Met a cyclist in SPM. He said he was local and he cycled through every day, so what was the problem? After a friendly chat we parted amicably, and he pushed the bike. Male Swan was blocking path, with the female and 4 cygnets in the water, but we went the other way.
Quiet morning on site but lots of bird song and the one of the swans was out by the bridge with her 4 cygnets.
site looking nice and tidy and no litter
all quiet. 1 runner, 2 walkers and 1 regular visitor, we had a nice chat. No litter to speak of. All looks nice and tidy, chalk board hasnt been trashed - yet! I'll look into re stapling NW runners notice.
water 37.10m as it has been for weeks. It's as much to do with the nearby sluices as rain, of which there's been little apart from that downpour a couple of weeks ago
a few flag irises visible.
Edit: sign sorted.
All neat and tidy, lovely strimming!
A few walkers. Two pairs of runners. Had a chat with both about giving way to others: young couple very polite and middle-aged men very rude and dismissive.
The running notice on the gate on NW bridge is flapping and needs a couple of staples.
Lovely to see the Ragged Robin out. Less litter than last week but always a bag full on a Saturday morning. Friendly chats with regulars. A bike hidden near the Durngate board, presumably a visitor?
Mostly checked by Sam today. Some of the blackthorn whips in the swimming barrier area are losing leaves, but the hawthorns mostly look OK. People are still going in there and trampling around.
Race for Life on in the park.
A few walkers, lots of runners. Had a chat with some: two were very polite and gracious and then went on to barge past a walker ahead of me. Another wanted to negotiate the advice (in favour of runners). Apparently slowing down scares people. I did suggest that she should let people know she is approaching/passing.
A cuckoo, corroborated by Merlin.
The pond looks a bit gunky. Someone has left a tie by the memorial. Not sure if it is connected.
LOST: Nikon binocular lens cap. Has pink clip. If found, please leave in No Man's Land (not public area).
Sad to find a large paper Boots bag full of used drug paraphernalia including spoons on the glade, and lots more spilled about. No needles found.
Otherwise a lovely morning, with flag Irises and Guelder Rose both out. Ragged Robin also in flower but couldn't get a picture.
Love the paintings on the Dungate board!
Only a couple of people on site this morning and no obvious litter. Lots of birds busy looking for food and flying past with beaks full of insects.
Fairly quiet and clean except for the aftermath of beery picnics at first bench and between the noticeboard and the river. No maintenance issues.
Very quiet. A lone swan snoozing in the shade on the river bank. Yellow flag iris and purple comfrey adding a good splash of colour.
A small amount of litter. I cleaned the sightings board but sadly forgot to bring some chalk to put on May sightings - perhaps someone else could oblige!
Quite a bit of cut reed floating in the pond - either fallen in from yesterday's heavy rain or pushed in. An empty cigarette packet is floating in the middle but too far out to reach.
A few people, mostly runners. I saw one couple walk ahead of me across the park from Hyde and then start running as soon as they entered the reserve.
Roe deer in SPM.
Guelder rose blooming.
Met Sam showing a new seasonal warden around, so cut the visit short. Nice to see most of the Hawthorne and Blackthorn whips in the swimming pool barrier area now showing leaf.
Only a few people strolling round despite the beautiful morning. A couple of peacock butterflies sunbathing and my first sighting this year of a Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly.
The Birmingham City sticker on the no access poster into NML has been largely removed but the poster is loose and obviously needs replacing. The sightings board could do with a clean up - sorry not much time today. The poor state of the word boards along the boardwalk has already been commented on. If can't be replaced then better to remove completely.
Only small amount of litter.
A few people walking. One runner. Trespasser in NML (reported on northside blog). The no access sign has been vandalised to say "no access for the English" and a Birmingham City sticker.
One of the motivational phrases from the boardwalk has been ripped off at lakeside.mural.manual and another in the mangrove swamp.
Willow fluff 👻, comfrey, hawthorn and yellow flags
Early morning walk, with very few people about and rather colder than its been. Noted a man on the non-public path that runs parallel to the boardwalk, obviously he shouldn't have been there.
Lunchtime wander around the Moor. Very warm with many airborne seeds flying and a lot of Sedge, Reed, Cetti's and Garden Warbler song. Two dog walkers noted who were made aware of the rules.
