Blogging at 20:45 on Sunday 8th October from intended overnighting spot N 53.91268°, W 00.41569° / http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:53.91268%2C-00.41569
Spent most of today at Tophill Low nature reserve. I've known about it for ages but never had the time or inclination to make the effort to visit.
It's impressive. It's managed by Yorkshire Water but is far more than a statutory-requirement bolt-on to the company's core duties of making tons of cash for shareholders and dumping raw shit into our rivers and seas.
There are many habitats on site including open water (natural ponds and man-made reservoirs), marshland, scrub and pretty much untrammelled mixed woodland.
There's a definite sense of lush and mature vegetation about the whole site. I saw a huge array of bird species from goldcrests to big gulls and most things in between. It really is a place where tree creepers rub shoulders with marsh harriers. I also saw a good few dragonfly species including southern and migrant hawkers, and common darters.
There were more summer/winter juxtapositions, too. I saw small white and red admiral butterflies and dozens more swallows alongside healthy numbers of redwings and fieldfares.
The reserve also boasts quite the poshest bird-viewing area / information office I've ever seen (pic). The wood-burning stove, sumptuous settees, and a vast library of real books were nice touches.
Post reserve I had a spin out on the bike. The general area is all very quintessentially English and twee.
Post bike I relocated to the general area where I intend to kip and before I parked up had half an hour wandering up the River Hull where there was plenty more bird life to be seen, the most notable of which was common and green sandpipers, grey wagtail and kingfisher.
At the intended overnighting spot I've seen loads more brown hare and roe deer.
Altogether the general area is seemingly a not too bad bit of England.
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