A cracking morning for both weather and birds. It was quite an early start again but even through the murky light conditions it was easy to see the reduction in Coot numbers now the weed has reduced on the main lake. DK said that numbers peeked around the 250 mark but were down around to around 70 now. Wigeon were also much reduced in number this morning at around 8. There were 6 Pochard and 10 Tufted Ducks. Plenty of Gadwall spread around the main lake and a couple of pairs of Shoveler. DK said there had been 2 Black Swans during the week but no sign today. A couple of Meadow Pipits were heard overhead.
On Fingers 14 Shoveler (8m) and at least 8 Gadwall on west fingers. Teal were heard but not seen. 5 Little Grebe were on east Fingers, in the south east corner. Two Water Rail were heard, one in the crescent and one over towards Kramer hide. JA arrived as I headed back along the Spit and we headed down to the Crescent. Treecreeper calls were heard and tracked to the east side of the Crescent where it was spotted along with a Chiffchaff and then some calls overhead marked the arrival of 9 Siskins in the Alders, JA managed to get a single juvenile in the scope before they all departed.
Along the east side of Fingers a Treecreeper was heard and seen. A stop at Kramer hide returned Kingfisher and Bullfinch. A Water Rail flew from the reed beds to the island to the left of the hide.
We carried on along the Navigation Channel where a mixed flock of Tits followed. On Kingsmead there was a large flock of Wood Pigeons.
We checked out 100 Acre but the 2 lakes were very quiet. DK arrived and we all wandered back along the Nav Channel and around the main lake. DK spotted an oddity in the trees, on the far side of Kingsmead, which turned out to be a dead Magpie hanging upside down. It won't be greatly missed as there are plenty more around the park. EN arrived with pooch and we had a chat. It's his last week before he moves to Somerset so join us next Sunday for his last guided walk. Yours truly takes over after that.
On the main lake a large number of Gulls had arrived, mostly Black-headed with good numbers of Common and a couple of Lesser Black-backs. There were a couple of dead birds floating at the east end which looked like a Gull and a Coot although difficult to tell, very unusual though.
We stopped at the main lake hide to verify the numbers. Most of the Tufteds had gone.
The winter wildfowl zone is now closed off so we had to take the path around Pressmead, not much doing though. Back at the main lake and a Skylark passed overhead north. Along the west side there are still plenty of berries but no sign of the hoped for Blackcap.
Back at the car park and the end of a good mornings birding.
