Still struggling to get out in the damp weather but wanted a first visit to Pendeford Mill since late November to look at the pool in winter, the snowdrops, the fungus and the catkins as signs of spring. It was very muddy.

So muddy in fact the mud tried to claim my very worn boot and almost won :)

The lack of songbird action at West Park a week before was not repeated and the birds were in really good voice, also really good was the signs of spring in attendance. I took a few photo's of snowdrops and failed to capture any good signs of catkins and other early flowering trees but I did see them and attempt to take photos so the documentary evidence is there even if I don't feel like sharing them particularly from an artistic point of view.

I managed to get my first ever photo of a treecreeper where it is in full frame, not in shadow and almost in focus. I'm taking that and seconds later the unmistakable sound of a green woodpecker from the meadow next to the pathway to the pond and the hedge had recently been trimming. I sploshed over (at this point the sole was hanging on) and failed to see it at all. The regular visitors of the various corvids and gulls were in attendance and the resident cows and horses but no woodpecker. I suppose it's going to take a while to get my eyes in after the lay off.

The pond itself was very quiet but it was nice to see all the work the volunteers have put in around the pond, the cope with the glut of rain over the last few weeks and to clear up the tree damage strong winds before Christmas did. I didn't continue onto the river or the little meadow with the oak tree because that area would have been too wet and by this point I'd gained the flapping heel so I took a little loop in the woods around the area where the goldcrests feed but they all stayed buried in the greenery feeding on the insects hidden in their depths but sounded great (they always do at this spot) before looping back to the bridge where I found most of the reserves mallards. Before I headed across I double checked the Heronry from this angle but it was still just the two resident birds getting a headstart on nestbulding and no visitors had yet joined them and the Cormorants and Egrets (both Great and Lesser) that spent the autumn on sharing the water and those trees were no where to be found but a pair of shovellers and a pair of gooseander both attempted to be somewhere away from where I was (the only visitor at the time) so I didn't get any decent photographs but did document a mixed pair of both.

Walking back down the good path on the far side I took some photo's of the islands of snowdrops between the pool and the banks of the Penk remembering that only 2 months ago I was able walk in those hollows watching wrens and blackbirds and planning approaches to spots to look for kingfishers in the summer. What was patches of mud in damp hollows under the trees in November is pretty much under water at the moment, so much so that the second hollow actually looked like flowing water overspill from the small river. The regular robins were in attendance and as previously described the spot cormorants sunbath after a dive was empty and the trees on the island heronry revealed no more large birds in attendance from this final angle.

Heading around to the starting point of the pond I didn't take my regular look at the wetlands and forested areas over here instead deciding that discretion was the better part of valour and getting to the car before my shoe completely fell apart was for the best. Which is a shame because this is one of the best spots I regularly visit for fungus and it would be nice to see what is fruiting after this wet winter.

Walking back to the car the song thrushes where in full song and I attempted to get a shot of one only to fail but did find a route to a couple of trees that the nuthatches, treecreepers and all the tits seemed to like so I've noted their position for the spring. At this point I seem to have picked up an unexpected hitchhiker because this was the only point I was particularly in contact with the greenery or close enough to attract the little blighter. A tick. We found it crawling around the house later in the day and as somebody who remembers very well how Lyme's knocked me for six it wasn't a popular find. A very young tick of the types found on sheep and deer. Thankfully no ill effects.

At this point Merlin picked up something I didn't hear. Green Parrakeet. I'm not sure if it was a miss identification but after noticing their absence from West Park the week before it's not entirely unexpected to hear them here. I know other people have photographed them here but I've never seen or heard them.

The walk back to the car park, with an extended chill by the meadow in case the woodpecker made another appearance, was accompanied by the regular songbirds. Once I'd removed the muddy and falling apart shoes and popped on a pair of cheap, knock off, clogs I put in the car for days like this only the weekend before I settled in for a period of taking pictures on the bird feeder from the relative comfort of the car and unaccompanied by the sound of a slapping soul, sole, I mean sole. All the regulars came and I managed to get a good shot of a female chaffinch and a dunnock out in the open with not a crisp bag in sight. For some reason all my photos of tits and nut hatches from this day are terrible, normally at least one of them turns out really nice. I think my glasses and viewfinder were steamed up.

Last surprise of the day was seeing oyster catcher on Merlin from the car park. Not something I even know what it sounds like but nothing stood out to me as different. It's not unreasonable to think this is correct the wet weather means everywhere that isn't raised is now either under water or very muddy and that beak would be the ideal tool to take advantage.

Before I left I advised a young couple both with white trainers and white trousers that today probably wasn't the best day for their visit and had a short chat with an elderly couple with expensive binoculars and a small dog. Regulars to the reserve they were completely aware of the mud that awaited them. As I finally pulled away I gave a little wave to the young couple, with slightly less white clothing as they left probably wishing they took my advice and glad they turned back at the gate I'm sure.

A nice visit, If my knees and equipment were more up to the punishment nature was giving I'd have spent an hour longer but all in all it was nice to finally catch up after such a long time away and see spring on the horizon.

updated - 13/02/26 with field notes, text and images.