Friday 23 April 2010

23 April 2010







Started out at 06.00 it was 5c and returned at 08.20 and temp up to 9c, cool start, very sunny, slight ground frost, no wind at all and a slight ground frost.
At the entrance to the park a couple of Collared Doves carrying nest material, the first of 5x Blackcap and 3x Willow Warbler and again 4x Starlings on the playing field.
On the model boating lake 2x Great Crested Grebe and 5x Mute Swan, along the grass bank and grass verge 4x Little Ringed Plover and the White Wagtail is still present.
On the main lake, 11x Mute Swans, 4x Great Crested Grebe, 1x Grey Heron, 18x Tufted Duck, 1x male Shoveler and a Common Sandpiper along the right hand side.
In the Nature Reserve, 1x Mute Swan, a pair of Teal and 5x Chiffchaff which includes other Chiffchaff seen around the gas works and canal side of lake. On the old gas works, 5x Stock Doves, Swallow, 2/3x Whitethroat and a Reed Bunting, over the grass mound and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming and a lone Swift flew over, plus another Reed Bunting, this time a female.

Total species seen 43.

Recorded by Pete Lunt at mid morning, Teal x2 still in Nature Reserve, Blackcap x7, Grey Heron, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat and Swallow.

I called down late afternoon early evening, for a quick visit to see if any more Swifts had come in, a couple of Blackcaps where singing by the top entrance, there where 12x Mute Swans on the model boating lake plus the 2x Great Crested Grebe, by the sidings a Willow Tit was calling along with a Willow Warbler.

As I went to count the ducks a wader flew across my view, at first I thought it was a Common Sandpiper but it flew into the sun and landed on the grass verge, as I tried to get a better view I noticed it had a black belly and realised it was a summer plumage Dunlin, another first for the year and a Westport first for me, and the last record since 2008, managed a couple of record shots and made a phone call, Phil Jones came down but it had disappeared, after ten minutes searching we couldn't relocate it. I made my way all the way round the lake and Phil covered the boating lake but no luck, then as I was walking along the beach area I noticed the Dunlin right in the corner near the Ted Heath Rocks, again rung Phil and both Nick and himself managed to get down to see the Dunlin with views up to 6ft away. It was still present when we left, despite all the people walking running and shouting as they went past, it just wasn't bothered.

Also noticed 2x Grey Wagtail, 1x Shoveler and 2x Reed Bunting while I was walking around the lake.

The above photo's are record shots only, taken with a basic digital camera against my bins!



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