03 April 2010

Left nice and early this morning, in fact I was so early (06.00) it was still dark, so used my ears instead of my bins and made a note of what I heard (which was just the usual), decided to start at Westport by walking through the wood at the back of the model boating lake and then onto the grass mound on the other side, it was still fairly dark and only noted the commoner stuff.

As I walked along the old railway siding I thought I heard a Curlew calling overhead, but I was unable to locate it, Checking the model boating lake and two Little Ringed Plover where on the far bank, two Great Crested Grebe were in the usual place, 2x Tufted Duck but no Mute Swans.
I made my way to the main lake to count the duck, Tufted Duck numbered 27, 6x Mute Swans but no Goldeneye or Shoveler, both have been long stayers, again I heard Curlew calling, this time I located it, it kept flying around looking as though it wanted to land, after about 15/20 mins it gave up and headed off south. There were 2x Grey Heron on the main lake one was mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull and did'nt hang around, at the top end of the lake a Swallow flew through.
I made my way into the wood/pools area again Chiffchaff was singing away, by the end of the day we had counted at least 10+, 2x Willow Warbler where by the bottom pool plus 3x Willow Tit, a pair of Bullfinch where by the 2nd gate and a single Teal flew from the 2nd pool, by the top pool still a pair of Mute Swan and the male Reed Bunting calling.
Checked out the old gas works where 2/4 Stock Doves were flying around, a single Jackdaw flew over followed by another 2 later on, on the wires by the canal 5x Swallow were resting on the wires.

Total species seen was 40.

Also recorded later in the day a male Blackcap by the top pool, seen by Dave Kelshall.