Saturday, October 11, 2008

Ringing - 11th Oct

A short morning session in the 'rough' produced 30 birds of 13 species, of which only 7 were retraps.
Wren 1r/t, Dunnock 1, Robin 3(1 adult), Blackbird 1(poss continental male), Song Thrush 2r/ts, Redwing 1 (more flying about but too sunny), Goldcrest 1 - a lovely adult male (a scarce thing; most are 1CY birds or indeterminate age), Blue Tit 1r/t, Great Tit 2, Chaffinch 3, Greenfinch 8 (signs of some movement) & Goldfinch 4.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Saturday 4th October

A bright start lured me out early only for it to cloud over fairly quickly. Only a handful of Canada Geese on the main lake when I arrived rising to c.14 by mid morning. Great Crested Grebe numbers were up to 11 this week but the big increase was the Cormorants. On arrival there were 16 on the main lake with 12 in a raft actively hunting. By mid morning this had risen to 34 with two thirds of those hunting. I haven't seen Cormorants hunting for so long before, normally you see them hunting for a few minutes before finding somewhere to dry out, this morning they appeared to be hunting all morning! A Redwing was on the main path as I walked down to Fingers.

It was very quiet down the Spit with just a single male Gadwall and a pair of Shoveler on West Fingers. Some of the Fingers have had a hair cut in the week.

Little action at Kramer hide, just a few Moorhen.

A walk out along the cycle path was also pretty fruitless. Goldcrest in the hedgeline by the STW and 4 Teal on the new workings on 100 Acre along with the usual Gulls and odd Cormorants. A Mute Swan and a few Mallard on Meadow Lane GP, a Kestrel hunting along Meadow Lane and a complete blank on the Tern Pool. Did find the Canada Geese though, with 102 feeding in the field opposite the Tern Pool. On the way back to the park at least 4 Siskin passed over along with 3 Meadow Pipits. Another Mipit over later, back in the park.

Between the Sedgewick Seat and the Rough, good views of Goldcrest in the coppiced area next to the Sheep Pen. Nest box 5 is sporting a second hole in the front courtesy of a Woodpecker. Quiet around the Rough but a Grey Wagtail at the Dead Seat was a nice surprise and Chiffchaff singing in the Willows nearby.

A loop of the main lake returned Grey Wagtail at the Beach, possibly the same one seen earlier, and a Kestrel hunting over the main lake island and mobbed by a Jackdaw, then four BH Gulls and finally seen off by a Crow.

Little else of note just those Cormorant which were still fishing when I left.