Last of the Summer Shine

The weather took a turn when Storm Debby brought in days of torrential downpours and fierce winds, with forecast maps showing a wall of rain heading to Britain. The tail-end of the Storm swept in from the Atlantic, mixing with low-pressure, raising temperatures and causing heavy rain. Thunderstorms and torrential rain hit the country signalling an end to the heatwave that had gripped the country in recent weeks. The continued rainfall and high tides brought risk of travel disruption and damage to family homes.

We kept an eye on the weather forecast as we’d a few things planned in our diary. Thankfully, there was a break in the storm and we managed to venture out. We checked out the Poppies: Weeping Window sculpture  by the artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper. It was presented by Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and 14-18 NOW, the UK’s art programme for the First World War centenary, as part of the UK-wide tour of the iconic poppy sculptures, Wave and weeping Window. Middleport had been selected as one of only 16 locations featuring a ‘Weeping Window’ across the country. It was also the last tour venue for Weeping Window before it moved to its final presentation at Imperial War Museums in London. At the end of the tour, the sculpture, along with Wave, will become part of the Museums’ collection.

As our timed visit was for 1 pm, we left the casa at 10.40 am. It was bright and sunny with the mercury reaching 18C. Thankfully not much traffic for a Saturday morning.  There was no public parking at the venue but a temporary car-park was available for visitors. After paying £3, we had a 10 minute walk to the site. But as usual, it took longer for us as we stopped to take photographs of the old industrial buildings and warehouses that overlooked the Trent and Mersy Canal with its hump-back arched bridges.  The route was also decorated with broken pieces of China that was assembled into the walls.

Finally, after about 30 minutes later, we arrived at the venue. Middleport Pottery’s historic Grade II* listed site was built in 1888 for a well-known local ceramics company, Burgess & Leigh Limited. It had maintained unbroken pottery production since its Victorian inception. In June 2011, The United Kingdom Historic Building Preservation Trust (UKHBPT) stepped in to restore Middleport Pottery after the buildings had fallen into disrepair, and embarked on a £9 million, three-year project to regenerate and revitalise the site. In June 2014, HRH The Prince of Wales opened the refurbished Middleport Pottery, now containing the Burleigh factory, a visitor Centre, tea rooms, shop, activity areas and workshops and offices for creative businesses. Today, Middleport Pottery was a thriving visitor destination, and continued as the last working Victorian pottery in the United Kingdom.

Stoke-on-Trent was officially recognised as the World Capital of Ceramics, and Middleport Pottery has been operating since 1889. During the First World War demand for the ceramics goods made in the area greatly increased. These included tableware for hospitals, homes and the military; propaganda-ware, including small ceramic tanks and battleships; plates with patriotic designs or messages on them; and ceramics to mark both the early stages of the war and the Armistice at the end.

It was very busy as it was also the Heritage Open Day weekend. There were a few stalls, exhibitions and showrooms dotted about the place but we headed straight towards the sculpture, walking on the beautiful well-trodden cobbled streets. And when we turned a corner, we were met with a cascade consisting of eleven thousand handmade ceramic poppies were seen pouring from the heights of the Middleport Pottery's Grade II* listed Bottle Oven, to the ground directly below. The bottle oven was one of only 47 left in the Potteries.

It provided a wonderful setting for visitors to reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This dazzling, reflective and nostalgic arrangement, was originally displayed at The Tower of London from August to November 2014 where 888,246 poppies were displayed, one for every British or Colonial life lost at the Front during the First World War. Weeping Window was from the installation ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ in conjunction with Historic Royal Palaces.  Stoke-on-Trent was integral to the original installation where a locally based company Potclays provided the clay that the ceramic poppies were created from, and advised the artist on technical aspects of the clay. Johnson Tiles, who were also based in Stoke, were approached to assist and contracted to produce hundreds of thousands of the poppies.

We waited patiently for the crowd to clear before we were able to creep closer to the installation. It was also a challenge to photograph due to shadows from the surrounding buildings and also the position of the sun. Thankfully, we managed to get the shots that we wanted. It was very poignant to think that each poppy represented someone who had died during WW1 and this year marked the centenary of the Armistice that brought the bloody conflict to an end.  The cascading poppies were a tribute as we reflected, honoured and remembered the sacrifice of our nation’s servicemen.

