25 July 2010

Dry but slightly damp underfoot from a bit of over night rain, cloudy with sunny intervals, felt much warmer than yesterday temp was 18c, slight westerly breeze, visit from 06.45 - 08.25.

About 30+ Black-headed Gulls went through the main lake, one a 1st year bird was sat on a wooden post by the boat ramp and I noticed a ring (see photo), I managed to get close enough to get the full ring number (white 22A8) and have sent the details off, 3 new Coot chicks were on the main lake, 50 Tufted Ducks are slightly down from the last few days, as well as the family of 4 Great Crested Grebes on the boating lake there were 2 families of 2 young each on the main lake plus another 4 birds, 33 Mute Swans is down one, a Common Sandpiper was again on the beach area and was seen several times flying around the main lake as it was flushed, Mistle Thrushes were again on the grass verge but only 2 today, just a single Pochard was on the main lake and a couple of House Martins were going through.

A couple of Willow Tits were about, 1 in the nature reserve and 1 on the old sewage works, 4 Chiffchaffs were seen again 1 in the nature reserve and 3 on the gas and sewage works, 2 Reed Warblers were on the top pool but probably more, a couple of Moorhen chicks were new on the top pool, 2 Stock Doves on the old gas works, on the sewage works at least 3 Bullfinches and 4 Whitethroats, as I got back to the main lake a Teal was flying around and landed at the bottom of the lake, this is the first since early May and another sign of autumn movement, a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls went through as I was leaving.

Total species seen 37.