Christmas Eve

A bit warmer this morning but the ice had not completely melted from yesterday. At least 23 Mute Swans on the main lake when I arrived. I headed to Kramer hide on the finger lakes to see if any Otters were about. Stopped to check out Kingsmead where there were 12 Moorhens. At the hide the pair of Sparrowhawks were about with the male coming in fast and possibly taking a small bird in the trees along the spit, opposite the hide. The female followed the male in but more slowly and she perched in a tree adjacent to last years nest site. She left shortly after but returned to a perch nearby a little later. A Kingfisher came to the tree to the left of the hide and sat for short while before leaving towards east fingers.

14 Herring Gulls over south.
c.50 Gulls over south mostly LBB but some Herring.
38 Greylag Geese over east

As I left the hide 13 Mute Swan over, following the river downstream. At the gate to the Rough I heard a Treecreeper calling and located it in the tree on the opposite side of the path. 3 more Mute Swans passed overhead in an easterly direction. Despite the ice releasing its grip west Fingers was still devoid of any life bar the odd Moorhen.

Back at the main path by the steps a quick scan of the main lake revealed that there were still 19 Mute Swans so the 13/3 may not have been from the main lake group as I had thought. 5 of the swans were first year birds. At the crescent a Kingfisher could be seen along the spit just past the last fishing swim on east fingers.

Back at the main lake heading down the path past the beach and the fishing swims there were a couple of male Bullfinches in the trees, a Great Spotted Woodpecker slightly further along and a Kingfisher crossed the path in front of me (right to left). Rounding the bend at the south east corner there was a pair of Bullfinch and a Kingfisher.

At the main lake hide:

Only 8 Mute Swans left.
68 Pochard (14f)
9 Tufted Ducks (1f)
4 Great Crested Grebe
6 Teal
c.50 Shoveller
c.70 Mallard around the hide.
25 Cormorant

Tufted Duck (m)

Pochard (m)

No sign of any Little Egrets today, just a Heron in the south west corner.

A/the Goosander was with another group of Mallards in the north west corner giving good close views. The Mallards numbered 33 but included the many hybrids that seem to like that corner of the lake.

Goosander

Guided walk- 23/12/2007

A few hardy souls braved the cold this morning for the guided walk. Despite the cold the birds did not disappoint. While waiting for the walk to start a Little Egret was spotted, on the south side of the main lake, in one of the fishing swims. A scan of the lake revealed few breaks in the ice but where there was open water there were birds, mostly small groups of Shoveller. We headed off down the main path towards the finger lakes checking the main lake as we went. There were a mix of wildfowl in the open water in front of the hide and there were two pairs of Mute Swans with the hide pair still holding territory and the other pair in the north west corner. The latter pair left, north, later during the walk.

We cut down the spit and found the Fingers Swans on east fingers keeping a small area of water clear of ice which a pair of Mallard and a pair of Gadwall were utilising. The Gadwall flew as we arrived, as did a Green Woodpecker that was further along the spit. There was little else about, west fingers was devoid of bird life and the crescent was very quiet.

We continued around Fingers and to prove how cold it had been overnight some areas of the navigation channel were iced over.

We stopped at Kramer hide but again there was nothing about so we moved on. On Kingsmead there were a number of crows and magpies feeding among the cattle and a cormorant in one of the trees by the back river.

Heading round the back Errol spotted a couple of Jays in the long hedge and they worked their way along that hedge towards the sheep pen as we walked on passed the Sedgewick seat and around to the dead seat. A Robin followed us as we headed towards the steps. It passed us and sat in a tree a few yards in front of us. Errol roughed up the ground nearby and after we all walked passed the Robin dropped on to the newly scuffed up ground in search of brunch.

Back on the main path we stopped to check out a LBJ in the reeds when I spotted some movement and Water Rail appeared just the other side of the reed bed, out on the ice. This normally shy bird was very obliging as it moved along the ice giving great views but things got better as it decided to climb the willow nearby allowing me to get this shot:

Water Rail

After the Water Rail had disappeared back into the reed bed we continued around the main lake but as we passed the beach the Water Rail betrayed itself again with a squeal. Further along while looking for Bullfinches a call caught our attention as a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker betrayed its presence, however we were unable to get a view of it.

At the hide much of the wildfowl was together in a small area of open water. Counts were as follows:

77 Pochard
11 Tufted
c.50Shoveler (spread around the lake)
12 Teal
1 Goosander.

Pochard (f)

Pochard (m)

4 Pochard fly in to join the others

On Pressmead a group of 8 Siskin flew into the Alders by the Leat and as we crossed the Leat and returned to the main lake the Goosander had moved along the south side of the lake to greet us. As we continued passed the south side fishing swims 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers called from the trees to our left and we watched as they flew from tree to tree squabbling.

At the southwest corner I spied a Little Egret perched in the branches overhanging the water. Then a second flew in to join it and the Heron that was perched a little further along. They didn't hang around for long though and departed as we rounded the corner. A number of Blackbirds were feeding on the, rapidly diminishing, berries at the back of the sailing club as Greenfinches and Chaffinches flitted between the trees by the marina.

Another great morning had by all despite the chilly weather. Join us for the next one on January 20th at 9am.

Saturday 22nd December

Another cold start with a thin covering of ice over most of the Finger lake complex. On arrival there were 11 Mute Swans on the main lake being pursued by the resident pair. The 11 eventually left, heading towards the sewerage farm, later in the morning.

Walked around the crescent on the way to Kramer hide and had a Water Rail squealing in the reed bed. The Fingers Swans were together in the small section of open water at the north end of east fingers.

Very quiet at Kramer hide this morning, just a small party of about 7 Long Tailed Tits in the trees directly in front of the hide. The male Sparrow hawk passed overhead and a pair of Shoveller were feeding at the back of the reed beds.

Continuing around Fingers another pair of shoveller were flushed from under the overhanging tree directly opposite the Sedgewick seat.

From the spit a single male Gadwall was with a group of Mallards on the far side of east fingers along with a couple of Canada Geese. There were also a pair of Bullfinch along the spit. As I walked around the crescent again 32 Canada Geese dropped into east Fingers, crashing through the ice.

From the beach on the main lake there were 11 Great Crested Grebes in that corner of the lake.

Main lake hide:
Kingfishers calling from either side of the hide.
2 Male Tufted Ducks
1 Redhead Goosander
42 Pochard (5f)
1 Little Egret in the first fishing swim after the closed section.
Approx 45 Shoveller although could be more as many tucked in tight to the island.
17 Cormorant

Heading down to the south west corner noticed the Little Egret on the move and it ended up in the south east corner. Caught up with the Goosander again by the disabled access fishing swim in the south west corner.

In the north west corner there were 4 Tufted Ducks (1f) but it is possible that 2 of the males were the 2 from the hide as they had flown off before I left the hide and I didn't see where they went.

Back at the car park 2 more Mute Swans flew over and dropped into the main lake on the far side of the island, attracting the attention of the resident pair who immediately set off in pursuit of the new comers. I doubt they hung around for long!

It's a guided walk tomorrow morning at 9am so why not join us for a pre Christmas stroll.