26th OCTOBER 2006.
AFTERNOON DASH
I decided to go to the Centre straight from work today. Late-night opening has finished until next year and to get around even part of the site means that you have to get there as soon as is possible. I finished work a little early as I had some time owing and so made god my escape as soon as was possible.
The weather was lovely, sunny and warm. A bus came almost immediately and so I was at the Centre before three o’clock. I had decided, on the way, to go straight to the Observatory and then to the ‘Peacock Tower’ taking in the other hides and feeder station on the way. A kestrel was hovering over the Centre as I arrived and I hoped that this might bode well for the rest of the afternoon.
The Observatory was full of ‘little darlings’ and, although I was able to see many birds out on the water, I did not stay long because of the noise.
Walking through the ‘Waterlife’ area was quite pleasant. Although there were still many ‘little darlings’ about they seemed to be of the much quieter variety. There were many different types of small birds around me and most seemed intent on singing. Not the very vocal, intricate, songs of the springtime but very pleasing none the less! I was surprised to find the feeder station very busy with a good mixture of Tits and Finches in attendance.
I had a terrific experience whilst walking around the ‘Lagoon’. As I reached the first bench as you walk towards the ‘Wader scrape’ hide I was surprised by a sudden eruption of sound and movement from the bushes on my immediate right. I stood stock still and was rewarded with about ten minutes of the most perfect view of Long Tailed Tits carousing along the periphery of the bushes. They were joined by several other Tits of different types and seemed committed to having a ball! It was such a lovely afternoon that I wondered if they might be celebrating the unseasonable warmth. I hoped that nobody would come along and break the spell and was transfixed until the flock had moved away out of sight.
The ‘Wader Scrape’ hide was fairly full (as was the Scrape itself) and, not being able to see much, I moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’.
From the ‘Tower’ I was able to see good sized flocks of Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall. The Wigeon numbers would soon be swelling to their usual numbers as the migration (when it gets fully underway) continues. A Sparrowhawk made a ‘pass’ at a small group of Teal but had no luck. The birds were already scattering as he arrived.
I called in to the WWF hide on the way back and as I walked in a chap who I recognized as a regular pointed out a Yellow Legged Gull among all of the Black Headed Gulls. Both Leon and myself are not too well up on Gulls and are both looking forward to the ‘Identifying Gulls’ talk/walk in early December. Thinking of Leon, I remembered that I was supposed to meet him at the WWT shop as he was popping in to get some seed and stuff for his ‘hungry little friends’!
I went back to the Centre in time to meet Leon just coming to meet me! He had made his purchases and so we went to the ‘office’ for a few quick halves ‘because the buses would be full’. I had quite a bit to tell him, especially about the Long Tailed Tits.
BIRDS SEEN: Kestrel, Coot, Moorhen, Ring Necked Parakeet, Shoveller, Mallard, Wood Pigeon, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Pochard, Heron, Ruddy Duck, Starling, Lapwing, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Robin, Greenfinch, Magpie, Long Tailed Tit, Blackbird, Teal, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Common Snipe, Herring Gull, Sparrowhawk, Yellow Legged Gull, Pied Wagtail, Greylag Goose.
AFTERNOON DASH
I decided to go to the Centre straight from work today. Late-night opening has finished until next year and to get around even part of the site means that you have to get there as soon as is possible. I finished work a little early as I had some time owing and so made god my escape as soon as was possible.
The weather was lovely, sunny and warm. A bus came almost immediately and so I was at the Centre before three o’clock. I had decided, on the way, to go straight to the Observatory and then to the ‘Peacock Tower’ taking in the other hides and feeder station on the way. A kestrel was hovering over the Centre as I arrived and I hoped that this might bode well for the rest of the afternoon.
The Observatory was full of ‘little darlings’ and, although I was able to see many birds out on the water, I did not stay long because of the noise.
Walking through the ‘Waterlife’ area was quite pleasant. Although there were still many ‘little darlings’ about they seemed to be of the much quieter variety. There were many different types of small birds around me and most seemed intent on singing. Not the very vocal, intricate, songs of the springtime but very pleasing none the less! I was surprised to find the feeder station very busy with a good mixture of Tits and Finches in attendance.
I had a terrific experience whilst walking around the ‘Lagoon’. As I reached the first bench as you walk towards the ‘Wader scrape’ hide I was surprised by a sudden eruption of sound and movement from the bushes on my immediate right. I stood stock still and was rewarded with about ten minutes of the most perfect view of Long Tailed Tits carousing along the periphery of the bushes. They were joined by several other Tits of different types and seemed committed to having a ball! It was such a lovely afternoon that I wondered if they might be celebrating the unseasonable warmth. I hoped that nobody would come along and break the spell and was transfixed until the flock had moved away out of sight.
The ‘Wader Scrape’ hide was fairly full (as was the Scrape itself) and, not being able to see much, I moved on to the ‘Peacock Tower’.
From the ‘Tower’ I was able to see good sized flocks of Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall. The Wigeon numbers would soon be swelling to their usual numbers as the migration (when it gets fully underway) continues. A Sparrowhawk made a ‘pass’ at a small group of Teal but had no luck. The birds were already scattering as he arrived.
I called in to the WWF hide on the way back and as I walked in a chap who I recognized as a regular pointed out a Yellow Legged Gull among all of the Black Headed Gulls. Both Leon and myself are not too well up on Gulls and are both looking forward to the ‘Identifying Gulls’ talk/walk in early December. Thinking of Leon, I remembered that I was supposed to meet him at the WWT shop as he was popping in to get some seed and stuff for his ‘hungry little friends’!
I went back to the Centre in time to meet Leon just coming to meet me! He had made his purchases and so we went to the ‘office’ for a few quick halves ‘because the buses would be full’. I had quite a bit to tell him, especially about the Long Tailed Tits.
BIRDS SEEN: Kestrel, Coot, Moorhen, Ring Necked Parakeet, Shoveller, Mallard, Wood Pigeon, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Pochard, Heron, Ruddy Duck, Starling, Lapwing, Wren, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Robin, Greenfinch, Magpie, Long Tailed Tit, Blackbird, Teal, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Common Snipe, Herring Gull, Sparrowhawk, Yellow Legged Gull, Pied Wagtail, Greylag Goose.
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