Cassiobury Park.....

Had a lovely trip down memory lane today, meeting with friends for a short walk around the network of wetland habitats that lie beyond the formal parkland. Has changed a lot since I used to cycle there in the late seventies and early eighties - watercress beds now a mixture of reedmace and small trees. LOTS OF DOGS AND TODDLERS. No problem with that! Far too much disturbance for water rail, lesser spotted woodpecker and kingfisher and so sad that the alders no longer ring to the buzzing calls of willow tits. Saw a lovely female bullfinch on brambles near the dump and the red-legs were in the same field...almost hadn't moved from the previous day. Greater-spotted woodpecker flew into the gloom as we left our friends' house. Back to full-time work tomorrow.....