Merry Christmas

May I wish you all a very Happy Christmas

Friday 18th December

I didn't get out into the Park until 9.30am this morning having not reached my bed till the early hours of the morning after getting caught in the blizzard-like conditions on Bluebell Hill last night.

What a wonderful winter landscape greeted me. A good 4 1/2 inches of snow covered the ground and I almost expected to bump into Rudolph and his fellow Reindeer round any corner!!





Bird-wise it was understandably quite quiet, however a few nice birds were seen. A good passage of Redwing with single numbers of Fieldfare passed through, at least 7 Skylark and 1 Meadow Pipit were noted, and a flock of 5 Teal flew down to the Lake.

Blue Tit

On the Lake itself were 16 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swan, and at least 76 Black-headed Gulls and 18 Common Gulls.

2 Black-headed Gulls

Thursday 10th December

It was a bright and sunny morning today. I only had time to visit the northern half of the Lake and River Len.

5 Goldcrests were calling and singing throughout the visit, a Treecreeper was seen by the pond opposite the Waterfall, lots of Siskin were seen and heard, 2 Bullfinch were noted, at least 14 Redwing passed through the park, a Jay was heard calling from the wood at the foot of Jenner’s Bank, 1 Nuthatch called from the Beech along Laurel Walk, and a Coal Tit was singing from a Yew by the Old Walled Garden.

These Jackdaws were searching for acorns on the short grass north of the River Len

A Grey Wagtail called as it flew over the Lake, a Cormorant was perched on the island next to the Weir Bridge, a Grey Heron could be seen standing on the old boating ramps, and a Little Egret was seen feeding in the pond/pool opposite the Waterfall – the first since last winter and a welcome sight...I wonder if it will stay right through the Winter like last year.

Little Egret

The Lake was quiet grebe-wise with only 1 Great Crested Grebe being seen, 11 Pochards and 14 Tufted Duck were resting on the Lake, and 2 Mute Swans were present on the boating ramps. The gull flock consisted of at least 42 Black-headed Gulls, 26 Common Gulls, and a first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Friday 4th December

It was a beautiful wintry morning today with the warm sunshine sparkling over the frost that had covered the vegetation in crystals. The heavy rains meant the footbridge and Weir bridge were impassable with the water levels way over the river banks, and the flow of water over the Waterfall was impressive.

The Waterfall

6 Goldcrests were calling and singing along Laurel Walk, a Treecreeper was in the Holm Oak by the Old Burning Yard, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard calling, 2 Skylark were seen flying over, several Siskin could be heard calling from along the Len Valley and in the wood at the foot of Jenner’s Bank, a party of Jackdaw were feeding on the grass bank north of the River Len, 5 Bullfinch were noted during the morning – with 3 birds giving great views in Ivy by the Waterfall – at least 16 Redwing passed through the park, 2 Jay were seen by the Pond opposite the Waterfall, and is nice to hear Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Nuthatch singing.

A Grey Wagtail flew over the River Len, and a Cormorant was perched on the island next to the Weir Bridge. The Lake was very quiet bird-wise; however the diving duck numbers continue to increase, with 10 Pochards and 14 Tufted Duck rafting together on the centre of the Lake, 3 Little Grebes were seen, and 2 Mute Swans were present. The gull flock consisted of at least 40 Black-headed Gulls, 11 Common Gulls, and 1 winter-plumaged Mediterranean Gull.

Mediterranean Gull
(Black-headed Gull behind)

A Shrew was heard by the Marsh area, and on Jenner’s Bank the below fungi were seen:

Otidia alutacea

Pholiota squarrosa

A closer view - to me, this fungus always looks as if it has had grated cheese melted on top.

Thursday 26th November

It was bright and sunny this morning during my walk and the temperature was reasonably mild. Photo opportunities were few and far between.

The Holly berries are ripening fast!

6 Goldcrests were noted, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard calling, at least 6 Siskin were seen flying west above the treetops along the River Len, 2 Bullfinch were in the scrub on the bank south of the River Len footpath between the two bridges, at least 25 Redwing passed through the park, a Jay gave great views in an Oak by the footbridge over the Len, and a male Pheasant shot out from the tussocky grass on the edge of the marsh area as I approached.

Unfortunately the light was wrong to get shots of the Bullfinch!

A Water Rail called from the marsh area, 2 Grey Herons were seen – 1 along the Len and the other on the edge of the Lake – 2 Kingfisher were seen – 1 by the footbridge along the Len and the other perched in a riverside Ash by the Waterfall, and 2 Cormorants were perched on the island next to the Weir bridge. The Lake was pretty quiet bird-wise; however it was good to see the Pochards and Tufted Duck gradually increasing in number with 7 of the former and 8 of the latter. Only the 1 Great Crested Grebe was seen and no Mute Swans were present. The gull flock consisted of at least 52 Black-headed Gulls, 8 Common Gulls, and 1 adult Herring Gull.

Saturday 21st November

I have been extremely busy with 'Uni' work the past week so it was nice to get out in the Park again. The weather was cloudy first thing, however by mid-morning the sky began to brighten up, and the park was surprisingly busy with people.

Woodland Floor

7 Goldcrests were seen, a Nuthatch was noted along Laurel Walk, a Coal Tit was heard calling by the Old Walled Garden, 2 Bullfinch were in the scrub on the bank south of the River Len footpath between the two bridges, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard, at least 31 Redwing passed through the park, 2 Jay were seen, a Pheasant called from the grassland by the Old Bothy, a Treecreeper was spotted amongst the tit flock in the Alder Carr by the footbridge along the River Len, several Siskin could be heard along the Len Valley, a Little Owl was sitting the old Oak in front of Mote House, and 4 Fieldfare was seen flying north.

A Little Grebe could be seen along the River Len from the footbridge, 2 Water Rails were in the marsh area, and a Grey Heron caused a commotion in the Alder wood Jackdaw colony along the River Len as it decided to perch right in the middle! Out on the Lake itself were at least 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Mute Swans, 42 Canada Geese, 2 Pochard, and 3 Tufties. The gull flock consisted of at least 151 Black-headed Gulls, 43 Common Gulls – the most I have ever recorded at one time in the park – and 1 winter-plumaged adult Mediterranean Gull.

Black-headed Gull

Friday 30th October

6 people turned up for the Autumn in Mote Park walk, where we looked at the park's broadleaf trees and the fungi around them. Despite the birds being rather quiet, we did manage to see good movement of Redwing, some Siskin, Grey Heron, Shoveler, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker, and Jay. Overall a great morning.