Birding Group Visit to Marbury Park and Planning Session
After three weeks of flu, I at last managed to get out of the house and get to the last session of the birding group term, which was to Marbury Park which turned out to be a good morning followed by lunch and a planning session at the Spinner & Bergamot.
The rain held off and we managed to get round the usual route without getting wet. The highlights of the morning were fleeting views of two Kingfishers (year ticks) and the first Sand Martins of the year as well – about 100 of them. Other year ticks were Blackcap, Song Thrush and, perhaps surprisingly, a few Redwing. Even at the end of March, Gadwall and Great Crested Grebe were also year ticks. I was happy to have lasted the course after three weeks of flu and felt tired but the better for having got out and about at last.
As a bit of a footnote I saw my first Mink (I think it was my first) running along a recumbant tree trunk that was overhanging the lake just to the left of the viewing area. It was black which, for some reason, surprised me; I thought it would be brown.
Bird Sightings : Marbury Park 31 March 2026
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Black-headed Gull | 50 |
| Blackbird | 2 |
| Blackcap | 1 |
| Blue Tit | 6 |
| Carrion Crow | 4 |
| Chiffchaff | 2 |
| Coal Tit | 2 |
| Coot | 2 |
| Cormorant | 4 |
| Gadwall | 2 |
| Great Crested Grebe | 8 |
| Great Tit | 8 |
| Grey Heron | 1 |
| Greylag Goose | 6 |
| Kingfisher | 2 |
| Lapwing | 4 |
| Long-tailed Tit | 2 |
| Magpie | 2 |
| Mallard | 40 |
| Mute Swan | 1 |
| Nuthatch | 2 |
| Redwing | 6 |
| Robin | 3 |
| Sand Martin | 100 |
| Shelduck | 6 |
| Song Thrush | 3 |
| Tufted Duck | 20 |
| Wren | 2 |