Sunday 13th May

I was out this morning between 5.45 and 7.45.

As I arrived at the Water Works entrance a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in front of me and as I got out of the car I flushed a Green Woodpecker from the grass near the entrance to the works. The first of 3 Cuckoo was singing from close by.

REED WARBLER - BROOKLANDS LAKE

I did my weekly count today (although I didn't walk the whole area as I have done in previous weeks) I walked across the west and east scrub, around Abbey Mead but using the railway path (the south end of Abbey Mead is so overgrown now that it is almost inpenetrable) around the top of Brooklands to the sunken marsh and then back around Brooklands, through Brooklands car park, along the Millsrtream and back to the Water Works entrance.

YELLOW FLAG

In total I saw/heard 3 Cuckoo, 30 Whitethroat, 8 Nightingale, 16 Reed Warbler (my highest count yet) 8 Cettis, 3 Swift, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler, 2 Turtle Dove (including one singing in the West Scrub for the first time this year, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Male Bullfinch, 1 Sparrowhawk, 10 Long Tailed Tit. Also a single Water Vole and a Glow Worm Larvae of interest. The Glow Worm Larvae are always obvious this time of year and seem to be forever crossing the paths - especially along the Millstream.

GLOW WORM LARVAE

POPPY - BROOKLANDS LAKE CAR PARK