Saturday, January 20, 2007

Saturday 20th January 2007

After the storms in midweek the day started in similar fashion but the rain soon pushed through and the sun eventually broke through. My walk started well with a male Blackcap in the hedge behind the sailing club. Kingfisher were few and far between today with only a single brief sighting. On the main lake:

Pochard 81
Tufted 25
Shoveller 36
Goosander 1
Coot 2

Had 25 and then 7 Lapwing over but then, on leaving the main lake hide, looked up to find the sky full of Lapwing. Unfortunately they soon disappeared behind the trees but I estimate in excess of 200 birds.

Headed round to the Finger lakes but didn't see or hear the Cettis Warbler, however am reliably informed that it was around later on. On Fingers:

Little Grebe 6
Teal 8
GC Grebe (Pair)
Coot 1

Also had Treecreeper around Fingers and Greylag on Kingsmead.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Monday 15th January 2007

An early morning visit was rewarded with the sight of a Little Egret in the trees along the spit. It left the park arounf 07:35 heading in the direction of Cardington.

If you feel like an early morning walk it is well worth coming along in time to see/hear the Crow and Jackdaw roost waking up and leaving. The sound is amazing and the spectacle, as several hundred birds leave the roost, is quite something. You need to be at the park before 07:30 although that will get earlier as dawn gets earlier. The main roost is in the trees between the main lake and Press Mead but you can also find a significant number of birds in the trees around the Finger Lakes.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Sunday 14th January 2007

Flooding had receded today and Press Mead was passable in Wellies! Seemed like the better weather had attracted all the birds out of hiding. There were many Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Dunnock in the hedge behind the sailing club. Robins seemed to be everywhere singing their hearts out. Duck numbers on the main lake were similar to Saturday:

Pochard 75
Tufted 24
Shoveller 44
Goosander 1
Cormorant 20

Again Kingfishers were all around the park with at least 4 individuals.

The water level in the fingerlakes had increased by at least six inches and the crescent was only passable in wellies, and then only just! The Cettis Warbler gave a short burst of song from the crescent reed bed.

There were 5 Teal on Fingers and 11 Little Grebe but sight of the day was the pair of Great-crested Grebe which were nest building and then proceded to mate, in January!

Also saw Bullfinch and 20+ Lapwing flew over.