Martin Wright reports on a watery Wildlife Watch Session at Cotswold Water Park on 14 March

This was our first Wildlife Watch based at the Cotswold Water Park, and despite being the furthest meeting point from Stroud, it attracted a record gathering of seventeen people.

Meeting at the Gateway Centre, we maintained the canal theme, by walking along the towpath to Cerney Wick.
The canal here is particularly well preserved and includes Cerney Wick Round House.

Water fowl in abundance

Unfortunately listening for bird song along this stretch was not helped by the close proximity of traffic speeding along the A417 dual carriageway.
It was therefore a relief to head eastwards at Cerney Wick towards the lakes. With the sun behind us, and sheltered from the cold wind by a very convenient hedge, we were able to see a good selection of water fowl.

There was a flock of Widgeon, and a number of Tufted Ducks, Coots, Mute Swans, Canada Geese and Cormorants. There were also Lesser Black-backed, Common and Black-headed Gulls, and surprisingly, several Oyster Catchers.

We continued to follow muddy footpaths and a disused railway in a circular route back to the Gateway Centre.
On reaching the Spine Road we divided into two groups, one heading north via Wildmoorway Lane, whilst the remainder headed back via the lakes and the canal. It was here that we had good views of Red Crested Pochard, a ‘Cotswold Water Park speciality’.

Eighteen species of birds sighted

Great Crested Grebe, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Stockdove, Heron, Woodpigeon, Mute Swan, Wren, Greylag Goose, Dunnock, Canada Goose, Robin, Widgeon, Blackbird, Mallard, Fieldfare, Red Crested Pochard, Song Thrush, Tufted Duck, Long-tailed Tit, Buzzard,
Blue Tit, Pheasant, Great Tit, Coot, Magpie, Oyster Catcher, Jackdaw, Black-headed Gull, Crow, Common Gull, House Sparrow, Lesser Black-backed Gull and
Chaffinch.

The Next Session

The next Waterside Wildlife Watch session will meet at
Fromebridge Mill, Whitminster, GL2 7PD
at
10:00 a.m. on Wednesday 28th March

Click here to read Martin’s overview of this year’s sessions

Click here, or on the on the poster icon below, to print your reminder sheet