Knot Pennington Flash

Photo: Knot.

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Pennington Flash. It's handy having it on my doorstep because I can easily walk it from home so it's a cheap option and if I'm not working I can visit day after day after day which is ideal for a local patch. On top of that I've got a connection with the flash because I've been visiting it for 40 years and so have a decent list and a good knowledge of the place. 

However in truth I've never really liked the place and in recent years that feeling has grown stronger as the habitat has deteriorated and people have slowly but surely trashed the flash. It's a shadow of what it once was.

During the Covid-19 lockdown in March and April it was perfect and I walked around every day. This period was extended through May and into July as I monitored a little ringed plover nest at the yacht club, sometimes visiting three times a day. However outside of this period I hardly visited at all and today was my first visit since 30th July. 

 

Highlight today was this adult knot in non-breeding plumage at the yacht club. Also today the first goldeneye of the winter, with three at the western end, plus about 100 pink-footed geese flying over heading east.

One of the few flowers that are left at this time of year, Michaelmas daisy is a favourite with hoverflies.