Coate water

I parked at the Broome Manor Lane end of Coate water today as I'd been told you can see jays fairly close up there. There is a layby just outside the entrance which has a bird table a few yards inside or you can continue up the path alongside an inlet from the lake. 

No jays today, but I did get an unexpected view of a water rail which swam across one side of the inlet to the other, and also a kingfisher which apparently favours a particular bough of tree. The kingfisher didn't hang around long enough for a photo but it will be worth returning another day I think to see it again perhaps.   Other birds seen feeding from food left on some fence posts included great tits, blue tits, marsh tits and coal tits. Also a couple of nuthatches on the bird table and a goldcrest and wren in nearby trees.

view of lake from Broome manor lane

fence posts where the birds like to feed from food left for them

marsh tit

nuthatch

nuthatches on bird table

water rail swimming 

coal tit