A Great Escape at Mill Lakes

This morning I got some shots of a male Reed Bunting as it sat singing from on the Pit Tip Top. A Meadow Pipit was also perched on a small tree on the Pit Tip Top. Heading down to the Cow Gates, a female Green Woodpecker was sat on one of the fence posts and flushed to another fence post in the middle of the Cow Field. As I walked along the Sustrans path to the Mill Lakes a Tawny Owl called twice from the Reedbed area well after sunrise. The Reedbed Boardwalk produced at least two Reed Warbler (one singing male), and my first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, which flew from the back of the Reedbed to a willow near the gate, showing well and calling several times.

Coming back out to the lake I met Norman, and we walked around the usual route. The Great Crested Grebe are nesting at a new location off Greylag Island, and now three Gadwall (2 males and a female) were at the north end of the lake. Highlight of the morning was my first ever Ring-necked Parakeet - too bad it was probably an escape. It flew low over the north end of the lake, calling two or three times and heading in the Hucknall direction. Coming back over by Board Valley Stables, the sun was shining gloriously and Norman picked up on two Common Buzzard soaring together over Moor Road, and drifting over towards the Quarry - a fantastic sight. To finish the morning off, a single Pied Wagtail was feeding in Broad Valley Stables' Horse Paddock, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was on the large birch at Calluna Clearing.