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.