Daily Nature Log ✍️
A Birthday Daily Walk
I started my walk around our favourite lake at 5:00 pm today, stepping out into a mild 18°C breeze. Taking the grassy path down under the canopy of tall trees, I was greeted by squirrels scrambling up thick trunks, while corvids, moorhens, and mallard ducks pecked away at the grass. I paused to snap a couple of Egyptian geese near a small, reed-fringed island and captured some fresh water mint growing along the bank. Crossing the small bridge, I paused for a few shots across the water, though half the lake’s surface was unfortunately veiled in a thick growth of mossy weed.
The trail wound past grand, aged timber—oak, beech, sycamore, and chestnuts—interspersed with sprawling rhododendrons. The pathway crunched underfoot with beech mast and sweet chestnut husks, where a magpie with a striking bright blue streak on its feathers was busy foraging. Suddenly, a female muntjac deer materialised on the path; I managed a quick photo before she vanished into the shrubs.
Nearby, a male pheasant strolled calmly across the grass before disappearing into the foliage, while a large family of mallards glided in formation across the water.
To my delight, our resident swan pair was out with six large, brown cygnets—bringing the family to an impressive eight. Further along, a squirrel crept down an oak, wood pigeons landed nearby, and shy moorhens darted back and forth. Mallards and gulls drifted across the surface searching for grubs, with one male mallard proudly perched on a rock, seemingly posing for the camera.
After watching a pair of rabbits grazing—one bold enough to stay while the other bolted—I rounded the end of the lake, where high bulrushes and tall reeds framed a final view of feeding waterfowl.
Walk Statistics:
Distance: 2.39 miles
Duration: 48 minutes
Google Fit: 8 Heart Points.
Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.
