Have you heard of Kingsmill Reservoir? (NG17
4PA) Well you have now!! It’s a
reservoir on the A38 near Mansfield, Notts.
Today, Monday 6th January, I decided to revisit for the first time for a
couple of years. The good start was a filled bird feeding station adjacent to
the free car park, very active with the usual feeder birds, plenty of
Goldfinches, but a few too many rats. The poor start was that the water’s edge
café had been closed for a refurb and was not due to reopen until February.
Judging by the amount of civil engineering work around the visitor area, that
may be ambitious.
The circuit was a good 90 minutes at birders
pace!, (including an adjacent Costa in
the NE corner of the site on the Sutton Rd.) 24 species was a reasonable count
for this large site and enabled me to add 6 species to my 2020 list.
Many of the birds were understandably tucked
in under the trees along the water’s edge, such as Teal, one lonely Grey Heron,
and a number of Little Grebes.
All the above are good reasons to give Kingsmill
Reservoir a try. I know some people do not like the proximity of busy roads and
noisy ambulances, but the birds don’t seem to mind.
Tuesday 7th January, and it was the first visit to Attenborough in
2020. Chris Gill and I duly arrived at 9.30 and found that fellow birders Paul
and Marion had turned up, so it was good to have 5 pairs of eyes for our first
2020 visit.
There were more birders around than normal,
and the sightings board told us why.
There had been reports of a Slavonian Grebe for several days, initially
viewable from the car park. Whilst not visible straight away we could see the
Grebe from the peninsular at the back of the centre, near the Sand Martin
bank. As a bonus, and I missed it, a
Water rail was calling in the reeds, and seen by some of my colleagues.
So much excitement… we all just had to have a
drink, so the next half hour was spent in the café. And even that produced dividends!
The Slavonian Grebe, decided to go around to
the southern side of the visitor centre, and was then readily seen whilst
sitting in the café!! With views like
this………………..
Eventually we felt we ought to do some
birding, so drawing our eyes way from the Grebe, we went to the tower
hide. There
were a several bird groups around, but it was quiet in the tower hide. Birds like Water rail or Bittern were not
seen, but Goosander, Reed Bunting were in my 9 addition for the year.
We tried a quick look at Cotton flash, but
the rain increased in intensity, making us return to the centre, including a
quick abortive look in the Kingfisher hide.
A couple of itinerant additions to my list
later in the week. Good to see 2
Peregrines on the Jury hotel in Derby on Friday, and on Saturday on the way to
Uttoxeter we passed a very eruptive Rookery!
I had something of
an altercation with my good lady this week. Although I know she enjoys her yoga classes I don’t know what
they do for 2 hours. It was therefore revealing on Monday when Mary showed me that this
was a posing exercise…..
Mary “ This is a stretching exercise - think
of a catchphrase, think of birds…. Say what you see.”
What could I do? What would YOU do? Then a brainstorm… “Red backed Shrike?”
An unwelcome look indicated that I was on
sticky ground, and I didn’t fare much better when I asked whether it related to
the half full (half empty?) wine rack.
In fear that things could only get worse..”
Please Darling, just tell me..I promise not to laugh.”
“It’s a Yoga pose… it’s called the Eagle Pose…..
I’m surprised you did not recognise it.”
Well I must admit there is some similarity. Apparently it is an aide to relieving shoulder strain.
Anyway this is why I will not be going to Yoga and
Mary will not be birding!!
Ed: Agreed
Just before I sign off a memory tugger for
some of us…. And history for others!!!
QI. 35 years ago, yesterday (in 1985) you could
buy a car for £399. It was the launch of the C5. NO?....Clive Sinclair’s electric car!!
No comments:
Post a Comment