18 August 2011

Ok so I've gone a bit mad with the above photo's showing that Autumn is well and truly upon us, but it really did feel very very Autumn like today, as you can see there are now plenty of berries about and the Nettles and Great Hogweed is really dying off, the latter are over 7ft tall in places, you could even see your breath this morning with the temp at 11c, wind was none existent with a light fog over the main lake first thing, visit from 06.00 til 08.50.

On the main lake 80 Tufted Duck, the family of 4 Mute Swans, new in were 6 Teal which left northbound after about an hour, 4 Great Crested Grebes, the Shoveler is still present from yesterday and the 'semi' resident Pochard was sat with the Mallards on the lake edge until the dog flushed it!

Over the main lake 12 Swifts were present with around 30+ Swallows over the lake but no House Martins today, 2 Willow Warblers were part singing today on either side of the lake, 9 Chiffchaffs were calling with a couple also part  singing, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were around the park, , 3 Willow Tits and a single Blackcap, by the top pool, a single Coal Tit and 2 Bullfinches, on the gas works the Stock Doves have increased to 2, a single Jay and 2 Collared Doves were on the sewage works, along the canal side of the main lake 4 Pied Wagtails and lastly 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls arrived on the main lake as I was leaving.