Coate Water Park (Sunday 19th September 2021)

For some weeks I had been trying to find a clear day when both the weather was suitable and I had no other commitments, to get back to Coate Water Park. I'd been there twice before this year because it is only a mile or two from the pharmacy I had been assigned to for my jabs, but this time it was the sole purpose of the trip.

As a place to go and relax it is not ideal because of all the masses of other people who have gone there to relax, all with an entourage of excitable children (chasing flocks of pigeons) and dogs. I will in future avoid weekends or bank holidays. I was quite possibly the sole unaccompanied visitor; perhaps frowned upon.

However I found a faster journey that avoided the worst of Swindon's traffic system by choosing to park in Broome Manor Road rather than the official car park, and so joined the Water Park halfway round its circuit perimeter.

Part of this road is closed off while a section of the Wilts and Berks canal is cut through underneath the M4, as part of their ambitious and admirable plans to restore its former 70-mile stretch, and when that is done the journey will be even shorter, making it easier to get to in future.

Whilst I didn't see their more spectacular species this time (great white egrets, herons, grebes, cormorants, mergansers), I did see the black swan and there were enough swans, gulls, ducks and Canada geese to keep me happy.

L.
Monday 20.9.2021 (1350 hr)

Blip #3523 (#3273 + 250 archived blips taken 27.8.1960-18.3.2010)
Consecutive Blip #004
Blips/Extras In 2021 #178/265 + #083/100 Extras
Day #4195 (927 gaps from 26.3.2010)
LOTD #2666 (#2506 + 160 in archived blips)

Birds series
Wildlife series
Swindon series
Swan series

Coate Water Park, 19 September 2021 (Flickr album of 48 photos)


Taken with Pentax K-50 (Red) and Pentax HD P-DA 55-300 mm F4-5.8 ED WR lens

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