Then two WW1 enactors dressed in military costumes turned up and posed in front of the sculpture. Quite a few visitors took turns to pose with them. We decided to explore Middleport Pottery in all its glory, especially when it was free for the Heritage Open Day event. We walked on the passageways that were just wide enough for a cart to get through. The historic buildings was filled with stunning original features. There were work rooms  where visitors learnt about the history of ceramics and discovering the traditional craftsmanship used today to produce the potteries. We walked  past a huge storehouse of mould that were used.for the potteries.

Middleport Pottery had been the Home of Burleigh since 1889. The brand was famous for its blue and white floral tableware, which was made by hand. We browsed the factory shop located in a 1930’s wing where the seconds and discontinued pottery were sold. I was hoping to purchase something as a souvenir but everything was so expensive. I just did a walkabout and drooled . In the end, I went out to one of the pop-up stalls and bought a lovely poppy shawl for only £5 which was usually retailed for £15. Then it was time to walk back to the car.

Since we were already in Stoke, we decided to pop over to see the monkeys at Trentham Monkey Forest which was just 20 minutes away. We’d been here before in 2014 and it would be lovely to see them again.  Set within 60 acres of the beautiful Staffordshire woodland, Monkey Forest was home to 140 free-roaming Barbary macaques. These species were upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources) Red List of Threatened Species.

Opened in July 2005, it was the 4th park owned by the de Turckheim family. The other 3 parks were 2 in France and 1 in Germany. One of the aims of the parks was to raise public awareness on the plight of these macaques by creating and preserving an invaluable genetic pool with the population from these parks and strengthening the wild population by re-introducing entire groups of monkeys. Over 600 Barbary macaques (from the other three sister parks) had already been successfully re-introduced into their natural habitat in the Atlas mountains of Algeria and Morocco. 

We weren’t surprised that the car-park was full. It was a lovely day to be out and about after the storms. After paying the entrance fees, we made our way through the turnstiles and then joined the queue to get into the fenced compound. Here we were given a short briefing of do’s and dont’s. Food and plastic bags weren’t allowed in and there were lockers where you can store them. As we entered the park, it felt like we were walking in the Atlas mountains of Algeria and Morocco, the setting where these macaques were familiar with, thick forests with pine, oak and cedar trees.

We adjusted our eyes to get used to the shady path, looking around us hoping to catch a glimpse. We didn’t have to wait long because they were everywhere, rustling in the trees and crashing through the branches. We followed the 3/4 mile winding forest path that took us through the woodlands where the monkeys lived. We came across an open field and there were monkeys roaming freely around us. We just don’t know where to point our cameras. They were swinging from the trees, lounging on the grass and combing the grass for food. Guides were situated along the path to explain the monkeys' behaviour.

I was hoping to see a few babies but unfortunately they’d grown up to be youngsters. They were already fully weaned at 6 months and were ready to face their first winter. A few were having a wonderful time having a tumble with their older siblings. Grooming sessions were dotted here and there. These activities kept them healthy as well as reinforced social structures and bonds. Usually, a lower ranked or younger individual was more likely to groom a higher-ranked individual and in return received protection and greater acceptance and standing in the group. Because all the grooming benefitted each individual and engendered bonding between individuals, it facilitated and mediated social interactions within the group, which allowed for the group to live together.

There were plenty of guides about keeping an eye on the visitors if they get too close to these monkeys. Any contacts made them more aggressive and also stopped them engaging in grooming. Worse still, when visitors tried to interact or touch them, it really stressed them. No matter how close they were to us, we kept our distance. There were no fences in place to stop the monkeys from interacting with the visitors, and it was against park rules to touch the animals. The monkeys were provisioned each morning with a mixture of fruit, vegetables, wheat, sunflower seeds and primate pellets. There were hourly feeding sessions where seeds and fruits were scattered so that the monkeys come out into the open and made it easier for the visitors to see them. This also brought the ducks, pigeons and squirrels out for a slice of the action.

The macaques were all identified with a unique tattoo on the inner thigh and all demographics of each individual was known. In order to control the population size, a number of females received contraceptive implants so that a limited number of babies were born annually (5-15 at each site). It would be interesting to know how many babies were born this year. We continued walking where a second group were in residence.  The woodland trail allowed visitors to walk amongst these monkeys and immersed in their everyday antics. But we didn’t venture further as it was beginning to rain and decided to call it a day.

