Birds spotted recently in the park

The following info is from one of our volunteers who is also a keen 'birder' -

I have been giving the park good coverage over the past week (22nd, 23rd, 27th and 28th November). I found a Firecrest in Nursery Wood on 22nd but only obtained poor views on this and next day. Fortunately the bird showed better over the weekend, accompanied by a second bird as well (in the area between EWT car park & bridleway/Nursery). Also many more Goldcrests in the park compared to last year - about 10 in the above area and probably 20 over the whole park (peak count of 5 in the park last winter).
Other recent records of interest include (all November):

Mandarin - A drake standing on the ice with 3 Mallard at dusk on 28th (lake completely iced over).
Little Egret - Lake, 18th and 20th.
Woodcock - 2 over Wildflower Meadow on 23rd.
Little Owl - Wildflower Meadow, 28th.
Meadow Pipit - 14 near Lake on 23rd.
Redwing - 15+ EWT car park on 28th.
Corvid roost estimate on 28th - approx 300 Jackdaw, 150 Rook, 150 Carrion Crow (Deer Park).
Brambling - A female with c35 Chaffinches in Wildflower Meadow, 22nd (but no sign of flock since).
Siskin - 30 feeding in alder near bridleway, 20th.
Lesser Redpoll - Up to 15 at least - usually feeding in birches (since mid-Nov).
Bullfinch - 2 males Damselfly Pond, 28th.
Yellowhammer - singles on 20th and 23rd.

Birds in the park on 14th November

Despite the rain saw a few birds: Woodcock seen briefly in Valley Marsh, 6+ Goldcrest car park area but no firecrest heard, 15+ Redpolls in flight (c150 at Thorndon CP today), 250+ Jackdaws in pre-roost gathering at N.end of Deer Park, plus a pair of Mute Swans back on Lake, arrived sat 13th .

Work day Sunday 14th November 2010

Weather not too bad first thing but started raining during the morning. Today we began by doing a litter pick whilst walking round checking out the new ponds recently dug using money from 'The Million Ponds Project'. Great to see them and can't wait for them to fill up and for the wildlife to make use of them. Later in the morning the rain got a lot more persistent and we decided to make our way back to the visitors' centre for lunch and discuss plans for the afternoon. In the end the rain wouldn't give up so we were unable to do any more outside but this did hive us a chance to tidy up our tools.