Dawn Chorus Walk Sun May 2 2010

Ray Reedman shared his considerable knowledge on birdsong with 8 members of the Group, who turned up at 6.15 am, and against all hopes the weather was reasonably kind, with only light rain at about two- thirds way round Black Swan, Sandford and Lavell's Lakes. Ray pointed out that our resident songsters are beginning to fade and that we are now enjoying migrants' birdsong for the next month or so. The rain kept off for most of the walk and, with Ray's expertise, we heard or saw, or sometimes both:

Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Sand Martin, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Wren, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Cuckoo, Reed Bunting and, best of all,

WE HEARD NIGHTINGALES SING.
It was worth the early morning start.

If you follow the links on the pictures below, you can listen to the birds' song courtesy of the RSPB.

Don't forget Ray is doing a walk round the lakes on Sunday 20th June.

Sheila

Postscript from Brian.

When everyone else had dashed off for a late breakfast, Ray and I were chatting when a birder with a bankers pension worth of camera equipment rolled up, and asked if we'd seen the Garganey on Lavells Lake. So off we went, in the now pouring rain. This duck is rare in Berkshire - I'd never seen one before. So well worth the delayed breakfast.

Swallow	House Martin	Swift	Sand Martin
Grey Wagtail	Pied Wagtail	Whitethroat	Lesser Whitethroat
Garden Warbler	Song Thrush	Blackbird	Robin
Greenfinch	Chaffinch	Wren	Chiffchaff
Green Woodpecker	Great Spotted Woodpecker	Willow Warbler	Blackcap
Sedge Warbler	Cuckoo	Reed Bunting