We stayed local as Storm Ali and Bronagh lashed the country with severe winds. Ali was the UK’s first named storm of the season. It brought widespread strong winds and heavy rains, with the strongest gusts being recorded in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Western Scotland. Coming hot on the heels of Storm Ali was Storm Bronagh, blowing in overnight with blustery winds and heavy rain resulting in gales that reached 76 mph. We checked out our favourite playground when there was a respite from the wet and windy conditions as the pressure began to build again.

I was so pleased that the natives weren’t blown away by the two aggressive storms. We spotted this Common Blue Male with its violet-blue upper wings and grey-beige undersides. This must be the second brood as they tend to lay eggs in June and then August/September. The caterpillars hibernated and pupated in April and May and became adults in May and June. It was basking in the sunshine, feeding on the nectar of the small, pink flower clusters of the aromatic Wild Majoram.

We continued walking into the reserve and saw a few Common Darter basking on the sunny path, Further along the path, Babe spotted this handsome Southern hawker basking on the brambles. This large, inquisitive dragonfly was usually seen patrolling the waters and hawking through the reed-beds. Hawkers were the largest and fastest flying dragonflies, catching their insect-preys mid-air. They do this by hovering and also by flying backwards. They will still be on the wing through October.

We stopped at Baldwin Hide and Babe a beeline for the corner near to the island on the left hand side. He slowly opened the shutter and sssshhhhh, a female Kingfisher was perched on one of the overhanging branches. All you could hear were our cameras rattling away. We were so close that we could see the stunning colours. The brightly coloured plumage of its orange underparts, turquoise blue wings and electric blue back and rump were unmistakable. Suddenly someone came in and closed the door with a bang. It startled the bird and immediately  flew off, flying rapidly, low over the water before disappearing into the creek, a flash of electric blue in flight.

... Under the bridge and gone

Yet bright as a bead behind the eye

The image blazes on

~Phoebe Hesketh~

We left the Hide and headed to East Marsh. Halfway along the path, under the overhanging Ash branches, we heard loud, rapid series of piping notes "chit chit chit-chit". We looked up and saw this handsome Nuthatch foraging on the tree trunk. It climbed up, down and around the tree trunk and branches using its powerful toes. Nuthatches fed mainly on nuts and seeds, such as acorns and hazel nuts, in the autumn and winter, and insects, such as spiders and beetles in the summer. Then it flew right above our heads that we could see the black eye stripe, which gave it a bandit-like appearance.

At East Marsh Hide, we made ourselves comfortable. I was hoping to see the Otter family which Babe had seen earlier during the week. Otters had been regularly spotted in the reserve but they didn’t get the memo when I was there. The otter was one of our top predators, feeding mainly on fish (particularly eels and salmonids), water-birds, amphibians and crustacean.  The resurgence of the Otter, which was also on the top of the food chain in river environments, was an indicator that English rivers are at their healthiest for more than 20 years, according to the Environment Agency.  Unfortunately, this news had not delighted everyone as anglers had reported Otters decimating stocks in fishing lakes

Suddenly, a Grey Heron flew past the hide with its slow-flapping wings and its long legs held out behind it and there was a fish in its beak. I wonder what the anglers thought when they saw this   Apart from fishes, they also hunt small birds such as ducklings, small mammals like voles and amphibians. We watched it landing on the nearby island, dropped the wriggling fish before stabbing it with its sharp bill and swallowed in one piece. After the meal, it rest near the water with its head between its shoulder in an hunched up position.

Meanwhile, a Mute Swan was chasing away a youngster around the lake. He was arching his wings over his back and charging at the poor youngster. Once the cygnets were old enough to look after themselves and fly off, the parents cut the parental ties with them and chased them away, sometimes quite aggressively, before the next breeding season began. The parents intentionally distance themselves from the offspring. This was done by swimming away from them and not beckoning them to follow, or, if the cygnets kept staying close to them, the parents started pecking them and approaching in a threat posture, with raised feathers and wings, like they dealt with intruders into their territory.

At first, these ‘chasing off’ motions were gentle and un-sustained, but as time passed, the parents were more aggressive in their actions and the off-springs needed to get the message ASAP. Their time with the parents had ended and they needed to fly off. The reasons for the parents chasing off their offspring that they had cared lovingly for the past 6 months, was that spring was approaching and they needed space and resources to start the breeding cycle again. Also at this age, the youngster was a potential target for an aggressive cob wanting to clear the area of any other swan that wasn’t part of his family and attacked with the intention of killing youngsters from another family. Once they left, the youngsters normally joined the first flock of swans they encountered where they usually stayed until they mature. They then commenced their search for mates and the breeding cycle began.

