Icy Coate

What a difference a day makes. To think I was fishing at Stanton Park yesterday with just my t-shirt on and today it was on with the thermals. The car park wasn't as busy as I had expected for a Sunday and once up onto the dam wall, it was obvious why. It was bitter. The lake was covered in ice with just a few open spaces where the wildfowl had opened it up. I had no idea it had been that cold overnight.  The wildfowl were struggling to get through the ice to be fed by visitors to the park and in between that there were running battles between drake Mallards trying to impress the females.

Drake Mallards fighting

The Mute Swans were the same and with 14 swans packed into a small area, it was no surprise to see the more dominant cobs keeping juveniles and interlopers at bay. In amongst them all were the two Aylesbury Ducks and a single drake Pochard, trying to keep out of trouble.

A defiant Mute Swan

Drake Pochard

The Aylesbury's

Look at me

I'm not sure why, but walks around Coate Water always end up being anti-clockwise. So just like everybody else I followed the path around to the right, towards the pitch & putt and beyond.  All along the lake on my left there were dozens of Black-headed Gulls standing on the ice, with one or two larger gulls in amongst them. Unfortunately there were no Yellow-legged Gulls, but I did come across 3 Common Gulls. As I passed the island and mini harbour, it was off down the avenue, with the golf course on my right.  Once again a pair of Mistle Thrushes were on the greens, but there was no of the Redwings from last Friday. A song I've not heard for a long time caught my attention and on my left, on top of a small tree, was a male Bullfinch singing. Though not my recording you can hear what it sounded like here Male Bullfinch Singing. It was really good to hear one singing, the only odd thing is males have a bright red breast, but this male had one that was more of a washed-out pink. Possibly a juvenile male from last year. I'm not sure, but something I will look into.

Male Bullfinch with a washed-out pink breast

At the far end of the lake the path runs alongside Broome Manor Lane.  On the other side of the road the woods are still flooded from last year and by the looks of it, someone has been trying to release the water from there into Coate Water.  The bank to the left of the path has been cut away and rumour has it that pipes have been inserted underground to help the drainage. Time will tell.

The flooded woods opposite Coate Water

Along the path I placed a small handful of grain on a tree stump and within seconds a Robin was there feeding.  It doesn't take long for the birds to recognise a good feeding area.

Robin on one of the feeding stations along Broome Manor Lane

The return leg takes you away from Broome Manor Lane and up the east bank of Coate through the woods and up to the Reserve on your right.  By standing on the Reserve dam you can see a good way in to the Reserve. I did hope to see the Great White Egret but no luck today.  Instead I was rewarded with a redhead Goosander and a pair of Kingfishers.  Behind me on the main water the ice was still quite thick and there were several more Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls huddled together.  Behind them though there was a bit of open water and through the binoculars I could make out large numbers of Coot, several Great Crested Grebes, 3 more Goosanders (2 Redheads) and a drake Shoveler.

Herring Gull

3 Goosanders -1 drake (left) and 2 Redheads

Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Black-headed Gulls

and in the background a drake Shoveler

Further up the Lake and close to the main dam and car park a pair of Cormorants thought about coming into land and realising there was too much ice aborted their landing, circled and flew off south. By the time I'd got back to the diving platform, there were more larger gulls with a couple of pristine Lesser Black-backed Gulls parading on the ice.

All in a good walk, albeit a bit cold, but some interesting birds noted, though still no Treecreeper: The Species: Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Shoveler, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Aylesbury Duck, Goosander, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Kingfisher, Pied Wagtail, Starling, Magpies, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit, Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch and Siskin (Total of 45 Species Recorded)