6th February..... College Lake.

A good day out at BBOWT College Lake, Wilstone and on to Tringford reservoirs on what turned out to be nearly spring like.

Lapwings and Wigeon still vocal, at College Lake and Wilstone.

Both Canada and greylag geese busy pairing up and great tits and robins singing well around both sites.

At College Lake a robin was busy feeding six foot in front of us and seemed to be finding plenty. Found three snipe asleep amongst the rough grass from the octagonal hide.

From another hide a female pochard was busy diving.










                                                 Good to see our native winter flowering hellebore, Helleborus Foetidus and a native daphne, Daphne Laureola  growing well around the sw corner.

One of the Hebridean sheep used at to graze and control the rougher and steeper areas around the lake.

Lunch in the café then on to Wilstone.

Where this male goldeneye put on a fine show, as did the green sandpiper (below). At Tringford, had a good but brief view of a wintering blackcap near the pumping station and 20 plus mute swans and a very large number of coot on the water.

                                                Interesting to see and talk to the volunteers working on restoring the canal which will eventually join the Wendover Wides to the Grand Union.

Stewart.

Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.