24 March 2012

A dry morning with a heavy mist over the water, over head it was clear blue skies and not a sign of the SE wind, the lake was totally still, temp was slightly down on yesterday at 9c, visit from 06.10 til 08.20.

Yet again a expectant morning at Westport produced nothing at all, Westport always seems to produce the goods when you least expect it, by this time last year we had seen Little Ringed Plover and quite a few Sand Martins, but as yet just Nick's three Sand Martins on the early date of the 16th remain the only record to date.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming as I entered the park and a further two were in the same place as yesterday near the second gate to the reserve, just a single Chaffinch was singing as well this morning by the park entrance, Mute Swans have increased again with 22 on the boating lake and the resident pair on the top pool, the Mute Swans looked quite nice against the sunrise through the mist.

On the main lake Tufted Duck were up slightly to 24 and Great Crested Grebe were up to 8, but their was no sign of yesterday's Shoveler and only two Goldeneye now remain, two Greylag Geese were with the Canada Geese as well as the Domestic Greylags, Chiffchaff remain at five dotted around the park in pretty much the same places as yesterday, a single Lesser Redpoll flew over the boating lake and a single Willow Tit was in the bushes around here, two Greenfinch were again displaying around the sidings area and a single Bullfinch was by the first gate to the reserve.
On the old gas works just two Stock Doves and lastly a Sparrowhawk flew over the main lake as did a single Meadow Pipit.

One thing I have just realised from today while I was filling out my Birdtrack report is that I didn't see a single Black-headed Gull at Westport this morning, I honestly can't rememebr when the last time that happened was!

I called back down Westport late afternoon hoping to find a Sand Martin or Swallow over the main lake, with the warm sunny weather the park was packed with people and very little was added to the birds I'd seen this morning, three Black-headed Gulls were on the main lake which was nice to see after missing them this morning, a single Treecreeper was along the canal side of the main lake and a Grey Heron flew over the lake high up, lastly two Collared Doves were along the canal.