25 August 2010

It was a bright and sunny morning after a bit of a light early mist, a slight westerly breeze seemed to ease a bit later on, temp was a cool 13c but felt warmer in the sun, visit from 06.20 - 09.00.

The usual Great Crested Grebe family was on the model boating lake which also had the usual Grey Heron and Shoveler, on the main lake although I didn't do a count this morning were the Great Crested Grebes and Mute Swans, Tufted Ducks have dropped back down slightly to 85, but the single Pochard remains, along the nature reserve side of the main lake at least 3 Chiffchaffs a singing Willow Warbler and a Coal Tit calling.

As you can see from the above photo's by Steve Seal, it was a nice morning down Westport with a new tick for me in the shape of this lovely Lesser Whitethroat, it had been picked up the other day by Dave Kelsell and Jeff Jones but Nick Smith and myself managed to relocate it this morning on the old sewage works by the brook and the telegraph pole, it really is the place to go at the moment for migrants, also present here was a Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, 3+ Blackcaps, 2 Willow Warblers at least 10 Chiffchaffs and plenty of Tits and a few Bullfinches.

At least 4 Swifts were over the top of the main lake but House Martin and Swallow numbers have really dropped off, on the top pool in the nature reserve just 1 Reed Warbler was heard calling, the Green Woodpecker was again heard from the nature reserve and later on I briefly saw it along the tree line between the old gas works and sewage works, whilst watching for the Lesser Whitethroat 3 Cormorant flew over heading south, 2 Willow Tits were also seen at the bottom of the sewage works and twice a Sparrowhawk flew along the tree line, later at the top of the main lake 2 Common Sandpipers were seen flying around the main lake calling.

In total 46 species were seen this morning.