Moors Valley

After the morning dog walk, I was on my bike down to Verwood and then on to Moors Valley, a nice ride on the electric bike which isn't on much but is lovely at the moments when more effort is required. I saw the great white egret on the lake between Potterne and Moors Valley, as well as the usual small passerines but also black headed gulls starting to change in appearance as the breeding season approaches, double figures of coot, mute swans, tufted duck and teal. 

I stopped a couple of times to get the binoculars out before taking myself off to Joy's to fill her bird feeders and make a start on the shed in the back garden. It has become a rather messy place in recent times and there was plenty of chewed up material in one corner where it looks like a little visitor has been enjoying a lengthy stay. I got that cleared up and then started on the various tools and screws and nails. There is a lot of rubbish which just needs throwing away like the vegetable garden chemicals e.g. club root powder. Robin looks to have kept things from years ago and that includes car number plates, bits of wire, the internal workings of locks and electrical devices which might have come in handy when repairing things but would most likely just have cluttered up the place forever.

At home the birds are being well fed and we have more chaffinches than I've seen in the garden before, along with good numbers of goldfinch and house sparrows. The woodpigeons and collared doves, blue tits and starling are the most common visitors, as well as robin and dunnock.