Wanting to do something for my birthday in January, although not fancying a bus ride or going anywhere with lots of people about, I felt the need to get out and about in nature. I'd only been to this area of the wetlands once before many years ago, so decided to make it a mission. Fortunately, the weather was really gorgeous; a bright sunny day with frost on the ground, so I set out on the long walk there.
It seemed quite different to my first visit and was a much longer walk to see anything, only later finding out that some of the lakes had been fenced off with hedging to protect the wildlife. In fact, there were quite a lot of differences, and I didn't realise until doing some research that all the nature reserves along this stretch of the River Axe come under the name of Seaton Wetlands, including Seaton Marsh, which I've already written about here.
There are four nature reserves, comprising Seaton Marsh, Black Hole Marsh, Stafford Marsh and Colyford Common. I'd walked as far as Stafford Marsh, seen in most of the photos above and below, comprising the discovery hut, reed base hut, a beautiful pond and star-gazing circle, seen below.
I didn't know at the time but the path on the left leads to a wildlife garden and pond dipping shelter. Thinking it was just another entry onto the reserve I didn't walk any further along it.
It wasn't until I'd got this far that I took my camera out and started taking photos. It was so cold that the pond was frozen over and I wasn't very keen to take my gloves off, but it looked so enticing that I relented and started clicking away. :)
The wooden hoarding with holes in is a 'Sandpiper Cliff', built onto the front of a bank especially for the birds to nest. Being waders, sandpipers forage for their food on mudflats and in wetlands, so this is excellent territory for them.
The pond is surrounded by reed beds, which include rushes, sedges and Lesser Reedmace.
And on the other side is a bridge and walkway to a stop for the tram, which travels alongside the River Axe from Seaton to Colyton with this stop and another one at Colyford village on the way. I didn't go along to investigate further at this time but I'm definitely going to make a point of returning a bit later on in the year to see the places I'd missed...when it's not so cold! ;)
A fence hide on the left of the bridge, below, with rectangular holes for humans to look through without disturbing the wildlife. There were quite a few people walking around, so it wasn't too isolated but not crowded either. A few were in hides or sitting on a hide tower, with steps up to wooden platforms to look over the lakes.
And on the walk back I spotted this lovely oak tree, below, with it's winter branches looking all wonderfully zig-zaggy. Not a good photo as it was out of focus but I wanted to include it anyway...just because! ;)
Then another fence hide on the way...
...which looks out onto the intertidal lake at Black Hole Marsh.
Walking past the Lookout hut, I took a few photos of it just for the record.
In the one below were two magpies sitting on the top of the tallest tree. I realised that I probably wouldn't be able to pick them out with a wide-angle lens but I took it anyway in case. It was just then that I met and had a conversation with a nice bloke about magpies. It was really good to share my love of them with someone. :)
Although not a birder per se, I do love birds, along with all of British nature and wildlife. Especially magpies, which I once made a study of some 25 years ago or so. Fascinating and most beautiful birds that really don't deserve the bad reputation they have in British folklore.
Then back along the lane towards the exit and my favourite photos of the day. This lane leading off is for the Tower Hide, if I remember correctly. I'd already passed a small hide platform near the last fence hide, overlooking the salt lake, but didn't take a photo of it as there was someone on there. Another one to investigate on a further visit.
On the way out I realised that there was a path off road to go along, which links up with Seaton Marsh. I'd heard about the proposals for a bicycle and pedestrian path, which had obviously happened when I wasn't looking, and was a much quicker way than the road.
Finally, a photo of the entrance to the car park through the cemetery. There is another enrance leading from the pedestrian path, but I wasn't aware of that at the time.
That was such a lovely walk, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Back home for a huge mug of coffee and cake, and to enjoy the rest of my birthday. I thought the Discovery Hut would be open so that I could have a coffee there but I must have misread it when I checked the opening times online. So, for anyone interested in visiting, the hut is open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday for refreshments and there are toilets open all the time, which is useful info, lol.
I still have just a few articles left-over from my erstwhile website, which I'll be completing in the next few weeks. There's also some new ones to do too. I'm not sure which will be next, as I have several on the back burner, and I'm also hoping to get over to Beer soon to finish some photos for the Fore Street article and some other stand-alone buildings. Lots to do!
Cheers. :)
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