Our guest blog today comes from Ben, what are his impressions of Coombes after time spent away?
I think everyone has a favourite place and mine is Coombes Valley, if there is a truly natural woodland habitat it has to be here.
Sadly my opportunities to visit have dwindled since my work has moved away from Stoke on Trent back to my home town of Basingstoke in Hampshire but when I am in the area, Coombes Valley is my must go to visit. It is a truly wild place; well the wildlife is at any rate. I have never been disappointed.
Starling, taken by Ben
Last Wednesday evening wasn’t looking to be an ideal evening for me to try out my new camera body. (My dear old Nikon was getting a bit long in the tooth so to celebrate twenty five years my company gave me a gift, enough for a decent upgrade.) To be honest, taking a new camera along on a fairly overcast day in woodland isn’t the best place to practice with unfamiliar equipment.
So, having charged the battery the night before and taken three photographs of the wall paper in the bedroom and one of those out of focus, I set off and as expected made a complete hash of it. So no photo’s I’m afraid, well none good enough to show.
I missed the two brilliant red breasted bullfinches in Clough Meadow while fiddling with the ISO setting, why is the wheel in a different place? But what a sight and why are Coombes Valley Bullfinches brighter and bolder than the ones at home? I wandered along listening and watching; to be honest didn’t really need the bins.
Tawny Owl, RSPB images
Caught glimpses of pied fly catchers, a song thrush, didn’t see a woodpecker today but had a bit of a close encounter with a tawny owl walking back along the superb new Woodcock trail. It cut across the valley between the view point and buzzard bank. Had a reasonable view of a buzzard, numerous robins, chaffinches, blackbirds singing their hearts out and a wren flitting amongst decaying branches on the forest floor.
Best of all, I had a view of a hare. In fact probably one of the best sights I’ve had in a long time. My guess is the animal was not alerted to my presence because the dense undergrowth deadened the sound of my footsteps.
Brown Hare, RSPB images
I have to say the Woodcock Trail is absolutely brilliant, it’s not an easy walk but well worth the effort and the views across the tree canopy exhilarating to say the least. The wardens have got the balance here absolutely right. I also have to say, it’s a reserve that really makes a supreme effort at building nesting habitat. The nest boxes are numerous, no shortage of homes in this area. I hope the reward is that plenty are occupied.
Looking forward to my next trip, hopefully by then I will have figured out the new camera. I know, I’ll read the manual...
Ben