This archive is designed to keep together photos of rare, scarce and interesting birds that have occurred at Grafham Water over the years.
If you have a bird photo which you would be willing to add to this archive, please email me using the address at the foot of the page. Full acknowledgements will be given.
All photos and videos copyright Jono Leadley or to the photographer acknowledged.
Click on thumbnail below to access photos from desired year, or scroll down to view photos from 2004.
Photographed from Hill Farm. Thanks to Jim Lawrence for the photos.
With c20 Dunlin and 12 Ringed Plovers on the north shore, near Church Lane.
A poor record shot taken at a range of about 1/2 mile off Mander CP, as it was harrassed by gulls.
Photographed in Valley Creek.
Photographed in off Church Lane. Thanks to Mark Ward for the photo.
Picked up by Mark Hawkes, flying across the reservoir, looking north east from Mander CP, at 12.25. The bird headed south and then west along the south shore and straight over our heads in Mander. It headed straight off west over land.
On the steps of the water tower, off Hill Farm.
On the north shore, near Church Lane.
One of two, with Ringed Plovers and Dunlin on the shore at Plummer Car Park.
Friday 13th is perhaps not so unlucky, when Mark Hawkes and myself relocated an adult Little Stint on the north shore, then found this Whinchat at the north end of the dam, and soon after a Pied Flycatcher, a great Cambridgeshire bird, and superb Grafham bird!
Off Mander CP, in the roost.
On the dam. Thanks to Jim Lawrence for the photo.
On the dam. Thanks to Jim Lawrence for the photos.
In the lagoons.
Found by Colin Addington, this bird was very approachable, as it fed close in shore to the dam. This bird was presumably the same individual as that seen at Eyebrook Reservoir recently and then subsequently at Scarborough Harbour. Thanks to Jim Lawrence for photos 5 and 6.
One of a pair present on the dam.
On the boom off The Harbour. The two birds present today are the remnants of a good Spring passage through Grafham.
photo 1 photo 2 photo 3 photo 4 photo 5 photo 6 photo 7 (Photo by Colin Addington)
On the boom off The Harbour. Only small numbers have passed through so far, this Spring.
photo 1 photo 2 photo 3 (with Common Tern) photo 4 (with Arctic Tern)
On the boom off The Harbour. Note the black beak, which is frequently seen in this species, along with a fully red or orange beak, all potential traps for the unwary.
A very yellow-headed male on the dam.
One of a pair on the dam in the evening.
Shot of a distant adult, resting on a buoy off Mander CP. One of 40 present.
photo 1 photo 2 - adult with Arctic Terns(Thanks to Colin Addington)
Flying over the east end of the reservoir.
Off Mander CP.
On the boom off Mander CP, 23 April.
Photo
I was sitting in a pub in Kimbolton, only 5 minutes away, when this bird was present. Unfortunately, I had no signal on my phone, so this bird remains absent from my Grafham list! Thanks to Colin Addington for the photo.
On the dam 20 April. The whiteness of the supercilium, subocular stripe, throat and wingbars, suggests a female flava, but some female flavissima can be identical.
Found in the lagoons at 18.15, and watched as it tried in vain to head north over the reservoir, only to hit an oncoming downpour. Last seen 45 minutes later heading over Plummer CP. During the heaviest of the rain, the bird alighted in the lagoons, much to the consternation of the local Lapwings!
Present on the dam. Thanks to Jim Lawrence for the photos.
Thanks to Jim Lawrence for the photo.
Thanks to Jim Lawrence for the photo.
Present in the roost off Mander CP.
One of three still present.
Rescued from Plummer Creek, having got caught in discarded fishing line. The hook penetrated the birds eyebrow, just missing the eye. It flew off apparently none the worse for wear.
In the roost from Mander Car Park.
all material on this website is copyright Jono Leadley 2004
