Wednesday 25th April

It was warm during this morning's visit, between 6am and 7.10am.

A Coal Tit sang from one of the Yews along Laurel Walk, 4 Blackcaps sang from the top of Jenner’s bank, and 1 Chiff Chaff sang from behind the Park & Ride. A Chiff Chaff sang from the Wet Woodland, and a Willow Warbler sang from an Oak in front of Mote House.

Of note in the Long Hedge were 2 Blackcap and 1 Chiff Chaff. I also viewed 2 Common Shrews fighting at the foot of one of the hawthorns.

4 Cormorants sat on ‘Cormorant’ Island. A scan of the Lake produced 5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Cormorant, 2 Greylag Geese, and 4 Mute Swans, together with the usual Canada Geese, Mallard, Coots and Moorhens. The flock of Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls on the Lake had a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gull with them. A Reed Warbler and a male Reed Bunting sang along the Lake’s western edge.

A Chiff Chaff sang from the Marsh Alders, and a Green Woodpecker called from the Pitch & Putt. 2 Reed Warbler sang from the middle of the Marsh, and of note in the Scrub were 5 Common Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, and a Pheasant. 4 more Common Whitethroat sang in the Meadow and a Pheasant called from Len Wood. The last Common Whitethroat of the visit sang from an Alder next to the ‘Kingfisher’ Footbridge.

A total of 6 Chiff Chaffs, 10 Blackcaps, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, and 10 Common Whitethroats were singing throughout the visit.