Farnboro John
Well-known member
Maz and I went for a walk round the new bit of Moor Green Lakes yesterday: the path round it is not supposed to be open yet but everybody else is using it so I said the hell with it and we joined in.
TBH if I'd had the designing of it I wouldn't have put a circular walk in there anyway. It leaves no dead side for the animals to hide in and the North side of it not only doesn't get as good views of the pools but also has you looking straight into the light. Having a circular walk rather than going out-and-back is completely country park rather than intelligently designed nature reserve but that's the level of idiocy we have to put up with it seems.
Anyway, the weather was fine and Chiffchaffs were singing everywhere, which was nice. We didn't see either of the early migrants I was hoping for - Little Ringed Plover and Sand Martin - but somehow I don't think they'll escape for long.
However, if you'd told me forty years ago as I was traversing Yateley Gravel Pits (now Moor Green Lakes nature reserve!) that I'd be able to wander round there and effortlessly see a couple of dozen Red Kites, a pair of prospecting Oystercatchers, a Great White Egret and a pair of Ravens - and that all of them would be pretty much routine for the site - I'd have laughed in your face. So for all its imperfections it's probably my best nearby birding location.
We also had pretty much a full set of common dabbling ducks plus a bunch of Goosanders loafing on Colebrook Lake North; the new bit had all the Snipe we haven't been seeing on the original nature reserve lakes, while a pair of Buzzards thermalled right above us and a pair of Kestrels hunted the extensive rough grassland.
Brimstones and some feisty Commas rounded out the spring feel of the walk.
John
TBH if I'd had the designing of it I wouldn't have put a circular walk in there anyway. It leaves no dead side for the animals to hide in and the North side of it not only doesn't get as good views of the pools but also has you looking straight into the light. Having a circular walk rather than going out-and-back is completely country park rather than intelligently designed nature reserve but that's the level of idiocy we have to put up with it seems.
Anyway, the weather was fine and Chiffchaffs were singing everywhere, which was nice. We didn't see either of the early migrants I was hoping for - Little Ringed Plover and Sand Martin - but somehow I don't think they'll escape for long.
However, if you'd told me forty years ago as I was traversing Yateley Gravel Pits (now Moor Green Lakes nature reserve!) that I'd be able to wander round there and effortlessly see a couple of dozen Red Kites, a pair of prospecting Oystercatchers, a Great White Egret and a pair of Ravens - and that all of them would be pretty much routine for the site - I'd have laughed in your face. So for all its imperfections it's probably my best nearby birding location.
We also had pretty much a full set of common dabbling ducks plus a bunch of Goosanders loafing on Colebrook Lake North; the new bit had all the Snipe we haven't been seeing on the original nature reserve lakes, while a pair of Buzzards thermalled right above us and a pair of Kestrels hunted the extensive rough grassland.
Brimstones and some feisty Commas rounded out the spring feel of the walk.
John
