15th February
Out on the lakes were 200 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Common Gulls, 50 Herring Gulls, 1  Lesser Black-backed Gull and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls. One of these latter gulls pinched an Eel away from a Cormorant, then was harassed by Herring Gulls and the other Great Black-back, and this eventually led to the two Black-backs having a tug of war with the eel. Other highlights were Pochard 91, Wigeon 72, Lapwing 26, plus 5 Little Egrets, some Gadwalls and Teal (Martin Wood.)

13th February
I had a brief look up the south lake from the south path and there was a Great Egret on the far shore between two Little Egrets. Also at least 25 Cormorants on the large island and 2 Little Grebes together near the smaller island. Countless Tufted Ducks and probably other ducks too distant to ID. Also a single Meadow Pipit in the scrub area south of the lake, and two Roe Deer which are often there now (Roger Peart.)

7th February
I had another new patch species for me today – a Muntjac Deer. The mammal was seen from the path just north of Samuel’s Wood. Also 2 Roe Deer on Hampreston Fields. Best birds were 1 Great White Egret and a large mixed flock of Fieldfare, Redwing and Starling on Hampreston Fields (Matt Bell). In the afternoon, highlights were 62 Lapwing on the large island, 45 Redwing in a tree by the river. Some nice Cormorants in breeding plumage on the island with 53 Black headed Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull and some Herring Gulls. Still a number of Pochard 60 and c30 Wigeon about and 60 Tufted Duck (Martin Wood.)

5th February
Very pleasant morning but rather quiet on the bird front – best being 2 Great White Egrets on the South Lake ‘island’. The mixed egret flock appears to have disappeared from Hampreston Farm (George Green.)

4th February
Some very interesting news this morning of a ringing control, a Goldfinch that was one of five ringed that day (Roger Peart.)
Now we know of a Longham Goldfinch that travelled to France.

S283863
08/10/2018 09:30 Longham Lakes
31/03/2019 09:30 Le Haras de la Cour, Saint Germain le Vieux, Orne, (France)

Total movement 291km SSE, 174 days

2nd February
Had a good amble round the site today from 10:30 until 13:45. Cattle Egret with 11 Little Egrets and 44 Lapwing on the large island. The Great White Egret was over by the river Stour, lots of Wigeon and Tufted Ducks in the north west corner and 55 Pochard around the lake with French-marked “LTK” still on South Lake. Counted 73 Black headed Gull resting on the large island with 18 Herring Gulls. Later on two Great Black-backed Gulls arrived. The woodland birds were singing away well, and Treecreeper and Nuthatch were seen. Out on the stubble field it was nice to see 10 Stock Doves, not a bad day with 44 birds seen (Martin Wood.)

Roe Deer, Longham Lakes, 01/02/2020 (Roger Peart)

1st February
Brief walk along the west path of the south lake this afternoon. Water Rail heard calling several times. 2 Goosander (male and female) loafing around the small island, plus 1 Little Grebe. Also a Roe Deer (Roger Peart.)

24th January
Managed 50 species in 2 hours this morning which isn’t bad for winter. There were at least 10 other species missing which I know are present. Best birds were 3 Cattle and 2 Great White Egrets initially roosting on the island in the South Lake but quickly transfered to feed in the fields close to Hampreston Farm where they joined a flock of 10 Little Egrets. Only 1 Grey Heron seen – how times have changed!!! (George Green.)

19th January
3 Cattle Egrets by Hampreston Farm and 1 Great White Egret by River Stour. Considerable disturbance on South Lake by people in 2 kayaks and a canoe constantly flushing the ducks and other birds. Best to avoid Sunday visits! (George Green.)

18th January
In the afternoon there were 3 Cattle Egrets by Hampreston Farm. Best viewed from footpath in field just SE of Hampreston Church. No sign of any Scaup for 2nd visit in succession – seemed to have moved on. Surprisingly lake levels very low revealing nice gravel beach around island in South Lake with 13 Snipe on view (George Green.)

12th January
61 species on the Patch today (Matt Bell). Best were 2 Egyptian Geese, 1 Great White Egret, 3 Cattle Egret, 4 Scaup, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Lapwing, 1 Stonechat, a few Chiffchaffs and 2 Reed Bunting. But the oddest sighting was a very showy white morph Gyr Falcon! I had a minor heart attack until I saw the jesses dangling from its legs! It was flying over my head at times and also perching up. Beautiful bird but a shame it’s not wild.

For the record, other species on site were: Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Cetti’s Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and
Bullfinch.

Missed some common stuff like Canada Goose, Buzzard, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Jay!

Greater Scaup, Longham Lakes 05/01/2020 (Aidan Brown)

6th January
In addition to the usual 4 Scaup, 2 Cattle and 2 Great White Egrets, I had a bright adult Yellow-legged Gull briefly on the South Lake (George Green.) There was a large flock of at least 100+ Pochard (Clive Hargrave.)

Firecrest, Longham Lakes, 05/01/2020 (David Foster)

5th January
There were 2 Cattle Egrets on the island at 08.50, then a Firecrest appeared in the Lane behind the lakes, within a couple of feet at times (David Foster.) The Scaup were around (Aidan Brown.)

4th January
Great White Egret was way over by farm buildings today. The 4 Greater Scaup, 1 immature drake and 3 females, were in NW corner of South Lake. There were 14 Snipe on the large island and a good number of wildfowl, including 104 Pochard, 2 Shoveler and many Wigeon, Gadwall and Teal, but only 3 Great Crested Grebes (Martin Wood.)

3rd January
There was at least 1 Common Gull on site, as well as the usual stuff (Martin Wood)

2nd January
At 1150 observed 2 Great Egrets in the Hampreston fields on the river bank, followed by a further 1 Great, 3 Cattle and at least 18 Little Egrets close by the farm and seen from the footpath between the lakes and Hampreston Church (Alan Pearce.) The three female and one immature male Scaup were close in on the western side of South Lake (Ian Lewis.) Also 80+ Lapwing, Buzzard in field, Cetti’s Warbler plus all the usual Teal, Pochard, Gadwall and Wigeon (AndyRBirding via Twitter.)

1st January
Started the year patch list of at Longham Lakes again on a grey drizzly morining. Best birds were Great White Egret, 2 Cattle Egret and 3 female Scaup. At the end of morning I logged 38 species of birds at the site (Martin Wood).