Two pairs of Kingfishers, and a dawn chorus.


The birds were in fine voice this morning. Singing bursting from every bush and tree top. And the sun shone.



 Dunnock


I spent a good hour watching and filming the birds around the car park area; so much activity going on. I think a seat and a flask wouldn't go amiss here, so much to see.

I eventually made my way up to where the Kingfishers are, and spent more time just watching the activity and antics of this pair. The added bonus of sunlight certainly helped the cropped pictures.






The Grey Heron was in his usual spot, by the footpath;




but that means he constantly gets disturbed by the passing people and dogs.




A group of Goosander were swimming up at the top end of the lake, and as I passed the weir, another pair of Kingfishers, sitting in a tree, at the edge of the lake.
One had a fish and was bashing it on the branch, before eating it.


At the pub, a few Starlings, a couple of Pied Wagtails, and a group of grazing geese.





On towards the south lake, and a couple of singing Chiffchaff kept me company till I reached the far end.
A pair of Little Grebe, swimming in the usual spot, and a pair of Mute Swans were just enjoying the sun.




Down past the rowing club, around the houses, and then a quick look over on Cormorant island I found the Great Black-backed Gull, the nesting pair of Mute Swans, and the Oystercatchers.

Back at the car park, calling Chiffchaff, and an elusive Blackcap.
But a fly past from a Mallard, against the blue sky.





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Full list of today's sightings


Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Greater Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Goosander (Mergus merganser merganser)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Common Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Eurasian Oystercatcher [sp] (Haematopus ostralegus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Common Kingfisher [sp] (Alcedo atthis)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
British Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes indigenus)
British Dunnock (Prunella modularis occidentalis)
British Robin (Erithacus rubecula melophilus)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
British Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos clarkei)
Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
Common Chiffchaff [sp] (Phylloscopus collybita)
British Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus obscurus)
British Great Tit (Parus major newtoni)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Rook [sp] (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus)
British Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs gengleri)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)
European Goldfinch [sp] (Carduelis carduelis)
Reed Bunting [sp] (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Total species  38


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Last post for now, until I get back from Wales.