Coate Water Park (Friday 17th March 2023)

A visit back to Coate Water Park has been top of my list since the new year, but have been put off by the weather, other commitments, injuries, early nightfall and time. Finally on Friday the sky was partially blue and there was nothing fixed for the day and I was able to set off in Archie after lunch. The water park is on the outskirts of Swindon and it takes about 35-40 minutes to get there. I kept my camera bag as light as possible and walked around the lake in an anti-clockwise direction.

It takes about an hour and a half to complete the circuit allowing for photography stops. Along the way I saw swans (of course), one heron (in Extras), several cormorants in flight, one diving and surfacing on the lake and one on what I call the cormorant tree, some magpies (one in Extras as I've never photographed one before), squirrels in a tree and the solitary female black swan (also in Extras hanging out with a Canada goose), as well as gulls, ducks and corvids.

I reached the main entrance and promenade half-way round. A lot of birds congregate there because they get a lot of pickings as a result of the nearby café. As usual a family were indulging a passel of pigeons. The return half on the other side of the lake included seeing this squirrel who was too busy eating to be bothered by yours truly with a bright yellow camera.

The map position comes as usual from the GPS device on the camera. All the above links are also included in the album below.

L.
Monday 21.3.2023 (1237 hr)

Blip #3833 (#3583 + 250 archived blips taken 27.8.1960-18.3.2010)
Consecutive Blip #002
Blips/Extras In 2023 #043/265 + #030/100 Extras
Day #4738 (1164 gaps from 26.3.2010)
LOTD #2973 (#2813 + 160 in archived blips)

Coate Water Park series
Swindon series
Wildlife series

Coate Water Park, 17 March 2023 (Flickr album of 52 items)

Taken with Pentax K-50 (Yellow) and Sigma AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro lens

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Ray Barretto with Charlie Palmieri and Tito Puente - Pastime Paradise (1978)
Ray Barretto (congas, percussion), Willy Torres (vocals), Joe Farrell (tenor & soprano sax, flute), Carlos Franzetti (piano),  Charlie Palmieri (piano, percussion), Jeremy Wall, Suzanne Ciani (synths), John Tropea (guitar), Francisco Centeno (bass), Steve Gadd, Mark Craney (drums),  Tito Puente (timbales)
There's quite a strong Latin-American influence in Stevie Wonder's music so it isn't that much of a stretch to go full-on Salsa in this version with some lovely Cuban piano. Verity Sharp played this on Late Junction last November in a show that I heard when it was repeated on this evening.