21st/22nd news

Bream were spawning in large numbers on Saturday morning and to a lesser degree on Sunday morning. This has led to a number of dead fish in the margins but this is nothing to worry about.

Common Tern numbers are increasing with double figures around the park this weekend. On Saturday a couple Lapwing passed over the main lake and on Sunday a couple Shelduck did the same. A Treecreeper also showed itself in the Willows by the Sedgewick seat in Fingers. Reed Bunting were also much more in evidence this weekend.

Over the last two weeks the leaves have really come out on the trees making it much more difficult to see the birds, so you really need to work on those calls!

The guided walk on Sunday was very enjoyable with a good number of the arriving migrants seen/heard including Willow Warbler, Lesser and Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and Chiffchaff. Kingfisher was also seen along with all the other regulars.

Blue Tit with nesting material

Blackcap (M)
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat

Weekend at the park (14/15th)

Very foggy starts to both days, particularly so on Sunday. Fog was just starting to lift as I left between 09:30 and 10:00. Highlights on Saturday were:

Water Rail 1 Crescent Reedbed
Tufted Duck 3m2f
Common Tern 1
Gadwall 2m
Mistle Thrush 1 Singing in trees between Canoe Slalom and main lake.
Swallow 2 Navigation Channel

On Sunday the highlights were:

Common Tern 3
Cuckoo 1
Sparrowhawk 1 Hunting in the rough.
Red Crested Pochard 1 on the main lake near the hide.

Still no Sedge Warblers despite walking up to the Sewage Farm and back along the navigation channel. There were a lot of Willow Warblers singing around the car park and visitor centre, I counted at least 5 before I had really gotten started. Had a Swallow in the carpark on the telegraph wires. Possible Lesser Whitethroat at the end of the overflow carpark. Only had a couple of Sand Martins but the fog so thick there could have been some over the lake that I couldn't see.

Easter weekend

Fairly quiet on the wildlife front over the weekend despite the fine weather. A few Willow Warblers arrived and were singing at various locations around the park, most notably by both the hides. Three Greylag geese were regulars but Sand Martins were absent. A pair of Muntjac were seen from Kramer hide. Both Sparrowhawks were regular visitors to the nest and the Little Grebe were frequently seen on the "nest". Both the Mute Swans and Great Crested Grebes appear to be sitting on eggs. On Sunday the Carp in the main lake were very active with many leaping clear of the water. Shoveler and Gadwall were seen during the weekend on the Finger lakes.

Chiffchaff

Muntjac

Willow Warbler