07 April 2011

Very overcast with a slight drizzle later on, temp 12c with a light southwesterly breeze, visit from 06.20 til 08.50. By the bottom entrance the 1st of 8 Chiffchaffs seen around the park was singing, on the boating lake the Great Crested Grebes continue to feed at least 1 or 2 young with another 4 Great Crested Grebes on the main lake, the male Shoveler was on the boating lake, on the main lake, 30 Tufted Duck, 1 Goldeneye, the female Mute Swan with the male on the nature reserve, a single Black-headed Gull and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull with another 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls going through later, a Sparrowhawk flew low over the grass bank and a Greylag Goose flew over the main lake, in the nature reserve a single Jay was calling, the 1st of 5 Willow Warblers was singing and 2 pairs of Blackcaps were by the top pool with another 5 around the park, on the gas works 2 Stock Doves was as good as it got, on the sewage works at least 4 Lesser Redpolls are still present a single Mistle Thrush with another 3 around other areas, back on the main lake it had gone noticeably darker and 40 Sand Martins were flying over the main lake over the next hour I managed to count at least 80+ Sand Martins plus 2 Swallows and a single House Martin, a pair of Chaffinches were by the visitor centre, 2 Pied Wagtails were on the grass bank and a single Meadow Pipit flew over here, I had a look along the 'Avenue' and had Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a single Collared Dove. Yesterday Phil Jones had a large Red-eared Terrapin on the boating lake, this is the 1st time I've heard of them in here only previously seen them on the bottom pool in the nature reserve.