Sunday 4th.April 2010

It wasn't long into my walk around South Norwood Country Park this afternoon , when I thought to myself , what am I doing here ? The sky was full of black clouds , the wind was chilly , to put it mildly , and every now and again , spits of rain . Anyway , I carried on , more for the exercise than the possibility of finding much .
The lake held a much larger number of Canada Geese than usual , causing many noisy squabbles . Two pairs of Shoveler were unexpected , as I had just a male last visit , no sign of the Pochard , a pair of Little Grebe , four pairs of Tufted Duck , the usual Mallard types , several Moorhens and Coots and a single Grey Heron . Several singing Wrens , a pair of LTTits and a singing Chiffchaff . The stream that runs through the Park , the Chaffinch Brook , provided the first Marsh Marigold flowers of the year , these , actually growing on the stream bed . by the time I got to the Kestrel nest box , a brief glimpse of the sun had obviously encouraged the female out , but as soon as the sun went in , so did she , it is possible that she could already be laying , or even on eggs . Rose Ringed Parakeets were seen/heard in the usual place , where the path crosses the stream , but one of the trees that they use for nesting was not . It was lying in bits by one side the side of the path , and on the other side , the stump , showing the reason why it had been cut down . Not a lot holding it up really , and a claim waiting to happen if it had fallen whilst people were passing underneath . A few Corvids and Finches and a couple of Stock Doves , these too taking advantage of some sunshine . The paths all around the Park were muddy and flooded , and as I was negotiating the last of these , before getting back to the car , I heard and had several fleeting glimpses of my first singing Blackcap of the year , but he was not prepared to come out fully from the Ivy clad tree , from which he was singing , enabling a photo . I did notice that many of the tree species that I passed around the Park have burst bud , and are in early leaf , but the Oak and Ash are yet to start .