This is the pool that I have been watching for the last couple of weeks, to the wildlife it is like a "cafe". The centre of their activities. Birds come and go, stopping to drink and bathe and to feed on the insects that are attracted to the dampness around the edges. I love it……… it's a very picturesque spot and in it's own right, nice to sit next to. Lists are boring but you ought to know what I have seen by this pool, I hope it will encourage you to find your own secluded pool that you could sit by, it's really worthwhile. So here is the list (so far).

Birds:

Whinchat                        Adult and juvenile

Stonechat                       Adult and Juvenile

Meadow Pipit                  Adult and juvenile

Tree Pipit                       Adult

Lesser Redpoll                Adult male

Grey Wagtail                  Adult male and juvenile

Linnet                            Males Females and young

Whitethroat                   Juvenile

Yellowhammer               Breeding pair

Reed Bunting                  Both sexes

Carrion Crow                  Two regularly seen

Buzzard                            Fly over

Magpie                            Fly over

Skylark

Willow Warbler                Breeding in the bushes nearby

Mammals:

Water Shrew                Swam across the pool 2010

Stoat                           Crossed the stepping stones 10 feet from me.

More about the stoat. I was sat in the tiny hide waiting to see what turned up.  I had been inside for around two hours and there had been a lot of activity with birds coming and going regularly.  From the hide I have a clear view down stream past the pool for about 40 metres. suddenly there was a splash down stream and then I saw a small brown animal. I thought at first that it was a small terrier dog, it could have been walking with it's owner and it's the  sort of thing a dog would do. I wasn't sure though because I had only seen it for just a split second. Then my mind turned to 'Otter", so I quickly focused my camera down to the rocks that I had seen the animal on just seconds before. This was a big mistake because a Stoat suddenly appeared just in front of me and crossed the pool having come down the path that you can see in the picture. If you can imagine how small the pool is you can see how close I was. It moved very  quickly like Stoat always do. It used the stepping stones to cross, deftly stepping on them as it crossed.  It was the biggest Stoat that I have ever seen. I clearly saw the black tip to the tail as I tried to focus my camera on it. No chance though, it disappeared to my right as quick as it had appeared. I was hoping it would come back to the pool but unfortunately it didn't. It was great sighting, it hadn't seen me, that in it's self is always exciting to know that you are invisible to a clever animal like a Stoat.