30 December 2017

Ending On A High...

Date: 30th December - Last Blog of 2017!
Location: Newton Park Lakes
Weather: Cloudy, Windy, Light Rain Showers

Species Highlights: 3 Hawfinch, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Raven, 100+ Linnet, 3 Yellowhammer, 1 Treecreeper

Full Species Count: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Long-Tailed Tit, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Magpie, House Sparrow, Crow, Jackdaw, Pheasant,  Rook, Skylark,Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Teal, Grey Heron, Cormorant,  Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Meadow Pipit, Starling

Observation: 

Despite the weather, we headed out to do the last walk of 2017. First highlight of the walk wasn't until Seven Acre Woods where 2 Roe Deer were trying to shelter from the wind.

A smaller flock from previous counts but still 100+ Linnet counted and 7 Skylark.

At 'Globe Fields Lookout', there was plenty to watch as the lower fields were partly flooded, 
with counts of  15+ Lesser Black-Backed Gull, 10 Common Gull, 30+ Black-Headed Gull and 5 Herring Gull present along with 8 Grey Heron's on the banks along the River Avon.


A lower count of Yellowhammer today with only 3 seen, but still present in the same place.

The usual counts through the Village.
Onto the Lakes, Bottom Lake had no Mallard, 1 Moorhen and a single Grey Heron were present.

Billy (our Mute Swan) was also present and flew over to us for some seed, haven't seen him fly before, so glad to see he is okay.



Top Lake produced a good count of a few species including:

1 Goosander (Flew over the Lake twice, but didn't land)
60 Mallard (A record for the Lakes!)
3 Mute Swan (4 including Billy)
39 Teal
3 Black-Headed Gull
6 Moorhen
1 Kingfisher
2 Grey Heron
1 Coromorant
1 Little Grebe
1 Grey Wagtail



Walking up the hill towards The Keep (Old Castle), watching a Treecreeper and 2 Nuthatch feeding, we heard a Hawfinch call, so searched the nearby tree's and we both focused on a Female Hawfinch before it flew off with a further 2 Hawfinch, we walked back around the Lake to where we thought they landed, but couldn't re-locate, so happy to see they are still present after 4 days! No pictures today, but hope they stick around for 2018!


Around to the Yew Tree's, a single Greenfinch was the highlight with a further 10+Goldfinch.

Back along the Drive, some Rook and Crow's were present and didn't fly, so managed some pictures of them! Also 6 Starling perched in the tree.



Back into the Village, House Sparrow in the normal spots, also a female Kestrel took off by the Farm Shop and flew around into Horse Fields.


Approaching the Horse Fields, a large group of birds took off from the Fields we think a mixed group of Redwing, Fieldfare and Meadow Pipit, as seen small numbers land in the nearby tree's, managed a picture but it didn't help ID, due to a poor setting!


The Kestrel took off again and flew towards the large group and circled. A single Stock Dove also flew over.

As we arrived home, re-filling our feeders, a Male Sparrowhawk flew over the house and circled for a few minutes before chasing some Gulls off.

A belated mention, we also had a Female Sparrowhawk which landed in the feeder tree trying to catch some dinner!

Today's Sparrowhawk took the final count of 2017 to our record of 53!

We wish all our readers a Happy New Year, and a thank-you for the returning views, comments and favourites.

Fingers Crossed for another record year on the patch!

Thanks For Looking! 
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