The Autumnal Equinox brought with it a very nice surprise.  It was the moment summer ended and autumn began in the Northern hemisphere, when the sun crossed the Earth’s equator from north to south. As well as signalling the start of a new season, the Autumn Equinox had a spiritual meaning for pagans as it was when day and night was most equal and the earth was balanced. After the equinox, the night became longer than the day and daylight hours shortening. Crowds flocked to Stonehenge to celebrate but twitchers, photographers and nature lovers flocked to a tiny reservoir in Warwickshire to catch a glimpse of a rare bird.

A pair of Grey Phalarope had landed in Napton Reservoir and had been seen feeding for a couple of days on the mudflats. I kept my eye on my Twitter feed to make sure it was still around when we visited during the weekend.  We’d been here once before and somehow, we drove past the entrance. We parked at the small car-park that was at the base of a steep embankment, beyond which, lay the reservoir itself. Thankfully, one of Brandon’s regular just walked down the steps and told us where it was. Whoop … whoop. Thank you, kind sir.

Unfortunately, it began to rain and we quickly walked along the embankment of the Southern Pool, with our eyes peeled on the waders by the reed-beds. We met a couple who was standing at the end of the foot-path and they told us where it was. One of the beauty was feeding right below us!!!! I couldn’t wipe the grin of my face. The little tinker was happily picking small prey items from just beneath the surface. It was such an active bird, bobbing up and down and rapidly changing directions. It was quite hard to photograph even when it was just below us as the weather was grey and miserable.

Both birds were youngsters and in their first winter plumage with dark streaks across their backs, wings and caps. Their full grey plumage had yet to emerge and both birds possessed a light apricot buff on their necks and parts of their breast. Soon,they will moult into a full grey winter plumage before acquiring their spectacular red breeding plumage next spring, when they were back in the Arctic. These birds had flown all the way from Arctic Canada or Greenland and from their utter indifference to us, had probably never seen a human before.  Soon they will head south, to overwinter off the coast of West Africa before heading back north. It was a privilege to have seen this beautiful bird.

We ended the month by picking the last figs that had miraculously ripened all at once. It had been a bumper year for us as we’d been picking them on alternate days. We’d this tree for nearly 15 years and had moved with us from Wales, Scotland and now in Coventry. I am glad that I planted it in a huge pot. Although considered a fruit, the fig was actually a flower inverted into itself. Originally native from Turkey to northern India and the Mediterranean, it was amazing to see it doing so well in a grey and wet England. Bonn appetit.

Eggs-tra Special Easter Weekend

 

Even for those who observed its religious context, Easter had became a holiday with multiple meanings. In Christianity, it marked the resurrection of Jesus, but for others, including moi, it signified the beginning of spring. In early April, birds were chirping, flowers were staring to pop up from the ground and trees were getting green buds. The world was coming alive again after it felt like a long winter. These were all represented in the secular symbols of Easter: eggs, baby chicks, fertile rabbits and plenty of blossoms.

The earth laughs in flowers

~E.E. Cummings~

It was heaven to be wandering around the campus grounds with the trees drooping with cherry blossoms. It was a sight to behold especially when in full riotous blooms. Clouds of these ornamental blossoms were at their absolute peak thanks to the combination of sunny days and cold nights. Eventually these white or pink, lacy blossoms fluttered down and carpeting the ground. Due to their very short flowering time, the blossoms were often seen as a metaphor for life itself, luminous and beautiful, yet fleeting and ephemeral. As the Japanese poet Otomo no Kuronushi wrote in the 9th century,

‘Every-one feels grief when cherry blossoms scatter’. 

We welcomed April Fool’s day with another trip to Slimbridge WWT. It was 11.3C when we left the casa with sunshine and showers. It was also very windy driving through the pockets of rain. We were met by Dusty Duck, WWT’s latest children’s character, for the annual GIANT duck hunt in a week’s time. He will be helping children using their finely honed detective kills to track down elusive GIANT yellow ducks that were hidden high and low around the stunning grounds in return for a delicious chocolate treat. That should be fun.

