Just back from Priory after a day coppicing in the Sheep Pen. Who needs Gym Membership, I'm totally "cream crackered"!
Anyway what was about I hear you ask?
Yesterday was quite foggy for most of the time I was in the park although it did clear some what just before I left. Met up with JA early on and we headed down to Fingers as we couldn't see to the the other side of the main lake. It was evident that there were quite a few Redwings in the scrub around the Labyrinth and the Rough as their calls could be heard and odd ones were moving across towards the Visitor Centre.
At Fingers there was little to see with just a few Gadwall and a couple of Teal keeping the Mallards, Moorhens and resident Mute Swans company. A Kingfisher passed through as we walked along the Spit.At least three Corn Buntings passed over head, north, (from the crescent roost?) as we stood at the end of the Spit.
I would say it was quiet as we headed along the east side of Fingers, except for the road noise from the bypass which was amplified in the still foggy conditions. Not much to see although we did have some Siskins, and Redwings over, just couldn't see them in the fog!
Up at the old railway bridge over the river we had, what is becoming, our regular Kingfisher siting but we didn't bother going any further along the cycle track as the visibility was so low we wouldn't have seen anything anyway.
We headed back into the park and cut through Fingers, passed the Rough, and Redwings were still calling and moving about in the Willows and around the Rough. Impossible to tell how many but decent numbers given the number of calls. We then did a loop around the south side of the main lake, taking in the Canoe Slalom where the usual single Grey Wagtail was seen. On the main lake we managed to spot 11 Gadwall and 3 Wigeon from the main lake hide. A party of Pochard with a single Tufted Duck flew in for a brief stay before departing north east. A couple more Wigeon flew in when we reached the west side of the lake. There was a single Common Gull in with the Black-headed Gulls and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull was also present.
This morning, before the volunteer session started I did a quick loop around the park. Weather was overcast and quite cool with the wind having shifted around so it was coming out of the north. The Redwings had moved on this morning with just the odd one passing over during the morning.
On the main lake 15 Tufted Ducks were feeding together and 5 Pochard were close by. On Fingers there were at least 24 Gadwall, 6 Teal and 3 Wigeon. A Kingfisher was also seen flying over east Fingers. A single Skylark and a Fieldfare passed over as I looped around Fingers. I also spotted 78 Starlings heading south west as I headed down the east side of the main lake. There was nothing new on the main lake although the Tufted Ducks were still present, the Pochard seemed to have left. A single Common Gull was seen again along with the usual Black-headed Gulls.
At 10am I joined the volunteer group and we cleared a large section of the Sheep Pen. Well done and thanks to everyone who helped out today.
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