Monday 22nd August (The Mornings are Quieter)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a silent street under a grey English summer morning. With a good weather forecast Mr. Kite was soon on The Beast and heading towards Polemere. On a windless morning Mr. Kite cycled easily along the roads in the emerging sunshine.

The first thing that Mr. Kite noticed at Polemere was the low water level had lowered more revealing more mud flats and less pool. Ducks and geese had now given up swimming as they could walk wherever they wanted in the shallow water. Today the ducks and geese were lazy and just sat on the mud and grass with their heads on their backs.

Mr. Kite then entered the hide where a Robin was flying around. It is not every day that a bird-watcher in a hide is accompanied by a bird but today Mr. Kite watched the ducks and geese laze around with a flying Robin. After a spot of bird-watching the Robin left the hide and went into a nearby hedge where it looked more at home.

From Polemere Mr. Kite headed to Pontesbury, Minsterley and over the Callow. The warm weather had stirred the corvids and groups of them were circling over the Shropshire countryside. From Callow Mr. Kite cycled past The Stiperstones pub to The Devil's Chair car park for a quick look at the purple moors and perhaps a passing Red Grouse. As expected the grouse were scarce.

Mr. Kite then rode over The Long Mynd to Church Stretton stopping on the quiet parts of the hill to scan the moors for a grouse. Non were heard or seen.

Lastly Mr. Kite pedaled to Venus Pool for a wader watch. Amongst the many ducks, geese, Grey Herons and Lapwings Mr. Kite spotted two Greenshanks and a Green Sandpiper. After a long day mr. Kite returned home for a tipple of Tetley tea. Cheers.