Just 3 people joined me for the walk this morning but weather was good and my early recce showed there were plenty of birds about. I decided to make an anti-clockwise circuit of the main lake in the hope of picking up a Kingfisher along river on the south side. First up it was Goldfinch and Greenfinch along the west side by the old priory wall. While watching the Greenfinch a vole stuck its head out of a hole in the wall before thinking better of it and diving back into cover.
Down in the southwest corner a Heron was found and Reed Warblers were active in the reed bed.
We continued down to the River and headed east with little of interest until we had passed the Leat Pool when a familiar piping call gave away the presence of a Kingfisher. I managed to locate it and pointed it out to the group as it passed up stream.
After the excitement of the Kingfisher we cut back into the park with little of note until we reached Fingers. In the Crescent Reed Warblers were active in the reed bed and a second Kingfisher gave a brief view as it flashed past one of the fishing swims on east Fingers.
On the Spit we scanned the ducks on west Fingers for anything out of the ordinary but just the usual Mallards with all the males in eclipse plumage. A Green Woodpecker was spotted in the dead branches high over the Dead Seat. Excellent scope views were obtained before our attention was switched to the GC Grebes on east Fingers. We had good views of one of the Adults and a juvenile in the scope allowing us to compare and contrast.
We continued around Fingers with a Blue-tailed Damselfly by the Steps, various warblers along the edge of the Rough and a couple of Treecreepers in the Willows opposite the Sedgewick Seat. The overcast conditions and strengthening breeze kept the numbers of Butterflies and Dragonflies down which was a little disappointing.
We headed back, around the north side of the New Meadow, to the car park, picking out various common birds via song or call on the way.
We finished back at the car park having had most of the expected species. Join us for the next walk at 8am on Sunday 21st August.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Saturday 23rd July 2011
After a week of heavy rain showers the morning dawned bright and sunny making for a great walk around the park. DK must have been out of the traps early this morning and neither JA or myself managed to catch him so no update of the weeks comings and goings. JA caught up with me along the main path while I watched a family party of Blackcaps in the Willows. A single female Tufted Duck and a new brood of Moorhens on Fingers was a highlight. We walked down to Meadow Lane and had half a dozen Swallows over North, chattering away. On 100 Acre big lake a single Little Egret was accompanied by 2 Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper. At least 5 Lapwings were also present and a single Little Grebe was spotted. 2 more Little Grebe were on Meadow Lane GP along with the usual bumper haul of Coots and their young.
Keeping up the recent run of Kingfisher sightings we had one during our stop at Kramer hide and another later, on the south side, along the river at Fenlake.
There are still plenty of Warblers around although, apart from a couple of singing Blackcaps, they are quieter now making them harder to find. Several Chiffchaffs were heard calling and Treecreepers were heard along the navigation channel. Mute Swan numbers are increasing again with 30+ on the main lake this morning and the Common Terns, with this years youngsters are still making their presence known.
It's the guided walk tomorrow with another early start at 8am, see you there.
Keeping up the recent run of Kingfisher sightings we had one during our stop at Kramer hide and another later, on the south side, along the river at Fenlake.
There are still plenty of Warblers around although, apart from a couple of singing Blackcaps, they are quieter now making them harder to find. Several Chiffchaffs were heard calling and Treecreepers were heard along the navigation channel. Mute Swan numbers are increasing again with 30+ on the main lake this morning and the Common Terns, with this years youngsters are still making their presence known.
It's the guided walk tomorrow with another early start at 8am, see you there.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The last couple of weekends
It's getting quieter around the park now although most of the regulars can be found with a little leg work. Last Saturday we had at least one Common Sandpiper on 100 Acre and a Kingfisher along the Cut. Along the Riverside side of the Cut there were plenty of Ringlet butterflies along the slope along with Meadow Browns and the occasional Gatekeeper.
Definitely not a butterfly day today with drizzle interrupted by heavy rain. However we still managed a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and excellent views of a Green Woodpecker, from Kramer hide, as it fed on grubs chiseled out of the dead tree. At the STW bridge we had a Kingfisher and a Mink. Back at the main lake hide in the park, as we waited out a heavier spell of rain, another Kingfisher flew out from the south side to the island and over to the west side of the lake. Great to see them a bit more often in recent weeks.
After that we made a break for the cars and made it just in time as the rain really came down on the drive home.
Definitely not a butterfly day today with drizzle interrupted by heavy rain. However we still managed a few Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and excellent views of a Green Woodpecker, from Kramer hide, as it fed on grubs chiseled out of the dead tree. At the STW bridge we had a Kingfisher and a Mink. Back at the main lake hide in the park, as we waited out a heavier spell of rain, another Kingfisher flew out from the south side to the island and over to the west side of the lake. Great to see them a bit more often in recent weeks.
After that we made a break for the cars and made it just in time as the rain really came down on the drive home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)