A Very Confusing Duck

Another walk through the woods and around the pool at Stanton Park today. There was certainly a difference in temperature from last Friday's Arctic blast. In fact it was that warm that a few Honey Bees were out at the apiary.

A few Honey Bees out in the warm sunshine

Other changes were an increase in Mallard numbers on the frozen pool, which is just starting to show signs of thawing out. Along with additional Mallards there was a very unusual duck which could be a cross between a Mallard x Muscovy, Aylesbury x Muscovy Duck, Chocolate Magpie x Muscovy, or a Chocolate Magpie x Mulard. A Mulard is a cross between a female Pekin and a male Muscovy. All very confusing. However to draw a line under this I'm going to go for Chocolate Magpie x Mulard. I could be wrong of course, but certainly open to alternatives! More on Mulards and Magpies Here. plus a good photo of a Chocolate Magpie Here.

I'm going for a Chocolate Magpie x Mulard

He's certainly got a good pink beak for a Muscovy hybrid

Also on the pool a lot of Black-headed Gulls and one or two Moorhen. A Water Rail called out from the main reed bed which I wasn't expecting and whilst all this was going on on the pool, overhead a Sparrowhawk went into a stoop whilst a Buzzard called out as it drifted over the fields to the north.

An adult winter Black-headed Gull

A mixture of 1st winter and adult Black-headed Gulls

Well away from the icy water, this Moorhen was on a branch in the pool on the right hand side of the main track up from the car park.

Overhead a snap shot of a Sparrowhawk in a dive...........

......whilst this Buzzard soared overhead, calling as he did so.

And I couldn't resist getting down and getting and getting a close-up of the Snowdrops now out.

Birds Recorded: 3 Mute Swan, Mallard, Chocolate Magpie x Mulard, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Pheasant, Water Rail, Moorhen, 80+ Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 20+ Redwing, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, Goldfinch.

Also Honey Bees out.

Little Egret v Perch

Well you couldn't ask for a better morning and with the sun out and boots on, it was off to Nythe Pool for my WeBS count. As soon as I arrived the first bird I could see was a Little Egret feeding in amongst the flattened reed bed. And by the looks of it he was doing very well, catching small fish with his dagger shaped bill. As I walked around to the opposite bank for a better view, he plunged his whole head under the water and came up with a decent sized Perch, which after a few turns was dispatched straight down his gullet. Then it was a quick wash and up into the tree for a bit of a sun bathe.

The Pool with a Little Egret fishing in the reed bed in the far distance.

Slowly and carefully the Little Egret moves into the reed bed...............

........something is spotted.......

.........and with lightening reactions its a quick dart under the water........

.........and the prize a decent sized Perch.......

...........which after a few turns........

..........is finally dispatched...........

..........and then its into the water.........

..............for a beak wash.............

.......before retiring to the trees for a rest in the sun.

Whilst he rested in the tree high up above, I carried on with my WeBS count, a Moorhen called to my left and came out of the reeds into the water and as it did so it's mate called to my right, where the pool flows out into the Dorcan Stream. So that was 1 Little Egret and a pair of Moorhen. A quick scan across the water and I picked out the drake Mallard. Unfortunately no female, which was very disappointing. On my last visit here (26 Jan) and there were 9 Mallard (the resident pair, plus 4 drakes & 3 ducks). I've got a feeling the resident female has eloped!

The lonely drake Mallard.

A Kingfisher called out from above the pool and I'm guessing saw me and headed back towards Shaftesbury Lake. Other birds of interest were singles of Goldcrest and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Three Collared Doves were calling from around the pool, and high up in the bare branches there were good numbers of Wood Pigeon.

Birds Recorded: 1 Little Egret, 1 drake Mallard, 2 Moorhen, 1 Black-headed Gull, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 12+ Wood Pigeon, 3 Collared Dove, 1 Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, several Dunnock, Robin, 6+ Blackbird, 1 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow and House Sparrow.

It Will Soon Be Spring!!

Dawn, David, Benji and I managed a half-hour walk around Stanton Park around midday, in what I can only say were bitter conditions. It might have read 4°C on the thermometer and sunny but with that chilling easterly it felt more like -4°C. It was freezing!!

So from the car park it was down to feeders along the main track were there was a Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Blackbird and a Dunnock. Just beyond this point you come to a crossroads and we went straight across down to the apiary. In the field on the left were several Redwing and Mistle Thrush, plus a pair of Carrion Crows. On the right and above us were a few Goldfinches chattering away in the conifers. At the apiary a Robin posed for a photo on the fence post.

A pair of Carrion Crows. 

One of many Mistle Thrushes present today. 

The Redwings were in good numbers here today.

A very friendly Robin by the Bee-hives

As we left the track and through the hedgerow we walked across to the pools which well frozen, a good 4cm at least. As Benji made his way around them a Meadow Pipit flew overhead and a Nuthatch called from the woods to our right.

David, Dawn and Benji by the pools

Benji's off as decides the frost is to cold for his paws

From the pools we headed towards the main lake which was well frozen apart from the edge along the dam that had been broken up by the resident Swans, their one remaining juvenile and a few Mallard. Despite the pool being frozen, there was a fair bit of water cascading down the waterfall. As we walked across the dam a Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the wood and overhead a mixed flock of Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls swirled around in the breeze.

By the dam, is one of the few places on the main not to be frozen, due mainly to the Swans and Mallards paddling up and down it.

One of the few Mallard attempting to walk on the ice. Fortunately Mallards have the ability to transfer warmth to their feet, so prevent them from sticking to the ice. If you want a really good explanation on how it works, then Ask a Naturalist has a pretty good page on it Here.
Just beyond the north bank of the pool, the trees and bushes actually cut out the wind and for once you could actually feel the warmth of the sun coming through. It certainly appealed to a pair of Robins, I say pair, where one went the other followed. They sat together on a bramble and seemed to be very content with each others company.

A pair of Robins! Seemed to be very content with each other, preferring to follow each other as opposed to chasing.

As we made our way back up the track the shelter of the bushes gave way to the bitter wind coming across the pool. Looking back towards the dam I could see 3 Moorhen and a few more Mallard, and that was that. Walking back to path there were a few Pied Wagtails, several Redwing and a few Fieldfare in the field between the path and Stanton House.

Looking back towards the dam, the pool frozen over.................

..............apart from section which had 3 Moorhen and a few Mallard.

One of a few Fieldfare feeding in the Sheep Field below Stanton House. 

A nice side profile

Close to the car park we came across a patch of Snowdrops in the shelter of the trees and another small patch coming up through the leaf litter.

Snowdrops............

Early signs that Spring will be here soon!!

Just a few comparison shots of the thrushes seen today, but from behind.

Mistle Thrush

Redwing

Fieldfare

All in a pleasant walk, but that wind was bitter!!!

Birds Recorded: 3 Mute Swan (2 adults and juvenile), 12 Mallard, 3 Moorhen, 3 Black-headed Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Wood Pigeon, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, 4 Robin, 3 Blackbird, 6 Fieldfare, 40+ Redwing, 5 Mistle Thrush, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 5 Great Tit, 6 Blue Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.