17 August 2010

Having to go down a bit later each morning now as the early mornings close in, although the sun rose at 05.50, it was still almost dark as I left the house at 06.00, it was raining lightly which turned to a heavy drizzle for most of the morning, wind was very light from the north/northwest, heavy cloud, temp was a quite warm 17c, quite a short visit til 07.45.



Most of the Canada Geese were on the playing field which included the hybrid CanadaxGreylag, a total of 161 were present, there were 2 Shoveler but possibly 4, 2 were on the boating lake and later 2 on the main lake but they were flighty so possibly the same birds, still at least 5 Great Crested Grebes on the boating lake of which 3 are juveniles and another 9 on the main lake of which 2 are juveniles, 3 Teal were also on the main lake but no sign of the Chestnut Teal from the last few days, at least 100+ House Martins were over the canal side of the main lake with about 20+ Swallows but no sign of any Swifts today, a Green Woodpecker was again heard calling from the nature reserve and then the sewage works, at least 3 Willow Warblers were calling, 2 from the reserve side of the main lake and one from the canal side, just a single Pochard was on the main lake, Treecreeper was heard from the nature reserve, a Jay flew from the old gas works and over the railway line, as did a single Bullfinch and further along a family party of 6 Bullfinches were along the railway line and then flew over to the old sewage works, also on the old sewage works a single Willow Tit and the same with Whitethroat, as we came back out to the top of the main lake a Little Grebe was seen along the top edge the first since spring, also a Coal Tit was calling along the canal side of the main lake.

Total species seen 41.

Later in the morning Dave Kelsell had the Chestnut Teal on the model boating lake, and early afternoon Pete Lunt had a couple of Swifts, a Sparrowhawk, Blackcap, Grey Heron, 4 Jays, 2 Teal and 2 Shoveler.