Saturday 11th August

It is another lovely morning today. With a light mist and a clear blue sky it was rather chilly to begin with, but it wasn’t long before it warmed up. Although it appeared slightly quieter than yesterday there was still a lot of activity.

There was a pair of Coal Tits singing from the Yews at the Park and Ride entrance, there were 7 Goldcrests calling from the Yews and Wellingtonia along Laurel Walk, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and 8 Green Woodpeckers were heard throughout the visit, at least 13 Nuthatches were also heard calling, 3 Willow Warblers called and sang from trees around the Lake, 6 Chiff Chaffs were also noted, a young Sparrowhawk called from the group of Larch on the eastern edge of the Park, 1 Treecreeper was seen but many others were heard, a Bullfinch called from the top of Jenner’s Bank and 2 Spotted Flycatchers were noted. The clear blue sky played host to at least 9 Swifts with another providing a meal for a hungry Hobby – which is the first of this bird for me in the Park.

Blackberries

5 Mute Swans were on the Lake with a few Canada Geese and the resident Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. 3 Grey Herons fished along the Lakes edges whilst another perched in the old Alder in the Marsh. 2 Water Rails and a Kingfisher called from the Marsh, and a single Cormorant sat on the island next to the flooded Weir. A Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull stood on separate buoys, and a juvenile Black Headed Gull sat on the water.

Garden Spider (underside)

Araneus diadematus

Also of note, whilst walking past the Mansion Cottages a Comma butterfly fluttered past.