A fairly quiet morning as is normal this time of year. 104 Mute Swans + 3 Cygnets on the main lake, along with 89 Canada Geese. Couldn't see the 2 Great Crested Grebe nests by the main lake island. The Fingers Grebe chick and accompanying adult were still on east Fingers. Just one Coot chick left on west Fingers.
JA and myself set off along the cycle track with just 3 Little Grebes of note on the large lake on 100 Acre. A lot of Sand Martins over the Tern Pool and surrounding crop fields. Odd Skylarks singing but no sign of any Yellow Wagtails again.
Followed the track around the river loop and took the short cut between the 2 lakes toward Willington. Plenty of butterflies including Common Blue, Small Copper, Comma, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown. Not much Damselfly/Dragonfly activity but still quite a few Common Blue damselflies active alongside Dovecote Lake.
Heading back along the main cycle track we checked out the Broadleaf Helleborines that had escaped the mowers attentions, not the most spectacular of orchids. The raucous call of a Jay off to our left and then a fly over individual from our right were the first for me for quite some time. Back at the Tern Pool the Martins were still active and a Common Buzzard drifted over towards the main gravel pit.
At Meadow Lane GP we confirmed the Little Grebe sighting from last week with 2 adults and a stripey headed juvenile present. Then we headed back into the park and along the north side of the New Meadow. Pretty quiet but enjoyable all the same.
