Easter Sunday 31st March

 Hoppy Easter 🐰

Dead fish in SPM

A few people about in the main reserve. Some with the Wrong Shoes.  Lots of seasonal catkins

Camera case found in the glade, I have attached it to the noticeboard

Saturday 30th March

Very quiet. Is everyone on holiday? First cowslips, Marsh marigold in flower, brimstone butterflies. All the yellows! Plus the blackcap and chiff chaff really getting going.

I can't come next Saturday as I am away visiting family.

Thursday 28th - all OK in the South

Having got soaked in the North, came down to Durngate in the car today so didn't pass through No-Man's Land or Swimming Pool Meadow.  Nobody around.  The three deer were resting in the glade - they're very habituated to people. Pond level is up to the dipping platform. Cut back a branch by the boardwalk. No other maintenance issues. Great photos of the sparrow hawk yesterday!

 Water levels slowly dropping but think the Sparrowhawk will miss her shower on the flooded paths ..

Wednesday 27th March

 Very wet in all the usual places with overflowing water. Picked up a few small items of litter but two large drink bottles on either side of the long boardwalk were too far out for us to reach without waders or a long pole.  A single roe deer was spotted close to the path in the brambles by the pond. Very quiet didn't meet anyone this week.

Anne and Tim Ardill 

bit of a non descript day.

 Dull but not raining. 3 deer by pond, well hidden. Not much litter. Plenty of song. Chiff chaff and Cetti's.

Sunday 24th March

Bicyclic tyre tracks in SPM which is strange.  Thanks for oiling the lock.

A few people about including father and child with bikes taking weed out of the pond.  

Anne - thanks for finding my water bottle.  Unfortunately it was no longer there when I went to pick it up.  Good to see people are helping us clear up!

Saturday 23rd March

Blackcap and chiff chaffs singing. King Cup is coming out (Marsh Marigold.) Our two familiar deer at the pond. Average litter.

Unfortunately human excrement behind the bench opposite the School of Art. Too wet and muddy to get rid of it properly. I covered it with as much brash as I could find.

Wednesday 20th March

 A warm sunny morning - lots of bird song. A couple of visitors were delighted to see a  young deer amongst the reeds. Another couple we chatted with had followed the water vole trail from the centre of Winchester and were disappointed they hadn't seen one. The usual wet spots with flowing water but the water level had gone down overall and able to extract a beer can which was out of reach last week. Good to see a song thrush busily searching for food along the western edge.

Anne and Tim Ardill 

Aluminium water bottle with blue cap

 An aluminium water bottle with a blue cap has been placed on the fence by the gate at the Durngate entrance. I think someone lost it at the weekend.

Anne and Tim Ardill 

warm morning

 little litter. 1 walker, 2 photographers and Jayne. Plenty of bird song. 3 deer by pond. Black cap reported by a photographer. Water levels much the same but this blackbird was taking advantage, every cloud has a silver lining . . . I guess these logs are to protect the boardwalk.

Fallen tree

Popped over after lunch to look at the tree by the magic mushroom. Path cleared in 1/2 hour. What's left is safe but will need further attention. Was going to go all the way round but met Dave on the Boardwalk. He says the rest is fine. We talked about an overhanging branch that is getting lower so we removed the worst. There's a branch overhanging the stream by Bradbury House. I'm sure it's not been there long but unsure whose jurisdiction.

Amazing the number of people entering with trainers and departing soon after.

Sunday 17th March

Rowdy goose fight underway in SPM.  Two geese tried to get the ducks involved but they didn't think it was worth it.

The padlock on the Itchen-side SPM gate needs some WD40.

I managed to clamber through the fallen tree with my bag in one hand, an empty beer bottle in the other and without losing my hat.  Eat that Indiana Jones.

Btw, a lot of people on Wild Winchester (Facebook) are moaning about the tree.

One intrepid photographer, and two drunk philosophers on the bench smoking...something.

Otherwise, just very wet.

Saturday 16th March

 Tree down across the path, by the 'mushroom' at the corner leading to the end of the long boardwalk. May already have been reported but I couldn't see it. Lovely birdsong, family of three deer, very wet.

I'm on board!

 Brief report from Monday. Wet wet wet but no massive flooding. One juvenile swan and a fair bit of song

Thursday 14th. South: all good, no maintenance issues

Wednesday 13th March

 Pleased to see a kingfisher whilst wading along the path and two clumps of marsh marigolds brightening up the scene. Litter mostly at the Durngate entrance which isn't surprising at the moment. Met a family with a 3 year old toddler who was having lots of fun splashing in the puddles and proudly told us he'd seen two deer. Great stuff!

Anne and Tim Ardill 

Sunday 10th March

 Wet.

Water on the paths in all the usual places (north end of boardwalk, sluice, pond turning) and also now on the path around the North Walls Bridge.  Half a welly deep between there and SPM gate.  SPM is exactly that.  

Saw Paul heading to survey birds northside via NML.  I wished him luck!  

Deer on the path by the art school.

One runner who must have very wet feet.

Wednesday 6th March

 The path along the old recreation side is completely under water from the northern end to the bridge at the University art college. Very little litter - probably washed away! A lone jogger was not put off getting wet legs and feet. Went to see if the frogspawn is still by the pond dipping platform when we came across a roe deer plus two young who were curled up snoozing in the sunshine. Enjoyed watching from a distance. Sorry don't know how to add photos on my phone so no lovely photo to share!

Anne and Tim Ardill 

Sunday 3rd March

Paths flooded again

Four cheery walkers enjoying the sunshine, despite some wet feet.

One not-so-cheery runner who would not slow down for walkers but did tip-toe through the puddles.  Priorities.