Another Boxing Day Wander!

Date: 26th December 2015 - Boxing Day

Location: Newton Park Lake Circular

Observation: After a wet Christmas day, we decided to go for a Boxing day wander as it seems to be every year on Boxing Day we get a new patch tick! 

2010 was Siskin, 

2012 our patch was flooded, 

2013 was Marsh Tit and 

2014 was a Fox! 

We started through Bath Mill, where there were plenty of Long-Tailed Tits, Goldcrest and more Jackdaws/Crows about. We also heard a Greater-Spotted  Woodpecker in the nearby trees but couldn't locate it. 

Onto the Dog Walk where we finally seen our Buzzard, haven't seen him about for a while and were getting concerned! There was also more Passerines and a Mistle Thrush in the woods on the Dog Walk. 

Looking down to Globe roundabout there were 50+ gulls these included Herring Gulls, Black-Headed Gulls and Lesser Black-Backed, we also thought we had a patch tick of 4 Greater Black-Backed Gull, but later looking on these it appears to be dark-morph Lesser Black-Backed Gull, so no new patch tick for us!

In the Village by Send-A-Cow there were a group of Redwing and Fieldfare high in the trees, along with a single Jay.

At the Lakes, we still couldn't locate the Little Owl, but there was a fly-past Kingfisher who perched the end of the Lake, who then flew up to Top Lake. 

The single Male Goosander was still on the Lake being mobbed by Gulls, whilst talking to Robert Hargreaves (another patch birder) another Male and Female Goosander just seemed to appear! This took the total back up to 3 (2 Male and 1 Female).

The Gulls seem to enjoy the Goosanders being present on the Lake and don't leave them alone! Also 7 Teal present.

There was nothing new of note on the return walk so will leave you with this.

Weather: Cloudy, Dry + Warm

Other Species: Buzzard, Goldcrest, Long-Tailed Tit, Greater-Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Wren, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Jay, House Sparrow, Redwing, Fieldfare, Goosander, Goldfinch, Teal, Chaffinch - Of Note

Thanks for the support during 2015, and best wishes for 2016!