Friday, January 09, 2009

Friday 9th January

I could only pay an afternoon visit to the park today. Despite the Sun shining some parts of the Park continue to have a layer of snow.

A Coal Tit was seen in a Yew along Laurel Walk, 4 Goldcrests were seen, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were seen, 3 Nuthatch were noted, 2 cock Pheasants were spotted fighting in the wet meadow area along the Len, a Jay flew into a willow along the Len, a LAPWING flew east – the first bird I have ever recorded flying over the Park, a pair of Bullfinch flew over towards the Walled Garden, a Kestrel was hunting in the grassland opposite the Inlet, and the Little Owl was sunning itself in the old Oak.

Along the River Len 3 Kingfishers could be seen flying up and down, 2 Water Rails showed excellently but continued to avoid being caught on camera, and 5 Grey Herons were seen.

The Lake looked similar to yesterday, with just a small section clear of ice at the eastern end. Birds of particular note were 2 Mute Swan, 6 Canada Geese, 11 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Wigeon – only my second record in the Park – 1 Gadwall – the first to be recorded this year, and the WHOOPER SWAN is still present. The Whooper remains nervous and wary and will watch whoever walks past, but does not move away further out onto the lake like it did yesterday. With luck that no-one walks by and a bit of patience, however, the bird does begin to relax a bit more and may start preening. The gull flock produced at least 64 Black-headed Gulls, and 15 Common Gulls.


WHOOPER SWAN

Also seen was a dog Fox sunning itself on a bank close to the Old Bothy.

Fox

I won't be able to visit the Park until the afternoon, again, tomorrow. So hopefully, if any 'good' birds decide to drop into the Park, they will hang around until I arrive like they did so kindly today!!

3 comments:

Warren Baker said...

It's all happening at Mote Park Simon. Whooper Swan, Patch tick, and Lapwing another patch tick. You've got to get out there this weekend, your on a winning steak!!!

John Young said...

Hi Simon, what a treat to have aWhooper Swan on the patch and a great fox shot. Dead envious.

The Bald Birder said...

Greetings. I had a Whooper at East Malling Research Station last June (4 june 08). I wish I'd taken better pics (of the bill pattern) to see if we share the same individual. 'My' bird had to be an escape (I assume), but at least yours has turned up at the right time of year and in the right weather conditions!
With the recent frosts, we've got Lapwings building up to 20-30 birds - a far cry from the 500 that used to roost overnight on
the site back in the early 1990's. Bet there's something else lurking from the Continent... Ross

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