Friday 22nd. March 2013

Squeezed between yesterday's workday up on the Common and tomorrow's final outing of the season with the Surrey Hedgelaying Group , some early morning tool maintenance was followed by a cold and windy visit to Kelsey Park in Beckenham , but at least it wasn't muddy . But , before leaving , I checked on the garden feeders , as Carol had had a male and female Siskin just before I returned from the Common yesterday , along with many more Finches on what she described as a 'feeding frenzy' , no doubt they knew what weather was on the way . Plenty of Greenfinches , including this male with

attitude , and Goldfinches came to the feeders along with good numbers of Chaffinches feeding on the ground . I was about to give up on the Siskins , when the male arrived on his own , and tucked in

to a hearty breakfast . Arriving at Kelsey Park , I was glad to have donned a couple of extra layers , as especially around the lake , the wind was bitter . Along The Beck , just before the first waterfall , a

male Mandarin , normally very well turned out , looked somewhat dishevelled as he balanced on a log in the water . Just below that waterfall , a female Greylag Goose , coming up for air , having just

been mated by her partner , and towards the far bank , a Coot was busy constructing it's nest . The noise level increased near the heronry island , as most visible nests seem to be occupied now , and

confirming that some birds are already on eggs , these two were just making the change over of sitting duties as I passed them . On the ground on the edge of the island , single large white eggs

could be seen in two , very rough nests , this being one of them . Most likely Canada or Greylag Geese . When I got around the other side , a Mute Swan could be seen sitting amongst the vegetation , I couldn't be sure if that too was nesting . Between the heronry and the end of the lake ,

an unusual sight of a female Grey Wagtail , perched in a tree . It stayed for some time , before flying off , calling . Just above the second waterfall , another unusual sighting , of three drake Mallards , one

being held down by the back of it's neck , and the third bird trying to get in on the action . The duck being 'ducked' , had a lighter bill than the other two , possibly indicating a juvenile . An adolescent being put in his place ? Along the Beck below the waterfall , a wet , leaf covered area , produced a

most confiding Song Thrush , that was until the next dog and owner turned the corner ,and at the

truncated tree further along the path , it seems that the feral pigeons are already breeding too . Crossing the Beck and returning on the other side , a male Green Woodpecker flew in and landed in a

nearby tree , and actually stayed still long enough to fire off a couple of shots , before disappearing into the adjacent gardens . As I walked alongside the lake , I caught sight of these three Black-headed

Gulls , each in a different stage of head plumage , one shot and they too were gone . Just before reaching the exit , a pair of Mandarins flew down the Beck , and as I crossed the small bridge , I

spotted the female in a large Beech tree , seemingly looking for a suitable nest site . When she flew , a male that I hadn't seen , followed her and they both landed in another tree . The male then waddle

along the branch to when she was , and I'm sure he was asking 'have you made a decision yet?'
Some squeaking noises then caught my attention , but I couldn't work out where they were coming

from . Eventually , this dapper male emerged from under the bridge I was standing on , closely followed my a female . I'll leave it to the imagination what had been going on under the bridge .