contentednest: Coot

And I don't mean the weather.

As I stood gazing through the bins this morning, at the other side of the lake, I heard an almighty splash! Too big for a diving duck.

I put the bins down, and stared at the ripples in the water.

About twenty feet away, a head broke the surface of the water, and we both stared at each other for what seemed like an age; but the reality was just a second. Then the head dived. The brief second we stared at each other, was enough to recognise the 'head', as that of an Otter.

He resurfaced further out in the lake another half a dozen times in the hour I stood waiting for a picture. No picture, but a moment embedded in my mind.

The first time I've ever seen an Otter in the lake.

I eventually made my way round the north lake, and found the second Reed Warbler calling from the reeds past the bandstand. He's a difficult one to spot though.

A couple of Mallards seem to have taken a liking to sitting on the roofs of the houses.

Must be a great view from up there.

A male Mute Swan was taking great delight in chasing away any young swan that dared to be in his line of sight. And very pleased with himself he looked, too.

Up by the pub, I could only find one Oystercatcher on the grass;

along with a group of Mallards and geese.

As I started walking the south lake, I could hear the sound of a Sedge Warbler, coming from some brambles.

He only gave me a quick glimpse though, before he dived for cover.

At the far end of the lake, the usual Warblers were warbling away, and a male Blackcap gave me some good views as he turned up at a bramble bush with some nesting material.

He later posed in some branches while he had a preening session.

By the bird pallets, four young Coots were swimming around, and being fed by mum and dad;

and six Tufted Duck were cruising the waters too.

Eventually, back at the car park, a quick look for the Reed Warbler, in the hope of getting a picture in the sunlight, a fly over by a Mute Swan,

and in front of the pub, some Mallards hurriedly making their way to a group of people dishing out some bread.

A great morning.

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)

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)

Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)

Common Tern [sp] (Sterna hirundo)

Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)

Common Kingfisher [sp] (Alcedo atthis)

British Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major anglicus)

Sand Martin [sp] (Riparia riparia)

Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)

House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)

British Dunnock (Prunella modularis occidentalis)

British Robin (Erithacus rubecula melophilus)

Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)

British Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos clarkei)

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus)

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)

British Jay (Garrulus glandarius rufitergum)

Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)

Rook [sp] (Corvus frugilegus)

Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)

Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)

British Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs gengleri)

Reed Bunting [sp] (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Total species 39

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.