Kestrel Family 2009

This morning I equalled my highest species count set back in May 2007, with 53 species being recorded. Starting at Dawson's Corner with a male Sparrowhawk hunting and a singing male Willow Warbler. At the Mill Lakes a Reed Warbler was seen near the Reedbed Boardwalk, and the Great Crested Grebe pair had a large streaky juvenile in tow. There were at least eight Gadwall, six Teal (including a juvenile near Mud Island), and a single female or juvenile Pochard near Long Island. Singles of Cormorant, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer were also welcome additions to the day list.

At Leen Pastures, a single dark morph Common Buzzard flew up from Golf Course Plantation, over the Railway Embankment, then headed SE over Leen Pastures in the direction of Bestwood Quarry. A single Herring Gull was heading south, whilst three Stock Dove were on the Golf Course. A Common Whitethroat was on the Railway Embankment, and a walk along it to the northern end produced a single Meadow Pipit, and later a family of Pied Wagtail feeding together on Golf Course.

Heading south back down the railway line, I located the resident Kestrel family, with the adult female first seen on the ground near a bunker, being joined by an adult male hunting around the Plantation. Both flew to the ground in the South Pasture to attend to at least two young that were calling from the grass. On the way back another Kestrel was hunting over Broad Valley Paddocks and a group of seven Tree Sparrow flew over from the direction of the Quarry. A great morning!

A Summer's Evening

Highlights from a summer's evening visit to the Mill Lakes were a female Mallard with eight newly-fledged young. Two Cormorant flushed and circled the lake before heading SSE. Three juvenile Grey Heron were stood together on Tern Island. On the way home a Kestrel was seen distantly over Bestwood Quarry, and a male Yellowhammer was in the hedgerow at Parkside Pasture.

Variety Morning

A decent morning started at Dawson's Corner with a juvenile Common Whitethroat with an adult, and two Sand Martin hawking insects over the Horse Paddock. At the Mill Lakes a male Ruddy Duck was near Willow Island, a Little Grebe was near Tern Island, an adult Great Crested Grebe still on the nest, and a juvenile Grey Heron was on the bank opposite the Dipping Pond Viewpoint. A mixed tit flock at Willow Pools held a family party of Willow Tit and a single Goldcrest. My first Grey Wagtail of the year flushed from the north end of lake when a dog entered the water. Many warblers have begun singing again.

Buttermothing

Nothing of particular note in this morning's quick walk around the Pit Tip Top. Butterflies and moths were the main attraction. There's an apparent increase in the number of Meadow Pipit pairs compared to recent years, though. My first ever Five-spot Burnet moths, Large Skipper and Ringlet butterflies were the highlights.

Cuckoo Twitch

After hearing about the Cuckoo seen on the Pit Tip the previous morning, it had to be worth a try, having had no other records this year. A couple of gulls were moving over the Pit Tip with two single Black-headed Gull moving low over to the west, and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull also over to the west. Walking over the main ride over the crown of the Pit Tip Top a relatively large bird flushed from the ride, and flew low over the grassland before disappearing to view towards the main Pit Tip Plantation. Despite the brief views, it was definitely a Cuckoo, and the orange/buff plumage I noted suggests it was a female or juvenile. Also of note was a single male Pheasant heard calling from the middle of the Pit Tip Grassland

Family Walk at Mill Lakes

A late morning walk with the family to the Mill Lakes on a very bright and arm morning produced plenty of opportunities for the kids to see some of this year's young. A family of Carrion Crow - an adult with four juveniles - were feeding on the Picnic Area as we arrived. At the end of the Peninsula, a group of Canada Goose had at least three yojng, and two adopted juvenile Greylag Goose with them. The Mute Swan family arrived to see if we had any food - the pair having three young. I counted at least seventy Canada Goose - impressive numbers. A single male Teal was by Mud Island, and an adult Great Crested Grebe was seen on the nest, as was a Coot. Other birds of note were a single Grey Heron in the trees on the opposite bank to the Dipping Ponds, a male Bullfinch, and the ever-present male Garden Warbler singing from its usual tree on Willow Island.

Batting by the Home Side

An evening walk to the Mill Lakes produced very little, as it was so late by the time I arrived. There had been a thunderstorm earlier in the evening, and good numbers of Common Swift were hawking insects over the lake. Little Owl was seen in the usual location, and no less than nine Mistle Thrush were feeding in Broad Valley's East Paddock and gathering on the overhead wires. Around the Miller's End area of the Pit Tip, three Pipistrelle bat were seen following a regular route alongside the edge of the woodland - predictable enough for the odd photo.