28 May 2012

A proper summers morning and a proper summer morning birding, at 06.00 the temp was already at 17c, the sky was cloudless and pretty much windless as well, although I have to confess I forgot to check the wind direction, visit was just a few hours til 08.00.

Five Mute Swans were on the boating lake with the other two pairs in there usual places making nine in total, so no change their then, Tufted Duck have been a bit erratic recently and today was no exception, when I arrived there was six but when I left just one , a male, remained, Great Crested Grebe remain steady at six, although it's getting late for breeding, fingers crossed we'll get a late pair breed this year, the Reed Warbler at Ted Heath Rock could be heard singing away from the grass bank and at least another two singing birds were on the top pool, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over the main lake and was seen several times during the day, I didn't make it down the Avenue to see how the breeding pair were getting along with there hungry youngsters, two Mistle Thrush were on the front edge of the main lake and around c35 Swift were quite high over the lake.

Just four Chiffchaff were heard calling and three Willow Tit around the park, a Jay was in the reserve and two Grey Heron flew over the top pool, I didn't get much of a look of them but they looked like juvenile birds, on the pools in the reserve two broods of newly hatched duckings totalled twenty, the three Garden Warbler were again singing in there usual places, also on the top pool a single newly hatched Coot chick, from the old gas works a Buzzard was soaring over Bradwell Wood, just two Blackcap were heard/seen today at opposite ends of the park, two Whitethroat were on the old sewage works  and a Reed Bunting briefly sang on here, back on the grass bank two Pied Wagtail were present, three Lapwing flew over and a single Black-headed Gull flew in.