Monday 25th May 2009

Managed to get down the park a bit earlier this morning, still didn't beat EN though who was ringing in the Crescent. A couple of Willow Warblers were singing in the car park and a couple of Greylags took off over the south side of the main lake and left to the east. An adult Fox was poking about in one of the south side fishing swims, a younger one was seen later crossing the path into the Rough. Cuckoo very vocal around the Rough.

On Fingers Tufted Ducks (pair), Gadwall (pair), Great Crested Grebe (pair) and the Mute Swans were out and about with at least 3 cygnets. Not much about around the back of Fingers.
Arrived back with EN just in time to see a juvenile Kingfisher in the hand, having just seen 2 from the spit with DK.




Took the path along the river on the south side of the main lake with Grey Wagtail at the Canoe Slalom and the Spillway, may have been the same one. Sedge Warbler just up stream from the the Canoe Slalom and several more along the far bank on Fenlake. Also had a Cuckoo calling over Fenlake.


Along the west side of the main lake had a flyover Cuckoo, heading out over the Marina.

After Saturdays leaping Carp at Castle Mill the Carp in the Finger lakes were very frisky today with plenty of spawning action. Also along the far bank of the river at Fenlake several good size Carp were seen spawning.

CES ringing 23/05

A better day's ringing with 33 birds of 12 species caught.
9 of these were new adults and we caught 14 new juveniles, including a brood of 7 Gt. Tits, plus 'mum & dad', all in the same net.

Birds of interest seen whilst working were pair of Cuckoo (very noisy), several Swifts (maybe 20), a pair of Sparrowhawks, a pair of Gt. Spots., Collared Doves and several Starlings busy with their imminent offspring. Highlight was a passing 2CY Hen Harrier.

Wren 5 (1 juv), Dunnock 4 (1 juv), Robin 3 (2 juvs), Blackbird 2 (1 juv), Reed Warbler 1, Whitethroat 1, Garden Warbler 3, Blackcap 1, Chiffchaff 1 juv, Blue Tit 2, Gt. Tit 9, Chaffinch 2 ( 1 juv).

One of the Garden Warblers was first ringed in early spring 2003 (as an adult male). The retrap Blackbird, a male, was ringed in 2005, caught again several times in 2007 and now; all these records have been during the breeding season - so where does it go to in the winter? [We (Ivel Ringing Group) work the site all year].

Saturday 23rd May

Highlight of the morning was a purring Turtle Dove at Meadow Lane GP, my first of the year. There were at least 9 Tufted Ducks on the Tern Pool and we had 3 or 4 Yellow Wagtails in the adjacent fields along with a couple of Linnets. An unidentified raptor was seen at distance over the STW before it glided straight towards the Tern Pool but veered off behind the trees before we got a good look. Was it EN's immature male Hen Harrier? We'll never know, possible though, initial thoughts were it was a Buzzard but it wasn't big enough as it glided towards us but we didn't get a good enough look for a positive ID.

We tested the new path to Castle Mill pits which looks like a great wader habitat. Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Tufted Duck and Lesser Black Backed Gull were present. As we headed back along the path a large Carp leaped, Marlin like, in the river downstream of the weir.

Back at the park we caught up with EN ringing in the Rough, just in time for the last few of the Great Tit family. We checked out the Mute Swan nest on Fingers and were lucky enough to see the head of a single cygnet over mums back, so it shouldn't be long before the family gets out and about around Fingers. The family on the main lake are already out and about with 6 cygnets, all seen down by the beach this morning.