New Year's Eve

Water here there and everywhere (good for boot washing after squelching through NML).  A couple of walkers, no litter.

Happy New Year!

Friday 29th December

 

Mild and still morning. Saw five swimmers treading water and discussing their Christmas’s in the early gloaming. The ‘No Swimming’ sign has been removed. To be fair, it had lasted a long time, cohabiting as it was with ‘freedom’ swimmers 😄. The water deepens. Probably 8cm in new money in some places along the paths. Several Song Thrushes doing vocal battle around the pond. Several new ponds as well !!! Nine Mallards in a new pond by the start of the boardwalk (going anti-clockwise). Mr and Mrs Pheasant strutting out along the boardwalk, not to be rushed. Saw not a soul, probably because of the flooded paths. 

Winnall moors 28th December

 Paths well flooded in many places,  wellies are a definite requirement.  Few people, no dogs and no little. Some running water across paths near swimming pool end.

Wednesday 27th December

 An overcast, wet and windy morning only met one  person which given the weather conditions,  the overflowing river, and all the puddles wasn't too surprising! Picked up a couple of small bits of litter.

Anne and Tim 

Christmas Eve

A few people about.  Water has receded but still some puddles. Very tweety birds.

My nemesis, the Opal Fruit eater is back for Christmas but no other litter. 

Merry Christmas Lookers and Wardens🎄

Friday 22nd December Solstice

 Got out early to experience the sunrise on the winter Solstice. Slightly underwhelming due to cloud on the eastern horizon but still …….

Very windy which largely put paid to bird observation. Just did the public area today as I’m quite tired just now and the early start didn’t help. All well. Saw three swimmers in their usual spot. No deer by the pond today. 

As you’ve read this far let me regale you with a couple of snippets. The Winter Solstice used to fall on the 25th in the old Julian calendar - hence the Church co-opting it for the Birth. The Gregorian calendar recalculation put on the present 22nd, but by then the Church was fixed on the 25th. ‘Yule’ is an anglicisation of the Scandinavian ‘Juul’ which is/was a celebration of the lengthening of the days after the Solstice. The increasing light and heat from the Sun was represented by the light and heat from the ‘Juul’ log. For whatever reason, give yourself a moment for reflection today. Merry Yuletide and Merry Julian Christmas !

Not available Sunday 21st January

Thursday 21st December

Quiet. Couple of mums with kids, one jogger. A few plastic bottles. No sign of the deer. Pair of jays on the west side.

Maintenance: nothing new - the path at the north end by the main river has a strong flow over it and more of the black base layer is exposed cf. 2 weeks ago.

Wednesday 20th December

 Very quiet this morning chatted to a couple of walkers wearing wellies who were pleased to be able to walk all the way round. Another couple were forced to turn back and asked the usual question - is it always so wet.  Saw quite a few grey squirrels but could have been the same one stalking us! Met a monthly litter picker and contributed a couple of pieces of litter we had found. As last week there was an unpleasant odour along the path to the pond, however the pond itself looked good in a rare moment of sunshine.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Anne and Tim

Monday 18th December

Covering for Paul this morning. Only saw one other person. Boardwalks all good & clear of leaves. Spring-like warm with plenty of bird activity. Red kite overhead, numerous goldfinches, long tailed tits and a small flock of siskins amongst others. I’ll raise you a robin Lynn!

Happy Christmas to all our bloggers 

Sunday 17th December

 Still wet.  A few people about, some with the wrong shoes.  Two speedy runners. Not smelly.

Bumped into Miranda, one of our regular photographers, who was on the look out for kingfishers but had to settle for a Christmassy robin.  She had seen lots of firecrests and goldcrests during the week.

Another photographer wasn't having much luck either so I directed him to where he could snap the deer family snuggled down in the mid section. 

An injured wood pigeon on the path.  I moved it to the verge.  It will make a nice lunch for something.

Friday 15th December

 Up before the sunrise but the clouds soon put paid to a brief flash of gold. Five swimmers in the usual place, although it turned out that they were more ‘treading water and chatting’. The roe deer family were ambling around the pond as two Songthrushes battled it out with ever more complicated triplets. Seems the wrong time for staking out territory but I know that they can be quite possessive of a berry tree at this time of year. Walking past our wooden otter I was finally able to share the dubious pleasure of the ‘sewage’ smell. It just seemed to be in the area between the footbridge and the otter. Maybe a sort of marsh gas ???

missing birth certificate

Hi all,

Had a call in that someone has lost their birth certificate at the moors so please keep an eye out and let me know if you find it.

Thanks for your time,

Sam

Wed. 13th December path erosion

Path being washed away where the river is overflowing at the north end of Swimming Pool Meadow and forming deep gulleys across the path exposing the black underlay. In need of repair once the river level has dropped a bit.

Otherwise very quiet - met a lady who wished she had worn her wellies!

Anne and Tim 

Saturday 9th December

A wet Saturday morning with only one runner for company. Three deer at the pond, pairs of mallards enjoying the flooded areas, noticeably more birdsong including a song thrush and lots of

great tits, gold finches foraging on the paths.  

Friday 8th December

 A fresh sunny morning. A few people about. Like Jim, I was treated to a close encounter with the four roe deer by the pond. The three youngsters look small for a spring batch. Perhaps they are late summer babies. 

Pleased to see that the sprouting reeds in the newly cleared pond have been cut. 

Thursday 7 December - all good

Nobody around, a few empty cider cans near the Durngate entrance. 

Highlight was the four deer - two on the path near the pond, two peering out of the scrub.  They seem to have taken up residence on the high ground.

The main river overtop near the north end is dry but there are several channels in the path eroded down to the underlay.  Might be worth sandbagging to prevent further damage if/when levels rise again. Otherwise no maintenance issues.

Path eroded down to underlay

Wednesday December 6th

 Nothing untoward in the public part of the reserve this morning . The amount of flooding from the river into the central part of the reserve has reduced significantly but not stopped altogether . Much standing water present unsurprisingly. Few people about , a mix of runners and a few walkers plus three photographers . Boardwalks all fine . 

Julian bevis 

Sunday 3rd December

Grey and drizzly.

A few people about.

The no entry sign has disappeared from the gate between SPM and NML.

A couple of chaps hanging about behind the bench at the north end of the boardwalk, looking in the river.  I chatted to them for a bit and they said they were waiting for their sister.  I'm guessing that they were going to spread ashes in the river.  Seems to be a popular spot for it.

Four deer at the pond.

Still smells of drains.

One very fast, rude and aggressive runner.

*Reminder*: I am off next week.

Sat 2nd dec

 By the time I got there the hoar front had all but gone, but still mist over the water. All good, and quiet. FH was unlocked but fine. Barn secure.