Despite the bright sunny start a northerly breeze kept the temperature down. There were plenty of Swifts and Martins over the main lake on arrival and the Mute Swans and Canada Geese were all gathered at the sailing club. Final count for Mute Swans was 94 with 3 cygnets left on the main lake. Didn't see the Fingers pair this week, must have been tucked around the back somewhere. Canada Geese numbered 78 with 10, well developed, goslings.
JA joined me and we wandered down to Fingers where the highlights were a pair of Tufted Ducks, Kingfisher and the Great Crested Grebe chick swallowing a fish nearly it's own size!
The only sign of the Spindle Ermine Moth caterpillars was the webs covering many of the Spindleberry trees, although we did find a small clump of caterpillars later along the woodland walk.
We stopped at Kramer hide to watch the young Jackdaws in the trees opposite including a completely bald individual.
Pretty quiet as we headed towards the STW bridge but a Cuckoo showed well over the Woodland Walk before crossing over Kingsmead and then over towards Riverside. At the bridge an Oystercatcher passed low overhead, northeast. On the first pool on 100 Acre a few Crows were picking over the carcass of some unidentified creature and a Lesser Black-backed Gull joined the party. JA spotted a Little Grebe through the scope on the larger lake.
Back in the park we spotted a couple of Grey Wagtails next to the Canoe Slalom. A Kestrel was hunting over Fenlake and a Stock Dove was singing in the trees behind the Leat Pool.
It was very quiet along the west wall although the wind had got up quite a bit by that time. Final counts were made of the Mute Swans and Canada Geese before we retired to our cars to warm up. Isn't it supposed to be summer!?
