SS15 wildlife watching: Visit to Gloucester Park

Sunday, 10 May 2020

Visit to Gloucester Park – 10th May 2020

Date: 10th May 2020

Time: from 6:30 a.m.

Weather: dry, cloudy/hazy sunshine, light wind, 11°C to 18°C

This was another early morning visit to Gloucester Park. It was again a good visit for birds with 33 species recorded including 4 additional species for my site list, increasing it to 40 species, one of which was also an addition to my UK 2020 year list.

I access Gloucester Park at the north west corner by the roundabout junction of St. Nicholas Lane, Cranes Farm Road and Upper Mayne. Today’s excellent birding started immediately on exiting the underpass.

In the hedge line that runs parallel to Cranes Farm Road and which forms the northern boundary of Gloucester Park, I heard the chattering song of a male Sedge Warbler although frustratingly I failed to see it. Nonetheless, it was an addition to my UK 2020 year list and obviously a first record for my site list.

In this same area, I initially heard the rattling song of a male Lesser Whitethroat and then eventually saw it. This was another new record for my site list. I have already seen this species this year at both Noak Bridge Nature Reserve and the area around St. Nicholas Church.

The other new records for my site list were 2 Swifts hawking for insects over the smaller lake and a single Jay in the area between the main lake and the smaller lake. I have already seen Swifts this year both from my flat and around St. Nicholas Church.

I saw the male Common Whitethroat again singing from his usual area in the trees and bushes close to the pond adjacent to the new development of flats.

I saw 2 Common Terns flying around the main lake with another briefly fishing over the smaller lake. There was also a Grey Heron at the western end of the main lake.

Other highlights included a singing male Blackcap with a further 3 heard but not seen, 3 singing Chiffchaffs heard but not seen, 1 Green Woodpecker plus 2 others heard calling and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and another heard calling.

There are at least 3 pairs of Greylag Geese with goslings and 3 pairs of Canada Geese with goslings. In addition, I saw a pair of Coot with 5 juveniles (although 3 females are still sitting on their nests) plus I saw a pair of Mallards with 6 juveniles.

Finally I saw 3 Grey Squirrels.

Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):

Swift

Sedge Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat

Common Whitethroat

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Dunnock

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Starling

House Sparrow

Goldfinch

Pied Wagtail

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Jay

Carrion Crow

Magpie

Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Mallard
Coot
Moorhen
Grey Heron
Common Tern
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull

Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit: