West Hallam - Swan Lake
w/e 12 January 2020
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
As we enter the third decade of the twenty first
century, it's inevitable that we will be revisiting some places
that we have visited previously for photos for this site. The
Straw's Bridge Nature Reserve or Swan Lake as it is commonly
known is just one of them.
The sign at the entrance reads "Straws Bridge" which
refers to an area much bigger than Swan Lake itself although
for this visit we limited ourselves to a short walk around the
perimeter of the lake.
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We left the car park where most of the birds gather on the edge
of the lake and walked around the lake in an anti-clockwise direction.
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Although known as Swan Lake, an alternative name could well be
Canada Goose Lake!
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Mallards were sheltering and feeding in the undergrowth between
the path and the water.
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After completing the circuit of the lake we returned to the car
park - and the birds!
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Gulls were lined up on the fence that separates the vehicles
from the water.
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The gulls along with the other birds were expectantly waiting
for food from the visitors but unfortunately by this time we
had exhausted the supply of corn we had taken with us.
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With no food forthcoming they took to the air and circled round
in all directions narrowly avoiding each other.
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According to the Christmas Carol there should be seven swans
a'swimming but here there were eight and there were many more
nearby as well.
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And they are not afraid of getting up close and personal either.
As well as swans, Canada geese, mallards and gulls, Swan Lake
is also home to tufted ducks, grebes, moorhens and coots and
is visited by chiff chaffs, blackcaps, pochard ducks and swallows
(among others). A large selection of butterflies and dragonflies
can also be seen here. We didn't notice any on this visit but
paraphrasing Arnold Schwarzenegge, no doubt "We'll be back!"
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