Sunday 15th January (A Good Day Out but Where was the Garganey)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window into a light sky with some grey cloud. Jack Frost had paid a fleeting visit. Outside the air was still and only a pair of jackdaws played on a chimney stack.

Polemere


When the frost had diminished Mr. Kite saddled up The Beast and headed towards Polemere. The sun was shining and there was a slight cool breeze. Eight miles later Mr. Kite was looking over the mostly frozen Polemere where teals and mallards sat on the thin ice by the unfrozen circled near the edge and a small flock of greylag geese dozed on the grassy bank. Not much else stirred.

Venus Pool


Mr. Kite cycled along the country lanes to Venus Pool. With ice on the water the pool looked cold but the warm fluffy feathers of the teal, mallard and shovelers allowed them to sit about on the waters edge and on the newly formed land.

The Trout Pool


From the calm of V.P. Mr. Kite cycled to the Trout Pool where a gallery of telescoping bird-watchers were scanning the far side of the pool. A female garganey was reported there. So Mr. Kite duly scanned the 'sitting ducks' looking for that superciliary stripe on a 'teal sized Anatidae'. With lenses steaming up in the cold air searching was difficult but Mr. Kite persevered. With teals sitting there, and some tufted ducks swimming by Mr. Kite looked at every bird carefully. To cut a long story short Mr. Kite failed the spot 'the girl'; but others might have. Without The Superscope it was a bit like 'looking for a needle in a haystack'.

Atcham and Attingham Park


A large flock of canada geese sat on the river bank at Atcham enjoying feeding in the fresh green grass. A few goosander bravely dived in the cold River Severn searching for sprats. In the park a large flock of redwings and fieldfares moved across the ground feeding. In the trees passeriformes fluttered between the trees. Following a gentle ride through the park Mr. Kite cycled to his last stop of the day.

Monkmoor Lagoon


With the sun lowering in the sky and the temperature dropping towards zero Mr. Kite arrived at The Lagoon. Some thin ice floated on the surface and a chilly wind made some gentle waves. Only teal and mallards ventured onto the water. On a pole two stock doves played. Searching the reeds mr. Kite could only find moorhens. Soon it was time to go home where Mr. Kite enjoyed a tipple of Greene King Abbot Ale. Cheers from Mr. Kite, the elusive female garganey and the birds of Floreat salopia.