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MORNING WALK TO BARWICK HOUSE PARKLAND AND LAKE

WEATHER:  cloudy with showers, sunny later but a cold chilly breeze persisted throughout the day. Temp 15C

For a  change of scenery I decided to walk across to Barwick (pronounced barrick) House to have a look at the breeding birds on their lake. It felt quite cold with the wind chill factor and dark clouds covered the distant sky.

Barwick House from the public footpath that runs through the parkland

I notched up a few species along the mile-long walk, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Magpie, Collared Dove and Common Buzzard. The lake was alive with family parties of waterfowl. Both Moorhens and Coots were feeding young and many well grown Mallards could be seen.

a view of the Lake and the House

Two pairs of Little Grebes had young chicks with them, the closest pair had four adorable tiny chicks, I took a hundred pictures of them.

Moorhen with chick

A Sedge Warbler appeared in the scrub along the far bank and very loud Green Woodpeckers flew across the large lawns. I watched the grebes for about an hour before I made my way back.

one of the beautiful Little Grebe chicks and three more below

 adult male Little Grebe with three of the four chicks

Little Grebe 

Common Coot with two almost fully grown chicks

A few sightings in the meadow outside our garden completed my list for the day, they included: Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, House Martin, Herring Gull, Barn Swallow and a Robin.

a Fox marking its territory just beyond the lake