Low Barns Nature Reserve

 A trip out today with Judi, the kind lady who volunteers with the RSPB York Local Group, organising coach outings. The purpose of todays trip was to check if Low Barns Nature Reserve would be ok for a group trip by coach next Marsh.

The car journey took about 90 minutes and the reserve was easy to find. We went into the visitor centre/cafe and paid for our parking, A member of staff gave us a map of the reserve and pointed out the highlights and off we set.

The first hide we went into, the West Pasture hide, had views over a lagoon and on the RHS were several bird feeders. Chaffinch, blue and coal tit, moorhen and a nuthatch were busy feeding.

We met a volunteer who was litter picking and who told us about some redwings he had seen. 

We walked along the board walk through the reed bed and imagined the area full of sedge warblers in spring. 

Northumbrian Water hide was our next stop,

A good view over the valley.

Walking along the path we were close to the River Wear

The water was flowing fast, so Judi decided it was probably not a good idea foe a spot of wild swimming!

The South Hide was our next stop from where Judi found a pair of goldeneye.

The "Everglades" was our next stop/

This area of the reserve is undergoing restoration work. A s we made our way back to the visitor centre and North Hide we walked past Alder Wood.

These beech trees looked good in the sunlight. In the top of some Alder trees we saw siskin and redwing.

The bird viewing area had lots of feeders with blue, great, coal and marsh tit, nuthatch and a great spotted woodpecker.

 

The cafe was our next stop where Judi very kindly bought lunch for us.

A good reserve and very suitable for a coach outing next March.

Thanks to Judi for her company and buying lunch.