Saturday 3rd January 2009

Very cold (-4c) this morning so all the Finger lakes and most of the main lake were frozen. Nothing of note on Fingers although good views of a male Bullfinch in the trees on the south side of Kramer hide and further views of a pair, as we left the hide, in the usual area in the plantation on the north side of Kramer hide.

A single Grey Wagtail was on the canoe slalom.

On the main lake a couple of small areas of open water on the south side held all the wildfowl making it tricky to identify all the residents:

Shoveler 27
Teal 2
Pochard 7

12 Cormorant were in the trees on the south side. 20 Teal flew over did a loop of the main lake and headed back toward Willington. 12 Greylags flew over heading south.

Plenty of Great Spot and Green Woodpecker activity around the park but no sign of the LSW that TP had yesterday.

Sunday 28th December

Cold again this morning but still no increase in the wildfowl numbers.

On the main lake:
24 Pochard (all males)
4 Tufted (3m1f)
16 Shoveler
19 Cormorant
6 Great Crested Grebe

Fingers:
5 Teal (3m2f)
at least 7 Little Grebe, possibly 8

Kingfishers active along the main path, around fingers and by the main lake hide. Still nothing seen on Fenlake.