Carr Vale Nature Reserve

The weather conditions on arrival were against us, a strong cold wind and a light shower. The ground condition was also very wet and sticky due to recent heavy rain. Intrepid  as ever, we pressed on with the visit. 

We headed off in a southerly direction along an avenue lined with birch. As we strolled along we spotted wood pigeon, blue tits, goldfinch, marsh tit, long tailed tit, crow and magpie. We could here a distant chiffchaff but it was not seen. The Chiffchaff is one of our earlier summer visitors, arriving in March. It is also possible that it had overwintered here as some do in our milder winters.

We strolled on further taking a right turn to follow an avenue of hawthorn and birch leading us to the first large pool.  We came across a feeding station which was very lively. We saw robin, blackbird, great tit, blue tit, chaffinch, dunnock and reed bunting.  

Robin and great tit

Further along the path we reached a view of the large pool. The wind was so strong that most waterfowl were not out in the open. We did however, see great crested grebe and mute swan.  We then reached a viewing screen which overlooked a smaller pool. This was better protected from the wind. We could see coot, mallard and gadwall. We also spotted a deer lying very low in the undergrowth, possibly a roe deer, but not enough of it could be seen to be certain. 

Deer lying very low.

We then walked on, spotting two male and one female bullfinches in the hedgerow. The males looked resplendent in their full breeding plumage. We could also hear yet another chiffchaff calling, perhaps there was an influx of these early migrants after all.

Male bullfinch

By this stage in our visit the heavens were opening up so we cut our visit short and made our way back to the car park. Along the way we heard the yaffle call of a green woodpecker. We also came across a monument built in honour of Peter Fidler who the reserve is dedicated to.  A man of many talents it seems, including 14 children.

The Peter Fidler story

The tally: 19 species

Wood pigeon, blue tit, goldfinch, marsh tit, long tailed tit, crow, magpie, robin, blackbird, great tit, chaffinch, dunnock, reed bunting, great crested grebe, mute swan, mallard, gadwall, coot and bullfinch.