Bird Walk around Marston Vale 30/1/2010

This was a report of our last Trip in April 2009.  I save all my reports on my PC.

A morning out at Marston Millennium Country Park. Bedfordshire

We had planned a morning out at Marston Country Park. It is a planned walk so we would be taken around by a few forest volunteer from 8-11am along with as a group of people (we booked in advance)

The weather was damp, drizzly and misty all at one time and not all that pleasant but despite of the weather we where going to make the best of the day.

We parked in the car park and went for a walk about before the meet at 8am.
We could hear Yellow Hammers calling to one another. Skylark's flew up above twittering like fury. A Pied Wagtail sat on the building close by chirping its sweet little tune. I was told that two Pied Wagtails are nesting in the area so that is good news to hear.

What a lot of birds we saw. We did not cover a full circuit of the Reserve itself but spent a lot of our time looking at birds through scopes and binoculars where we could.

The first birds that we where lucky to see was a male and female Garganey close to the Forest Centre building adjacent to the Car Parks. They seemed to be at ease standing, preening themselves, along beside some Mallards.
We where told that Garganey's are very skittish so we could only go so close to them before they would move on. As migrants I have to say it was an honour to see them any day.

Then we proceeded with our walk around, stopping here and there and observing all the bird sounds we could hear.

The volunteers took out 3 scopes so we could see the birds to their best vantage point and oh yes we did. I was over the moon what I saw along with my OH. We have never seen so many birds in one morning yet.

We had a good look at Stewartby Lake and saw a lot of birds. Some Sandwich Terns where seen over the lake closer to where the works chimney are. Lots of Great Crested Grebes moved about with their breeding plumage showing as they swan around. They kept a healthy distance from each other. I saw one pair of birds close to one another but no sign of courtship going on at all

A couple of Grey Herons sauntered past with their slow deliberate flight. They looked in no rush to go anywhere at all. Not easy to miss at all.

There where Sand Martins, Swallows, and House Martin’s flying low, high and all over the place above our heads as we walked along looking over Stewartby Lake. We could see them skimming over the lake for insects.
The insects where in force due to the damp weather and the birds where taking full advantage of it. It was great seeing all three types of birds congregating as they where doing and it made it all the more interesting

A sighting of Sandwich Terns where noted on one of the Life Bouys on the lake, then an Arctic Tern noted, but no the Common Tern though.

We where lucky to see Sand Martins, Swallows, and House Martins sitting on a Pylon wire together, preening, so we could see them through a scope and tell the difference between them as species. They sat there for a while.

Nearby, there where a group of at least of 3 Long Tailed Tits flying about in a bush in front us Sand Martins, Swallows, and House Martins where sitting. The LTT’s where flitting as they do from branch to branch and bush to bush, they are always on the move.

As we walked past the low scrub bushes there where Warblers here, there and everywhere. Willow Warblers moved around from bush to bush as they sang to one another. Chiff Chaff's serenaded their song from all directions. We where lucky to catch one obliging Chiff Chaff as it sat on a tree nearby, and did not mind us having a good look at him singing.

We looked at the Garden Feeders section of the reserve. Not much action there, but instead a Male Blackcap sang in the nearest tree. What a beautiful song. He was singing right above our heads, and we could easily see him. Further along we managed to see a Dunnock through the scope.

Lots of Yaffling going on, as a Green woodpecker sat on the nearby leafless tree so we could see him.

In the same section the two trees two Bullfinches where seen. A male and female together. So that was great to see.

We went to one of the two bird hides. We could see 2 Cormorants standing on one of the islands. One had a distinctive plumage of a lot of white coloured feathers around its head. A couple more Great Crested Grebes. Some Coots had a argument or two as the water spurted in all directions. I could see a lone Tufted Duck close to the Cormorants.

We walked past the Reed Beds and there a Sedge Warbler making a scraping noise as part of their call. It was noise that caught your attention. The bird was found a what a beautiful little thing. The colouring around the head area was very distinctive, and not easily missed. He bobbed up and down around the Reeds no worrying about our presence at all

A Cetti’s Warbler started to warble from a nearby bush. He was on one bush, then another bush was closeby to hear (but not see). I was told they are one of the hardest birds to see and they are very aloof. They are not easy to spot at all. A lot of time was needed to see one of these birds.
We heard the Cetti's Warbler more than once on our journey around the Reserve.

We where lucky to see a Reed Bunting on more than one occasion through the trip around the reserve. They sat in a prominent place where we could see them through a scope. The marbled colouring on their back was distinctive, and something else to see.

We passed the fields and on one of the lake islands in the distance was could see Lapwings next to the Mute Swans
We passed fields and we could see a flock of Canada Geese eating the short grass in the nearby fields along with a white Farmyard goose.

Again we looked at the Pillinge Lake, and we could see a lone Redshank. Lots of Black Headed Gulls flew about, a crow and lots of Woodpigeon's flew in all directions. A Magpie squawked from the nearest tree.

A Grey Wagtail flew overhead, a Song Thrush threw out a tuneful song. More Chaff Chaff's and Willow Warbler's sang their tunes.

Then a lone Redpoll flew over my head and was spotted by the volunteers, but it was too fast for me to see.

We got back to the Forest visitor Centre. A Yellow Hammer was seen through the scope along with some Goldfinches. A male Chaffinch or two was seen dotted here and there singing as always. I have never heard so many Robin's as we have done over our walk.

Also lots of Woodpigeons, and Crows. How could we miss them out for any reason! They are part of the bird society we know so well!

On the way home going along the A421 we could see lots of larger Rookeries on the right hand side of the road. I have to say those are the biggest rookeries I have seen yet. A lot of Rooks would nest there quite happily.

Weather was still dull and raining on our way back home too at the back of 12pm. The weather has remained up to this point in the day too. Never mind the main thing we have seen birds that we have never seen before and learned all about their songs.

That was a good way to spend a Saturday morning anyday. We are now wiser for the experience.

Regards

Kathy and Dave