Saturday 9th June

It was a damp, overcast morning today and felt rather mild. My visit was between 6.15am and 8am, and by the end of the visit a few drops of rain could be felt.

During the visit a minimum of 5 Blackcaps, 8 Chiff Chaffs, 8 Reed Warblers, and 13 Whitethroats were singing.

Whilst scanning the Lake I counted a minimum of 5 Mute Swans, 4 Greylag Geese, and 4 Great Crested Grebe with 1 young, together with the usual Canada Geese, Mallard, Coots and Moorhens. Due to there being a large group of Black Heded Gulls on the playing fields, there were only a few on the Lake. A Cormorant sat on the island next to the Weir and another sat on the lower island, a Grey Wagtail flew over the Weir towards the Len, and as I approached the Weir a Grey Heron took off from the track.

DANDELION

Also of note were a total of 4 Green Woodpeckers heard calling from various parts of the Park, 2 Pheasant called from the Meadow, a pair of Bullfinch were on the grass bank along Laurel Walk, 1 Nuthatch called from Jenner’s Bank, 1 Coal Tit and 3 Goldcrests sang from Yews along Laurel Walk, a young Robin, showing signs of a red breast, sat in an elder on the northern edge of the Meadow, 1 Treecreeper was heard calling from an Alder by the bridge, and a Little Owl perched and called in the old Oak in front of Mote House - pictures were taken, but unfortunately they all turned out to be blurry when I viewed them on the computer - how annoying!. A quick scan over the Park was made difficult by a light mist. The birds that were visible, and therefore noted, were 2 Swifts, a flock of 17 Herring Gulls flying north, a Med Gull was identified amongst a group of 4 Black Headed Gulls, also heading north, and there were several pairs of Woodpigeons flying east and west. Also of note was the first bramble flower to open.

BRAMBLE