Saturday 29th March

The Sun was out first thing, but by 8am the sky became overcast and a few spots of rain fell.

2 Stock Dove were heard calling, 6 Green Woodpecker were seen and heard, 5 Nuthatch were heard singing, the number of Chiff Chaffs singing has risen to 10 birds, 3 Goldcrest were heard along Laurel Walk, 3 Jay were seen, 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard – with 4 birds drumming, several pairs of Long-tailed Tits were seen hunting for food, 2 cock Pheasants called, a pair of Bullfinch were seen – the first seen this month, 2 Treecreepers were seen in the Alder wood along the River Len, and a pair of Little Owls sat just outside their hole in the usual old Oak.

Birds seen on the Lake were 12 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Tuftie, 1 Great Crested Grebes, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. 2 Grey Herons, a pair of Kingfishers, and a Grey Wagtail was seen along the River Len, a Water Rail called from the large reedbed by the Weir, 2 Cormorants flew east, and in the gull flock on the Lake were 12 Med Gulls, roughly 41 Black-headed Gulls, and 10 Common Gulls.

Also noted was the first white Sweet Violets to flower.