WORTH PARK FRIENDS
© Worth Park Friends 2022
Our member Tom Howard-Jones wrote:
Monday 3rd May 2021 - 06:00 to 07:30 The Bank Holiday morning was sunny and windless if a little chilly at such an early time. Ideal conditions for hearing the dawn chorus. On our own we were keeping alive the tradition of a dawn chorus walk in early May. We hope it may be run again next year with participants and an expert guide. The Blackbirds and Robins were very loud. But the song that was always present was that of the Wrens . For such a small bird they produce an impressive loud song. They were unusually visible too. We even saw a pair carrying nesting material. There was a singing male Blackcap in the formal gardens and another by the lake. Many of the geese were grazing across the lawns before the dogs and walkers arrived. The pair of Great Crested Grebes were displaying. But their nest was occupied by a Coot. There were at least two families of Coots with young of different ages. One family came from the large nest next to the island at the southern end of the lake. We only saw one Mallard duckling. We hope the many others are still surviving. A group of 10 Canada goslings were foraging under the protection of two adults. Unusually the House Sparrows were visible and confiding. We saw Chaffinches , Greenfinches , Nuthatches and a Long-tailed Tit . As we were leaving a Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming and a Song Thrush was on a roof. The Primroses and Bluebells were coming out with the rising sun. A full list of birds seen is given in the Bird Table .
photo: Nuthatch by Ingrid Payne