Weirwood Reservoir
This is about 12 miles to the south east, fairly close to Wakehurst Place. The western end is a nature reserve, there's a hide and a small car park, but it's not very easy to view the reservoir from anywhere else. We last visited in August a year ago, when the water had completely disappeared and there was just a rather pleasant meadow in front of the car park. Yesterday evening when we went, we were pleased to see that there was very much more water. Obviously the recent rain we've had has had an effect.
We went over because I'd heard about the juvenile night heron that was easily viewable, and it really was, in a tree just over the nearest bit of water. Unfortunately, for most of the time we were there, it had its back turned to us, but just at the end it started to preen and turned its head so I could see its beak and eye. I have seen night herons before, at the Marquenterre reserve on the Somme last September, but they were in a giant cage and were captive birds, so the Weirwood bird was a lifer for me.
We didn't stay long last night because my chauffeur had had a long day at work and wanted to get home for his dinner :eat: . Other birdie highlights were at least seven grey herons, two Arctic terns (at least, I heard some other birders say they were, though I must admit I didn't look at them in any great detail) and a party of at least 12 long tailed tits that flew over us. There were also quite a lot of roe deer in the meadow off to the left.
This is about 12 miles to the south east, fairly close to Wakehurst Place. The western end is a nature reserve, there's a hide and a small car park, but it's not very easy to view the reservoir from anywhere else. We last visited in August a year ago, when the water had completely disappeared and there was just a rather pleasant meadow in front of the car park. Yesterday evening when we went, we were pleased to see that there was very much more water. Obviously the recent rain we've had has had an effect.
We went over because I'd heard about the juvenile night heron that was easily viewable, and it really was, in a tree just over the nearest bit of water. Unfortunately, for most of the time we were there, it had its back turned to us, but just at the end it started to preen and turned its head so I could see its beak and eye. I have seen night herons before, at the Marquenterre reserve on the Somme last September, but they were in a giant cage and were captive birds, so the Weirwood bird was a lifer for me.
We didn't stay long last night because my chauffeur had had a long day at work and wanted to get home for his dinner :eat: . Other birdie highlights were at least seven grey herons, two Arctic terns (at least, I heard some other birders say they were, though I must admit I didn't look at them in any great detail) and a party of at least 12 long tailed tits that flew over us. There were also quite a lot of roe deer in the meadow off to the left.