We made a pit stop at Rushy Hide and it was empty except for the usual Canada Geese, Mute Swans, Tufted ducks, Mallards, Shelducks and Gulls. We headed to  Martin Smith Hide and was delighted to see not one but three Little Egrets foraging. It was quite surprised to see them together because they were usually solitary except when roosting or flying to roost.

They came quite close to the hide that I could see their attractive white fluffy snowy plumes on crests, backs and chests, black legs and bills and yellow feet. The liveliest hunters among the herons, they fed chiefly by walking through the shallow water and snapping at prey, or by running and agitating the water with their feet to disturb prey such as small fishes, aquatic insects, amphibians and crustaceans.

Every time but one the little fish and the green
and spotted frogs know
the egret’s bamboo legs from the thin
and polished reeds at the edge
of the silky world of water.

Then, in their last inch of time, they see,
for an instant, the white froth
of her shoulders, and the white scrolls
of her belly, and the white flame
of her head.

What more can you say
about such wild swimmers?
They were here, they were silent,
they are gone, having tasted
sheer terror.

Therefore I have invented words
with which to stand back
on the weedy shore—
with which to say:
Look! Look!
What is this dark death
that opens
like a white door?

~Mary Oliver ‘The Egret’

On the tack piece, we saw a pair of Common Cranes feeding. They fed on largely plant matter and insects, probing around with their bills. They started trumpeting when another pair flew across and bounded over to greet them. When running fast, they had a bouncing gait, and occasionally extended their wings and flapped them. Then another pair flew in and the same pattern was repeated. But when a singleton flew in to join them, one of the pair took a dislike and started chasing it away by running forward and flapping its wings. It was quite disturbing to watch but I am sure there must a reason behind it.

Common Cranes were aggressive birds. When fighting, they leapt into the air to rake opponents with their sharp claws or stabbed at an opponent with their bill. This continued until one bird ran or flew away, sometimes closely pursued by the victorious bird. Fighting was dangerous to both participants, so they used a complex system of threatening behaviours allowing rivals to avoid fighting. Communication included both physical postures and vocalizations. Ruffle, drop-wing, and crouch threats indicated low-, mid-, and high-intensity aggression levels respectively, so many aggressive encounters were often resolved before fighting became necessary.

Nesting pairs could be very aggressive and often displaced others that landed within their established territories. Most territorial defence was directed at sub-adults or adults that didn’t had established territories. Pairs defended their territories with displays that included unison calling and directed walk threats.

“Magic birds were dancing in the mystic marsh. The grass swayed with them, and the shallow waters, and the earth fluttered under them. The earth was dancing with the cranes, and the low sun, and the wind and the sky.”

~Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings~

We checked the rest of the hides but there was nothing going on. But a true sign of spring arriving was seeing the dancing flight of an Orange-tip butterfly. It was one of the first species seen that had not over-wintered as an adult. The male was unmistakeable. It was a white butterfly  with half of the forewing a bold orange with light grey wingtips. It was flying along the hedgerows and woodland margins looking for a female, nectar sources or food-plants. I was delighted when it landed on a White-dead nettle.

As we walked through the boardwalk, we were serenaded by a Chiffchaff, singing its name out loud chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff. These two vibrant notes were among the most welcome sounds of spring. These birds were the first of all our warblers to dare the chilly winds after wintering in North Africa. The sound of his song was likened to two tiny taps of a hammer on an anvil. Monotonous it may be, but there was no doubt of the singing vigour as he sang from his heart.

Chiff-chiff, chiff-chaff

After labour, rest I have

~Anthony Rye~

On the grounds, we spotted this Jackdaw with its beak full of feathers. It was walking around the path by Swan Lake picking up soft fluffy feathers of the Mute Swans, Bewick Swans, Canada Geese or even from the rare Nenes. It was spoilt for choice. Since they were colonial cavity nesters, imagine the holes in the trees lined with these. It would be so cosy for the eggs and later the chicks. I hoped he would collect some pink feathers from the Flamingos. That would make the Mrs proud!!!

 

We headed straight to the very busy South Lake Discovery Hide. The air was filled with cries from the the very vocal Black-headed gulls and piping Shelducks flying about. The elegant black and white Avocets with long, upturned bills and bluish legs were busy feeding. Their splendid bills were used to catch invertebrates by sideway sweeps, with the curved parts, slightly open, passing through mud or water.

