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Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Coate Sunrise

Another early morning walk, this time at Coate Water (5:05am - 6:30am).

Highlights were a pair of Common Terns on the main lake, both a female Mandarin and Kingfisher on the reserve, dozens of Yellow Slugs with several on tree trunks and a Grey Squirrel helping himself to a Banana skin he retrieved from the bin by the swimming pool.

Here are a few images from this morning:

Sunrise over Coate as seen from Broome Manor Lane

Looking back towards Broome Manor Lane

From the main dam 250+ Canada Geese make their way onto the water.

From Paddy Copse hide looking across the reed beds. Just behind the fence........

............a female Mandarin.

Back on the main lake a Greylag Goose with her offspring

A lone Great Crested. 

On the overflow a Pied Wagtail feeds its youngster.......

........whilst this juvenile Grey Wagtail is old enough to feed itself.

One of many Swift feeding over the lake.

A pair of Common Terns sat with a Black-headed Gull on the island.

The ever opportunist, a Grey Squirrel finds a Banana skin in the bins by the children's swimming pool area..........
........now this is what they normally eat a freshly gnawed fir cone.

A Yellow Slug seen............

..........high up this Beech Tree. And it wasn't alone with several others up there as well.

A Dance Fly takes a break. This fly is a real predator, catching and eating smaller insects.

Birds Recorded: Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, 40+ Mute Swan, 4 Greylag Geese, 250+ Canada Goose, 1 female Mandarin, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, 15+ Swift, 1 Kingfisher, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Garden Warbler, 9 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Treecreeper, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Bullfinch.

Also: 1 Grey Squirrel, 12+ Rabbits, Dance Flies, Common Nettle-tap moth and several Yellow Slugs (Limax flavus).