23 August 2010

A lot of overnight rain made it rather damp under foot, steady north/northwesterly breeze, quite heavy cloud with the odd sunny spell, temp was a pleasant 17c, visit from 06.10 - 08.30.

At least 50+ Swallows were seen over the top of the main lake and at one point I managed a photo of them gathered on the telegraph wires on the sewage works, among them were 4 House Martins and 3 Sand Martins, on the boating lake the usual 4 Great Crested Grebes with another 7 on the main lake which included the 2 juveniles, also on the boating lake a single Shoveler which is probably 'Sammy' a single Grey Heron and a single Mute Swan with the other 25 being on the main lake, they continue to drop off slowly over the last few weeks, also on the main lake 99 Tufted Ducks, everyday we seem to get the largest count of the month, lets see if we can break the 100 tomorrow, a single Pochard was also with them and 5+ Swifts were flying over the top end of main lake, a single Starling flew over the main lake and 3 Blackcaps were by the sidings with another 2 on the sewage works.

Along the nature reserve side of the main lake a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling from the tree tops and another was at the top of the main lake and later on the sewage works, about 8 Chiffchaffs were all along the edge of the main lake with another 5 on the sewage works, a single Willow Tit was also heard calling, also along the sewage works by the brook area a single Garden Warbler, juvenile Bullfinch and a Spotted Flycatcher which the circled high a few times before heading south! A Willow Warbler was singing on the gas works and Nick also had one singing along the canal side of the main lake, 3 Jay's were flying around the sewage works area making a racket and finally 4 Mistle Thrushes were seen by the visitor centre as I left.

The above photo's include a few by Nick Smith showing the a unusual type of mushroom we had near the lake, anyone got any ideas? And the Spotted Flycatcher.

Later this morning Jeff Jones and Dave Kelsell had a Lesser Whitethroat on the old sewage works near were the Spotted Flycatcher had been, this is a first for the year at Westport and puts us on 118 for the year.

Managed to get back down Westport late afternoon to see if I could see the Lesser Whitethroat, unfortunately the weather had other ideas with a torrential downpour meaning no Lesser Whitethoat, did manage to see over 150 Swallows over the main lake with a few House Martins before we got totally soaked.