The last few days have been fairly quiet with the only new bird species for the year noted being a flock of fly-over Fieldfares yesterday. However things picked up a pace today with a walk down to the lake resulting in a Lesser Black-backed Gull roosting on the flooded meadow, a Stock Dove coming down to drink there, and then the major surprise of the day when a scan of the trees in the corner of the lake where the Mandarins usually get resulting in the delight of finding a Bittern amongst them. We were lucky to have one wintering here last winter so it may well be the same bird returning, or maybe its a new bird on the roam having been displaced by the coastal flooding, but either way an excellent record for the site and always a really special moment to see one out in the open, even if it was obscured photo wise.
A Roe Deer was also noted in the corner of the lake and earlier a Rabbit was also added to the list of animals recorded so far this year. Arriving back at the car as darkness fell a Tawny Owl was heard calling and after a little careful searching it was eventually seen moving between the trees, and the final highlight of an excellent visit to the park was a fly-over Woodcock.
