This is kind of a catch up post for the few weeks I missed over the Christmas period. During this time, although we were at the pond, we did not go camera in hand. More likely we were passing on our way to the local shops! However this week we managed to make a proper pond study visit, cameras, binoculars and all five children in tow. Here is our pond this week:
The children did their usual separating out to explore the pond. B2 enjoyed the freedom of looking through her brother’s binoculars, making sure to take note of all the local wildlife – Gary for example. Here she is staring right at him:
The girls started snapping away as soon as they got there:
…before going off to explore with T11:
Looking across the pond, you can see just how high the water levels are. This is on account of the severe rain fall we’ve had just recently. The local river burst its banks flooding many over Christmas:
Unfortunately, our No Fishing sign was removed when all the improvement works were carried out to the pond in November, so I was unable to show specifically how much it had risen. But I can tell you that if it rises much more it will flood the road. T11 tried to demonstrate just how high the water was, near the banks:
Where he is holding his right hand is how high the water actually was. I think it is the deepest we’ve seen since starting the study:
Just a few short weeks ago the left hand side of the pond looked like this:
It was all mud and no water, and now it looks like this, no mud and all water:
The only evidence now of any of the works are the stumps of the wooden wall built to contain the mud:
From reading a notice the council had attached to the railings, it seems their plans are to plant those muddy beds with many beautiful plants. First, though they need to wait until they have dried out:
I’m thinking it’ll take some time….
The good news is that our feathered friends are returning in their droves. I don’t think the Moorhens ever left, but it was still nice to see them paddling confidently around instead of being even more timid than usual just after the workers left:
And the Mallards are back, which we are so pleased about. There were lots and lots of them. The Mallards completely disappeared during the works but have been making their way back in dribs and drabs for the last few weeks:
Then the children played and climbed and hugged until it was time to go home:
Feeling very happy (I’d insert a smiley face, but I don’t know how).
