Guided Walk - 24/04/2016

The rain/sleet cleared through early on so we were treated to a few glimpses of the sun for today's guided walk although the wind had a bit of bite to it.

We started off by the main lake looking through the hirundines that were skimming over the water. They were mostly Sand Martins with a handful of Swallows and the occasional House Martin. A pair of Egyptian Geese have been nesting on the main lake island and have come off the island this weekend with 3 goslings from their six eggs. We also had another 4 Egyptian Geese flying around the main lake this morning. Before we moved on a Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing in the plantation between the Premier Inn and the car park.

Pair of Egyptian Geese with 3 goslings

Moving on to the Finger Lakes we had a Blackcap along the Spit and a single Reed Warbler singing in the Crescent reed bed. On West Fingers the Great Crested Grebe is finally sitting tight on the nest they were busily building last Sunday. Last week batch of 4 Coot chicks is down to 2 and another pair have 4 chicks. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard over towards the Sheep Pen.

Next stop was the Dead Seat where views were obtained of the Grey Heron which has been sitting on the nest for a while now. The other 2 Heron nests have been occupied at various times but mostly by birds just standing around.

At the gate to the Rough, Sedge and Garden Warblers could be heard in the Rough and we had good views of a couple of Chiffchaffs just the other side of the gate. Blackcaps were singing all around us which made it difficult to hear the other birds. We continued down past the Sedgewick Seat and cut through to the New Meadow to check out a Snake's head fritillary which I had spotted earlier in the morning. It's the first one I have ever seen in the park.

We cut back through to the flower meadow and I heard a Willow Warbler singing in the A Section so we cut through to the Navigation Channel pausing to listen to the Willow Warbler, unseen above our heads. While listening a Bullfinch called but despite circling the plantation we did not see either the Willow Warbler or the Bullfinch.

Across the Flower Meadow, now with a good quantity of Cowslips showing we reached the Kissing Gate where a Song Thrush was singing strongly. At the Sewage Works Bridge we stopped to listen to the Sedge Warblers singing in the Reed bed on either side of the bridge. We were also treated to several bursts of song from a Cetti's Warbler at the end of the New Cut. As usual it remained hidden but you can't miss that energetic burst of song!

As we looked for a Sedge Warbler in the reeds a Kingfisher flew upstream under the bridge. Then came one of the stars of the morning as a Peregrine flew over and then circled higher and higher above us before drifting off across the park.

We moved on to 100 Acre but there was little of note on the west side of the big lake. We did pick out a single Little Egret before moving over to the east side of the lake where we had a Common Sandpiper and a couple more Coot families. Little Grebes were seen and were calling regularly. A Common Whitethroat was singing from the hedge between the big lake and Meadow Lane GP. 

At the end of the Meadow Lane Hedge line we looked across the big lake and found a single Greenshank and a Redshank. There was a second Little Egret on the near shore. A couple of Wigeon still remain but will likely move on any day. Our final stop of the day was on the flooded gravel section just before Castle Mill and here we were treated to great views of Redshanks and Oystercatchers. Pied, White and Yellow Wagtails flitted about near the waters edge and a male Wheatear joined them. 

Record shot of a Yellow Wagtail seen on Saturday morning.

A single Swallow flew low over the grass on the opposite side of the water. Several Common Terns rested on the shore. Several Skylarks were heard and we finally spotted one as it climbed high above us singing it's heart out.

With that it was time to turn for home but we were not finished yet as we added Common Buzzard over the old settling lagoons on 100 Acre. We had great views of a Red Kite as it flew, from over the sewage works, low over our heads and then circled low just the other side of the hedge over 100 Acre.

Back at the mouth of the New Cut we heard a Treecreeper and had brief views as it flew across the sewage works bridge. And that really was it as we all headed back to the car park taking in a few more singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs along the New Cut as we went.

The next regular guided bird walk is on Sunday 29th May starting at 9am outside the visitor centre. Before then we have the Dawn Chorus walk on Sunday May 15th which starts at 4am and the first guided bat walk of the year on Friday the 20th May starting at 9pm. Please note you must book for the bat walk, for contact details click here.

   

Guided Walk - Sunday 26th May

A good turn out for the guided walk and a beautiful morning for it. I scanned the main lake island while waiting for everyone to arrive. Upto 5 pairs of Common Terns now appear to be nesting on the island, the first time since the 1980's. An Oystercatcher was also present along with 2 pairs of Black-headed Gulls. One of the pairs of Gulls was seen to mate and one of the birds was moving sticks about as if nest building. There are also good numbers of Tufted Ducks around the island with a count of nineteen records yesterday morning. The Canada Geese now seem to have given up with there nests but 15 goslings have avoided the egg oiling along with another 3 on the Finger Lakes. Another good sign is the Sand Martin activity around the artificial nest block. Birds were seen entering and leaving several of the holes in the block, will they actually nest this year?

I received a call from EG who was ringing in the Rough so this was the first port of call for the group. We arrived to find EG and VI processing a pair of Bullfinches, a really great opportunity to see these beautiful birds up close. The ringers were having a slow day so we moved on after the Bullfinches were released and headed for 100 Acre. On route we had several Blackcaps singing and a Greenfinch at the Kissing Gate. Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler were both spotted on the island reed bed under the STW bridge. A Kestrel was spotted over 100 Acre and a possible Hobby was high over the STW with a party of Hirundines and Swifts. It was impossible to tell for sure as it was right in line with the sun, only appearing briefly on the edge and then it was not possible to see any colour. Shape and size were good for Hobby though.

