A Coal Tit and 2 Goldcrest sang from the Wellingtonias along Laurel Walk, 2 Nuthatch were seen and heard in the Alder wood along the River Len, a Pied Wagtail sang from the roof of Mote House, a Stove Dove sang from the Oak wood in the south of the park, 3 Treecreepers were heard singing, 5 Green Woodpeckers were seen, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard – with 1 male drumming, a Pheasant called from the hedge on the western edge of the rough grassland, 4 Chiff Chaffs were heard singing, the Little Owl sat just outside it’s hole in the usual old Oak, and a small flock of Siskin were seen in the woodland at the foot of Jenner’s Bank.
Birds seen on the Lake were 21 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 3 Tuftie, 1 Great Crested Grebes, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. 3 Grey Herons were seen along the River Len, and in the gull flock on the sports fields were 18 Med Gulls, roughly 48 Black-headed Gulls, and 13 Common Gulls.
Also noted was the first flowering Cuckoo Flower, and the first flowering Ash - looking very much like purple sprouting broccoli.
Cuckoo Flower
Cardamine pradensis
Ash
Fraxinus excelsior
4 comments:
Like the Cuckoo flower shot Simon. Watch out for Orange Tip butterflies around it.
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Hi Simon
Great to read your blog - I used to go birding around Mote Park when I was at Maidstone Grammar School, about 15 years ago. It sounds like a lot of the good birds are still there - Grey Wags, Water Rails and wildfowl. The Med Gulls are a new addition of course, certainly in such numbers.
I never managed to find a rarity, but I do remember some nice surprises - a male Redstart beside the lake one day, Black Tern on another occasion. I never caught up with the Hawfinches that used to winter regularly - do they still turn up? Are there still Mandarins on the lake?
Anyway, thanks again for blogging Mote Park, it's a real treat.
Thanks for the comment Charlie. Sorry for the delay of the reply - I have only just noticed your comment!
Hawfinches haven't wintered in the Park for about 3 years now, and the Mandarins haven't bred or visited the Park for past 5 years.
May I ask whereabouts beside the lake the male Redstart was?
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