A very short video today, because the camera continues to play up; I can't recharge one of the flat batteries, the other won't last very much longer, and the new camera doesn't arrive till Wednesday.
Bugger!
After topping up the feeders, I headed straight to the reeds, to catch sight of the calling Reed Warbler.
A shame the light wasn't better, but the sun soon began to make an appearance as I made my way round the north lake.
Some coloured marker buoys were stretched across the water; there was to be a Dragon Boat Race later. Much noise, crowds and distraction.
Thankfully I'll be away before all this happens.
I fed the pair of Mallards under the road bridge, and leaving them behind, I was soon at the reed bed up near the island, listening to the second Reed Warbler. No sign of him though.
A Cormorant was fishing in the sunlight though,
and a single Kingfisher sat in the trees on the island.
I made my way up to the top end of the lake, and found a Coot sitting on his nest.
A very grand affair. More like a tower block; impressively tall.
As I made my way along the path towards the weir, my mobile rang.
It was Trevor; he was under the road bridge on the other side of the lake.
We arranged to meet up at the road bridge, and continue round the south lake.
Very little else on the water, and as I began to make my way round the back of the pub, a Mute Swan flew by,
backlit by the sun.
Past the pub, and lots of activity as a group of people were setting up for the boat race.
I met Trevor, and we made our way towards the shrubs where I'd seen the Sedge Warbler yesterday.
No luck today though. We searched and strained our ears to no avail.
Even checking along the edge of the river; but nothing.
We carried on round the lake.
As we got the far end, we met Graham. A quick chat, and then we made our way to the bird pallets; and then on to where the Mute Swan had been nesting.
Graham showed us where he'd found one of the swans eggs; undamaged.
It's looking more like 'human' involvement in the destruction of the nest site.
As we got near the rowing club, there were plenty of boats out on the south lake.
Dragon Boats on the north, and rowing boats on the south.
Who'd be a water bird at the weekends?
As we passed the jetties, and made our way round by the houses, a small bird flew by, and landed back by the rowing club.
A Common Sandpiper.
He didn't stay there long though; too much activity going on, so he flew across to Cormorant island. As he settled, a couple more birds flew in, calling loudly.
Oystercatchers!
Not the usual two, but three.
They settled on the island, and began some display.
The display usually associated with a mating male, except there were two displaying, and one just seemed to be ignoring the whole thing.
Was this two males vying for the attention of a female?
Maybe........but certainly fascinating to watch.
Back by the car park area, we searched for the calling Reed Warbler, and took some pictures of one of the many Cuckooflowers growing there.
And a parting picture before we headed off, of a calling Chiffchaff.
An excellent morning; just a shame about all the boats.
Full list of today's sightings
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Greater Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Great Crested Grebe [sp] (Podiceps cristatus)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Grey Heron [sp] (Ardea cinerea)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk [sp] (Accipiter nisus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Common Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Eurasian Oystercatcher [sp] (Haematopus ostralegus)
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Tern [sp] (Sterna hirundo)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Common Kingfisher [sp] (Alcedo atthis)
Green Woodpecker [sp] (Picus viridis)
Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)
House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)
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)
Eurasian Reed Warbler [sp] (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
Blackcap [sp] (Sylvia atricapilla)
Common Chiffchaff [sp] (Phylloscopus collybita)
Willow Warbler [sp] (Phylloscopus trochilus)
British Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus rosaceus)
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 44