Adel Dam

We had a family gathering for my nieces 1st birthday a couple of Saturday's back and had time to squeeze in a visit to Adel Dam beforehand.

A quick look at the lake in  Golden Acre first where the Mandarins have made themselves at home with the rest of the ducks, coming running for food!

The birds were out in force at the Marsh Hide, Nutchatch, Chaffinch, Tits, Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Mandarin and lots of Squirrels on the floor.

Great Tits

We sat for a while at the Lake Hide, it was a warm day and the views are lovely. We had a brief flash of blue as a Kingfisher flew past and off to the side by the feeding station we saw Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Tits, Dunnock, Woodpeckers and overhead a Red Kite. 

A volunteer from the YWT - Dave - came in whilst we were there and we discovered he was the person who makes the lovely log feeders at the feeding stations and we ended up putting in an order for one. Someone had gone into the feeding area here (despite the locked gate) and jammed a stick into one of the log feeders - presumably for photo opportunities - it hadn't registered it wasn't meant to be there until Dave mentioned it!

This Squirrel kept sticking his head in the hide and at one point a Great Tit flew right through it just missing my husbands head by centimetres!

Chiffchaff I believe, there were a few young ones in the bushes

Mandarin on the lake, there were Little Grebe, Mallards and Black-headed Gulls too

Nuthatch

A couple of Mallards were bathing in front of the hide

A Mandarin in slightly odd plumage for the time of year?

Great Spotted Woodpecker.

We followed the path through the woods avoiding many tiny Froglets on the way. A couple of Squirrels were by the gate as we left and one of very few Butterflies we saw during the morning (Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown) was sat in a little patch of sun.

Adel Dam

On Saturday morning we took the bus to Golden Acre for a nice but cold walk around the park and Adel Dam. The Gulls were barely awake (just like my daughter!!) and still huddled up on the grass. The ducks of course were straight up to have a nosey.

Mallard

Black-headed Gull

Mute Swan

Tufted Ducks

We walked straight through to the dam and went the 'wrong' way round, we always start off by going to the hide and then on in a circle via the lake hide, my daughter suggested going the other way for a change, which worked in our favour really as there were some big cameras heading towards the Marsh hide, which is quite small, they were gone by the time we'd worked our way there.

In the woods we saw a couple of flocks of Bullfinch in the trees. It was not a good day for photos, very dull and grey! We also saw a couple Jays and Great Spotted Woodpeckers too.  We had the lake hide to ourselves. As we walked in a Robin was sat on a bench in the hide and a Sparrowhawk had been sat right in front of it (the hide not the Robin), it flew across the lake.

Distant Bullfinch!

Robin

Jay

We watched, Teal, Mallards and a Shoveler on the water and off to the side at the feeders Long-tailed, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, 6 Robins - there were a few ructions there! A charm of Goldfinch flew over the lake.

Blue Tits

Shoveler

Blue Tit

Moving on we stopped at the marsh hide, all the usual birds were at the feeders plus Nuthatch too. Lots of squirrels were around the bottoms of the feeders. We didn't see any Mandarins today, which is unusual.

Walking back through Golden Acre we stopped at the little feeding area for a while, more squirrels, Chaffinch, Tits and up in the trees Jay and Woodpigeon. Eventually everything was scared off by several dogs so we made our way out of the park.

We did see some fungi as we walked around including Dead Mans Fingers, spotted by my daughter, the first time i've seen it.

Adel Dam & Golden Acre

Up early on Sunday for a walk around the park before it got too busy. A Goosander was on the main lake at Golden Acre along with Mallard,Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot and the stroppy farmyard goose that was pecking shoes last time.

Robin

Tufted Duck

Goosander

We could hear Chiffchaff, Blue Tits, Dunnocks and Robins, there were a few Nuthatch around too.

Nuthatch

Dunnock

This American skunk cabbage grows around the edge of the water and I quite like it, it's managed so it doesn't spread as it's an invasive species.

Onto Adel Dam and we saw more Nuthatches. At the first hide we chatted to a guy already in there, we the first people he'd seen so far this morning. A couple of Mandarin were around with the usual small birds at the feeders. 

Mandarin

From the lake hide we saw quite a few Greylag Geese, Teal,Little Grebe, more Mandarins and overhead a Red Kite and a couple of Buzzards

Greylag Goose

Moorhen

Teal

At the side of the hide where the feeders are a Reed Bunting flew in, i've not seen one here before.

Reed Bunting

Blue Tit

We carried on and walked through the woods stopping for a while to watch a Treecreeper fly around the trees. Further along the path a bird flew up out of the undergrowth - a Woodcock! Then a few minutes later another, again a new bird for me here and a bit of a surprise....although probably more so for the poor birds!

Treecreeper