Monday 28th January

After the thick fog had cleared around mid-morning I decided to pop out for a walk in the Park.

7 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were drumming today – a wonderful sound signalling that Spring is not too far away, 3 Nuthatches were seen, 3 Goldcrests were noted – with one bird giving great views as fluttered through the branches of an Alder along the River Len, 3 Jay were seen, 8 Treecreeper were seen and heard – 2 of whom were singing, a few parties of Long-tailed Tits were seen a Green Woodpeckers climbed up an Ash on Jenner’s Bank, on the area of Park in front of Mote House were a group of 14 Redwing accompanied by a small number of Song and Mistle Thrushes, and 2 Pheasants were seen in the Alder Wood along the River Len.

On the Lake were 4 Mute Swans, 36 Canada Geese, 5 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Great Crested Grebes – with one pair displaying, 1 Little Grebe, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. The gull flock on the Lake consisted of at least 20 Common Gulls, 1 Herring Gull and 53 Black-headed Gulls. Also, in addition to these birds, 2 Grey Heron was seen, a Cormorant was perched on the island next the Weir, and, whilst walking along the River Len, I was treated to an electric blue flypast as a Kingfisher darted past, superb.

Osier
Salix vimalis

Saturday 26th January

I could only manage a quick, short late morning walk today. What a gorgeous day it was? A clear blue sky and a warming Sun.

It was interesting to see the local 2 pairs of Mute Swans beginning to get territorial. The males, in all their beauty, pursueing their potential mates around the western end of the Lake. Also on the Lake was 3 Great Crested Grebes, 28 Canada Geese, a pair of Tufted Duck, 16 Pochards, and the resident Mallards, Coots and Moorhens.

Siskin were heard calling from Alders by the Pond opposite the Waterfall, a pair of Grey Wagtail were feeding around the Waterfall, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was hared drumming by the main car park, a Green Woodpecker was called, and 2 Treecreeper and 1 Goldcrest were also heard.

A local fisherman explained to me that a Little Egret was perched with 2 Grey Herons in the dead Alder by the large reedbed opposite the Weir. I wish I had the time to visit yesterday! That would have been a first for me, and the Park records!

Tuesday 22nd January

It was a gorgeous sunny morning today. The temperature was a lot milder that it has been, and the sky was almost cloudless. Today's post is also my 100th post.

With the Wild Daffodils nearly open, and plenty of bird song, the atmosphere was very spring-like. 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard calling and drumming, a Treecreeper was calling from an Oak tree, a Nuthatch called from an Oak in the wood on the southern edge of the Park, 4 Jay was seen, and a few parties of Long-tailed Tits were seen. 2 Green Woodpeckers were seen – with 1 bird drumming finishing touches to its hole in an Alder, in the Alder wood along the River Len. I decided to spend about 20-30 minutes in the Alder wood to see if I could spot the rather elusive Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and with only 2 minutes gone I located a female drumming near the top of a tree. However, within seconds of locating it, she flew onto another Alder and frustratingly kept to the side I couldn’t view. After a further 15 minutes had passed I decided to move on, being satisfied with the brief but beautiful view. A flock of around 15 Siskin fed with a large flock of Goldfinch also along the Len.

Birds that were present on the Lake were at least 2 Mute Swans, with a Black Swan for company, 32 Canada Geese, a pair of Pochard, 3 Great Crested Grebes – all now in summer plumage, 1 Little Grebe, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. The gull flock on the Lake consisted of at least 17 Common Gulls, and 42 Black-headed Gulls – 1 of which had it’s summer chocolate brown hood on. Also, in addition to these birds, a Grey Heron was seen, 4 Water Rail were heard, 2 Cormorants were fishing on the Lake, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull flew north.

Also of note, was the information from a fisherman that he had caught a Trout along the River Len, earlier in the morning, and the first female Hazel flower was nearly out. These tiny tufts of crimson flowers always strike me as looking like miniature sea anenomes.

As I approached the Hazel bush it appeared as if each branch was dripping with catkins.

It was a lovely sunny morning today during my walk. It was cold, and the sky was cloudless. I could only manage half of my usual route today because both bridges and the Weir were flooded. As a result I was unable to get to the rough grassland, scrubby areas, golf course and playing fields.

Flooded Weir

2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard calling, 2 Coal Tits called from Yews along Laurel Walk, 2 Goldcrests decided to sing from different Yews, 5 Nuthatch was heard calling, 1 Jay was seen, 2 Mistle Thrush could be heard singing from Oaks on the Golf Course – and another was seen taking advantage of invertebrates that were being unearthed by a mole whilst it burrowed down in it’s mole hill, and 3 parties of Long-tailed Tits were seen.

