24 July 2010

Very much cooler than the 15c the clock was saying, it felt like a early autumn morning, dry bright sunshine, no wind and a heavy dew, visit from 05.45 - 08.15.

Nearly all the Canada Geese were on the playing field, they totalled 158 which is well down from the usual numbers, there was no sign of the remaining creche but they were probably along the canal somewhere, the hybrid CanadaxGreylag was in the group though, as always the Grey Heron was fishing along the model boating lake and the family of 4 Great Crested Grebes still on here with just another 6 seen on the main lake which included just 1 juvenile, Mistle Thrushes are slowly increasing in numbers over the last few days3 were on the grass verge this morning (see Steve Seals photo's), 62 Tufted Ducks on the main lake with 34 Mute Swans and just 1 Pochard seen, the eclipse male Shoveler was again on the boating lake.

4 Blackcaps were seen in various parts of the park, 2 Coal Tits on the 'Avenue' and 1 by the top pool also 3 Reed Warblers here and a couple of Chiffchaffs with another 4 on the gas works and sewage works, 2 Stock Doves were on the gas works and a single adult Lesser Black-backed Gull flew over north also following on from Paul Shentons record of 8 Linnets on here the other day, I had 3 by the small pool, on the sewage works a single House Martin flew over, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Bullfinch and quite a few Gatekeeper butterflies (see photo).