July 2023

18.07.23 : Ponsonby tarn and Parkside

Today the weather broke and for a short while the sun came out, so I grabbed my camera and headed out for a quick walk.

First stop was Ponsonby tarn, I wanted to go and check to see if the Night Heron had come back, sadly this wasnt the case but it was still worth a visit as there were Wrens pottering about everywhere with this years young, the pond had Mallardds, Little Grebes and Moor hens, and there was a Grey Heron hunting in the reeds.  Assured that the Night Heron was not there I headed back home to Parkside to have a look there, stopping breifly to watch a Red Squirrel in the Oak Trees.

Parkside and Parkside Pond has been a bit odd lately, the garden birds have been coming back after nesting in great numbers but the pond has been deserted by everything accept a Heron and a Little Grebe. This absence of birdlife concided with a few gull deaths and the worry is that avian flu has reared its head again. We hope that the life will return soon and will keep monitoring it.

The garden however is another matter and the feeders are being emptied daily, this week we have spotted the following in the garden : Bullfinch (male and female) , Goldfinch, Greenfinch, chaffinch, Blackcap, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Dunnock, Tree Creeper, Long tailed Tit, Jackdaw, Magpie,Rook , Raven, Buzzard and Sparrow  hawk. Hopefully the weather will improve and I will be able to get a few photos over the next week.