19 June 2010

Cloudy, cool start to the morning 13c, warming up to 18c with sunny intervals quite windy with the wind coming from the northeast, visit was from 06.15 - 08.40.

As part of the 'WEBS' duck count this weekend, we counted the Mallards, the total was 168 which included 8 broods and 30 ducklings, we did the Canada Geese yesterday and tomorrow it's the turn of the Coots, Great Crested Grebe still have 2 young on the model boating lake and there are 12 Grebes on the main lake, one pair have failed but another two pair are sitting, Mute Swans are all still on the main lake with 30, 3 flew off yesterday and obviously haven't come back, Tufted Ducks are down to just 3 males but a nice addition this morning was a single male Pochard, the 4 Greylag Geese are still present.

On the top pool in the Nature Reserve 2 Reed Warblers were singing, a Willow Tit was calling near the bottom pool and still a Chiffchaff nearby plus the Chiffchaff on the old sewage works, a Blackcap was also on the sewage works and a Willow Warbler singing here as well, 2 Stock Doves on the old gas works, Whitethroats totalled 3 plus a couple of young on the sewage works, by the top entrance a family party of at least 4 Treecreepers confirmed only the second ever breeding record, the male Shoveler was on the grass verge and lastly a couple of House Martins with a few Swallows on the canal side of the main lake.

Total species seen 39.

The attached photo is I think Marsh Orchid taken this morning.