Tuesday 11th January (To the Lagoon)

Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom and watched the low clouds scud across the grey sky. The gloom increased as Mr. Kite thought about the chores he had to do this morning.

However by the end of the morning the holiday home was booked in for a service and the rear wheel on the beast was rounder and Mr. Kite went birding. Feeling less energetic than normal, and with a strong wind blowing, Mr. Kite took himself to the two miles to Monkmoor Lagoon with his telescope.

Mr. Kite reached the lagoon to find it covered in thin ice and without a bird in sight. Monkmoor Lagoon is owned by Severn Trent and has a hide looking out over a pool approximately two hundred metres in diameter. The word lagoon suggests a tropical blue water with a coral reef but this is a settlement pool from the sewerage works. But that does not stop it being a good environment for 'creatures from the lagoon'. To the right of the hide is a long reed bed and just in front, to the right, is a small island.

Having set up his scope Mr. Kite searched the reeds, trees and the island for life. Lastly to the left is a pole with a platform designed to attract an Osprey. As the Ospreys are still wintering in the warm parts of Africa the platform was vacant so a pair of opportunist Stock Doves started their courtship in full view of any prying eye. Today it was a gentle and restrained odd peck and flutter with a bobbing of heads then a fly around before landing again on the platform for another short flirtation. Now the sun was shining, the black lines on their wings stood out against the grey body and the metallic green patch on their neck glistened and sparkled.

The problem with choosing a prime spot is that other birds become envious waiting for their chance to take their turn there. When the doves flew around the lagoon and settled in a tree nearby a Common Buzzard took the opportunity to fly up from the ground and perch on the elevated platform where it sat and inspected the surrounding area with it's 'eagle eye'. Eventually the buzzard walked to the edge of the platform, braced it's body, opened it's large broad wings and glided purposefully to a spot on the ground amongst some short trees where it touched the ground feet first. It then proceeded to use it feet and beck on some poor small morsel.

With the platform vacant the courting doves once again returned where another admirer appeared for a short time but they were not encouraged to stay. Looking out of the hide Mr. Kite glimpsed a small brown thickset falcon fly fast from right to left just above the ground before disappearing into a clump of trees. This swift and agile hunter of moths and small birds was a Merlin. Mr. Kite has learned that fast flying hunters are often only seen briefly before they are out of sight but then falcons need to be quick to catch small birds.

With the light fading it was time for Mr. Kite to return home after another interesting bird watching experience for todays tipple of Tetley tea.