23 March 2012

A cool, dry and misty morning, temp was 10c but with a SE breeze I was hopeful of a few migrants this morning, visit from 06.00 til 08.30.

After a week of early starts at work and managing to get away with missing very little at Westport over the week, I was hopeful of a good mornings visit, sadly is was much the same as Nick had been seeing all week except for the odd additions.
Mute Swans continue to increase slowly with 23 now on site, all are crammed onto the boating lake except for the resident pair on the main lake, any Swans that attempt to land on here are quickly driven off by the aggressive male, also on the main lake, 21 Tufted Duck, 4 Goldeneye, 6 Great Crested Grebe and new in were a pair of Shoveler, by the sidings a couple of Greenfinches and the first of 5 Chiffchaffs was singing, these have also seen a increase from the 3 that have been around for a week or so now, a female Goosander quickly flew around the main lake before heading off.
In the reserve a couple of Jays were new for the month, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were by the second gate and another on the old sewage works, on the old gas works a single Mistle Thrush and a further 2 by the visitor centre, a single Meadow Pipit flew over the gas works calling, my first of the year and 2 Stock Doves were on here, on the old sewage works, 3 Bullfinch and a single Collared Dove and lastly a pair of Chaffinch by the visitor centre.