This is the latest report from Chris Johnston on the birds he saw around Fairfield Nature Reserve.
19 April 2026
Time: 07:25 to 09:30
Weather: calm, sunny, clear, 4ºC rising to 9.5ºC
Lots of birdsong and activity around the reserve today in beautiful conditions. 40 species were recorded in total including a couple of new summer visitors (Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler).
- ♀ Mallard in pool near road with three ducklings.
- 12 Pheasants in Flora Field (7♂, 5♀); also, 20+ Carrion Crows, 10+ Rooks, 10+ Jackdaws, 2 Stock Doves and 2 Oystercatchers, all taking advantage of the recently ploughed surface.
- Male Blackcap singing in the hedgerow between the entrance gate and Pony Wood. A Lesser Whitethroat was also singing in this hedgerow with another heard later on in the hedgerow at the back of West Field. A pair of Shelduck were seen circling close to the wood.
- 2 Long-tailed Tits were in Pony Wood along with singing Chiffchaff and another Blackcap which was showing very well. Nuthatch was calling just beyond the reserve boundary.Two Grey Squirrels were also active in Pony Wood.
- The female Teal was still present on the pool in West Field.
- The hedgerow close to Abraham Heights yielded a male Linnet and a Speckled Wood butterfly. Long-tailed Tit was heard calling near the orchard where another Grey Squirrel was also seen.
- Worryingly, no Chaffinches were recorded again although Greenfinch and Goldfinch are both present in small numbers.
- Two male Mallards were on one of the small pools inside Big Meadow and a Grey Heron was at School Pond. A Willow Warbler was singing quietly in the hedgerow to the north of the pond.
- Just outside the reserve, a Canada Goose was on the canal and a male Goosander was sitting alongside the resident Gadwall on Ripley Field. A Mistle Thrush was also singing just across the canal from the reserve entrance.,