Stoatally Different

Getting to the Mill Lakes before first light produced a personal highest count of three Little Grebe together at the very north end of lake where Leen enters. Also on the water were twelve Teal (ten were males), two female Pochard at the southern end, and two Cormorant were over as singles, then together on Tern Island in the late morning. A single Fieldfare was over to the west.

Just one day short of a year since my weasel sighting, I came across my first Stoat. Walking from the Mill Lakes to the Leen Pastures where the inlet pipe runs under the path, a rabbit was running straight down the path towards me being chased by what I first thought was a squirrel. As they got nearer it became obvious that it was either a stoat or a weasel, and the size and black tail tip confirmed the former.

Three Bullfinch were at the Leen Pastures gate, at least two were males. A single Grey Heron went over heading south. Along the Railway Line a single Goldcrest was in a large group of Long-tailed Tit and gave me some half-decent footage. Several large gulls went over to the west as I headed back towards the lake including an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Great Black-backed Gull (probably 2nd winter).

Another male Bullfinch was on the back ride, and yet another one was on the Reedbed Boardwalk. The Black-headed Gull count was relatively low at around 35, but five Common Snipe had appeared on the far bank clearing by Mud Island, and another one on the southern side of Mud Island. Interestingly, there were no geese on the lake at all.

The walk home via the Horse Paddock of Broad Valley Stables produced another group of four Pied Wagtail, this time three adults and one 1st winter. A Sparrowhawk was over Parkside Pasture, and a Coal Tit was in Khalsa Wood.