News
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Midweek Walks still as popular as ever
A calling, but invisible, goldcrest in a yew tree by the stable block was accompanied by blue tits and a single great tit as we headed off along a north-easterly ascending path beside steep sloes of mature woodland. Accompanied by the strident harsh calls of jays it wasn't long before we had added great-spotted woodpecker and several stock doves to our growing assemblage of bird species. Many chaffinches fluttered about the woodland as singing males delivered their cheerful songs ending in the usual trisyllabic flourish that is such a characteristic backdrop to gardens and woodland during the spring and summer.
Soon our attention was arrested by the loud declamations of a hidden wren as our ever popular Tuesday walk leader, Kathy Reynolds, spied a single drake mandarin duck, half hidden through the multiple boughs as we gazed down onto pond number one far below. Dunnocks sang and blackbirds scratched about through last year's leaf mould searching for tasty morsels of invertebrate fare. Turning the corner and descending back on the opposite side of this miniature valley we attempted to gain a closer observation of the mandarin drake but found only some mallards and moorhens. However, the bird was rapidly re-located a little further on at the next pond, where he eventually allowed himself to be photographed. Close by, a congregation of restless black-headed gulls, at various stages of moult into chocolate hued summer plumage, gathered in a state of noisy tumult.
After enjoying the frenzied activities of a small party of long-tailed tits we headed out across the grass, as a laughing yaffle betrayed the presence of a green woodpecker. Overhead soaring in small circles with wings held flat and slightly forward a small raptor rose steadily higher, occasionally interjecting the signature sparrowhawk flight pattern; a few rapid wing beats interspersed with a short glide.
Moving down along into the conservation area many more blue and great tits, and chaffinches were much in evidence in the bushes and trees along the path and an early brimstone here, was clearly not long out of hibernation. Glancing up directly overhead, I was struck by the sight of common buzzard, passing some way above the trees, not before I was able to alert, certainly most of the party to its presence, and what a fine sight it made in its passage over this central Ipswich park!
More wrens, robins and moorhens (but no sign of the recently noted male wood duck) when on the edge of a bramble thicket, a pair of keen eyes spotted that the pair of long-tailed tits we had been observing were in fact busily engaged in the construction of a nest, with the lower cup portion of their characteristic dome nest already completed. The birds busily sallied to and forth in their industry, collecting hairs, fine grasses, lichens and moss, all of which they deftly weave together into the creation their extraordinary and exquisite structure.
Finally as we returned back up the gentle hill toward the site of the old long demolished house, a greenfinch's buzzing wheeze revealed its presence high atop a tree and a small group of goldfinches calling with characteristic liquid notes as they flew and a single pied wagtail and calling coal tit drew our thoroughly pleasurable morning to a close.
Details of all forthcoming walks are on our Events page.