Thursday 16th February

Half term and the sunny weather (although cold) brought out the families and therefore the birds up the top end of the park were keeping themselves to themselves.

Just on the edge of the park saw a flock of Long Tailed Tits chasing each other as they do from tree to tree being watched, and probably voacally being moved on by a couple of Great Tits.

The main path through the park only held Starlings in their usual trees near the Newton Road end and the usual scattered BHG's and Crows on the football fields. Down the path on the Newton Road side I spotted a Nuthatch and Goldfinches in the back gardens before I stopped and sat on the bench where I observed quite a gathering of birds at the top of the path through the woodland walk.  There were 2 x Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Chaffinches, a Blackbird and a Song Thrush.

Through the woods themselves I paused to watch a Great Spotted Woodpecker and Robin singing away before carrying on to the ponds.  The usual suspects were on the water with a suprising count of 6 x male Shoveler and 1 x female Shoveler along with 3 x pairs of Gadwall.

Near the back of the houses on the Grove Vale estate I saw a pair of Mistle Thrushes again (could these have been the ones I saw earlier), Redwing, Blackbirds and another flock of Long Tailed Tits were also seen.