Mote Park - A Wildlife Patchwork

Just a quick mid-morning walk today. Another walk will be made in the late afternoon as I am leading the the local Women's Institute around the park. Once again, I only visted the parkland to the north and east of the Lake and River Len.

Field Rose

8 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff were singing, 1 Willow Warbler was singing by the Lower Bridge, 5 Whitethroats were in the rough grassland area, 2 Green Woodpeckers were noted, baby Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard calling from a nest hole in one of the parkland trees, 2 Treecreepers were heard singing from trees along the stretch of the River Len between the Weir Bridge and east to the Lower Bridge (now named the Len Wetland), 4 Goldcrests were singing from the Old Gardens, 2 Stock Doves were calling, and a Spotted Flycatcher was found singing and hunting insects from the old Lime trees in the parkland west of Mote House - fantastic, the first of the year to return!!! During my later visit 3 Swifts were noted flying over the park, and a WHITE WAGTAIL was found hunting insects in the parkland south of Mote House - even more FANTASTIC!!!! The park's second ever record of this continental 'Pied' Wagtail.

Spotted Flycatcher

8 Mute Swans, 7 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Tufted Duck and at least 33 Black-headed Gulls were on the Lake, a Cormorant fished in the Lake, and 6 Reed Warblers were singing from reedbeds along the Lake edge.