Info -
Stithians Reservoir is one of the best birdwatching spots in the county, it gets the highest numbers of birds especially in winter and during passage times. This gives more opportunity for rare birds which generally call in every year! Most of the reservoir is pretty shallow and dabbling rather than diving ducks dominate with 100 each at least of Teal and Wigeon. Mallard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Goldeneye are often present but in smaller numbers. Pretty much anything can call in with grey geese often taking a liking or a small flock of Bewick's Swan with luck. Breeding birds are suprisingly few but include a few pairs of Little Grebes, 1 pair of Great Crested Grebes, Coots and Moorhens on the water. The surrounding farmland has Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and some good farmland species present in summer including Cuckoo and Lesser Whitethroat. The autumn brings good numbers of waders depending on the levels which are usually low. Greenshank, ruff, little stint and curlew sandpiper although redshank are a bit of a rarity.
Most of the reservoir can be walked around but the most productive viewing points are at the northern causeway and southern causeway. There are hides at both ends and a dam on the east side offers a good view. Be careful on the causeways as cars race along here too fast.
Past rarities are too numerous to mention all of them!! But here are a few of the best - Ballions Crake, Pied-billed Grebe (1994), American Lesser Golden Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Baird's + Semi-palmated + Solitary + Pectoral Sandpipers (Pectoral being annual!), Crag Martin (Britain's First), Black Duck (2002), Blue + Green-winged Teals, Black Kite (2004), Caspian Tern, and finally Wilson's Phalarope (2006) |
