffchaff, 2, m m
singers
Greenfinch, 1, m
13th June 2026
Mute Swan, 2
Non-breeding pair
Shelduck, 7
Family mainly loafing on islands
Mallard, 12
Tufted Duck, 4
Coot, 2
Avocet, 6
Includes 3 now wide-ranging chicks
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Black-headed Gull, 50
Grey Heron, 1
Jay, 1
House Martin, 8
Chiffchaff, 2, m m
Still calling
Reed Warbler, 1, m
Singing from fen phragmites
Blackcap, 1, m
Song Thrush, 1
Dunnock, 3
Pied Wagtail (yarrellii), 1, m
Bullfinch, 1, m
calling
Reed Bunting, 2
12th June 2026
Shelduck, 7
Includes 5 growing ducklings
Avocet, 6
Pr +3 chicks and F still brooding but well overdue.
Reed Warbler, 1, M
Singing in Fen.
Song Thrush, 1
7th June 2026
Shelduck, 9
5 ducklings dozing, all moved into cover during rain shower.
Oystercatcher, 2
Avocet, 7
Female sheltering lone chick during rain shower, other two sticking it out
Lapwing, 2
Chiffchaff, 2
2 males calling.
2nd June 2026
Shelduck, 4
Adults, 5 growing ducklings presumably in cover.
Gadwall, 9
Flock of 7 in flight but no ducklings seen today
Tufted Duck, 6
Little Grebe, 2
Mere
Oystercatcher, 4
Avocet, 7
Includes 3 chicks
Lapwing, 4
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Black-headed Gull
Great Tit, 4
Adults feeding fledgelings
Willow Warbler, 2
Chiffchaff, 3
Singers
Reed Warbler, 2
2 males singing, one showing well in phragmites from PF
Bullfinch, 2, Pair
In front of PF screen again.
Reed Bunting, 1, m
Heard only
1st June 2026
Ringed Plover, 2, (Mark Breaks)
Reed Warbler, 3
29th May 2026
Gadwall, 27
Including female with 12 ducklings
Curlew, 3
Black-tailed Godwit, 2
Redshank, 1
Reed Warbler, 2
Singing males
28th May 2026
Shelduck, 11, (Geoff Carefoot)
2 pairs and pair with 5 growing ducklings
Avocet, 7
Including pair with 3 young
Little Ringed Plover, 1
Black-tailed Godwit, 1
I remaining, in sum plum
Whitethroat, 1, m
Bullfinch, 2, Pair
Fly-past, PF screen
25th May 2026
Mute Swan, 2
Shelduck, 9
Includes pair with 5 rapidly growing ducklings
Oystercatcher, 4
Avocet, 8
Little Ringed Plover, 1
Black-tailed Godwit, 2
24th May 2026
Shelduck, 11
Pair still with 5 ducklings
Avocet, 5
3 feeding below north bank screen
Little Ringed Plover, 2
Black-tailed Godwit, 16
Island lake
Mediterranean Gull, 1
Over
Jay, 1
With a small nestling, mobbed by small passerines
Bullfinch, 2, Pair
In front of public footpath screen