Guided Walk Sunday 21st August

A good turnout for the guided walk this morning so I was glad that Jane (Ranger) could accompany us to help out. We started off by the main lake pointing out the various wildfowl on the lake plus the Gulls and Terns. A party of House Martins was feeding overhead with at least one Swift. We moved on to the Finger lakes with a short stop near the Steps to listen to and identify several of the birds calling from the edge of the Rough. Young Reed Warblers were also active in the reeds along the edge of the main lake.

At the Finger lakes we headed along the Spit, stopping occasionally, to check out the ducks. Most of these were Mallards, with males in various stages of eclipse plumage. There was also a single Gadwall over by the Dead Seat. The Shoveler that had been around earlier could not be found. The Moorhen with the one remaining youngster was still adding weed to a new nest. Coot and Grey Heron were also present.

We continued around the Crescent where a calling Chiffchaff proved impossible to spot through the foliage and more Reed Warblers were calling in the reed bed.

It was quiet along the navigation channel and at Kramer hide so next stop was Kingsmead where we watched the ~10 Cormorants roosting on the far side with another trying to join the roost but failing to select an appropriate branch on a couple of occasions. I don't know whether the others were laughing at it or disagreeing with it's arrival.

Moving on to the Sedgewick seat we had excellent views of a couple of Treecreepers moving up the trunk of one of the large Willows. A party of Tits also moved through the canopy. We took a look around the Rough where birds were numerous but hard to get a look at. Goldfinch, C. Whitethroat, Blackcap were all heard and/or seen. On exiting the Rough a Great-spotted Woodpecker was calling but as we attempted to track it down it went quiet so we didn't get a look at it.

We headed back to the car park taking in the hedgerows around the back of the Visitor Centre but failed to add anything new to our list.

Many thanks to all who joined me on the walk this morning, next one is Sunday September 25th at 9am.