15 August 2010

Went straight out for a day's birding around south Staffs so sadly didn't get time to do the blog yesterday and today I've been rushed up to my parents for a family party so didn't get around Westport today, but Nick has had a good day, as we did yesterday, in fact the week as a whole has been rather good, probably due to the weather as again yesterday we got soaked early on before it picked up a bit later although it wasn't a massive improvement, wind was strong and from the north west with a temp of 13c, prolonged showers very heavy at times esp early on, today they managed a much drier day in fact no rain for the first time in about two week.

14 August 2010
On the main lake 67 Tufted Duck which is about the norm at the moment, a single male Pochard and a single (I'll whisper this) Ruddy Duck, after the heavy rain had stopped a Dunlin flew around the main lake, trying to land in the middle of the lake, it was occasionally chased by a Swallow after about 5 minutes it flew off high north, the family of Great Crested Grebes remain on the boating lake, we managed to see at least one of the very young but again the older juveniles were taking the food before the adult could get to them, the main lake contained at least 6 adults and 2 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, a excellent count of 10 Shoveler, most on the main lake and a single on the boating lake, the Green Woodpecker was back on the park mainly calling from the top end and we managed to catch up with it later on the old sewage works were it then flew across to the old gas works, at least 4 Willow Warblers were part singing, 2 on the nature reserve side of the main lake, 1 on the gas works and 1 on the canal side of the main lake, Chiffchaffs were 5+ around mainly the reserve side of the main lake with a female Blackcap, a Jay flew onto the sewage works and then across to the top of the main lake, just before we left a adult Kittiwake appeared on the main lake with a party of Black-headed Gulls it then departed south with the other Gulls after about 10 minutes.

Today 15 August 2010
As I've already said sadly I wasn't able to get down today, but Nick and Phil had a good visit, the Nuthatch is back, this time behind the visitor centre, a excellent count of 13 Teal, at least 8 Shoveler possibly 11 as 3 were seen flying off and 2 female Ruddy Duck (sorry), also a Kingfisher.

Later in the day Dave Kelsell noticed an unusual Teal not sure what it was he asked Phil Jones to have a look, it was identified as a Chestnut Teal, all the way from Australia, quite were this one came from is any one's guess but with Cape Shelduck earlier in the week and Marbled Duck and Ruddy Shelduck recently were on quite a roll with the exotic Ducks!