Passed through the South via No-Man's Land - couple of deer there who jumped back into SPM to join the group who were hiding in the reeds. Re-fixed the bottom rail by the eastern SPM gate but it needs a longer nail sometime. No other maintenance issues. Encouraged one owner not to bring her dog into the entrance area for its morning constitutional - she cleared it up at least.
Pretty flooded and deeper than last week. Definitely a welly job. Nobody around only one lady enjoying a small window in weather.
Fungal.
Lots of people about including some birdwatchers pleased to find treecreepers, a buzzard and siskins. Had a chat with Sheila who was photographing wrens. Deer in SPM.
Very quiet - not surprising as wind and heavy rain. Met one student who cheerfully admitted she wasn’t dressed for the walk or weather wearing white trainers, a miniskirt and woolly jumper!
Whilst watching one toad swimming in the pond, noticed two clumps of frogspawn by the dipping platform.
Only one piece of litter but tulips had been strewn around the stream dipping area. Possibly ashes had been put in the water there?
Sam - We are away on holiday next week.
Anne and Tim Ardill
Water on and over the paths in SPM again.
A few people about including:
Quiet and damp, with few visitors this morning. Fewer toads in the pond visible this week. A water rail and a Cetti's warbler calling. I disturbed a young roe deer as I was going after a can. Moderate litter.
This morning was lovely on snd off, sun dazzling through the clouds. Paths are improving and less overflow from river.
Lots of birds, great view of kestrel preening.
One jogger who didn't give a hoot about anyone thank you whoever you are.
Lots of birds getting excited, 2 wrens chasing each other all over there place, brilliant.
Very quiet on southern end - just one person walking round. Picked up a couple of soft drinks bottles and various bits of plastic. Retrieved a couple of path diversion signs and put them on the ground by the eastern end of the boardwalk. Nice to have a good view of a Jay and hearing much more bird song - made up for the dull drizzly weather!
Anne and Tim Ardill
Fairly quiet
Had a fun chat with two not-entirely-sober but very polite gentlemen smoking rollies on the bench at Durngate end. They think we should get a hippo. A couple of other walkers. An empty vodka bottle by NW bridge; got some funny looks walking home with that.
Enough water for swans around the southern end of the boardwalk.
Great to be back on the reserve in the sunshine. Thought the waters might have gone down...but didn't seem so. Barn, van and Fishermen's hut secure. Lots of wrens, and a little grebe allowed me to get very close before diving.
Friendly chats with photographers and visitors, lots of birdsong, toads in the pond, much less litter and no drinkers today. A pleasure to do a warden’s round!
I won’t be able to do this next Saturday morning due to family half term commitments.
Overcast morning with very people. Met Emily and colleague from the central estates team chain sawing and burning the brash from the recent tree work. Doing a great job! Gentle over topping in a few places along the path.
Only a very small amount of litter this week.
Anne and Tim Ardill
Grey and drizzly
A few people about, some checking that the gates to SPM really were locked.
Met a charming Canadian chap here for the first time and looking for birds to photograph. We had a nice chat about what he might find.
Also met a man and his son with a dog off lead. They were not charming. The man was aggressive and abusive; the son was mortified and embarrassed. The man accused me of being a busybody and told me that rules did not apply to him and that he was teaching his son the same so that he could be successful. He photographed and filmed me, even after he left the reserve. What a sad little man. Noted that they were with the kids' rugby club in River Park.
Great to be back. Lots of extra litter today, presumably revealed by or moved by the flood water. Is this rope needed? It’s off the path as you go past the glade. I left the blue specs on the fence by the Durngate board.
Two cider drinkers on the Durngate bench. In a friendly chat I asked them not to drink there. Polish couple. They hid the cider bottle but did not move on. We heard a kingfisher, and I felt sorry for them, but asked them again, before I left, to drink somewhere else because of our families visiting.
Unfortunately there was human excrement behind the willow tree behind where they were sitting. I picked up all the paper but sorry I didn’t have the equipment for picking up the excrement because of….too disgusting to say….will bring gloves and bags next week just in case.
The paths are just muddy now, with most puddles gone or going. Lots of Songthrushes again, with three battling out the singing by the pond. Must be very desirable territory. Two Roe deer ambled about by the pond, not particularly concerned with my intrusion. Two sets of two runners this morning, all pleased to be able to run again. Several Cettis in good voice with Wrens darting about in the background. A Kestrel was perched on the snag in RCM. My highlight was watching three swimmers briskly leave the water when three swans decided to play ‘chase’ on that part of the river, noisily flapping wings as they part flew part swam up and down. Nobody hurt - just a healthy respect for the wingspan of a swan.
Exited the North via No-man’s Land. Nothing to add to Paul’s blog except the black gloves mentioned by Anne yesterday are still on the dipping stream bench.
Fairly quiet on Winnall Moors. One runner who had respect. A couple from Oxfordshire enjoying it. No litter. Paths not too bad, boardwalks ok.
