College Lake showing new Visitor Centre

On arrival at College Lake at 8.45am the car park gates were shut and as there was only space for 3 cars to park safely off the main road, a joint decision was made to open them and use the car park proper as any new arrivals would have been in danger of causing an obstruction/accident. In all, 21 people turned up and started to don jackets, boots, hats etc as it was a fairly misty (but mild) morning. Passing through the new Visitors Centre we entered the adjacent hide to look at the 'What's about' list and take a quick look over the pools whilst everyone assembled. During the photo call, Peter G spotted a Sparrowhawk overhead but this disappeared before many had a chance to locate it. We visited the new octagonal hide at the bottom of the slope and ticked off Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Gt Crested Grebe and Gadwall before moving off and splitting into two groups - one taking the ‘low road’, the other the ‘high road’. Those who took the former were lucky to see two Peregrine Falcons on the far pool, which had disappeared by the time the rest caught up. The high road group ticked off Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Long Tailed Tit from the 'Window in the Wood' hide plus Dunnock and Blackbird, then were fortunate to watch a Kingfisher perched on reeds. Despite a further search for the Peregrines, the high road group 'dipped out'. In the scrubby area at the far end, now bathed in sunshine, Bullfinch and Redwing were spotted and scoped, and then a juvenile Kestrel kept us entertained during the walk along the back path. A diversion through the woods gave us views of a hare but not much else. After spending some time in the hide overlooking the main pool, we were finally rewarded with some views of the elusive Mandarin Ducks, a drake swimming across and then the male and female perched in some branches just above the water.

On our return to the car park, 11 of us decided to go the Garden Centre for a delicious lunch and then 5 visited Wilstone Reservoir on the way home and managed to see a Water Pipit, Whooper Swans and a huge flock of Golden Plovers on the main spit which took off when spooked and gave a fantastic display in the late afternoon sun.

Thanks to Jacqui Green for leading the group on what was a most enjoyable day.

 Click Here for list of birds seen