WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS FOR HOLMEBROOK VALLEY PARK FOR SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2010

The weather during September and October was quite a mixture, there were warm sunny spells but also spells of very heavy rain, September was quite mild but by the end of October it had turned quite cooler.

Good numbers of birds were seem during September these included several species seen on the Fishing Pond these included Tufted Duck, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Mute swan, Canada Geese, Little and Great Crested Grebes, Pochard, a female Mandarin Duck, grey Heron and Kingfisher.

Other birds regularly seen around the park included Cormorant, a variety of Gulls and Corvids, Pigeons and Doves, Nuthatch and Treecreeper in the trees beside the brook, Tits and Finches, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, Bullfinch and Yellowhammer, a male great Spotted Woodpecker and the odd Warbler.

A few species of bird were seen flying over the Park these included the odd Buzzard, a few Lapwing and Golden Plover, a calling Curlew and small numbers of very high Pink Footed Geese.

There were still a few Butterflies around the park these include Speckled Wood, Green Veined White, Peacock, Painted Lady and Large White, the odd Dragonfly was still in the air these include Common Hawker, Common Darter, the odd Damselfly and Chaser.

A few Mammals were also seen these included several sighting of Water Vole along the brook especially near the bridges, Field Vole which was caught by a hunting Kestrel, Fox, Stoat, Weasel, Grey Squirrel and the odd Bat.

There were still plenty of Flowers around the park these included Vetches, Loostrife, Water Mint, Thistles, Nettles and plenty of other common Plants and Flowers

With the start of October the weather turned much cooler and wetter, there was heavy rain during several days and the first frost arrived by the end of the month.

Again there were plenty of birds seen around the fishing pond these include Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Pochard, Mandarin Duck, Goosander, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Grey Heron, a variety of Gulls and a single male Gadwall.

Species seen along the brook included Pied and Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tits and Finches, Thrushes, Wood Pigeon, Collard Dove, Sparrowhawk and the odd Warbler.

Other birds seen around the park in October included Partridge and Pheasant, Corvids, Redpoll, the first Redwing and Fieldfare of the winter, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, and Tree Sparrow, Tits, Magpie, Jay, Kestrel and Cormorant.

There were plenty of sighting of Water Vole again while other Mammals included Fox, Grey Squirrel, Stoat, Weasel, Mice and Voles, Mole, Rabbit and a Brown Hare

There were just a few Butterflies and Dragonflies left after the cooler weather and Plants and Flowers were starting to get scarce.

I am trying to collect as much wildlife information as I can so if you have any sightings or records from the area especially before the park was created please e-mail them to me at mahulett@talktalk.net