Sunday 28th March 2010

A bit overcast, cool and breezy this morning but well worth the early start when I spotted an Osprey, low over the Kempston western bypass, heading for Box End Park. I suspect it was following the course of the river and just cutting out the Kempston loop. I followed it in the bins and it went into a hover, over the Box End Park lakes, I think, although it may have been over the river. I was quite a way downstream at this point with no way of catching up so I just continued watching in the bins. It drifted a little further north and hovered again before drifting off towards Bromham, following the course of the river upstream.

I had already had a Sparrowhawk behind the youth centre on Hillgrounds and had a Common Buzzard at Box End Park a little later.

A pair of Mute Swans were nest building on the usual island just up stream from the back channel.

Also of note were 11 singing Chiffchaffs on my regular route. Star of the show was undoubtedly the Osprey though.

Bird Survey 21/03/2010

Following are counts of species seen on my regular walk taking in Kempston Mill, Biddenham Loop CP and The Bedford Golf Course:

Song Thrush 9
Collared Dove 4
Starling 11
Carrion Crow 22
Blackbird 23
WoodPigeon 59
Mallard 41
Pheasant 1
Blue Tit 15
Wren 17
Robin 9
Blackcap 1
Green Woodpecker 6
Magpie 8
Rook 12
Cormorant 2
Great Tit 16
Stock Dove 1
Skylark 16
GS Woodpecker 1
Dunnock 12
Goldfinch 11
Grey Heron 2
Chiffchaff 4
Moorhen 3
Kingfisher 1
Chaffinch 14
BH Gull 13
Reed Bunting 3
Meadow Pipit 2
GC Grebe 1
Canada Goose 8
Buzzard 2
Greenfinch 6
Long-tailed Tit 3
Jackdaw 1
House Sparrow 3
Pied Wagtail 1
Coot 4
Little Grebe 1
Sparrowhawk 2

Also spotted a mink along the river at All Saints church.

Box End Park: Webs Count 14/03/2010

Black-headed Gull 14
Buzzard 2
Canada Goose 2
Cormorant 1
Great Crested Grebe 1
Grey Heron 2
Kestrel 1
Kingfisher 1
Mallard 38
Meadow Pipit 3
Moorhen 5
Oystercatcher 2
Pied/White Wagtail 1
Skylark Present<
Snipe 1
Sparrowhawk 1

Total number of species: 16, Individuals: 75

Great to be out on such a beautiful morning and first up was a lovely Kestrel just as I entered the park. It was a good day for raptors with 2 Common Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk also noted. A second Oystercatcher has turned up. Cormorant numbers were surprisingly low. A single Kingfisher was seen on 2 occasions so may have been 2 but couldn't be certain. Biggest surprise of the morning was zero Mute Swans, the first time I haven't had a Mute Swan since I started doing the WeBS counts here.

Bird Survey 06/03/2010

Following are counts of species seen on my regular walk taking in Kempston Mill, Biddenham Loop CP and The Bedford Golf Course:

Blackbird 22
Carrion Crow 38
Song Thrush 8
Collared Dove 3
WoodPigeon 55
Magpie 16
House Sparrow 9
Green Woodpecker 3
Chaffinch 20
Starling 6
Wren 18
Great Tit 24
Rook 16
Blue Tit 14
Robin 10
Mallard 59
Moorhen 5
Great Spotted Woodpecker 3
Stock Dove 2
Redwing 14
Goldfinch 38
Cormorant 9
Fieldfare 2
SkyLark 7
Long-tailed Tit 8
Reed Bunting 10
Dunnock 18
Pheasant 2
Mistle Thrush 8
Yellowhammer 4
Black-headed Gull 12
Mute Swan 9
Grey Heron 1
Canada Goose 2
Pied Wagtail 13
Greenfinch 9
Little Grebe 1
Coot 2
Meadow Pipit 6
Kingfisher 2
Sparrowhawk 1

This Week

The female Blackbird in the garden has been collecting nest material again this week and the Collared Doves keep disappearing into the hedge at the bottom of the garden. House Sparrow numbers have been steadily increasing up to around the 20 mark now. A pair of Blue Tits are regulars at the feeders and have been seen around the nest box. The chiming song of a Great Tit has been heard daily and a Song Thrush is a regular early morning songster nearby. Long-tailed Tits are still passing through the garden regularly and last week both male and female Sparrowhawks tried their luck without success.

A walk along the embankment in Bedford produced the Black Swan that has been at Priory CP in recent weeks. DK confirmed it had been at PCP that morning and that it was still at the embankment that evening.

Was unable to carryout my planned bird survey on Sunday morning due to heavy rain so will hopefully get that done on Saturday morning, assuming the flooding along the river has receded.