Monday, January 14, 2013

Update from the park

Last weekend was the latest of the monthly volunteer tasks and what a great turnout we had. I guess everyone was burning off the Christmas excess! Anyway we were back in the plantation we started work on in December and with all the extra hands we managed to clear nearly all of it and remove the old fence so a job well done by everybody.

On the bird front it's been pretty quiet with the usual suspects around. A Common Buzzard has been seen quite regularly and we speculate that it is roosting in the park somewhere. The usual over wintering ducks are present in average numbers, hopefully the forecast cold snap this week will encourage a few more into the park. This weekend just gone we had zero Shovelers on Saturday morning which is quite unusual, there have been a small number of Shovelers on Fingers most mornings.

DK had a male Goosander show up one day during the week. Lapwings are a regular sight flying over the park, moving between Willington and Fenlake, or further afield.

On Saturday there were at least 6 Little Grebes on Fingers. Goldcrests, Treecreepers Siskins and Lesser Redpolls were also seen around the park.

A Collared Dove pair have a nest near the Kissing Gate so it will be interesting to see if they manage to keep it going during the cold snap. They may be wishing they had waited a bit longer!