Fluffy chicks

Nine fluffy Mallard chicks have hatched and are now on the lake with their parents, here's a picture I took this morning of the family.

Plenty of Chiffchaffs in the Dell now and at least one Blackcap singing this morning. I hadn't seen the Kingfisher for a while now and was a bit dissapointed in not seeing it, when, it flashed past me, over the bridge and off up the beck !

There is a work party in the Dell at the moment, preparing the pathways ready for the boardwalks to be installed. The Wildlife Trust are building and upgrading a lot of the paths along the beck and up to the lake which will make it a lot more easier to walk.

It was a very sunny morning today, lots of birds about including a very early Chiffchaff. These birds are one of a number of types that migrate to Fairy Dell to breed in the summer. This early bird might have overwintered in the south of England and is moving north now the weather is getting better.
Other noteable birds were a single Mistle Thrush and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming on the trees.







Here's Steve Iredale, the sculptor, at the begining of his work to create his seating sculpures at the top lake. When finished it makes a great place to sit and look out across the top lake or down into the wood and gunnergate lake.













Here's what it looks like now it's finished.