Tuesday 26th February

It was a lovely day today after an overcast start.

A Nuthatch was heard singing from a Beech, 4 Goldcrests were heard, 3 Sparrowhawks were seen – 2 males desperately trying to impress a female, 3 Treecreeper were heard singing, a Little Owl was observed asleep in its hole in an old Oak, a Jay was seen briefly as it flew across in front of me, a group of about 14 Siskin fed in an Alder along the River Len, a group of Long-tailed Tits searched from insects as they passed through a Hawthorn hedge, a Stock Dove perched in an Oak, and a pair of Bullfinch were heard calling along Laurel Walk . 5 Med Gull sat amongst a large flock of Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls on the Pitch & Putt Golf Course – with one bird looking very handsome in it’s full summer plumage. A very energetic and playful-looking Greyhound put a stop to my viewing and to any photos that were about to be taken, spooking the whole flock up into the air. Very, very annoying – but it is something that has to be put up with when birding in a public park! The gulls expressed their annoyance by calling angrily, which gave me time to listen to the Med Gull’s unusual call, referred to as an enthusiastic ‘yeah!’ in many bird books, and is very distinctive once learnt.

On the Lake were 23 Canada Geese, 14 Pochard, 3 Great Crested Grebes, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. The gull flock on the Lake consisted of at least 9 Common Gulls, and about 46 Black-headed Gulls. Also, in addition to these birds, 2 Kingfishers pursued each other up and down the River Len, calling frequently.