Pennington Marshes

Sunday 15 August 2010

Well my poor husband - dragged out of bed to come and stand with me down on the marshes just in case I feel somewhat isolated on my own...not that I should have worried, there were more people and keen bird watchers to keep me company than I could have wished for. Next time I will leave Robbie in bed which is, I am sure, where he would preferred to have been on a Sunday morning.

Some people were keeping fit doing a spot of fast walking and running - I was envious to a point but preferred to take my time and look at the wildlife that was in abundance. What should be said is how pleasant and upbeat everyone was. It certainly makes a difference to the general non-talkative manner on the Waterloo & City line every morning. No - this was sheer heaven to me.

I happened to bump into Steve and Mark who coincidentally I had met last Sunday over at Redbridge as we waited for a couple of hours for the osprey to pass by. They were marvellous company putting up with a novice bird watcher - kindly pointing out birds that I was less familiar with but in the main just standing and enjoying the view without saying an awful lot - which suits me just fine. I am realistic enough to know that whilst I have done a little birding in my time, largely on the Isle of Mull under the watchful eye and guidance of Bryan Rains, I am still a beginner in comparison to so many others.

Anyway - back to what was in evidence this morning. (Crikey - I really hope that someone will point out if I have the identification wrong - please feel entirely free to do so!)

Well as we walked away from the car park where we were lucky enough to grab one of the last places at 8.20 this morning - the first thing we saw were these lovely black tailed godwits. I had never seen them before but I understand that they are reasonably common.

In the past - as Bryan well knows - I have been entirely unimpressed with anything which I consider to be 'duck' like which for me, includes waders. Well it looks as though I am going to have to re-think that view. There were so many birds today which looked so colourful and which were interesting to watch. The pictures below are of an egret, a snipe and a curlew.

However one of the most interesting aspects of the morning was the most unexpected thing. Robbie and I were watching general activity in one of the lagoons - I haven't quite got to grips as to the names of each of the lagoons but I think that it maybe Fishtail lagoon(?) - when there was something of a commotion. I had thought that there was a bit of a squabble amongst the coots but no - it was an otter. He (or could be she) came out of the reeds surrounding a small island in the lagoon and swam reasonably quickly to the side of the lagoon whilst all around birds move away pretty speedily.

I am of course aware that otters eat fish - not sure however whether they would take a duck / wader. I will wait for others to comment on that. But how exciting. I understand that this is not a common sight - frankly I was somewhat pleased that I had my camera and got one or two shots otherwise I suspect that there may well have been a degree of disbelief! (Wouldn't blame them either!)

I so enjoyed my few hours down on the coast - not doing a lot other than looking for birds.

It makes such a change to my usual existence. Time seems to go so quickly when doing not a lot - and I loved every minute of it. Whilst I am sure that the guys won't see this, I weirdly just want to record how extremely grateful I am to them for making me feel at home on what is their patch and simply being kind. It made for a very nice day indeed.

This evening I did drag poor Robbie down to our local reserve, Winnall Moors - certainly to be recommended. Pretty quiet by the time we were there but did see this very nice Little Grebe.

Can't wait for next weekend - because I know exactly where I will be.......

Winnall Moors Sunday 2 August 2009

Hi Anyone and Everyone,

This is my very first blog and I don't expect that anyone will feel inclined to read it - which in someways is just fine - it will provide an outlet for me to just record things that have struck me as interesting or beautiful. It feels like a very old fashioned but of course public diary.

Today we (my husband Rob) and I have been to Winnall Moors in Winchester which the Hampshire Wildlife Trust of which I am a member have done a huge amount of work on. It is extremely impressive and I felt somewhat ashamed not to have contributed time to the cause as a volunteer.

I loved the way in which the board walks take the eye in different directions, allowing the walker to really see all the beautiful views on offer.

I was a bit concerned to see a group of young families clearly enjoying the moors but with a dog in tow and not even on the lead. I find this a bit of a dilemma.

It is of course great to encourage the younger generations to wildlife but the rules are quite explicit at the only entrance to the moors. No dogs are allowed. I am a dog owner of two mad spaniels one springer and one clumber and whilst I would love to walk them on the moors I can well understand why this would not be appropriate. There were many young chicks - moorhens and coots and to disturb them would be entirely wrong. I also accept that whilst many dog owners clear up after their dogs it is the case that not all do and I expect that some would take the view that it wouldn't matter too much in what is a wildlife reserve. (I of course do not share that view). No, even as a dog owner - I can see real benefit in not allowing dogs on the moor - it gives a special feel to the place and we dog owners can go elsewhere when we wish to walk the dogs. I entirely accept that this will not be everyone's view but as it is my blog I guess that it is fair enough that it is my view!

Anyway - now then let's see - I wonder if I can attach photos to this somehow. Talk amongst yourselves while I go and figure out just how to do this.

Ok... well I am not sure that I am loading photos in the most efficient way but I expect that I will get the hang of it....

I am sure to a more experienced photographer (I can think of one or two I know) this could be a much better shot technically but I am pretty new to the whole digital photography game having finally just bought a new camera to help with my hobby so I hope that improvements will be seen during the coming weeks and months.

That will do for now I guess. Back to work tomorrow on the 7.05 no doubt...Have a good week one and all.

Kate