Guided Walk - 18/05/2008

A much brighter morning this morning, although still quite cool first thing. I got down the park early and did a quick recce before the guided walk started, bagging Shoveller (pair), Gadwall (m), Oystercatcher, Swallow, Cuckoo, House Martin (2) and Willow Warbler before arriving back at the VC.

Swallow

Willow Warbler

7 of us set off at 08:30 and were joined by another 8 at 09:00 (don't ask!). The 08:30 group were treated to Oystercatcher over the main lake and EN got excited at the sight of a flyover Feral Pigeon! The Reed Warblers along the main path reed bed were singing well with one chap showing exceptionally well, gaining quite a fan club in the process.

Reed Warbler

The two groups joined up at the Steps and we headed into the conservation zone where Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff were all singing. We had fun explaining the differences between the Blackcap and GW to the newbies. The Mute Swan was still on the nest on West Fingers. No Turtle Dove this weekend but Swifts showed well above the Rough. A Common Whitethroat was singing in the coppiced area next to the Sheep Pen and further along the path a Blackcap showed well in the Willows. No sign of the Treecreepers by the Sedgewick Seat and the nest is definitely toast. I hope it was just predated but I don't like the look of the trail through the nettles, to the base of the tree.

Next stop was the new Woodland Walk where Blackcaps were singing and a very fine Speckled Wood butterfly basked in the dappled sunlight. Exiting the woods we crossed to the navigation channel but no sign of Sedge Warbler yet, however, old faithful was in position further up the navigation channel giving his full repertoire despite not showing particularly well. Despite that a few of us glimpsed him. Little of note at Kramer hide with just a pair of Coot. The "arborial" Terrapin was a no show today.

At the north end of the east Fingers we stopped to view the Great Crested Grebes, who were out with their youngsters again today. It's tough getting a look at the young at the moment, as they are tucked in on the adults back, but if you wait for feeding time that's your best chance. A couple of Sand Martins passed over and headed across Kingsmead accompanied by a couple of Swifts. At the south east corner of Fingers a Common Whitethroat put in an appearance, with a bit of coaxing!

We headed back along the main path towards the VC and the Reed Warbler was still showing really well and singing his heart out. A request for a Willow Warbler was put in so we headed to the hedges at the VC and around the car park where I had the 2 earlier. We stood in the meadow, just before the path to the car park, listening to various Warblers singing all around. Suddenly a LBJ flew to the top of a nearby tree. Visual ID was either Chiff or Willow Warbler but it's song cleared up the ID and we had our Willow Warbler. Cutting through to the car park we had more good views of a Common Whitethroat and a beautiful male Greenfinch put in an appearance.

Another good guided walk with everyone getting great views of birds they don't see very often and hopefully learning a thing or 2 while doing so. Hopefully we'll see a few familiar faces, over the nest few weeks, trying to distinguish Reed from Sedge and Garden Warbler from Blackcap. Good luck!

P.S. Plenty of Mute Swans (c.22) on the main lake again including 454. Most of these birds are first year birds excepting 454 but hopefully EN can provide its history. Seemed to be very few Common Terns about this morning with just 4 counted early on.