Many years ago (back in the 1980s/90s) there used to be a regular winter greenfinch roost in cherry laurel in Lodge Park, Stackpole. The roost collapsed/disappeared from the area when the laurel was cut down and removed.
Over the last several years we have been aware of greenfinches roosting again in the general area; not in Lodge Park, but in mature evergreen shrubs at the Court site. However, the roost has not been counted much as far as we know.
Chris Orsman contacted us recently to say that he had observed 137 greenfinches preparing to roost at the Court site on 27th February. Some birds were already at the roost and he considered that the total might have been as high as 150 or more.
We went there this evening and recorded between 80-90 greenfinches preparing to roost but, just as Chris had observed, some birds were already in the roost, and it is possible that 100+ greenfinches roosted there this evening. It is interesting that greenfinches (now much less common than they were 30-40 years ago) are still roosting at Stackpole. Hopefully their breeding population is starting to increase again.
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| Some of the greenfinches this evening; most settled briefly in nearby trees before going to roost |
Other roosting birds noted this evening included c.20-30 Pied Wagtails that went to roost in the reedbed below the Court site, 50+ redwings roosted in trees at the head of the Eastern Arm (including a few at the greenfinch roost).
An estimated 800-1,000 murmurating jackdaws eventually went
to roost at a usual/regular site in lakeside woodland south of the 8 Arch Bridge.
Two local herons heading off to feed at dusk were probably not very impressed, almost
colliding with some of the jackdaws who also briefly went into a state of panic
when the herons left the trees.
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| A small proportion of the jackdaw population preparing to roost |
Nine cormorants stayed to roost in their usual tree. It was presumed that these birds (some sporting impressive breeding plumage) are not from the St Margaret’s colony. A single female goosander also appeared to be preparing to roost on the lake below the Court site.