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last visit of 2021
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My last visit of the month and indeed of the year. Christmas having fallen at a week-end, it is Christmas Bank Holiday Monday! The rest of the week is forecast to be wet so I seized the opportunity of a dry, if dull, morning to visit the reserve. Here is what I saw:
Birds:
SC208694 ( near compost heap) male Blackbird; Blue Tit; Robin; Dunnock; male Chaffinch; 7 x Long Tailed Tit; Goldcrest; Great Tit.
SC208694 ( boardwalk area) male and female Chaffinch; Wren heard but not seen.
SC208695 2 x Magpie; female Chaffinch; female Blackbird.
SC210694 female Blackbird;Magpie flying over.
SC209693 Great Tit; Heron flying over; male Blackbird; Goldcrest; Blue Tit.
SC209694 male Blackbird ; 3 x Great Tit together; Wren; Blue Tit; Robin;
SC209694 ( from hide) 2 x Great Tit together; Blue Tit; Chaffinch; Wren.
Fungi:
Unidentified Fungi along paths at SC209694 and SC208694.
SC208694 Coral Spot fungus ( ?) on plank of wonky bridge.
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Possibly Coral Spot fungus on bridge
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some well nibbled fungi on path
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unidentified fungi in the woodchip path
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pale fungi again growing in wood chip
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this one had a very slimy feel!
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yet more along the wood chip path
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they were quite numerous
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2 Magpies spotted in the distance
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a closer look at one of them
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view from the hide
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across the water from the hide - Blue Tit
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and Great Tit
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female Chaffinch
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and another elsewhere
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male Chaffinch near boardwalk area
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Long Tailed Tit
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I was walking through the willows when suddenly 7 Long Tailed Tits landed very close to me and worked their way through the trees back towards the compost heap. I followed along behind them and watched them look for insects on the compost heap itself as well as in the surrounding trees. They were joined by a Goldcrest, Robin, Great Tit and Blue Tit actually on the heap itself.
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Wren in a Hawthorn near the hide. There were 3 Great Tits there at the same time.
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incriminating evidence near the Noticeboard?
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the bridge to the willow walk and compost area
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water level higher than ever after Christmas weekend rain
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the water level is holding up work on the new Boardwalk
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usual view of hide on a dull December day
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the damp meadow living up to its name
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we raked it off just in time!
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cloud coming down over the nearby hills
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| a good flow of water in the stream after weekend rain |
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A chilly but enjoyable morning at the Reserve to round off the year. What will 2022 bring?
Please click on photos to enlarge them
