Only six of us turned up for the latest U3A birder walk today, in the Cotswold Water Park. Unsurprising, I suppose, seeing as the forecast was for heavy rain during the afternoon. However, having had to miss many of the recent trips for various reasons, I felt I should make the effort to go, come rain or shine!
In the event, after some rain during the drive over, it was mainly overcast but with only a few spots of rain now and again and we had an enjoyable afternoon's birding.
The area was very wet and it became very apparent why a boardwalk had been constructed as we walked from the Neigh bridge car park towards lake 56. We were glad we had been advised to wear wellies as several footpaths were flooded too. After spotting three goosanders as well as the usual tufted ducks and mallards on the water, we soon accumulated a good number of woodland species including spending several minutes observing a greater spotted woodpecker as it hammered into a tree trunk searching for food.
The area was very wet and it became very apparent why a boardwalk had been constructed as we walked from the Neigh bridge car park towards lake 56. We were glad we had been advised to wear wellies as several footpaths were flooded too. After spotting three goosanders as well as the usual tufted ducks and mallards on the water, we soon accumulated a good number of woodland species including spending several minutes observing a greater spotted woodpecker as it hammered into a tree trunk searching for food.
We retraced our steps and then crossed the road to head toward lakes 44 and 57. Earlier in the year I had seen the yellowed browed warbler here but today we had some close up views of goldcrests instead. These tiny little birds seemed happy to flit amongst the branches within a few metres of us. Plenty of fieldfares and redwings were flying around, and diving into hedges and trees from time to time and we later spotted a green woodpecker with its characteristic flight. On lake 44 we were treated to some views of more goosanders and some red crested pochards and found a heron on lake 57, but sadly not the expected egrets. However, I had decided to leave my camera behind, in case it had turned very wet, and in any case the light was mainly on the poor side. Our usual aim is to see at least the number of species as members on the walk, and as we returned to our cars as the light began to fade, a quick tally showed we succeeded five times over today!
Birds seen included:
house sparrow, dunnock, robin, blue tit, great tit, long tailed tit, goldfinch, goldcrest, redwing, fieldfare, blackbird, green woodpecker, greater spotted woodpecker, mute swan, mallard, tufted duck, goosander, coot, moorhen, heron, red crested pochard, black headed gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, great crested grebe, wigeon, cormorant, kestrel, buzzard, magpie, woodpigeon.
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