Pype Hayes Park.

Nice trip to Pype Hayes Park this morning where the birds were all out having a good old sing song, from the Robins to the Dunnocks, the Tits to the Finches, the Thrushes to the Blackbirds and the diminutive Jenny Wren, they were all at it, which was obviously a real joy to see and hear. Also great to see, were most birds breeding plumage's coming to the fore.

Highlight of the day were seeing a Green Woodpecker, crossing over the river from the golf course, I'm pretty sure this was my first spot of a Green Woodpecker at this location, let's hope it pairs up with a partner to breed. I also saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker on at least seven occasions all around the park, hopefully they were all different birds. There was also plenty of nest building activity going on, from the Crow and Jackdaws, to the Chaffinches, right down to the Wrens, I can't wait to see this years young emerge. On the pool there was a lone Coot on the nest. I saw a Buzzard briefly until it was mobbed by a posse of Crows and Black Headed Gulls when it then disappeared into the safety of the wooded area. Also seen today was a huge Water Rat which was a good eight inches long in body length, it was seen stealing the bird seed I'd left for the birds, still you can't pick and choose who has the food you leave for the wildlife.

Birds seen today were Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Siskin, Nuthatch, Song Thrush, Redwing, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose.