Five people set off from the Leisure Centre to drive to the Stoneworks at Parkend. There we met up with five more and walked down to Cannop Pond to view the ducks. On the still lake were a flotilla of mallard, a pair of female mandarin ducks. A lone swan surveyed the scene. A coot sat on its nest on Spiky Island. The feeders were empty so no little tits about, but a robin and wren sang from the bushes.  In the distance a song thrush could be heard singing away. We walked along the lakeside to get better views of the ducks, more mandarins with the male plumage showing, and a moorhen which we disturbed. The swallows were busy over the water.  As dusk began falling and more moths came out so did the bats. A grey wagtail flew about then settled in the middle of the outfall, on a small branch to preen itself.  Walking back to the cars we nearly trod on a minute toad or frog crossing the path.

We drove further into the forest and parked up. To walk along the Gloucester way to the high spot where nightjars have been seen before. A deer was spotted behind the trees moving parallel to us and then it took fright and disappeared into the distance. Bats were flying over the pond. We heard the distant yaffle of a green woodpecker and distant bird song difficult to distinguish.

We stopped on the path and soon heard the distinctive churring of the nightjar. This continued intermittently, coming from three different sources. So there must be several birds about.  A rustling in the undergrowth revealed a large boar crossing the path and vanishing from sight. There was the cry of a wood cock and a brief glimpse as it flew past. A surprise shower got all our rainwear out, but it didn’t last for long. The churring continued but apart from a brief glimpse of a bird  we were unable to see any flying.

Finally, we returned along the dark footpath through the woods and back to the cars. The journey home revealed more sheep, lambs and deer on the roadside.

Mallard                              Mandarin                          Coot                     Moorhen

Swallows                          Mute swan                       Grey Wagtail   Dunnock          

Blackbird                          Wren                                    Robin                                  Swifts

Birds heard

Green woodpecker     Wood cock                      Nightjar                              Song Thrush

CF