The sudden sight of a newly-hatched brood of Mallard ducklings in the water melted my heart. I tried counting them. There must at least be a dozen of these downy, bright-eyed brood. The mother was a devoted parent, unlike her missing raffish mate, and was beating the water with her wings and quacking like mad to take them to safety. When the last young hatched, they left the nest at once, running, scampering and swimming like tiny clockwork toys. As soon as they crossed the lake, they quickly disappeared into the undergrowth.

In the middle of the lake, Black-tailed Godwits looked stunning in their russet summer plumage. They fed mainly on earthworms, which they found by probing the mudflats with their long bills. Something spooked them and off they were in the air. These large, graceful waders were very distinctive when flying, with their bold white wing bars, large white area of the rump and tail base and black terminal tail-band that gave them their name.

After they had settled down and returned back to feeding, we made our way to Hogarth Hide. The mudflats were littered with nesting Avocets. Some were still courting. These were highly social birds with impressive displays as males circle females, getting closer and closer. These was followed by a lot of dipping and shaking of the bills in the water. Pair-bonds were maintained only for the duration of breeding season.

Then it was time to walked back to the car. We stopped at the Swan Lake when we spotted this pair of  loved-up mute swans. We thought the male was a bit young to be courting but I guess you can’t stop those raging testosterones, eh!!! But still, it was still lovely to see the courtship rituals, where they face each other, and with a ruffle of feathers and lifted wings, bowed gracefully.

“Oft have you seen a swan superbly frowning

And with proud breast his own white shadow crowning…

~John Keats~

The next week we checked out Slimbridge again. This time because there were sightings of a Spoonbill and Cattle Egrets. We left at about 10 am on the hottest day of the year so far. It was 15C when we got in the car. When we arrived, the place was buzzing as words got out about these birds. It wasalso the start of the Easter duck hunt and everyone wanted to be out in the sunshine!!!

We took our usual route and headed straight to Rushy Hide walking past the Caribbean Flamingos looking stunning basking in the sun. At Rushy, the ground was littered with fluffy Greylags goslings. There were 6 of them under the watchful eyes of their very protective parents. Unlike many species of waterfowl, the male goose or gander stayed with the family group.

Black-headed Gulls had quietened down a bit as they were sitting on eggs. The nests were either scrapes in the ground or a pile of dead plant materials.  They were the most quarrelsome and noisy birds with their raucous screams. We spotted a few pairs mating. Mating behaviour was complex with the head postures playing a crucial role.

A pair of of the usually noisy Oystercatchers were quiet as they enjoyed a siesta in the  sunshine. Colourful Shelducks were upending in the shallow water, feeding on small invertebrates. At the further end of the pen, a dozen Avocets were either feeding or nesting. In clear water, they fed by sight by picking prey from the surface of water or mud. In poor visibility and when locating prey from within the sediments, they foraged by touch, sweeping the long, up-curved bill from side to side through water or loose sediments to locate hidden prey.

We only had a pit-stop at Martin Smith Hide because the tack-piece was quite empty. Most of the Shovelers, Teals and Wigeons were having a siesta. As we were leaving, we spotted this pair of loved –up pigeon outside the hide. They were busy billing where the female puts her beak inside the male’s beak.  He was feeding her by regurgitating food. They then briefly preened the feathers on each others back or wings before returning to more billing. We left them to continue their courtship in private.

Then it was a long walk to Kingfisher hide. We were surprised to find the windows locked!!! We read a notice that the windows had been closed to reduce noise, movement and potential disturbance. This allowed the nesting pair to settle and gave them the best chance of success. According to the volunteer, the pair were very active with food passes, periods in the nest hole and lots of mating which suggested that they were laying their first clutch. We didn’t see anything and left because the hide was beginning to fill up.

Our final stop was at Hogarth Hide. Black-tailed Godwits in their stunning breeding colours were busy feeding in the shallow water. We saw Canada Geese, Greylags, Black-headed Gulls, Oyster- catchers and Lapwings sitting on eggs well-hidden among the grassy islands.  Some of the Avocets were parading around, nest –building and sitting on eggs in the traditional sites at the end of the lagoon. Avocets nest together in colonies. The nest was a shallow hollow in the ground, lined with a few pebbles or pieces of shell.

