A Canal Walk

With the weather so good at the moment, it seemed daft not to go back to Mouldon Hill Country Park and walk along the canal again. All I can say is what a difference a few days can make. On Sunday morning there were plenty of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs singing, plus 2 Sedge Warblers and a few Willow Warblers, but today these had been joined by 4 Common Whitethroats and 3 more Sedge Warblers. There was still no sign of any Grasshopper Warblers, but at the Lake I at least confirmed that the warbler I'd seen in the reed bed was indeed a Reed Warbler. In fact not one but two birds.

The start of my walk at the bottom of Thamesdown Drive

Much of the canal is overgrown

 

A common Buzzard soaring above me

One of Sedge Warblers now present

New additions were 4 Common Whitethroats

Other highlights were Commas, Peacocks, Orange Tips, Speckled Woods and Green-veined Whites. In the bushes close to the canal I spooked a Muntjac Deer that disappeared very quickly across the field. And hooray my first Swallow of the year over the lake. It stayed for about 2 minutes and headed north.

A Comma

Comma! So called because of the comma on its underwing

A Speckled Wood soaks up the sun

As was a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly

Now there is a Story attached to this picture See Here

A very confiding male Blackcap by Mouldon Lake

Great Horsetail

Great Horsetail

Birds Recorded: 2 Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, 1 Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker heard, 1 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Reed Warbler, 5 Sedge Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 28+ Blackcap including 3 pairs, 21+ Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Bullfinch.

Butterflies Recorded: Commas, Peacocks, Orange Tips, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Woods and Green-veined White.

More Photos Here