A bright start lured me out early only for it to cloud over fairly quickly. Only a handful of Canada Geese on the main lake when I arrived rising to c.14 by mid morning. Great Crested Grebe numbers were up to 11 this week but the big increase was the Cormorants. On arrival there were 16 on the main lake with 12 in a raft actively hunting. By mid morning this had risen to 34 with two thirds of those hunting. I haven't seen Cormorants hunting for so long before, normally you see them hunting for a few minutes before finding somewhere to dry out, this morning they appeared to be hunting all morning! A Redwing was on the main path as I walked down to Fingers.
It was very quiet down the Spit with just a single male Gadwall and a pair of Shoveler on West Fingers. Some of the Fingers have had a hair cut in the week.
Little action at Kramer hide, just a few Moorhen.
A walk out along the cycle path was also pretty fruitless. Goldcrest in the hedgeline by the STW and 4 Teal on the new workings on 100 Acre along with the usual Gulls and odd Cormorants. A Mute Swan and a few Mallard on Meadow Lane GP, a Kestrel hunting along Meadow Lane and a complete blank on the Tern Pool. Did find the Canada Geese though, with 102 feeding in the field opposite the Tern Pool. On the way back to the park at least 4 Siskin passed over along with 3 Meadow Pipits. Another Mipit over later, back in the park.
Between the Sedgewick Seat and the Rough, good views of Goldcrest in the coppiced area next to the Sheep Pen. Nest box 5 is sporting a second hole in the front courtesy of a Woodpecker. Quiet around the Rough but a Grey Wagtail at the Dead Seat was a nice surprise and Chiffchaff singing in the Willows nearby.
A loop of the main lake returned Grey Wagtail at the Beach, possibly the same one seen earlier, and a Kestrel hunting over the main lake island and mobbed by a Jackdaw, then four BH Gulls and finally seen off by a Crow.
Little else of note just those Cormorant which were still fishing when I left.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Thurs 2nd Oct
A less windy day; DK & EN had a good day between them.
Little Egbert - 1 in the "corners", Redwing - 3+ blogging round the 'rough', Siskin - 2 over, ad.fem Sparr on a mission, Chiffs - "a few", Hobby - 1S over the 'beach', Sky Lark E calling loudly, Mipits 2+ over, Jay 1 'south-side' + 1 'long hedge', fem.Kestrel hunting over the 'rough', Blackcap 3 (2 in 'rough', 1 in VC car park; 2 male, 1 fem.), House Martins - 7 or more feeding up, Sand Martin 1S (late, on its tod) , Mistle Thrush 1N (E side of main lake). The BTCV2 [EDG & JA] also had a C. Buzzard over the 'crescent'.
Ringing totals (25 new/11 re-traps; 10 spp.): Wren 1/-, Song Thrush 1/-, Redwing 1/-, Blackcap 2/-, Goldcrest -/1, Blue Tit 4/5, Great Tit 6/4, LT Tit -/1, Greenfinch 7/-, Goldfinch 3/-.
Little Egbert - 1 in the "corners", Redwing - 3+ blogging round the 'rough', Siskin - 2 over, ad.fem Sparr on a mission, Chiffs - "a few", Hobby - 1S over the 'beach', Sky Lark E calling loudly, Mipits 2+ over, Jay 1 'south-side' + 1 'long hedge', fem.Kestrel hunting over the 'rough', Blackcap 3 (2 in 'rough', 1 in VC car park; 2 male, 1 fem.), House Martins - 7 or more feeding up, Sand Martin 1S (late, on its tod) , Mistle Thrush 1N (E side of main lake). The BTCV2 [EDG & JA] also had a C. Buzzard over the 'crescent'.
Ringing totals (25 new/11 re-traps; 10 spp.): Wren 1/-, Song Thrush 1/-, Redwing 1/-, Blackcap 2/-, Goldcrest -/1, Blue Tit 4/5, Great Tit 6/4, LT Tit -/1, Greenfinch 7/-, Goldfinch 3/-.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Autumn bird walk - 28/09
A bright morning, cold but no fog! Six ardent bird-watchers gathered outside the VC at 9 am. This used to be a monthly affair but the "programme is under new management". Our walk today took us round the conservation area only (i.e. Fingers Lake) and was extremely enjoyable.
On the main lake, 154 Canadas (2 more on fingers lake), 3 Greylags and a Bar-headed Goose (probably an escape, originally from the high plateau of central Asia), a Cormorant and a Heron. Only 4 Gt. Crested Grebes found here (looks like the autumn peak has passed).
Walking down to the Fingers, 2 Sky Lark overhead & 2 Mipits & some unseen House Martins (2-3?). Also a couple of Siskin were heard calling up high.
There were 11 Gadwall on "lilypads", a brilliant Kingfisher entertained us for some while, 3 Cormorants digesting their 'breakfast' in the trees and in the gloom of "east/big fingers" a diving duck that turned out to be a male Tufted. A couple of Chiffs worked the willows of the spit and 'crescent'. Plenty of adult Moorhens in their new (moulted) finery. There was nothing of note at the Kramer hide - the bushes need a good "chop" as they are restricting the view badly. [The Otters should return in the very near future]
Other species included a Gt. Spot., 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 family parties of LTT (one of 10, the other maybe 12), 4 Song Thrush and ca. 15 Robins. Blackbirds were little in evidence: I expect it won't be long before the "continentals" arrive to swell the numbers.
At the 'long hedge cum rough' section, we found at least 4 Blackcaps (male & female) feeding in the Elderberry, another 3 Chiffs (top of the Hawthorns), maybe as many as 20 Goldfinches, many of them youngsters with "browny heads", all 'twinkling away, and at least 7 Swallows heading off SW at tree top height. No sign of the Lesser Whitethroat from yesterday.
Tony P had a Redwing over earlier.
Plenty of butterflies feeding/sunning themselves- including Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Comma.
On the main lake, 154 Canadas (2 more on fingers lake), 3 Greylags and a Bar-headed Goose (probably an escape, originally from the high plateau of central Asia), a Cormorant and a Heron. Only 4 Gt. Crested Grebes found here (looks like the autumn peak has passed).
Walking down to the Fingers, 2 Sky Lark overhead & 2 Mipits & some unseen House Martins (2-3?). Also a couple of Siskin were heard calling up high.
There were 11 Gadwall on "lilypads", a brilliant Kingfisher entertained us for some while, 3 Cormorants digesting their 'breakfast' in the trees and in the gloom of "east/big fingers" a diving duck that turned out to be a male Tufted. A couple of Chiffs worked the willows of the spit and 'crescent'. Plenty of adult Moorhens in their new (moulted) finery. There was nothing of note at the Kramer hide - the bushes need a good "chop" as they are restricting the view badly. [The Otters should return in the very near future]
Other species included a Gt. Spot., 2 Green Woodpeckers, 3 Pied Wagtails, 2 family parties of LTT (one of 10, the other maybe 12), 4 Song Thrush and ca. 15 Robins. Blackbirds were little in evidence: I expect it won't be long before the "continentals" arrive to swell the numbers.
At the 'long hedge cum rough' section, we found at least 4 Blackcaps (male & female) feeding in the Elderberry, another 3 Chiffs (top of the Hawthorns), maybe as many as 20 Goldfinches, many of them youngsters with "browny heads", all 'twinkling away, and at least 7 Swallows heading off SW at tree top height. No sign of the Lesser Whitethroat from yesterday.
Tony P had a Redwing over earlier.
Plenty of butterflies feeding/sunning themselves- including Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Comma.
Red Admiral
Comma
Next Walk - Sunday 16th November, 9am.
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