Birds that were present on the Lake were at least 2 Mute Swans, 23 Canada Geese, 1 male Tuftie, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. The gull flock on the Lake consisted of at least 10 Common Gulls, and 43 Black-headed Gulls. Also, in addition to these birds, a Grey Heron was seen along the River Len.

Saturday 5th January

The sky was almost cloudless this morning, and the temperature was quite mild for this time of year.

A Goldcrest called from a Yew, a Nuthatch was heard calling, 1 Stock Dove sat in an Oak, 4 Green Woodpecker was seen, 1 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare flew east, 3 Jay were seen, a party of Long-tailed Tits fed in he Willows along the edge of the Lake, a Bullfinch called from a patch of Brambles by the footbridge, and a flock of Siskin fed the wet woodland along the River Len.

Birds present on the Lake were at least 2 Mute Swans, 22 Canada Geese, 4 Tufties, 12 Pochard 1 Little Grebe, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. The gull flock on the Lake consisted of at least 14 Common Gulls, and even more Black-headed Gulls. In the Black-headed Gull flock on the top playing field were 5 Common Gulls and the adult winter-plumaged Mediterranean Gull. Also, in addition to these birds, 3 Grey Heron were seen along the River Len, and a Water Rail called from the large reedbed by the Weir.

Thursday 3rd December

This morning was grey and overcast, with a cold east wind.

3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen and heard this morning – 1 male was drumming on a Larch tree, 1 Green Woodpecker was seen as it flew across my path, 6 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare flew east, a Nuthatch were heard calling from an Oak in the area in front of Mote House, 3 Jay were seen, a Treecreeper was heard as it climbed up one of the Wellingtonias, a party of Long-tailed Tits were seen making there way along the edge of the Lake, a Lesser Black-backed Gull flew east, and a flock of Siskin fed the wet woodland along the River Len.

Birds present on the Lake were at least 2 Mute Swans, with a Black Swan – a first for me in the Park, 23 Canada Geese, only 7 Tufties, 22 Pochard, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. The gull flock on the Lake consisted of at least 23 Common Gulls, 80+ Black-headed Gulls. In the Black-headed Gull flock on the top playing field was the adult winter-plumaged Mediterranean Gull - lovely. Also, in addition to these birds, 2 Grey Heron were seen along the River Len, a Water Rail called from the large reedbed by the Weir, and 2 Cormorants were fishing in the Lake.

Grey Heron

Also or note were several Rabbits, and a Brown Rat. Whilst standing on the Weir and looking towards the large reedbed (east), noticeable at the edge of the reeds was a largish gap, looking very much like where a Bittern might stand! I shall be keeping a close eye, just in case!

Wednesday 2nd January

I couldn’t visit the Park yesterday but was informed by another birder that a pair of Wigeon was on the Lake, and that a Mediterranean Gull was with the gull flock. Typical, a day I usually go out, but today wasn’t able to, I miss 2 good birds for the Park – never mind!

This morning was very dull and grey for the first hour of my walk. It was almost like having a grey lens in front of your eyes – quite an odd feeling. But as the Sun slowly rose, the greyness faded away, and it was a pleasant but cold walk.

7 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen and heard this morning – 4 males were heard drumming on their favourite posts, 1 Coal Tit sang from a Yew, 5 Redwing flew south, 2 Nuthatch were heard calling from Oaks in the area in front of Mote House, 7 Jay were seen, a Treecreeper was heard as it climbed up one of the Wellingtonias, a party of Long-tailed Tits were seen making there way along the edge of the wet woodland along the River Len, 6 Bullfinches took flight from a bramble bush as I passed, calling and showing off their white rumps brilliantly, a dog disturbed a Green Woodpecker whilst it was feeding on top of an Ant hill in the large area of rough grassland, a Great Black-backed Gull – a first for me in the Park – flew heavily over, heading north, followed by a V of 5 Herring Gulls, a male Kestrel flew about the rough grassland, and a flock of Siskin could be heard in the wet woodland along the River Len.

I approached the Lake in hope that the pair of Wigeon, having stayed all day yesterday, would have been kind enough to stay today as well. But it wasn’t to be. Birds that were present on the Lake were at least 2 Mute Swans, 46 Canada Geese, only 5 Tufties, 22 Pochard, a Great Crested Grebe, and the countless Mallards, Coots and Moorhens. The gull flock on the Lake and playing fields consisted of at least 23 Common Gulls, 80+ Black-headed Gulls, and an adult winter-plumaged Mediterranean Gull. A smart snowy white gull, with a smudge of black behind the eye, a real joy to see. I did manage some photos but once I viewed them on the computer I realised they were all blurry. Isn’t it nice when that happens?!!! Also, in addition to these birds, 2 Grey Heron were seen along the River Len, and 3 Cormorants were seen – 2 on the island next to the Weir, and one sitting on a dead Alder next to the large reedbed.

Also of note were several Rabbits, and 4 Brown Rats.