There is now a time limit on this view.

This is Hurst Reservoir in Glossop.

Many people will have noticed this stretch of water as they head towards Glossop down the Snake Pass (A57 road) from the Sheffield direction but few will know anything of its present or past.

Its many years (15) since it actually supplied any water into our taps and as soon as that was the case its future has been questioned. Now it has been decided it will be dismantled starting next August (2013). As I live nearby I receieved a hand delivered letter this morning informing me of the decision and an invitation to a meeting to hear about the impact of the work.

So what I like to think of as a rewilding project will now take place and the valley will be transformed or maybe that should be reformed.

The area has been a big part of my recent life as a regular walk and birdwatching area. Its been my local patch including survey work for the next BTO Bird Atlas so its going to be very interesting to see the changes in the years following the work.

So I headed straight up there to see if there was much about - to the casual observer not a lot but I soon found the Dipper on its usual rock then Buzzards overhead. Then a suprise visitor came over the road and settled in the bracken I initially said to myself Snipe and even foolishly tweeted the same when I got home. But running what I had seen back in my head and referring to some videos it was an even more rare sight - I'm sure it was a Woodcock. I'm not sure how rare they are, after all there is a Woodcock farm and a street Woodcock Grove nearby but they are rarely seen. I've only seen one for certain in the last 15 years in the area. So quite pleased with that and I'll at least be thinking of Woodcock as a possibility again next time I'm out and about in that direction.