It's been a while, but they're back!
Here are the dates for the first guided walks of the year:
April 19th @ 9 am (spring migrants)
May 3rd @ 4.30 am (Dawn Chorus)
June 28th @ 8 am (midsummer)
EN is also trying to arrange a public ringing demonstration on July 26th (CES period 9) so stay tuned!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Friday and Saturday (6th/7th Mar)
Friday was a beautiful day, it was just a pleasure to be outside. Nothing out of the ordinary about although Pochard numbers had dropped to ~70. Goldcrest were heard between the main lake hide and the Leat. A pair of Shoveler and Teal in front of Kramer hide and still plenty of Teal on Fenlake. DK mentioned a reported sighting of Otter mother and 2 cubs on the main lake, early on the 24th Feb.
A good start to Saturday with a Green Woodpecker in the car park. Then, while scanning the main lake, an Oystercatcher flew in, did a circuit and landed on the island, later on we had 2 Oyc's over the spit. John joined me for a circuit of the park and we had Treecreeper calling at the south end of the Spit. Again little else of note, just a pleasure to be out again as the cloud gave way to blue skies. Pochard numbers had dropped again and we could only muster 20 along with 5 Tufteds. We had a Little Grebe by the main lake hide to go with the 6 on West Fingers. On the south side of the main lake we had a couple of singing Goldcrest.
And that was about it, a quiet weekend but great to be out all the same.
A good start to Saturday with a Green Woodpecker in the car park. Then, while scanning the main lake, an Oystercatcher flew in, did a circuit and landed on the island, later on we had 2 Oyc's over the spit. John joined me for a circuit of the park and we had Treecreeper calling at the south end of the Spit. Again little else of note, just a pleasure to be out again as the cloud gave way to blue skies. Pochard numbers had dropped again and we could only muster 20 along with 5 Tufteds. We had a Little Grebe by the main lake hide to go with the 6 on West Fingers. On the south side of the main lake we had a couple of singing Goldcrest.
And that was about it, a quiet weekend but great to be out all the same.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday and Saturday (27th/28th Feb)
On Friday I had a quick walk around Fingers and had a probable Otter on East Fingers which was a real bonus. It was a typically brief view from the Spit, as it swam down to the bay at the south end, initially on the surface but diving shortly after I saw it. It shot off under water like a rocket, given away by the wake on the surface, and scattered all the Mallards that had been in the bay. I tried to get round that side for a better view but as usual it had done the disappearing trick. Other highlights were the whinnying Little Grebe on West Fingers along with about half a dozen Shoveler. In the big willows just past the Sedgewick Seat a couple of Treecreepers were busy investigating every nook and cranny while a Great Spotted Woodpecker gave good views above. At Kramer hide a Kingfisher was seen.
Saturday I wandered around the park with John. The highlight was the pair of Siskins on the Alders by the fishing swims at the east end of the main lake. We had a Water Rail along the Crescent footpath and singing Reed Bunting in the reed bed. At least 4 Little Grebe were seen on West Fingers along with at least 9 Moorhen and a Coot. There were also a few Shoveler but they were very flighty this morning and were gone as soon as they saw us. In the Rough a single Redwing and a male Bullfinch shared a tree.
Seemed to be loads of Great Spots around the park this morning with a few drumming and a pair in the coppiced section next to the sheep pen. We also had at least 3 Sparrowhawks, having seen one by Kramer hide we watched one over the New Meadow as it circled before settling in a tree along the Cut. Immediately after John saw another in the Long Hedge, just past the gap from the Woodland Walk, and while he was trying to put me onto it I saw another dive into the Fingers area.
At Kramer hide we had an Oyster Catcher over heading towards Fenlake and earlier we had a couple of Lapwing over in the opposite direction.
On the main lake there were 127 Pochard and 3 Tufted ducks and on Fenlake there were at least 6 Shoveler and 26 Teal.
Saturday I wandered around the park with John. The highlight was the pair of Siskins on the Alders by the fishing swims at the east end of the main lake. We had a Water Rail along the Crescent footpath and singing Reed Bunting in the reed bed. At least 4 Little Grebe were seen on West Fingers along with at least 9 Moorhen and a Coot. There were also a few Shoveler but they were very flighty this morning and were gone as soon as they saw us. In the Rough a single Redwing and a male Bullfinch shared a tree.
Seemed to be loads of Great Spots around the park this morning with a few drumming and a pair in the coppiced section next to the sheep pen. We also had at least 3 Sparrowhawks, having seen one by Kramer hide we watched one over the New Meadow as it circled before settling in a tree along the Cut. Immediately after John saw another in the Long Hedge, just past the gap from the Woodland Walk, and while he was trying to put me onto it I saw another dive into the Fingers area.
At Kramer hide we had an Oyster Catcher over heading towards Fenlake and earlier we had a couple of Lapwing over in the opposite direction.
On the main lake there were 127 Pochard and 3 Tufted ducks and on Fenlake there were at least 6 Shoveler and 26 Teal.
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