Wet Wednesday

Woodpigeon, Stretford

It was a wild and woolly night, which at my age just means the weather was rough. Any slight intention I may have had to brave the elements and walk abroad were knocked on the head by a tree on the line at Glazebrook and damage to overhead cables between Bolton and Lostock. I can't say I like windy weather, rain I can cope with but listening to the wind howling about the chimneypots gives me the screaming abdabs.

Spadgers

In the frequent, though brief, sunny spells the spadgers, titmice, collared doves and woodpigeons ventured out to raid the feeders and rummage about amongst the wild garlic and hardy geraniums already carpeting the borders. In the frequent, and heavy, wintry showers they joined the blackbirds, robin and wren in the depths of cover. I couldn't blame them one bit.

Collared dove

The weather calmed down at teatime. The wind was still gusting strong but the rain had passed and there was even the hint of sunshine behind the clouds. I took the opportunity for an hour's wander round Wellacre Country Park, just to get the knots out of the system.

Wellacre Wood

Blackbirds, wrens and robins sang in Wellacre Woods. Woodpigeons, jackdaws and parakeets got ready to roost while titmice had one last rummage about in the hedgerows. 

Walking over to Dutton's Pond from Wellacre Wood

The creaks and groans and rattles of the trees in the wind sounded more than a little ominous. Cherry blossom blew about like a snowstorm and twigs rained down from the treetops. I fair trotted through the wood, as best could on paths saturated by the day's rains, and headed straight for Dutton's Pond. There was no way I was going to attempt the paths to Jack Lane, if the mud and puddles didn't get me the lack of cover from the wind would.

The first Spanish bluebells were opening.

The sun was close to setting at Dutton's Pond. The coots and moorhens obviously have nests on the go, one of each was doing a last patrol of the pond, their calls being answered quietly from the reeds. The usual mallards were nowhere to be seen, they'd probably joined the roost on Irlam Locks.

Dutton's Pond 

The train service had been restored and I struck lucky and got the direct service home from Flixton. As I left the station a couple of dozen black-headed gulls passed overhead on their way to the roost on Salford Quays. Forty-odd more passed overhead as I got to the garden gate. I hadn't seen any on the school playing field all day.