Netherfield Lagoons, 22nd feb

After finishing work at an early 1pm, i felt i ought to do something productive with my day, so despite the poor weather (again!) i hopped on my bike and headed for netherfield lagoons.

I'd been here around 10 days ago to see the Barn Owl pair which has taken to hunting in the area of late, but i didn't have it in mind today, unless i stayed until dusk.

On the way i go through colwick park, sometimes seeing something of interest. However today not much was about, apart from a large flock of gulls on the main lake, which mainly consisted of Black Headed gulls, with a few lesser black backs and commons mixed in. There were a couple of juveniles to, which looked interesting but they were too distant to properly study.

I moved on to netherfield, where en route along the trent, a male Sparrowhawk dashed out in front of me and quickly fled into some riverside trees.

I walked down the lower path, where there wasn't too much activity, just a few blue tits and great tits, along with a greenfinch and various gulls and corvids flying overhead. Normally its a lot busier down here, but it could have been due to the poor conditions. I walked up to the slurry lagoon path rather than going through the 'willow walk' path, although there were a notable number of singing Great tits down there.

On the slurry path, which was very muddy, due to recent contract work being done down here, i flushed my first confirmed Green Woodpecker of the year. Little else was about, which seemed the norm for today, until i had the pleasure of spotting a Little Egret flying overhead from the direction of the agricultural land. I got some great views before it flew across the treeline towards holme pierrepont. Its always a bit odd seeing these birds, they don't look too out of place in summer, but on a dull grey day in winter they look a little lost, i usually assosciate them with sunny days spent birding in spain!

As i walked towards the deep pit, a large bird flew down the bank towards the setaside land at the bottom, and i wondered if it were a raptor or something similar as it looked this way. I sat and waited for a while, but after seeing nothing but a song thrush and a few great tits, i decided it may have just been the pheasant that i eventually saw sneaking through the undergrowth. Darn!

I got the scope out and had a look over the Slurry Lagoon, where a Male shelduck was busily feeding away, along with a handful of Pochard, round 5o Shoveler, and hidden amongst the reeds, a large group of Teal. A couple of Water Rail were also heard calling from amongst the reeds.

Over on the Deep Pit, there were loads of Coot and Gulls, along with around 12 Gadwall, and 5 Goldeneye. I went back over for another look at the slurry lagoon, and several more Shoveler had arrived, along with a few Gulls. One looked particularly interesting, looking like a 2nd winter bird. I am terrible at Gull ID, so not sure what i was looking at, i took notes, but on getting home i was no closer to the identity of this bird. It was larger than a Common gull, had mottled grey/black wings, a very dark bill and eyes and black wing tips. Hmmm.... maybe it will be there next time.

A largely productive day on the lagoons, if a little bleak, no photos this time either. It was nice to see an egret and a Green woody, and the lagoons were nice and busy. Roll on spring though!