Frog (Thursday 12th March 2015)

Having heard that the two swans I'd seen on the Marden had regularly been nesting at Hazeland, I thought I would have a look for them there, and maybe see the nest they had been preparing. It had been some years since I had stopped there. There is a large mill there and another disused section of the Wilts & Berks canal runs parallel to the river a little further up the hill. The mill still has a functioning water wheel and there are weirs and sluice gates at several points along the river and a sunken footpath leading down to a widened area used by anglers.

A stile leads into a large field from which I was able to follow the course of the river for a long way opposite the back garden of Hazeland Mill - somewhere I hadn't been before. I discovered I'd accidentally only packed one camera, with a telephoto lens, so had to take any other photos with my iPad. I didn't see the swans so I ventured on to the railway path from the former railway bridge on Studley Lane, working my way back to the 'Dipper Marden' from the other direction to normal. The swans weren't to be found on that stretch of the river, either, nor were any dippers.

On the railway path I found primroses, wild daffodils and a swamp in Searchers Wood where I could hear croaking and see masses of frogspawn. Eventually, after a long wait, this glossy fellow surfaced. I also got a nice view of a pair of buzzards and a muntjac deer.

L.
16.3.2015 (1618 hr)

Blip #1525 (#1775 including archived blips)
Consecutive Blip #018
Day #1814
LOTD #760 (#880 including archived blips)

A Walk From Hazeland Mill To Studley, 12 March 2015 (Flickr album)

Lens: Pentax 55-300 mm x1.4 rear converter (Blip), iPad

Spring series

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Bob Dylan - Froggie Went a Courtin' (1992)

One Year Ago:
Signs Of Spring