We are sorry for any inconvenience caused
THE FISHERY IS NOW CLOSED
Mar 31
FISHERY CLOSING
Mar 30
Dear Members,
It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that ‘The Hamptons Wetlands Fishery’ will be permanently closed from the end of March 2023.
I have moved on and due to future operational difficulties, the fishery will be returned to a natural wetland water. The water will be allowed to weed-up naturally, attracting more insect, amphibian and bird life.
The wetland area will once again be a quiet, natural wildlife sanctuary.
Obviously, there will be NO requests for membership renewals on April 1st.
I wish you all well. Thank you.
Gary Weaving
Forty four species were seen during the period. The Mute swan pair hatched seven young around about May 6tt and to date five were present. There were six pairs each of Coot and Moorhen. By May 25th there were 24 Coot young.
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Water Rail: Photo by Bill Reid
Twenty-one visits were made and thirty-five species were seen. Coot and Moorhen numbers remained fairly constant with 12 and 13 seen respectively.
35 visits were made during the period and 40 species were observed.
On the pools the two adult Mute Swans remained. There were 12 young Moorhens and 5 young Coots. Mallard numbers dwindled from 27 in August to two by the end of October. Up to 2 Herons and a single Cormorant were regular. Read the rest of this entry »
Reed Warbler – Photo by Dan Burgess
Forty two species were seen during the period. Thirty six visits were made. Up to two Cormorants and two Herons were seen. Read the rest of this entry »
Water Rail. Photograph by Bill Reid
Forty one visits were made between January 1st and March 31st. Forty four species were seen during the period.
The most exciting observation was a Green Sandpiper briefly on February 10th. This was the first observation for six years.
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Reed Bunting, taken by Bill Reid
Sixty three visits were made and forty nine species were recorded in the pools complex during the period September 1st to December 27th.
Pride of place was a Cetti’s Warbler seen briefly on 13th October- a site record. Other highlights include two Stonechats on October 15th and seven Fieldfare on November 24th. A Peregrine Falcon used the pylon at the pools end as a hunting site.A Water Rail was heard calling on December 15th.
The site was visited on fifty days during the period April 1st to July 30th and 52 species were seen including birds flying over. Highlights were six resident Reed Warblers, a pair of Reed Buntings, a Sedge Warbler in July, Lesser Whitethroats (on passage), two Whitethroat territories, two Chiffchaff territories, Willow warblers (on passage) and several records of Peregrine Falcons. A Nuthatch was unusual. Read the rest of this entry »
47 species were observed during an observation period of 40 days. Water levels were high during the period especially the north pool.
A Little Grebe appeared on February 29th and was present into April. on the end pool but probably went as the water level dropped. Two Herons and a Cormorant were present on many occasions.
The Swans started nesting on February 29th and by May 8th had Seven cygnets. Other than Mallards the only other duck was a drake Tufted on January 21st.
Two pairs of Canada Geese attempted to get onto the pools but were seen off by the cob Swan. However one pair nested on the side of the channel.
A Water Rail was heard on three occasions during the winter. On March 11th a Buzzard flew east and a Peregine Falcon flew over on January 23rd. A Kingfisher was seen occasionally during the winter. There were plenty small birds in the shrubbery including up to 100 Redwing, 20 Greenfinch, 10 Goldfinch and a lone Redpoll.
A pair of Reed Buntings were around from January 15th Into April. A Blackcap singing on March 14th may have been a wintering bird. The first summer visitor Chiffchaff was on March 17th.