Saturday 18 January 2014

Four year additions at Lake

A Friday off work enabled me to get an extra session in this week so I opted for a long walk around the patch of the Arrow Valley Lake and Park. Parking at Ipsley Church I headed down the lane and into the Rookery. 

It was a case of business as usual with a Greater Spotted Woodpecker, various Tits all on display and it was nice to find a Goldcrest in a different spot. I never get tired of these beauties. Sadly no Goosander on main Lake and the abundant Redwing from previous weeks were down to just two. They must have been looking for a new local food source. 

On the outer east patch I found three Bullfinches down by the stream and I wondered if there was any Snipe so I took an alternative route but no success. When reaching the west patch I found my first Siskin (7) for the year at the Lake behind the sailing club and there were also a flock of Goldfinch in good voice. The Great Crested Grebe were back to normal winter levels and one pair clearly think spring had arrived. 22 Cormorants were on the main island and fishing whilst a single Herring Gull was sat on the Sailing Club grass bank with the Black Headed Gulls.

Herring Gull, Bullfinch, Siskin and Goldfinch will go onto the patch list for this year, a very pleasurable  2 1/2 hour walk.

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