The last Volunteer session was well attended and thankfully a it was a bit cooler than the previous day. Danny had a big task planned so it was off over to Riverside to put in some new steps on a big slope that has become part of an unofficial path. First we had to load up the truck with all of the tools and half a dozen railway sleepers. Thankfully Danny donned PPE and cut the sleepers in half with a chainsaw, I think we would still be there with panel saws! Despite the rock hard ground we managed to get all 8 steps cut into the slope by the end of the day. A job well done, thanks to everyone.
There is no Sunday Volunteer session next month to the next one will be Sunday September 6th Starting at 9am, meet in the visitor centre.
Birding:
Last weekend we had a surprise visitor in the form of a Coal Tit. We found it round by the Sedgewick Seat. Not an uncommon bird but not a regular visitor in the park as they prefer coniferous woodland.
This weekend we did even better. I had an early start for some photography and after parking up I had ~200 Starlings over on their way out for a day of foraging, possibly from the Willington GP roost. Time to check that out again. A couple of Oystercatchers were calling from around the mai lake island. DK had a juvenile in flight earlier in the week.
Later as I was prospecting for a photography location I heard what I thought was a Cetti's Warbler along the east side of the Finger Lakes. It was quieter than usual but the distinctive song structure was there. In the end I dismissed it as strange bit of Blackcap sub song as Blackcap started singing nearby but later when myself, DK and JA were in Kramer hide we heard it again, only louder and it was unmistakably a Cetti's.
Over on 100 Acre the Little Ringed Plovers are still around although it is difficult to tell juveniles from adults without a good scope. Another nice surprise was a Green Sandpiper which got up from the edge of the lake before disappearing again. It popped up again a bit later and flew over our heads a couple of times before departing towards Willington GP.
And finally a reminder that there is no Bird Walk this month so the next one is Sunday August 30th starting at 8am outside the visitor centre.