A pair of Common Cranes were seen circling in the sky, with their out-stretched necks and long wings, and those characteristics black flight feathers. They then landed at the end of the lake. It was lovely watching these large and impressive water-birds with their long necks, beaks and legs parading about. The plumage was mainly slate grey, with black flight feathers, the innermost of which were greatly elongated, forming a drooping, bushy cloak over the tail, dancing as they walked.

The Common Cranes foraged during the day, probing with their beaks or picking food from both land and water. Their diet included a wide range of plant and animal matter. This pair looked like they were checking out the area. Were they searching for potential nesting sites???  We kept our fingers-crossed. Cranes made nests in open water, often in emergent vegetation. I hoped they find this site suitable. It was a lovely thought to end a lovely day.

On Good Friday, we checked out a new playground, Napton Reservoir. It was a deep water reservoir constructed in 1814 to feed the Warwick and Napton Canal system. The reservoir was renowned for its tench fishing and combined with the crucian carp, roach and specimen carp had created a very popular fishery. But you have to be a member of the Leamington Anglian Association.

We parked in a tiny car-park and walked up a bund-wall where the reservoir was located. Swallows with their long wings and long tail streamers were circling gracefully overhead. Their long tail feathers gave them exceptional manoeuvrability. They were feeding on the wing by catching insects in their large gapes.

A dozen fishermen were dotted along the reservoir minding their own business. We surveyed the area and spotted the usual collection of Mallards, Tufted ducks, Coots and Moorhens. We heard Green Woodpeckers loud laughing calls from the nearby woods with the occasional explosive songs from the Cetti warblers.  More Swallows were swooping low over the waters to catch insects that were flitting about and snatching a quick drink as they skimmed across the surface of the water.

We walked along the canal path admiring the brightly-painted narrow- boats moored there. The canal was authorised by an Act of March 1794 as the Warwick & Braunston Canal. The line was later changed to join the Oxford Canal at Napton . Now it was part of the Grand Union Canal which ran 14 miles through 25 locks from Napton Junction to Budbrooke Junction.

Then we walked on the causeway that cuts the two reservoir. To our upmost delight, a Grey wagtail decided to join us and led the way. It was an energetic little bird and always on the move; frantically bobbing, ducking and dashing about. Despite its dull name, it was very colourful with a vivid lemon underneath that contrasted against the slate grey feathers above.

We headed towards a large reed-bed at the back of the reservoir. At least a dozen nesting Coots and Moorhens were littered along the bank, well-hidden by the reeds. A Little Grebe was whirring deep in the reed-beds. Great Crested Grebes were cruising close-by. A male Reed bunting was perched high on the reeds, voicing its simple 3-note territorial call. We headed back to the car when we felt the first rain-drop.

On Holy Saturday, we made our pilgrimage to Santa Pod Raceway for the Festival of Power. It was 9.5C, clear but chilly when we left the casa at 9.40 am. In the car, we brought our winter coats, gloves and woollen scarves, just in case the weather turned chilly. As soon as we reached the junction, we joined the very long queue. Aargh…We spent the whole day there among the Jet cars, top fuel dragsters, heavily modified muscle cars, superbikes and monster trucks with thousands of other people. Due to the sheer amount of photographs, it will have its own posting.

After the high octane, supercharged Saturday, we spent Easter Sunday with a gentle stroll at Brandon Marsh. We were greeted by a Blackbird nesting under the eaves of the visitor centre. The pair nested in the same nest last year and they had successfully bred 4 chicks. I wonder how many they will have this year.

We continued on and walked past Primrose bank which was stunning, carpeted with blooming Primroses . These pale-yellow flowers with a deep yellow centres were growing abundantly on these shady banks and under hedgerows tucked away from the sun. They were delicately-scented with a rosette of basal leaves that were heavily wrinkled and crinkly. It was lovely to be surrounded with these native British flowers.

Primroses epitomised spring and their name ‘prima rosa’ was derived from first rose of the year, primarole. In the language of flowers, they symbolised early youth, fears, a sense of being forsaken, inconstancy, innocence and lover’ doubt. These were why these fresh-faced flowers quickly became associated with young girls in their first flowering and Chaucer’s wife in The Miller’s Tale (circa 1380) was a primerole “blisful on to see”.

