Sunny Days Again

With an opportunity to stretch the legs, it was back off to Stanton Park for another walk around the Pool. The route was the same as our last walk, though we did attempt to walk across the meadow behind the beehives, unfortunately just beyond the field the path crosses a very muddy track. So it was a case of doubling back across the meadow and continue our walk like last time.

Our walk again. We did attempt to try a slightly different route, however it was deemed to be a bit to muddy for the footwear we were wearing. The muddy patch was where the letter "n" of Ponds was on the map above. (Map courtesy of Google Earth)

Just as you leave the car park and past the gate to the main track there is a dead tree on your left with a Bracket known as the Chicken-of-the-Woods or Sulphur Polyporeon, on one side and a nest box on the front. Above it though there was a very large Hornet investigating the box, crevices and other holes!

Not the best of shots of this Hornet, but it was the only one I got before it disappeared into the wood.

Further on and the sun was out over the pools on both sides of the track. Though there was no sign of the terrapin in the left-hand pool, the one on the right was just dragging himself out onto his favourite log. Also on the pool were 3 Moorhen chicks chasing after mum and dad for food.

The Yellow-bellied Terrapin drags himself out onto his favourite log, just as the sun came out.

Now mum was here a second ago............

.........I can see a bit of her tail......

..........there she is.

What no food this time, where's dad!

As we left the pools and headed up towards the "X-roads" a Cuckoo called from way up ahead. Too far away to locate it, but always nice to hear. The rest of the walk towards the Beehives was really pleasant in the sun and on either side of us, were the bird songs of Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming in the depths of the wood and we could also hear the mewing of a Buzzard as it circled way overhead.

At the Beehives, yet again not too many bees about despite the warmer and sunnier conditions today. Really strange! We carried on through the gap in the hedge and decided to walk through the meadow to our right. However finding the track almost impassable further on due to mud, we doubled back and at the gap carried on past the Dragonfly Ponds.

Today, unlike our last walk, there were several Broad-bodied Chasers "buzzing" about the pools. They are so quick.

A female Broad-bodied Chaser

A male Broad-bodied Chaser

From the pools we headed of towards the pool and around towards Stanton House Hotel. Once again the Cuckoo called, but still no sight of him. On the water there was no sign of the Mute Swans and their family. Most likely they had hauled themselves onto one of the fisherman's swims and were having a sleep. Also on the water at the opposite end to the dam, there was a single Lesser Black-backed Gull trying desperately to grab onto what looked like a carcass of a dead Bream. Unfortunately it was so submerged it was difficult to see what fish species it was. The gull wasn't bothered what it was and even after I left a few minutes later it was still having a go.

This Lesser Black-backed Gull is desperate to get hold of this fish carcass.

It was getting quite upset at not being able to get the better of it.

And even brought a tear to its eye!

Other highlights were a Yellow Wagtail heard calling just north of the beehives and a large family of Long-tailed Tits moving through the woods

Birds Recorded: 1 Mute Swan, Mallard, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

Also recorded: Yellow-bellied Terrapin, Hornet, Broad-bodied Chasers and Orange-tip.

Perfect Timing

A quick walk around the pool at Stanton Park was timed to perfection. We arrived as it finished raining and as we returned to the car, half-an-hour later, so another shower was starting up.

Our walk took us up the Main Drive from the car park, over the "x-roads" and down to the beehives, following the line of conifers to our right. From the hives it was through the gap in the hedge, a right turn with the dragonfly ponds on our left and then once back on the footpath it was left towards the pool. Unfortunately the dam path is still not open due to what looks like subsidence, so we followed the path down below the waterfall and around towards Stanton House Hotel, before making our way back to the car park.

Our route around the lake.

(Map courtesy of Google Earth)

As we left the car park and headed up the main drive, I had a quick look in the stream and there were still dozens of Sticklebacks, which I'd seen on my previous walk here. I'm still non the wiser as to whether they are three-spined or nine-spined Stickleback (AKA ten-spined).

Note:
In the UK there are three recognised species: the three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus and the nine-spined stickleback Pungitius pungitius can be found in freshwater, saltwater or brackish waters, whereas the fifteen-spined stickleback Spinachia spinachia is purely marine More Here

Further up the Main Drive and another quick look in the pools either side revealed only a Moorhen and a drake Mallard. There were no signs of either of the Terrapins. Too cold probably!

From the pools it was over the "X-Roads" and down to beehives that were also very quiet. Normally there would hundreds of bees about but there very few out. All that was about were a couple of Greenfinches wheezing away in the fruit trees.

Greenfinch

Even the dragonfly pools were quiet and though the sun came out, nothing was stirring! We made our way down to the dam, only to find that it is still closed off to the public, so it was down the dip in front of the waterfall and then back up the other side. Along here there were a couple of nest boxes with at least one with Blue Tit chicks chirping away inside.

Just beyond the dam we followed the path around towards Stanton House and on our left in the tall grasses there were several Jackdaws. Not sure what they were doing in there, but they seemed to be quite busy. Further around in sheep field below Stanton House there were half-a-dozen more, collecting food. It was at this point a Cuckoo called from across the lake, unfortunately it was heard and not seen.

One of several Jackdaws in the tall grasses

And this one was in the sheep field below Stanton House

Before we got back to the car park the resident Mute Swans were at the top end of the lake with 6 newly hatched cygnets. Strangely enough there was also one of lasts years juveniles by the feeding area. By the size and appearance I would say it is a pen and her father is being very tolerant in letting her stay on the pool. Whilst I was watching the cygnets bobbing about a Sedge Warbler called out in the reedbed next to them.

The 6 new additions to the resident pair of Mute Swans

Last years juvenile by the feeding station

Birds recorded: Mute Swan, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo, 5 Swift, 2 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Marsh Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

Blue Skies Over Aldbourne

Visited family in Aldbourne this afternoon and sat out in the garden in the warm sun. With Don's house being on the hill on Oxford Street you can see all the way back towards Swindon affording great views of any raptors about.

We weren't disappointed with 2 Red Kites and 2 Buzzards passing overhead at altitude. Normally you can see the Kites low over the house but these and the Buzzards were a good 1000ft up. Other high fliers were 12 Swifts which were in a type group, and almost certainly courting/mating. Below them were a dozen or so Swallows and House Martins.

Red Kite

Swift

Dunnock

Male Blackbird

Birds Recorded: 1 Mallard in flight, 2 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 12 Swift, 6 House Martin, 5 Swallow, 2 Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Blackcap, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch.

I nearly forgot, yesterday one of the resident Carrion Crows took exception to a Wood Pigeon in the garden and chased it straight into the kitchen window. Fortunately Woody wasn't hurt, but he certainly left an impression on the window with the dust that came off his feathers on impact.

An impression of a Wood Pigeon.

Birds hitting windows is a very common occurrence and perhaps I need to invest in some hawk silhouettes which can help in normal situations. More Here on this Topic