WINTER AT COATE WATER

 My original intention was to head for Rodborough Common  straight after work to see some waxwings but when I  reached Cirencester  I found the road to Stroud was closed. A diversion was in place but didn't show on my google maps, so not knowing how long the diversion would be , and with limited time, I decided to head back and continue on the A419 then turn off for Coate Water.

It was still pretty chilly so I was glad of the extra layers I'd put on, but otherwise the winter sunshine contributed to a very pleasant afternoon's walk around the largely frozen lake. 

I took the anti-clockwise route, passing the resident  black swan amongst scores of ducks and geese as I did so, then followed the path through the trees, along the roadside and then back into the woodland until I reached a clearing. This is a good spot for watching the woodland bird species, as there are a couple of feeders plus a large log which provides a good photographic point. There were already various small birds around, and I put some peanuts and seeds on the log. They soon attracted a variety of birds - blue tits, great tits, dunnock, robin, magpie, nuthatch and, to my delight, a couple of jays.  I stood close to a tree to try to break up my profile, but was only about ten feet away from the log where the birds were coming in to feed. I have often seen jays in the woodland around the area but never seen them come in close for food before. 

 Continuing along the path, I veered off into the woodland for a short stretch where the path runs parallel to the original one, but is less frequented by walkers and dogs. I re-joined the lake path  and crossed the bridge where I stopped for a while. The lake was frozen in the centre so birds were congregating nearer the edge, including a couple of female goosanders. They came quite close to the edge of the water but then retreated to where the ice started, one of them deciding to rest on the ice . A young heron flew past and landed on the path  further around the lake, whilst on the opposite side I spotted a distant great white egret in the bushes below the heronry.