A trip to East Park rarely disappoints. Today it was sunny with a cold wind. Spring appears late, the cool weather of late means that snowdrops are still fresh and other flowers appear delayed. The birds, however, are feeling the longer days and there was a lot of signs of breeding.
There are two pairs of Mute Swans at the park. This is the cob of the pair I later saw displaying and mating.
He is an impressive beast.
Here is the clip showing the courtship and mating of the western pair.
The pair after mating.
I found two ringed Black-headed Gulls:
A dapper Black-headed Gull in full breeding plumage on the jetty was from a Polish scheme, white ring TRVX.
Also resighted J0566, a 1st year old from Oslo, Norway, seen also in January. Both gulls show the extremes in plumage this time of year.
The light was ideal to photograph the Pochards. One of 3 drakes present.
As I arrived by the lake, a local told me that the grebe pair were courting. Apparently the pair had just been reunited today, as so far a single individual has been present. They pair of Great Crested Grebes were courting repeatedly in between bouts of nest building, including the famous 'penguin dance'. It is amazing anyone can watch this in the local park. I managed several clips, including one of the whole sequence.
One individual will lead to the next island, where the courtship sequence will take place. After a session of mirroring each other preening and shaking heads, the pair will turn away from each other and one and then the other will dive. The individual emerging first with a bunch of weed searches and then runs to meet the other, raising on their feet. After this they drop the weed and do a bit more of mirroring.
One of the individuals was quite vocal.
Great Crested Grebe pair.
The Red-crested Pochard hasn't been seen since the 8th of December. No Gadwall or Goosanders today, although three Shovelers were roosting behind the willows on the easternmost island. A pair of Sparrowhawks soared together over the lake.
Grey Squirrel.
Robin.
A drumming female Great Spotted Woodpecker.
A Mistle Thrush was singing for a while. Then there was a fight between a pair and an intruder who had dared to come to their defended ivy.
After seeing off the intruder with much rattling, the pair sat to bask on a tree overlooking the ivy.
Returned Lesser Black-backed gulls showing their brilliant yellow legs.
41 bird species for the walk in 5 sites, no additions to local bird year, but a memorable day nonetheless.
On the way back, on an industrial roof, the roosting gulls are intent in reducing the solar panels efficiency.
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