“And in the wood, where often you and I

Upon faint primrose-beds were won’t die…”

~Shakespeare ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream~

We checked out Baldwin Hide and it was wonderful having the hide to ourselves. Sand-martins were busy flying in and out of their nesting castle. Then a three-note ‘swee-wee-we’ call alerted us to the presence of a Common Sandpiper flying with its distinctive flight with stiff bowed wings to Willow Island. It habitually bobbed and down, known as teetering’ as it foraged for insects, worms and crustaceans.

This small, short-legged wader with a long, straight beak was relatively drab in colour. The head, upper breast and upperparts were greenish-brown with delicate dark streaking, contrasting with the white underparts and greenish-grey legs. It was so close that we could see the white eye-ring. Then it flew off with the striking white wingbar clearly visible.

A few minutes later, another wader flew in and it was a Redshank. Wow… this island was like an airport runaway. As its name suggested, the bright orange-red legs were its most distinctive feature. It was busy feeding on small invertebrates in the shallow water around the island. When it flew off, the white triangular wedge up the back and white triangle on the rear was clearly visible.

Then we walked to the next hide and sat at our favourite place. On the island, we saw an Oystercatcher sitting on nest, beautifully hidden under the shrubs with only its orange beak peeping out. Nearby, a tiny Little Ringed Plover was  foraging for insects and worms along the gravel banks. The poor thing was being chased by the Lapwings from one island to another. When it flew off, it had only a very thin, pale wing bar with a ‘pee-u’ call.

A summer visitor, it was a small, rotund wading bird with a bright, yellow ring around the eye. It mainly wintered in North Africa. Unlike other waders, Little Ringed-Plover don’t form flocks, travelling singly or in a small group of a few birds. When they arrived, they could be noisy and obvious but on their own they were hard to locate and as they often stood motionless.

I heard the familiar trillings ‘weet-weet-weet’, which sounded like a horse whinnying. I quickly scanned the reed-beds, and skulking underneath it was my favourite wader, the Little Grebe or dabchick. It looked stunning in its breeding colours, predominantly dark above with its rich, rufous colour neck, cheeks and flanks, and bright yellow gape. Then it dived without any surface disturbance, a signal for us to go home.

We ended our Easter break with a nice long walk along Draycote Waters. The sighting of a Slavonian Grebe also tempted us there. As usual, the place was buzzing with visitors and also midges. Aargh… they were everywhere. We’d to have our hoods up and walking with our heads down to stop it getting into our eyes, nose and mouth. Quite a challenge when you’re trying to photograph something.

The surrounding countryside looked stunning with fields and fields of yellow flowering rapeseed. The British rolling countryside was steadily turning yellow as record number of farmers were cashing in on the soaring price of the oil from them.The vibrant colours were coming to dominate the green and pleasant land into a cheerful shade of yellow. The future was definitely bright

On the reservoir, we were distracted by this cormorant trying to swallow a huge fish. The fish was trashing away like crazy and the bird wasn’t letting go. After 5 minutes, the fish won. I don’t think the cormorant would be able to swallow it anyway. I bet the fishermen nearby who were envious of the catch were secretly please that the fish got away. Cormorants were the fishermen worst enemy.

As we walked along the bank, trying to dodge the midges, Pied wagtails were flying in front of us with their looping flight and descending glide. With so much food, it was lovely watching them indulged in aerial fly-catching , quickly darting after the insects. In flight, they uttered a high-pitched ‘chissick’ sound. Sprightly and skittish, they were constantly in motion, from their jerky walk to their constantly wagging tail.

We took a bit of respite from the clouds of midges and hid in the bird hide. Thousands were caught in the spider webs that were attached to the flaps. We heard plenty of grunting, growling and barking because a large numbers of Great Crested Grebes were gathering in the shallow water. Some were having a siesta and some were performing their elaborate courtship display, including the spectacular weed dance.

If the dance was successful, they formed a lasting bond. They then mated on land and began to build their nest platform made up of waterweed. The nest was either a hidden mound of weeds and vegetation or a floating platform anchored to vegetation. This area was full of wetland plants and reeds with overhanging trees making it quite safe from predators.

Then it was  a slow walk back to the car. We decided to walk on the road which was below the reservoir to get away from the clouds of midges. But here, we have to be aware of the speeding cyclists and cars. We spotted more wagtails both of Pied and Grey ones. We didn’t see the Slavonian Grebe or the Wheatears which used to nest in the abandoned rabbit burrows.

Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.

~Laura Ingalls Wilder~