Saturday 1st October

Another glorious day, one of many in this late summer sizzle. I arrived a little late and missed the duck course, JA and DK already having had Wigeon, Pochard and Gadwall on the main lake. They were only half way along the main path! A large group of Cormorants was just flying in as I joined JA and DK and we were up to at least 24 by the time we left the main lake.

Fingers was a little quiet but Gadwall, Little Grebe and Kingfisher were all seen. DK departed on his usual loop while myself and JA wandered along the Navigation Channel. We watched a couple of Chiffchaffs before being distracted by a Jay flying up the NC toward the Canoe Slalom. Six Greylag Geese flew in over the main lake and did a couple of circuits before five of them returned north. Kramer hide was very quiet with just a handful of Mallards in residence.

Next up was 100 Acre. With the usual minimal returns from the small lake, just a Swan and a Little Grebe, and a seemingly quiet big lake it looked like a strikeout then John spotted a small flock of birds at the far side of the big lake. We cut across the field by Meadow Lane GP where the usual Coots and a couple of Tufted Ducks were in residence.

On the big lake a few Little Grebe and a Tufted Duck were spied before a Snipe on the shore of the island caught our attention, our attempt to get a little closer for a photograph ended in disappointment when the bird flushed at the last minute. Having stalked the Snipe we found the expected Pochard and Tufted Ducks right at the far end of the big lake so not all was lost.

The flock that JA had spotted earlier turned out to be Skylarks of which there were many in the meadow on the far side of the big lake. The hedge nearby held a pair of Bullfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, among other things. The newly ploughed field before the bypass held a couple of Herons and, on closer inspection, a number of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails.

Over the bypass and it was more Skylarks with some Reed Buntings for variation. Bird of the morning was a flighty Stonechat on the perimeter of the ploughed field, opposite the Tern Pool, which perched on the top of some thistle heads for a short time before flying off alongside the bypass.

It was starting to warm up by this time so we turned and headed back across the bypass. There was little else of note other than a few more Skylarks, Mipits and Wagtails, of which there seemed to be a steady trickle south throughout the morning.