A Bitterly Cold Afternoon at Alton Water Park, Shotley Peninsula

It felt as though the temperature was several degrees centigrade below freezing: there was an unforgiving wind from Siberia.

However, we wrapped up warm and ventured out for a short time to enjoy the sunshine at Alton Water Park and Anglian Water reservoir on the Shotley Peninsula near Ipswich. There were several pairs of Egyptian Geese (photo above): we find we are seeing more and more of these.  

 There was a lone Great Crested Grebe swimming and diving, swimming and diving, and looking very streamlined without an elevated crest.

The sunlight was remarkably bright and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. 

 These are some of the Wigeon who were floating near the shore.

 

We checked the tree that usually has good bird feeders, but there was only one feeder today with a few nuts in the bottom. However, as we drove out of this part of the car park, we came across a lovely Song Thrush (thank you, Juliet, for your help here: I often have difficulty telling Song and Mistle Thrushes apart!). 

On such a bitter day, it was good to see some early Daisies, and to remember that spring cannot be too far away - despite the forecast!

I was surprised to find molehills so close to the water's edge, 

but perhaps the damp soil makes digging a bit easier...

In the course of some poetry research last week, I learned that these are not seed cases, 

but rather the globose heads that bear the fruit of the Plane Tree. 

An exquisite downy feather.

If I was a duck, I would hang on to feathers like these until the temperatures rise!

The Egyptian Geese took off...

...but the Wigeon and Coots stayed in their rafts near the shore. 

We walked a little way along the reservoir wall (below), but soon retreated for a more sheltered spot. 

 Here is David before we turned for home...

There was a small flock of birds in a tree by the car: they were in shadow and it was hard to photograph them, let alone see what they were. They seemed too rounded for Sparrows and were not the right shape for Chaffinches. David and I separately came to the conclusion that they might be Redpoll. I have lightened my photo considerably since it was almost a silhouette. Do let me know what you think...

Alton Water - a multi-functional reservoir

My small Lumix camera has not coped well with the low light, but it was good to see several pairs of Great Crested Grebes on the reservoir at Alton Water Park on the Shotley peninsula in Suffolk. We also spotted Moorhen, Coot, Mallard and a single Tufted Duck.

The ducks below have thrown me: I had initially assumed that they were two of the Goldeneye that will be leaving soon for their breeding ground, but I am just wondering whether they are in fact female Tufted Ducks, the far one being a white-vented variant. Do tell me what you think: I have a hunch that I may have overlooked the obvious!  

There were loud twitterings from the bushes, but most of the small birds kept to the thicket, the one below being an exception. A pair of Bullfinches could be seen flitting to and fro through a dense mass of twigs. 

The light, such as it was, began to fade, and we headed back to the start of the trail. This was the scene at our turning point:

The tower is part of the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook.

Alton Water is a reservoir. It is used for recreation by wildlife enthusiasts, cyclists, dog walkers and sailors. You can read more about the spring wildlife here.

Greenfinches at Alton Water

We went for a drive yesterday afternoon to Alton Water on the Shotley peninsula. As you can see, this stretch of water is a reservoir. It is managed as a leisure park for those who wish to walk, sail or do a spot of birding.

I was particularly pleased to see that the wardens have placed bird feeders in front of the Blue Badge parking area, providing interest for those who park in these bays.

It was lovely to see Greenfinches, a bird I have not seen in our own Suffolk garden (on the other side of the river Orwell) for some years. These beautiful birds have been badly affected by Trichomonosis in recent times, and this may be the reason.   

 

With Great tit in flight on left

I noted Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Blue tits, Great tits, Wood Pigeons and a Wren in addition to the Greenfinches. Unfortunately the feeders were in a shady area under the trees, and I had my camera on the wrong setting, so my photos are far from brilliant. But never mind, they are fine as record shots, reminding me of an early spring afternoon.

We drove on to Shotley at the end of the peninsula to look across to Felixstowe and Harwich in the glowing light of early evening, enjoying skeins of geese, a pair of Mallards and the call of Oystercatchers. 

View from Shotley