Tophill Low

The reserve opened today for the first time since December. The team have put in a lot of hard work to get everything ready. Paths have been cleared and a sensible one way system set up.
I started by visiting the southern part of the reserve and then after lunch walked the northern part.

There were a few visitors to the reserve, but plenty of space for us all. The hide door and windows are all open so that you dont have to touch them.
Bird life was also quiet. Was it the time of year, the fact that the vegetation on the islands had just been cut or did the birds object to us. They have had the place to themselves since December.
However it was nice to be able to visit a reserve and sit in a hide.
From the "photographers" hide, the only bird that I could see was a kingfisher sat on a branch opposite the hide.

From the next hide I could see a little egret

a marsh harrier flew over part of the lagoon

this disturbed the lapwings, ruff, dunlin, oystercatchers

green sandpipers

and little ringed plover.
There is plenty of colour in the roadside verge, despite the orchids have nearly finished.

Tufted ducks on one of the reservoirs

a pleasant day.