03 Febuary 2011

What a difference a few days can make, it was almost spring like today with a barmy 15c in the sun, still about 60% ice on the boating lake but the main lake was ice free again.

The boating lake held 4 Goosander today made up of 1 male and 3 females also the usual pair of Mute Swans and a Common Gull in a small Black-headed Gull flock on the ice, on the main lake, another 2 Common Gulls and same in Lesser Black-backed Gulls, on the duck front, 40 Tufted Duck, 22 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye and a single Great Crested Grebe, the pair that were attempting to nest build last week seem to have disappeared, in the nature reserve at least 20+ Siskins were flying around, 4 Bullfinches and 3 Willow Tits, on the old gas works 2 Stock Doves on the railway gantry a couple of Buzzards were soaring over towards Goldenhill and a Sparrowhawk headed that way, on the old sewage works a single Jay near the canal and the Green Woodpecker was showing well on a large patch of grass, it's certainly changed a lot since it first appeared last August and has matured into a nice adult bird.

This afternoon Nick Smith had a Raven from the old gas works towards Goldenhill area.

The following photo's were sent to me by Martin Kessel taken at Westport last year I especially like the Great Crested Grebe with the Perch in it's mouth.

Treecreeper by Martin Kessel

Great Crested Grebe by Martin Kessel.