Coate Water Park (Monday 26th June 2023)

I had planned to take Buzz to Coate on Sunday but being a hot muggy weekend I decided to go the next day instead, when it was fresher and slightly cooler. I bought a picnic in the Wichelstowe Waitrose and parked at the rear entrance of Coate Water Park at 1350 hr.

This time I did the clockwise circuit. It took me past the cormorant tree quite early in the walk and it was inhabited by just one juvenile who stayed on its branch throughout. The black-headed gulls were in breeding plumage. I saw no herons on this occasion but I did get some shots of the sole resident black swan. Some of the mute swans had cygnets. Although there were vast numbers of Canada geese and greylag geese I saw no goslings. The Sensory Garden was transformed from my last visit. Just before I got back to Buzz a jay landed on a branch right in front of me. I can't remember when, if ever, I have seen one at close range before. It was gone before I could raise my camera.

I drove back via Wroughton and Avebury, learning more of Buzz's tricks

L.
Monday 26.6.2023 (2005 hr)

Blip #3911 (#3661 + 250 archived blips taken 27.8.1960-18.3.2010)
Consecutive Blip #000
Blips/Extras In 2025 #118/265 + #066/100 Extras
Day #4838 (1117 gaps from 26.3.2010)
Lozarithm's Lozarhythm Of The Day #3051 (#2891 + 160 in archived blips)

Coate Water Park series
Birds series
Wildlife series

Coate Water Park, 26 June 2023 (Flickr album of 34 photos)

Taken with Nikon Coolpix P900 (24-2000mm equivalent bridge camera)

Lozarithm's Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Pretenders - Tattooed Love Boys (recorded live, 24 June 2023, The Park Stage, Glastonbury 2023)
What looked on paper to be the worst Glastonbury ever actually turned out to be more interesting in the fringes and away from the Pyramid. Whilst the iPlayer steers viewers towards the young pretenders on the main Pyramid stage and didn't even record many name acts such as Gwenno, it did cover many of the acts on the Park stage.  One highlight for me was the set by the Pretenders that I watched live on the iPlayer on Saturday night, featuring former member Johnny Marr and a guest appearance from Dave Grohl, who played a set with the Foo Fighters the same day. Although Chrissie Hynde began with two songs from an album not yet released, thereon it was all highlights from her vast and enviable back catalogue. It was a joy to hear her inimitable and entirely on point vocals as well as her unique rhythm guitar style, part Bo Diddley, part Keith Richards, part Clash. Paul McCartney was watching the whole set from the Wings and was coaxed out at the end to wave to the crowd.
Tattooed Love Boys was in her set from the beginning and I'd seen the Pretenders recording it for the Radio One In Concert programme at the Paris Theatre in August 1979. It was on the B-side of Kid and was later included on the debut album Pretenders.

One year ago:
Bowood