17 March 2012

It had rained overnight and the ground was rather damp, a light breeze from the W, temp of 7c, visit from 06.15 til 08.30.

A couple of Mistle Thrushes were by the playing field and two Pied Wagtails along the boating lake edge plus a further two on the old gas works later, again 17 Mute Swans were on the boating lake with the resident pair on the main lake, also on the main lake, 29 Tufted Duck, four Goldeneye and four Great Crested Grebe, Greylag Geese were all over the place today, two flew over high south early on followed by another two in the same direction later and then another two came in from the east with a small flock of Canada Geese, so possibly six Greylag Geese at Westport this morning, the highest count of the year, a single Greenfinch flew over the bank and a single Starling, also 22 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over heading south, a male Reed Bunting was singing by the visitor centre and possibly another was singing by the top pool, the first of three Chiffchaff was along the small wood at the back of the playing field with the other two in the reserve and on the old sewage works, four Cormorants flew over, three together and a single later all heading south, a Treecreeper was heard calling by the playing field, in an around the reserve a single Willow Tit was calling, a single Chaffinch, a pair of Bullfinches with another four together on the old sewage works, two Stock Doves were on the old gas works and bird of the day was a Woodcock flying low over the old sewage works and then over the old gas works, only my second record at Westport and another year tick in the bag, lastly two Grey Wagtails were by Ted Heath Rocks and a Sparrowhawk flew over.