Thursday, May 21, 2009

Thursday 21st May

It was another beautiful morning today with plenty of sunshine.


Blue Tit

9 Blackcaps and 5 Chiff Chaffs were heard singing, 4 Goldcrests were noted, 5 Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard and seen, 18 Whitethroats could be heard singing from around the grassland areas, 3 Stock Doves were heard, 4 Treecreepers were seen, 6 Swifts and 2 House Martins were seen flying above the parkland trees, 2 Pheasants called, 4 Green Woodpeckers were heard, 3 Nuthatch were seen, 2 Linnets were seen, a Garden Warbler was singing from an Oak in the Oak wood, 2 Jay were seen – with 1 bird seen flying away carrying a Blackbird’s egg – a Willow Warbler was singing from an Oak by the Pitch & Putt, and in the dense scrub at the northern edge of the grassland north of the Len a Turtle Dove could be heard singing its soft purring song – fantastic, my first bird this year and the first since 2007.



Great Tit Fledgling

At least 7 Reed Warblers were singing, and of particular note on the Lake were 8 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Mute Swans, and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls. At least 16 Black-headed Gulls were also on the Lake.



Southern Marsh Orchid

Butterflies recorded were 2 Small Whites, 1 Common Blue, and 2 Speckled Woods, a Southern Marsh Orchid was flowering in the wetter parts of the grassland north of the River Len, a slime mould called Fuligo septica (please correct me if I am wrong) was seen growing on the fallen Beech along Laurel Walk, and young blackbirds that have just left their nests could be heard calling from the dark depths of bushes and under hedges.




Fuligo septica

For those interested, today’s Turtle Dove makes my 2009 bird patch list reach 91. So far 2009 has produced 6 firsts for me in the Park, these were: Whooper Swan, Little Gull, Lapwing, Wheatear, Firecrest and Raven.

Also, because I am not having much free time at the moment I have had to put off constructing a map of the Park until after my exams are out of the way.

4 comments:

Ken. said...

Hi Simon. it's always interesting to know just how many species are seen on other bloggers patches.
Well done with the Turtle Dove.

Greenie said...

Simon ,
Another cracking bird list .
I would say you were spot on with the Fuligo septica , also known as Flowers of Tan .
Maps can wait , more important things at the moment . Good luck with them .

Warren Baker said...

Good to hear you've got Turtle Doves at the park Simon. Lets hope they breed ok. It's always
interesting to compare species totals, and differnt species, I would lokk forward to more stats from the park!

Mike H said...

Great picture of the Fuliogo septica Simon looks like that macro lens is proving very useful. Would love to be able to have a map of the park but like Greenie says exams first eh!

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