I also used the opportunity to try and undertake a wildfowl count but this proved difficult with the vegetation being so thick! However, I can report that there were 2 Mute Swans; at least 27 adult Mallard and 23 duckling; 24 Tufted Duck all but 4 being males which suggests that the females are sitting on eggs; at least 10 Moorhen plus 1 juvenile and 8 Coot plus 5 juveniles - a photo of one follows....................
The weirdest sight of the day was an adult Moorhen using one of the 'fox/gull/crow' proof litter bins to help itself to what appeared to be left-over banana!
Today I paid my first visit since mid-May to Dawsholm Park. The Highland cows have been temporarily removed from the Park to allow the grasslands to regenerate and they certainly were extremely colourful.....................................................................
They also attracted loads of insects and these in turn attracted 3 Swallows swooping low over the flower heads.
Elsewhere in the Park I was pleased to find some common spotted orchids..............
The woodland was alive with the sound of birds, young and old and included Woodpigeon, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff ....
Record shot of Chiffchaff - Dawsholm Park - 26 June 2013
......Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow. On the river there were a family of Mallard plus a Dipper whilst Lesser Black-backed Gulls cruised overhead.
On my last visit, none of the nest boxes were being used. I am pleased to say that one box was being used by Blue Tits and another looked as if it had been recently used by Great Tits - a pair were inspecting a box as if to say 'where are the kids?' whilst in the background you could hear young birds calling for food.
In total, I saw 19 species of bird, with my year total for the park now standing at 31.
