Tuesday 6th September (Rain, Wind and Autumn)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window onto the brown and green leaves that were being blown around in the blustery wind. The sky was grey, the drizzle heavier and the wind speed increasing. But today Mr. Kite decided he must not be lazy and planned a short bird-watching trip.

As Mr. Kite prepared The Beast the leaves from the trees swirled around in the wind forming dried brown piles. A few birds flew overhead trimming wings and tails to keep control but Mr. Kite rode off into the wind. Reaching the river at Atcham Mr. Kite watched Canadian Geese swimming downstream then a Little Egret took to the air. Now this made Mr. Kite thing about when the first Little Egret was recorded in Shropshire.

Then Mr. Kite cycled slowly towards Venus Pool scouring the hedgerows, fields and sky as he traveled. Once again Venus Pool was lower as the water disappeared but this only concentrated the Cormorants, Greylag Geese, Canadian Geese and Mallard. Three Ruff, two Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper fed on the muddy edges.

Flocks of geese come and went, families of duck come and went, pairs of ornithologists come and went; it fact it was a day when it best not to spend too long at Venus Pool. With a few hours to spare Mr. Kite then cycled to Berrington Pool to find it empty and Monkmoor Lagoon to find Mute Swans, a Grey Heron and two Stock Doves.

Now Mr. Kite had planned a trip to Polemere but was dissuaded by the howling wind and then a hissing puncture. So it was time for Mr. Kite to have an early bath and a tipple of Tetley tea. Cheers.