Mud and snipe may have vanished,

but for swans the lake's spot on . . .

Dunstall Park

Saturday, November 9th, 10.00 to 11.30, dull, drizzle, clearing later.

Miserable morning, but fresh air better than staying in, so on with the rain gear and off to check the racecourse lake.  The water level's as high as it's been all year, the mud margins are minimal, so no sign of Snipe (there were at least 20 present at the beginning of October), but some stately visitors have already found the depth to their liking, a group of Mute Swan, feeding and preening quietly.  There are three adults and six grey-brown juveniles, difficult to say whether it's one family or two, but one adult distances itself somewhat, suggesting that the other two are a pair.  Two youngsters feed on their own for while, but then glide back to the group, so maybe all six are siblings (seven cygnets hatched at the lake in 2004.  The last successful nesting was in 2005).  Certainly it's the largest swan group seen here since six adults and six juveniles flew in on 2/11/2008.  Floating gently near the shoreline, a pair of Gadwall preen and sleep (they were first seen on  November 4th), at least eight Teal forage along the margins, while six male and one female Shoveler up-end near the beds of aquatic grass, bright red legs pushing backwards as half-submerged the birds feed from the lake bed.  Some of the males, most likely winter visitors from north western Europe, are now resplendent in black, white, chestnut and black-green breeding plumage.  At least six Coot busy themselves back and forward across the water, an adult and two juvenile Moorhen pick their way along the shoreline, and an adult Grey Heron calls harshly as it glides low over the lake, only to drift up over the trees and disappear down on to the Staffs & Worcs Canal.  Along the north western edge of the site all is quiet, just the glimpse of  a brown-backed Buzzard flapping noiselessly away from trees near the canal junction.  A flock of at least 200 Starling slants and slides low over the central grass area, feeding momentarily before being harried by a single Crow which forces them to fly as soon as they have settled, two adult and a second-winter Herring Gull look down from floodlight pylons, and at least 200 Black-headed Gull and 23 Lesser Black-backed Gull rest and preen on the grass.  Close to the hotel reception doors a male Pied Wagtail scurries under the parade ring railings.  What's the betting he'll be breeding here next year . . . 

                             

(Dunstall Park is a closed commercial site.  Access is strictly controlled)

PS

At Wightwick canal lock on Thursday 9th in calm, warm late-morning sunshine, wasps, flies, bees and a perfect Red Admiral butterfly feed on compact banks of sweet-smelling flowering ivy.  Nearby in the lock cottage hedge, red and pink roses are fully open.  It might as well be spring . . .