Male Blackcap with ring by the New Cut

We headed along the river side track on 100 Acre and straight away picked up a singing Garden Warbler on the other side of the river near the mouth of the New Cut. The Kestrel showed well directly above us as we listened to the Garden Warbler. There weren't as many Reed Warblers or Sedge Warblers as I had expected but after great views of a Goldfinch on the Teasels we finally found a Sedge Warbler that was showing and singing in a patch of Hemlock. It did a couple of song flights and then a Common Whitethroat showed briefly nearby before dropping into the centre of another patch of Hemlock.

Sedge Warbler

The sun and warmth also brought out the Banded Demoiselles and a few other small Damselflies that will remain unidentified. There were also quite a few Butterflies about, Whites in the main but several Small Tortoise Shells and the occasional Peacock.

A family of Greylag Geese with 4 goslings was spotted swimming upstream and I saw them again later at the mouth of the Navigation Channel.

Greylag family

Further on we saw a family of Mute Swans with a couple of the young riding on the back of one of the adults.

Mute Swan family courtesy of Ray Piercy

On the far side of the river on the land next to the Waitrose car park there were several Lapwing, some possibly sitting on eggs. A Common Buzzard got up over 100 Acre showing well as it climbed on a thermal. We saw another or same bird again later.

A Lapwing passes overhead

In the same area a pair of Redshanks showed briefly and I thought they also flew over to waste land next to Waitrose but when I went back later I found them in the same area and they were dropping into the reeds by the edge of the river.

Redshank

Redshank

Redshank

Moving on we spotted a couple of Little Egrets on the wader scrape and as we rounded the end of the scrape they flew along with a third that we hadn't seen. Two more were in the big gulley on the Castle Mill side of the fence. Skylarks were singing all around at various times and as we turned to head back along the north edge of the arable field I heard a Linnet call but was unable to locate it. As we moved off I heard it again and this time spotted it as it flew over towards the waste ground on the east side of the field.

A call from the edge of the field alerted us to the presence of a pair of Yellow Wagtails which showed really well to within 5 yards.

Female Yellow Wagtail  courtesy of Ray Piercy

Male Yellow Wagtail  courtesy of Ray Piercy

Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me and when I went back later both birds were by the wader scrape and I was unable to get as close.

Male Yellow Wagtail

Female Yellow Wagtail

A little further along we had great views of a pair of Skylarks along the edge of the field at similar distance. Another brief showing by a Common Whitethroat as we made our way back along the edge of the big lake. An Oystercatcher on the island. There was also a pair of Great Crested Grebes, 2 male Gadwalls and several Tufted Ducks. I heard a Little Grebe whinny but couldn't see where it was. Several Lesser Black-backed Gulls were cruising about the area all morning. At least one Canada Goose is still sitting on its nest on the island and a pair of Coots were feeding their 2 youngsters at the south end of the island. When I returned later I spotted another pair of Coots with 2 smaller youngsters on one of the pools on the island.

It was getting late by this time so we headed back to the park along the New Cut but failed to find a Kingfisher. We did get a singing Common Whitethroat behind the visitor centre when we got back to the car park.

By this time it was 12:30pm, sorry all for making you late for your lunch, but we had a great morning with plenty of species ticked off the list. The next bird walk is Sunday June 30th starting at 8am (yes that is 8am), hope to see you there. Meet outside the visitor centre.

Tues 31st Aug

Another quick ringing session with half the CES nets plus a 40'.

Catch was just 12: - Marsh Tit 1, Blackcap 3, Garden Warbler 1, C.Whitethroat 1, Song Thrush 1, Wren (1), Robin (1), Dunnock 1 (2). All were youngsters except the Whitethroat which was in heavy moult and it had nor accumulated any fat so far; points to it being "a local".

As well as the Marsh Tit, also a Jay moving west, a Yellow WAg going south, a Lesser Whitethroat still, a Green Sandpiper calling (and seen on the beach by ANOther), a Lesser Redpoll south, an unringed Garden Warbler, a Willow Warbler and several 'young' Chiffchaffs. At least 14 Goldfinches in and around the 'rough', along with Gt. Spot and Green Woodpecker. Last but not least, a Treecreeper, a precursor to the mixed Long-tailed and Great Tit flock which headed for the tall Ash & Oak trees.

Saturday 24th April 2010

A great morning for year ticks if you are in to that sort of thing, other wise just great to see and hear the new arrivals.

Common Terns are getting more numerous around the park with pairs noisily chasing around over the main lake, Fingers and up and down the navigation channel.

First new arrival, for me, was a Reed Warbler along the main lake reed bed between the Steps and Spit. Another 2 a little further along with a Sedge Warbler in between.

A Swallow flew in over the main lake from the north east.

A Cuckoo was heard and located in the top of the dead branches of the tree by the Dead Seat.

A Common Whitethroat was singing from the south east corner of Fingers. (New).

2 Swifts (New) were seen over Riverside accompanied by a Sand Martin.

At the Tern Pool, just over the bypass along the cycle track, a Yellow Wagtail (New) was spotted on the fence before it moved to the edge of the pool then back to the field and finally flying to the entrance road to the gravel works.

A Lesser Whitethroat (New) was heard as we started down the Grange Estate loop.

On the way back to the park a Common Buzzard was seen low over the bypass bridge. It drifted off towards the big lake on 100 Acre.

All in all a great morning with 5 year ticks plus the Cuckoo, which we heard during the guided walk last week, but this was my first sighting of the year.