Coate Water Park (Monday 9th May 2022)

For once I had a clear day and set off in the morning for Coate Water Park in Swindon, last visited in January. I was able to put into practise the new shorter route I'd learned from my investigations of last time following a road closure, and parked in Broome Manor Road mid-morning.

I walked the perimeter clockwise beginning at the six o'clock entrance point and soon found myself watching swans (in Extras). There was much more activity on the lake and as well as the greylag goslings shown in the blip I saw Canada geese chicks and Mallard ducklings. I kept an eye out for the black swan that hangs out with the mute swans but did not see it this time. I was told a heron was drying its wings in the manner of a cormorant, which I also didn't see but did see it fly past later.

At the halfway point I went for the healthy option of a bacon roll and a cone of chips from the cafe there, taking the advice of blippers after Saturday's blip.

When I was back in the car, preparing to drive off, I was delighted to see a stoat race across the road in front of me and disappear in the undergrowth - the first I’ve seen in many years.

The lake feeds into the Wilts and Berks canal and I called in at the canal on the return journey to see what progress had been made and stocked up at the adjacent Wichelstowe Waitrose.

L.
Wednesday 11.5.2022 (1334 hr)

Blip #3654 (#3404 + 250 archived blips taken 27.8.1960-18.3.2010)
Consecutive Blip #014
Blips/Extras In 2022 #092/265 + #033/100 Extras
Day #4430 (1030 gaps from 26.3.2010)
LOTD #2798 (#2638 + 160 in archived blips)

Taken with Pentax K-50 (Red) and Sigma AF 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro HSM lens

Swindon series
Birds series
Wildlife series
Geese series

Coate Water Park, 9 May 2022 (Flickr album of 82 photos)

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Kahil El’Zabar - How Can We Mend A Broken Heart (2020)
I can't say I was ever much of a fan of the Bee Gees although I had a sneaking regard for some of their hit songs. However, I quite often liked other people's versions of their songs, such as Richie Havens' I Started A Joke or Al Green's How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, written by Barry and Robin Gibb and recorded by them in 1971. Paul Gambaccini is quoted as saying, "Everyone should be aware that the Bee Gees are second only to Lennon and McCartney as the most successful songwriting unit in British popular music." Slightly re-titled, this instrumental version comes from the album Kahil El’Zabar’s America The Beautiful. Kahil El’Zabar is a percussionist and bandleader from Chicago IL.

One Year Ago:
The Woodland Garden (Copper Beech)

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