Maple Lodge Nature Reserve

I visited early morning with weather conditions overcast and mild with some light rain. After the bank holiday music festival the cricket field was in very poor condition although 23 Mallard were busily feeding amongst the muddy ruts and were accompanied by a single Green Woodpecker. At the reserve many species were busily breeding including a total of 15 pairs of Black-headed Gull  most using the tern rafts, at least 3 pairs observed with small young. The resident pair of Mute Swan was noted with 3 Cygnets while the female Great Crested Grebe sat tightly on her nest. Along Elizabeth Walk approaching Teal Hide I discovered a pair of Common Moorhen with newly hatched young. From Shell Hide I observed a Common Redshank in flight briefly as it passed overhead. At Lynsters Farm 2 pairs of Greylag Goose were present with goslings while 5 Stock Dove fed among the cattle. A full List of species observed as follows:-

Little Grebe (2), Great Crested Grebe (pair at nest), Great Cormorant (2), Grey Heron (1), Mute Swan (pair plus 3 cygnets), Greylag Goose (5 plus 2 pairs with goslings Lynsters Farm), Canada Goose (7 Lynsters Farm), Egyptian Goose (1 over), Gadwall (2), Mallard (25 plus 3 duck with broods of well grown young), Common Pochard (15), Tufted Duck (18), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (female at nest), Common Buzzard (2), Common Moorhen (pair with new brood), Eurasian Coot (10 plus 6 pairs with young), Common Redshank (1 over), Black-headed Gull (15 pairs at least 3 pairs noted with young), Lesser Black-backed Gull (4 over), Common Tern (1), Stock Dove (5 Lynsters Farm), Woodpigeon, Collared Dove (2), Common Swift (10), Common Kingfisher (1), Ring-necked Parakeet (2), Green Woodpecker (1), Great-spotted Woodpecker (2), Barn Swallow (1), Wren (singing male), Dunnock (singing male), European Robin (singing male), Common Blackbird (adults with nest material and collecting food), Song Thrush (singing male), Cetti's Warbler (singing male), Reed Warbler (1), Garden Warbler (2 singing male), Blackcap (7 singing male plus single female), Common Chiffchaff (singing male), Goldcrest (singing male), Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit (recently fledged young), Great Tit (recently fledged young), Common Treecreeper (1), Eurasian Jay (1), Common Magpie, Western Jackdaw (adult collecting food), Carrion Crow, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch (singing male), Common Reed Bunting (2 singing male).