17 September 2010

First day off work so was able to spend a good 3hrs around Westport this morning, was down from 06.25 - 09.35, weather was very cool at 10c with a real nip in the air, bye bye summer, very slight northwest breeze at first picking up later on, good clear skies with very little cloud,

After last nights Med Gull I was hoping it would still be around this morning, as I was entering the park around 150+ Black-headed Gulls were going over in groups of around 50 all heading towards the lake, Nick text me to say the Med Gull was on the main lake and as I scanned the main lake there was no sign, I then noticed it on the grass bank at the side of me, it then flew off towards the A500 and then headed south never to be seen again.

Four Lesser Black-backed Gull also went through most were 1st years with one adult, 2 first year Great Crested Grebes were on the boating lake with another 2 on the main lake with 8 adults, Mute Swans continue to drop daily with just 8 today, a Kingfisher was on the boating lake with our usual male Shoveler, on the main lake 78 Tufted Ducks the pair of Ruddy Ducks and a single male Pochard.

Both Swallow and House Martin numbers have taken a huge drop going from 3 figures too low double figures, just 8+ Swallows were seen and 6+ House Martins, a few more Chiffchaffs were around with the sunny weather a few were on the top pool in the nature reserve but the rest (12) were on the old sewage works, also on the top pool a couple of Blackcaps and 1 on the sewage works, 2 Willow Tits were also on the top pool, a single Jackdaw flew over calling there and later another 2 flew over by the top of the main lake, a single Whitethroat was on the sewage works were a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over with another later on at the bottom of the nature reserve, back to the sewage works and a couple of Meadow Pipits flew over I heard a few more going over while around the main lake but couldn't see them, along the canal side of the main lake 7 Mistle Thrushes were near the housing estate with at least another 8+ in the trees by the boating lake and car park.

Back at the top pool and a single Coal Tit in the Tit flock and a Grey Wagtail flew over, a Sparrowhawk was chasing a Swallow on the sewage works and a Bullfinch was on here, as I was leaving a Cormorant flew over the main lake heading north and then as I was watching the Mistle Thrushes I mentioned earlier by the car park I picked up a nice Spotted Flycatcher among them, a couple of the lads were down and managed to get onto it with Steve Seal taking this and the Mistle Thrush photo.