Cuerden Valley Park - 27th/28th November 2010

1st WINTER BLACK HEADED GULL

 2 visits to Cuerden Valley Park this weekend, the first late afternoon the second at sunrise and both with similar sightings.  Finches included Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and the ever elusive Bullfinch yes on both visits and it’s been a while since I’ve seen one at CVP. The usual Tit flocks where around with Blue, Great and Long-tailed showing in numbers along with the odd Coal (try putting it into predictive text as I did without checking, I won’t repeat the reply!)  No sign of any Goldcrest or even better a Firecrest  which I still haven’t managed to see even though there have been 2 within striking distance. The usual Corvids were around and about but no sign of any Jay which is unusual as I’ve seen plenty of late and not just locally, there have been many around on my travels. Greater Spotted Woodpecker could be heard if not seen and on my morning walk Treecreeper, Nuthatch and Mistle Thrush were in evidence as well as a scattering of Robin, Wren and Blackbirds. On the lake were the usual array of Mallard and Black-headed Gulls with a single Canada Goose, the odd Moorhen and Coot and in the evening a Great Crested Grebe. The surprise and a first for me on the CVP lake was a drake Teal amongst the Mallards, I hadn’t picked it out on the evening visit so I presume it must have dropped in later in the evening.

DRAKE TEAL A FIRST FOR ME AT CUERDEN LAKE

With the cold snap we are having at the moment I decided to re-stock the feeders but not after giving them a good clean. We've had a few visitors including Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Dunock, Great, Blue, Coal and this afternoon a large flock of Long-tailed Tit. 

LONG-TAILED TIT IN THE BACK YARD