Oh What a Mess

We visited Amwell Nature Reserve today, yet another one managed by the Herts & Middex Wildlife Trust. It's one of the largest at 100 acres but is superbly well maintained. We were there primarily to walk but we stopped a while in the hide shown in the extra and took photos of cormorants on the island to the right of it. (I've hesitated due to the white wing flash and white head - not like any of the pictures I've found, but the size, shape and beak are right. Apparently they can develop white feathering at mating time). This particular nest had four birds on it, but one of the adults flew away just before I took the shot. They are messy birds - yes all the white stuff on the tree is produced by them. Cormorants are mostly coastal birds but more and more are now nesting inland and feeding off the reservoir fish.

This evening Lauren sang a duet and both teenagers played violin at school in an orchestral evening combined with poetry.  The music was good and many enjoyed the poetry.