Late Summer on the Filter Beds

swans with cygnet
Filter Bed 2
As the vegetation matures, the colours are spectacular in sunshine. The swans eventually manage to bring on one cygnet. The coots and moorhen have faired better and the former are on their third broods. There is no competition for them this year (no little grebes) as the lowered water levels are unsuitable for this species. 





Look out for good  numbers of flocking birds such as finches, starlings and sparrows along the Spanish broom and ash scrub.  As well as juvenile blackbirds and robins foraging along the wharf.

 Filter Bed 7 watch out for kingfisher on dead wood


Much of the water surface is covered with algae or emergent vegetation and reed beds are increasing in size due to last October's draining of the water. Purple loosestrife does make a stunning display surrounding many of the basins. Grey wagtails usually enjoy the muddy patches as the filter beds continue to dry out.




Filter Bed 7 has a lot of kingfisher activity. Maybe this is a youngster that has to find out for itself that there are no fish in the basins.

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