Cowm Res     c60 mallard, 6 tufted duck, c60 black headed gull, 3 common gull, 1 green woodpecker, c90 meadow pipit, 4 pied wagtail, 1m stonechat, c60 starling, c38 chaffinch, 16 goldfinch, 10 greenfinch, 1 redpoll, 1 linnet, 1 twite, 2 bullfinch & 2 reed bunting.

Spring Mill Res      2 great crested grebe, 1 grey heron, 1f tufted duck, 3 black headed gull, c100 meadow pipit, 2 pied wagtail, 2 grey wagtail, c200 starling & 2m stonechat.

Lower Plunge      1 grey wagtail, 20 fieldfare, 3 redwing, 1 mistle thrush, 1 pr stonechat & 5 long tailed tit.

AMR   80 Canada geese, 24 goosander, 1pr mallard, c60 black headed gull, 2 common gull, 90 lapwing & 5 stonechat.  There was also a man with a large hawk hunting in the fields below the south side of the res with a dog (some sort of spaniel) and a Harris? hawk. I watched him for quite a while. At one point the man flushed a bird, which I assume was a snipe, and the hawk appeared to catch it. I couldn't be sure as they flew out of sight. I also heard a bird squealing whilst he was out of sight another time. Is this activity entirely legal? I remember reading once that it was legal to hunt snipe, but not jack snipe and I really cannot imagine that either the hawk or the man would be able to tell the difference. It certainly doesn't help anybody who's birdwatching in the area.

cheers Kevin