The hot weather has meant that on many days recently my "rural relaxation" has been sitting in our small back garden, watching the birds on the feeders from the shady area under the horse chestnut tree. On other occasions my wife and I have gone up to Ashridge for a pleasant lunch at the Brownlow Cafe and a walk under the trees - and to take more pictures of the Clickmere Pond. Today was a bit cooler - and more suitable for walking round College Lake, where there is little shade. I am getting better at taking maximum zoom pictures on my camera - and took these photographs of an Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit from the Octagon hide. I don't know the recent sighting history for College Lake (in Bucks) is - but the last reported sighting of an Avocet on the nearby Tring Reservoirs (in Herts) was on the 1st May 2011.
I was also interested to note that the hot weather has reduced the water levels in the main lake by about a foot, and Big Paddy Island - which was disappearing in April. and vanished entirely in May is now just peeping above the water. Another couple of months of very dry weather and the lower path beyond the Octagon hide could be free of water!
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| The two ends of Big Paddy can be seen on either side of the floating tern island. |
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