Had a cracking morning down the park with several new species for the year starting off with Sand Martins which were feeding over the main lake. I arrived around 06:30 and there were just a handful but these gradually increased and there were ~30 by the time I met up with DK around an hour later. By this time I had already had good views of the Cettis Warbler along the spit and bagged my first Blackcap of the year, a singing male across the other side of the flood channel behind the plantation opposite the beach.
On Fingers there were 13 Tufted Ducks (4f), 5 Gadwall (2f), the resident Great-crested Grebes and 2 Little Grebes. The resident Mute Swans were trying to persuade last years off spring to leave. A Chiffchaff was singing at the entrance to the Spit.
At Kramer hide a Muntjac was laying in the right hand reed bed giving itself a wash and brush up. A pair of Teal was also note worthy. A chap in the hide mentioned having had a Willow Warbler around the other side of Fingers.
We continued along the Navigation Channel and met up with DK again as we continued to 100 Acre to check out the lakes. A single Little Grebe was on the small lake, then DK heard a Blackcap and we tracked it down to the fence just past the STW entrance.
Continuing along the track we had a Kestrel on the overhead wires, a pair of Gadwall and a pair of Tufted Ducks on Meadon Lane GP. On the big lake we tracked down a pair of Oyc's along with 20+ Wigeon and good numbers of Greylag Geese. Lapwing were also present and treated us to some display as we turned to leave. A couple of Redshank were also spotted on the edge of the big lake, seen from the cycle track.
DK had had a call from TP saying there was a Willow Warbler in the Sheep Pen so back in the park we cut across the New Meadow and around the Sheep Pen where said bird gave a couple of ripples of song. A Stock Dove was also heard in the same area.
While DK continued with a circuit of the main lake JA and myself headed back to the car park, taking in the over flow car park and surrounding scrub in the hope of another Willow Warbler. We didn't find one but another 2 Chiffys were singing along the Cut and a possible third was in the scrub around the car park.
An excellent morning and hopefully a sign of things to come as the spring migrants arrive in bigger numbers.
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