Walking down there in the pitch black helped me get there quickly, because I couldn't really see anything on the walk down. A few roosting Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon in the trees behind Top Valley and Rise Park, but that's about it... no owls to be seen or heard! I arrived at the Mill Lakes just as dawn was breaking; if there was a dawn chorus, I couldn't hear it for the noise the geese were making. I could barely see anything on the lake except silhouettes, which made for some interesting ID challenges, because I don't recall having ever seen wildfowl on the water in silhouette before. I did make out what I thought were several Greylag Goose and Canada Goose, though.
- probably a Snipe, but I couldn't be sure. The light had improved enough for me to see the three Shelduck more clearly so I got the camera out and filmed them as they were starting to move away. In fact, they were moving toward me, allowing: better views, sexing of two males and a female, and some reasonably close footage. All three headed right past the end of the Peninsula and towards the southern end of the lake.
Just beyond the bridge, on my way to the Leen Pastures, two Willow Tit were calling in the nearby trees and easily close enough to make out the pale wing panel - probably the best views I've had of them here. I opted for the route along the water's edge today, but it produced nothing but uprooted trees blocking the path. Coming out of the trees to the gate I met another birder that I'd not met previously. It turned out to be Norman's friend Ralph, whose local patch lists I'd seen on Surfbirds. He was restocking the feeding station and asked me to join him.
Whilst filling up the feeders, Ralph told me about what he'd seen around the area. He mentioned the owl boxes I'd recently seen from the Railway Line, and that Tawny Owl had bred in them over the past couple of years. Hopefully they'll do the same this year - I've yet to see one anywhere! He also showed me the second field, which held more water than the first. This field was apparently good for Snipe, and sure enough we flushed a couple. I caught sight of one flying off to the north, and Ralph had another less than a minute later. He also got a Green Woodpecker and single Cormorant flying over.
As we walked back to the lake discussing some of our notable sightings, Ralph pointed out a few Lesser Redpoll in the trees that overhang the path. He mentioned that he was meeting Norman and another birder Julie, who I'd not met before. Back at the lake, the Shelduck were long-gone, and Mud Island was looking pretty stark - not much cover for anything. We walked on to the Peninsula, seeing more Lesser Redpoll on the way. Julie arrived whilst we were on the Peninsula, and after introductions and a quick look around, Norman arrived as we walked back to the main path.
All the way down the eastern side of the lake produced small groups of Lesser Redpoll, with some very colourful males - possibly at the end of their moult. Another Cormorant was on the post by Tern Island and I spotted a Bullfinch at the top of the trees that mark the eastern edge of the site. In the middle of the Reedbed, a single male Reed Bunting was perched at the top of a small tree - my first for the year.
Leaving the Reedbed boardwalk, Julie spotted a Grey Wagtail (patch tick) under the bridge which flew off almost straight away. A few minutes later we relocated it in the reeds on the far bank showing well, but I'd mistakenly picked up another small bird hidden deeper in the cover of the reeds nearby. Ralph had it as a warbler and when it popped out to show itself, everyone agreed it was a Chiffchaff - two patch ticks within a minute! The dark eye stripe and pale super were clear, but the dark legs clinched it.
Chiffchaff [the greeny-yellow blob just left and below the centre!]
Before heading around the western side of the lake, two Grey Heron flew in from the SSE. The walk along the western side didn't produce anything of note, but the Heron nests were quite impressive to see, and it looked like there might have been an adult squatted down on one. Heading back up to the Leen Pastures produced another Willow Tit on the table of the feeding station, and I climbed the embankment to the Railway Line to see a Skylark descending on to the Golf Course. Walking back, Ralph left us at the bridge, and I left Julie and Norman at the main entrance to the Mill Lakes.
The next notable sightings weren't until I'd reached the feeding station by Alexandra Lodge where two Coal Tit were seen on the feeder, along with Blue Tit and Great Tit. I decided to stop at the rangers' office and enquire about the annual bird report that the others had been talking about. I was in luck, as Steve (the ranger who 's a birder and ringer that does the report) was in the office. He invited me in for a chat and I mentioned some of my sightings to him, which probably would have gone in the report had I known about it in time. Most notably:
- Peregrine at the Mill Lakes (no other records of Peregrine in 2006);
- Clouded Yellow (butterfly) at the Mill Lakes (not recorded at the Mill Lakes, at least in 2006);
- Weasel behind at the back of Bestwood Quarry (only a few records and they were elsewhere).
Heading back through Big Wood didn't produce anything of note - it was late on and busy with joggers and dog walkers. A quick look for gulls and Pied Wagtail in the school was unsuccessful, but a flock of about ten Black-headed Gull were over the wood. Before heading home I had a quick look on the Pit Tip, which produced a singing Skylark and a wonderfully well-lit female Green Woodpecker. A great morning with 42 species recorded, 3 patch ticks, 1 year tick and some great company.
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