Sunday 6th September

I usually don’t visit the park on a Sunday because I work. Today, however, I had booked holiday and so I made an early visit to the park. The park felt calm and quiet today with little breeze in the air, but the sky remained grey and overcast throughout the walk.

9 Goldcrests were seen with most being along Laurel Walk, at least 9 Chiff Chaffs were seen, 2 Blackcap were heard, a Reed Bunting was spotted perched on the top of a young Beech tree in the Old Cattle Area south of the Causeway, a Jay was seen in the marsh poplars, a Nuthatch was noted along Laurel Walk, 2 Green Woodpecker were heard, several Swallows and House Martins were seen over the Lake and Len Valley, and a Coal Tit was seen in the Silver Pacific Fir on Jenner’s Bank.

My best sightings came when I was along the Causeway and standing on the Weir. 2 Kingfisher were observed around the marsh area and mouth of the River Len giving brilliant views, and a Hobby was spotted flying south over the Lake and Causeway.

Kingfisher

Of particular note on the Lake were 5 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans and 3 Canada Geese. 2 Grey Herons were perched on the edges of the Lake, a Reed Warbler was seen briefly in some reeds on the Lakes eastern edge, and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and 1 winter-plumage Common Gull was on the Lake with 10+ Black-headed Gulls.

Grey Heron flying from Causeway