Shustoke Reservoir.

Great to visit Shustoke Reservoir for the first time since the lockdown began, even though it was raining before I left, on the way, upon my arrival at the car park and intermittently during my visit, still, you can't let a little rain put you off.

Always a pleasure when there's not one highlight but many, it's not very often I see a Little Ringed Plover and I've certainly not seen one at this location before, it did appear to only be passing through as it flew away from the site when spooked by a dog that was running around around because it wasn't on the lead, talking about birds I don't see very often it was great to see a Yellow Wagtail especially as it was a resplendent male collecting nesting material, another bird which is always great to see is Common Tern, a bird that doesn't get much coverage but I was glad to see them in double figures as well, talking of numbers, easily the best bird seen by number was House Martin, there was c.1000+ on the Fly-Fishers Pool, it was definitely a sight to behold, even though I didn't see any Swallow there, they were present over the car park and the reservoir, it was also great to see the 'three' Wagtails, not very often these days I see Pied, Grey and Yellow all in one day as I don't see Chiffchaff juveniles as I did today.

Juvenile birds are always a pleasure to see, seen today were, Mallard (9), Canada Goose Gosling (4), Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Robin, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw as well as the following birds on the nest on the reservoir, Great Crested Grebe (8), Coot (3) and a single nesting Great Crested Grebe on the Fly-Fishers Pool.

Birds seen today were, Buzzard, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Swift, House Martin, Swallow, Cormorant, Common Tern, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Coot, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.

Always great to get out and do a spot of 'proper' birding like today as the previous list shows which is not a bad count even if I do say so myself.