16 July 2012

Since my last visit on the 12th July there have only been a few highlights, on the 13th the first young Reed Warblers of the year were seen, a unusual report came on the 14th when one of the local dog walkers reported seeing a Little Owl by the bridge at the top right entrance to the park, unfortunately despite extensive searching it wasn't relocated, on the 15th the first Pochard to visit Westport for over a month was in a group of Tufted Duck and then later on in the day three hybrid possibly CapexRuddy Shelduck appeared on the boating lake, although unringed they were rather tame and would come for bread, see the photo below.

Hybrid Shelduck but which type?? Photo by Phil Jones

And so onto today, it was a very wet visit, but I've kind of got use to it over this lovely summer of ours, it was almost perfect conditions for a wader to pass though, my visit lasted for three hours from 05.50 til 08.50, there was just one spell of around 30minutes in the middle when it didn't rain, the temp remained pretty constant during the visit at 14c up to 15c at the end, wind was light and direct S.

There was no sign of yesterdays hybrid Shelducks, the Barnacle Goose remains among the Canada Geese flock as does at least twelve Greylag Geese, a good count of c55 Swift went through heading straight south, Black-headed Gulls continue to build up again and a juvenile was among the group of seven today my first of the year at Westport, on the main lake just seven Tufted Duck remain from yesterdays twelve, the usual seven Mute Swans which include the three cygnets and four Great Crested Grebe, a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls passed through, a bit later I picked up a juvenile Little Grebe on the main lake, possibly the same one from the other week.

Around the park five Chiffchaff were heard/seen, four Blackcap and just a single Reed Warbler singing on the top pool, on the old gas works two Stock Doves, two Swallows and a Grey Heron on the small pool, a single Whitethroat was on the old sewage works and another in the reserve along with a Garden Warbler and a single Bullfinch was heard, a Jay was heard near the top of the main lake and a single Great Spotted Woodpecker here as well.