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Saturday’s Hook Watch started in spectacular fashion with about 10 Long-tailed Tits flying onto Holme Grove from The Hook along with a few Great Tits – quite the noisy bunch. This was quickly followed by our first Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker for a while and then a distant large gull on the flats on the other side of the Trent which turned out to be only our second record for Great Black-backed Gull – a real monster of a bird as it took off and flew upstream.

Hopes high, we headed into the central area where it was again noticeable that Robins were vocal but Blackbird numbers low – where have they all gone? Wren was heard and seen a few times and it was nice to then have some really good views of Chaffinches. Goldfinches and Greenfinches were hard to find. Warblers are still present with a pair of Blackcap being found and after the Chiffchaff being heard singing earlier in the week, one was heard calling a couple of times.

Overhead were a few Cormorants with a small number of Black-headed Gulls and the odd Rook and Carrion Crow passing by. There were more Jackdaws passing over but, as usual they didn’t land. Magpies are still present in low numbers. On the Trent, Canada Geese numbered 68 birds, so the flock is building up nicely.

A nice morning with 26 species seen. The total for birds seen on or from The Hook is now 60 for the year and with Winter to look forward to, there is hope of getting a total of well into the 70s.

Thanks to Keith Rainford for the report and Woodland Trust for the images