Torrential rain continues. 14th June 2019

Yes, dear reader, this is not a usual weekend posting. I shall be somewhat busy over the coming weekends, taking sprog on various university open days and such like. It's easier to get the weekly posting completed ahead of time.

Firstly, have you completed Gardenwatch? You still have a few weeks to do so.  Last time I looked, some 205,000 missions had been completed. This translate to roughly 1 in a hundred households. However, seeing as the mission total includes all three missions, and that the true figure of households taking part is probably the first mission, which clocked up 114,000 entries, then roughly 1 in 200 or so households took part.  Bit of a shame, really, that most viewers of Springwatch didn't take part.

Rainfall has been almost relentless this past week. Great for reservoirs and my garden. Not so brilliant for some wildlife. However, those birds that fledged early appear to be thriving.

I was lucky in that a small break in the rain coincided with the time of my Wednesday stomp. Even then I went earlier than usual. Which is just as well, as the rains started not long after I returned.

With all this waffling, you can surmise (quite correctly) that nothing has happened on Manor farm. Inert are still going all out on restoring Chandlers farm. I did notice, as I approached the Bailey bridge, a man in a hi-vis walking north towards the pump - the outflow into the Blackwater was silent, indicating the pump was off. Just as I reached the Bailey bridge, I heard the pump burst into life.  Very temperamental, is out pump.

Just as well somebody was despatched to switch the thing on. Water levels had risen dramatically. The Blackwater was up by about two feet, with the various lakes on Manor farm and Moor Green lakes up by six inches to a couple of feet or more.  In hind sight, I should have popped over to Fleet Hill farm, as this is prone to flooding, with the Blackwater bursting its banks.

Anyway, with nowt going on at Manor farm, I get this Saturday morning off (which is just as well, as I we shall be on the M4 heading to Bristol) and the wildlife fest continues.

However, firstly some photos of activity on Chandlers farm and the raised water levels in Cormorant lake (south).

Something special. I posted some photos, some weeks back, of a Little Ringed Plover which was lurking around Moor Green lakes. They are seen quite frequently around the area. This Wednesday I was lucky to see it again, this time lurking on the flooded gravel bar I have christened Cormorant spit. I was even more lucky to capture it in flight.  Last I saw, it seemed to be heading over to Moor Green lakes.

Lapwings were not to be seen, this Wednesday. A little odd, considering last week's large numbers. These three Oyster Catchers, normally on Moor Green Lakes, put in an appearance. Probably because they have been seen of by the Lapwing nesting on Plover Island.