Last year we were of course unable to hold a Spring Chorus event and so it was good to get back to it this year. Just three of us this year gathered on the causeway at half past eight for a walk around the lake.

The weather was perfect; bright sunshine, clear sky, not much of a breeze and not too chilly. However, the sun had largely disappeared by the time we finished and the temperature had dropped quite a bit. We saw or, in many cases, only heard most of the expected birds. There were good numbers of swallow and swift over Bury and Stocker’s Lakes but no house martins. We had only glimpses of most birds. They were really well buried in the foliage which was, in most cases, well developed. Cetti’s Warbler called from many points round the lake but as ever remained well hidden. Warblers, Reed, a few Sedge, Garden, Blackcap, Chiffchaff were heard at many spots. We were fortunate to have excellent views of a Whitethroat right at the start on the causeway; quite unusual. Otherwise Blackbirds, Wrens (in profusion), Robins (lots), Chaffinches and plenty of Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits were seen and serenaded us as we passed along.

We saw three Common Terns. However the tern raft by Tern Hide seems to have been taken over completely again by Black Headed Gulls, the odd Canada goose and a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. No raptors were seen this year apart from one Red Kite way above the tree line towards the motorway. There are numerous Grey Heron and a few Little Egret nests in the heronry and we used our wildlife cameras to have a close up view of them and their young. There are a lot of chicks in nests and in at least one they are not far off fledging. Cormorants are now nesting on the lake and have chicks. There were a couple of Pochard, a few Moorhen and small numbers of Tufted Duck, Coots, Canada and Greylag Geese (with young). Including the other common species like Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie and so on, we spotted and or heard about 41 species altogether (see list below).

An Orange Tip or two was the total butterfly count. All in all a good morning.

Full List of Birds Seen
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Mallard
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Moorhen
Common Coot
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Common Tern
Woodpigeon
Stock Dove
Feral Pigeon
Ring-Necked Parakeet
Wren
Robin
Sedge Warbler
Reed Warbler
Cetti’s Warbler
Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Jay
Common Magpie
Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Barn Swallow
Swift
Dunnock
Blackbird

Dick Beeden