A Walk in the Park

Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve, viewed from Twitchers Gate (6:30am - 7:45am)

Birds Recorded: Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, 4 Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, 1 Shelduck, Mallard, 2 pairs Gadwall, 1 drake Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 2 drake Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, 1 drake Pochard, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Pheasant, Moorhen, Coot, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 1 male Ruff (black), Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 5 Common Tern, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 2 Cuckoo (1m, 1f), 6 Swift, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Nightingale, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 1 Raven, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Reed Bunting.

Two families in one. These Greylag Geese have joined forces. There was also another family on the scrape.

There's a good reason for joining up the families. The Greylag Geese were a bit too close to the Mute Swan's nest and needless-to-say the cob took exception to this and chased the Greylags. However to save the goslings from being killed, one of the Greylag Geese parents, drew the cob away, by just being in front of it and heading off in the opposite direction. really clever and it worked. Eventually the goslings were safe at the other end of the pit and then having lured the Mute Swan away in the opposite direction, the decoy Greylag took off and rejoined them.

A male Reed Bunting sunning himself in the early morning sun.

CWP Pits 59, 68a-d, 74a, 82 (7:50am - 9:20am)

Birds Recorded were: Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, 1 Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Common Tern, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo, Sand Martin, Swallow, Dunnock, Nightingale, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, 7+ Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, 2 Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, Chaffinch, 2 Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, 1 Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.

Also: Red Admiral, Orange-tip (male and female), Green-veined White, 7-spot Ladybird, Alder Fly, Flesh Fly (Sarcophaga carnaria), Long-jawed Orb-weaver (Tetragnatha extensa), Dock Leaf Beetle, Cardinal Beetle and Common Blue Damselfly (immature male, male and female)

An unusual stance by this male Greenfinch. I thought he was looking at me, but there was something behind me that caught his attention, and he was just stretching to have a better look.

A grab shot, awful focus but a Cuckoo over CWP Pit 68d

A Common Whitethroat. You can see how he got his name!

The thing about getting up early and watching the birds is that they are all very vocal, as this Robin is demonstrating.

One of a dozen Garden Warblers I came across this morning and all singing. This one was just warming up..........

......and then it was a full blown song.........

One of the many Garden Warblers singing in the Water Park today.

Sadly in the hide at CWP Pit 68c at the southern end of the pit (the one that is subsiding), there was this dead Swallow. How got to be in there, I have no idea!

An immature male Common Blue damselfly...........

...........and the male.............

and the female

A Sawfly - Tenthredo mesomela. I think!

Flesh Fly, Sarcophaga carnaria

Possibly a Sawfly!!

Alder Fly

Long-jawed Orb-weaver, Tetragnatha extensa

Nettle Weevil, Phyllobius pomaceus

A possible Crane Fly, Tipula lateralis. Identified by the light line that runs down the back of the abdomen, which is unusual because most other British species have a dark line running down the abdomen.

Bramble Sawfly, Arge Cyanocrocea

Dock Leaf Beetle

Cardinal Beetle

7-spot Ladybird

Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve, viewed from Twitchers Gate(9:30 - 10:25am)

Birds Recorded in addition to my earlier visit: 2 Little Egret, 1 Oystercatcher, 4 Lapwing, 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (adult and 1st year) and Kingfisher.

One of two Little Egrets seen today

CWP Pit 95: 10:25 - 10:40

Only birds of note were 2 Red Kites.


Total of 73 Bird Species seen between 6:30am - 9:30am