Wollaton Hall Park

Three of us gathered in the car park on a very grey morning. Rain was already falling and it was forecast to continue for many hours. We could see red and fallow deer near the car park, along with mallard, crows, a mistle thrush in full song, and a nesting jackdaw.

Red deer stag

Despite the conditions we set off towards the golf clubhouse down Lime Tree avenue. We saw robins, blue tits, great tits, woodpigeons and a blackbird as we proceeded along the avenue. We turned just before reaching the clubhouse and headed back to the gardens around Wollaton Hall. We spotted chaffinch nuthatch and more robins, blue tits and great tits before leaving the gardens. 

We then proceeded on towards the park lake, the rain still bearing down on us. Along the path we could see Canada geese feeding on the lush grass, another mistle thrush also feeding and several crows, jackdaws and a magpie. 

On reaching the lake we could see tufted duck, mute swan, coot and a moorhen. Flying over the lake surface we could see swallows, house martins and a sand martin amongst them. 

Fallow deer

As we made our way around the lake we heard a surprising parakeet call - a ring necked parakeet! We were told later that there are  a few breeding in the area. We were also told that there were some lesser spotted woodpecker nesting but we failed to see them, although we did hear a Green Woodpecker.

Nuthatch

As we reached the path leading back to the main hall, we could see a Heronry on a small island not far from the lake edge. The herons all looking rather bedraggled from the persistent rain, as no doubt we were too.

The Heronry

We then headed back to the cafe area for a warm drink, spotting a mandarin duck along the way.

The tally : 23

Carrion crow, mistle thrush, mallard, woodpigeon, jackdaw, grey heron, blue tit, great tit, robin, blackbird, chaffinch, magpie, nuthatch, Canada goose, tufted duck, house martin, swallow, sand martin, coot, moorhen, mute swan, song thrush, mandarin duck. Heard, but not seen, parakeet, blackcap and green woodpecker.