Mallard

A lovely autumn day.  We had a very slow start, but then we are away having a break. We needed to find a gas supplier, or first stop didn't have any of the size we needed and he suggested we try the marina.  Why didn't we think of that, after all, we are there 3 or 4 times a year. They again didn't have the size, Steve rang a garage for us again no luck.  He suggested a few other places to try.  Next we tried the hire boat base.  Success!

Then off to the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust HQ and reserve at Wolesley Bridge.  By this then it was lunchtime.  We picnicked in lovely warm sunshine.  Then armed with long lenses we started our tour of the reserve.  The first sighting of interest was a male Grey Wagtail on the other side of the River Trent, too far away for sensible shots of such a small bird.  Our best chance of a blip came further along the riverside walk where Mallard were diving for Chestnuts.  Yes, I said diving, I know they aren't a diving duck in fact I hadn't realised they could dive.  My blip is one of the Drakes Clickychick caught a remarkable splash in her shot.

The extra is a shot of Sulphur Tuft Fungi.  I am in no doubt about the identification as the reserve mentioned that there were lots around, however, I never found the Artist's Bracket Fungus which there was supposedly a large specimen.