Well on a very busy Monday we took an hour out and went to the park, and what a brilliant hour we had. The weather wasn't too grim as it has been, so I hoped for some decent photo opportunities, if there was anything about, forgetting that the walk along the river is in the wood, so not a lot of light!
We entered the park, by the pool to see if there was anything interesting, we have seen Kingfisher and Goosander here in the past, but not today! Just Mallard, Black-headed Gull and a couple of Coot, strangely we didn't see any Moorhens.
From here we left the park and went into the small reserve, there were as you would expect the usual woodland birds, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Robin and Dunnock. But as we walked on we came across a couple of Treecreepers being 'frisky' one finally calming down to do some hunting:
This was followed by some Long-tail Tits right over our heads, so making for a poor photo,
Next up were two or three Goldcrests, trying to take a photo was nigh on impossible, they just wouldn't, as they don't, keep still! This is the best I could do,
Immediately after this we claimed our first Nuthatch of the year.
We now had to turn back as time was short, lots to do. On the way back we saw the Treecreeper and Goldcrests again, then finally finishing up with a Chaffinch and a Bullfinch that allowed me one shot before departing,
We saw 19 species in an hour and had a great time, so we will definitely be visiting much more often.
I walk through the Corngreaves Nature Reserve (river path) every morning & evening to & from work and particularly enjoy the sound of the Green Woodpecker as it laughs it's morning greeting at me. I've spotted it a few times, feeding off ants and the like on the ground as they do. This last week I have heard a Greater Spotted Woodpecker each morning tap-tapping on a tree - it's a wonderful sound. I've not seen it yet though, so I guess there's a chance it could be a Lesser Spotted.
ReplyDeleteLast night, I disturbed some kind of creature, but it was too dark to see it. I suspect maybe an otter or a mink. Whatever it was, dived off the river bank, as I approached, and entered the water never to be seen it again. The sound it made as it hit the water, reminded me of the noise a trout or salmon makes, when feeding off flies on a barmy summer evening. This creature definitely started on the river bank though, so I have ruled out a fish!!!! Last year I saw a Kingfisher darting up the river, and pray for a repeat viewing. I often see the Grey Heron too, and it's quite a Jurassic experience watching it take off and awkwardly & laboriously work it's way up through the tree canopies.
Carl Booth
Brilliant
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