Highlight of the morning was a purring Turtle Dove at Meadow Lane GP, my first of the year. There were at least 9 Tufted Ducks on the Tern Pool and we had 3 or 4 Yellow Wagtails in the adjacent fields along with a couple of Linnets. An unidentified raptor was seen at distance over the STW before it glided straight towards the Tern Pool but veered off behind the trees before we got a good look. Was it EN's immature male Hen Harrier? We'll never know, possible though, initial thoughts were it was a Buzzard but it wasn't big enough as it glided towards us but we didn't get a good enough look for a positive ID.
We tested the new path to Castle Mill pits which looks like a great wader habitat. Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Tufted Duck and Lesser Black Backed Gull were present. As we headed back along the path a large Carp leaped, Marlin like, in the river downstream of the weir.
Back at the park we caught up with EN ringing in the Rough, just in time for the last few of the Great Tit family. We checked out the Mute Swan nest on Fingers and were lucky enough to see the head of a single cygnet over mums back, so it shouldn't be long before the family gets out and about around Fingers. The family on the main lake are already out and about with 6 cygnets, all seen down by the beach this morning.
No comments:
Post a Comment