Today I decided it was time to get out my old bike...only of course to find that one of the tires was flat! Could I find a bike pump? Nope, so it was off to the bike shop (conveniently there is one just down the road) for a new bike pump, inflated the tire and I was ready to go!

I headed out into the surrounding farmland on the country roads heading towards the nature reserve - a good few miles away. Along the route I saw a buzzard scaring off everything beneath, rooks, wood pigeons, green-veined white butterflies, pied wagtails, yellowhammers, lapwings...to put it simply, I saw a few things while riding along on my bicycle!

It wasn't easy going, I haven't ridden on my bike for over a year and a half so I was out of practice. Shouldn't really have done such a long trick, but it's only me that suffers (and Iain later tonight when I don't stop moaning about the aches and pains ) Eventually though, I reached my destination and the reserve car park of course had NOWHERE to tie my bike so I had to fasten it to a tree. Bike secured, I headed off for my walk...

The trail led through a variety of habitats from small patches of woodlands to farmlands, pastures to river estuary. I saw a few species of carpet moths (yet to be I'd) and some tiny moths as well as scorpion flies, red admirals and small tortoiseshell butterflies.

When crossing the farm and pasture land skylarks took to the air and a sedge warbler made his voice heard as I must have been somewhere near his nest. There were more lapwings that were, as per usual, taking offence to any bird that happened to fly anywhere near the patch of ground where their chicks or eggs may be and loads of oystercatchers. On one of the pools was a colony of black-headed gulls making a bit of a racket and along the trail were reed buntings and linnets.

One of the hides looked out over the mudflats. The tide was going out and this revealed the vast foraging area for the hungry birds. Curlews and redshank were among the birds out there, as too were carrion crows which carried their shelled finds up into the air and attempted to drop them so they would land on a rock shattering the shell. Heading away from the hide, I saw a brown hare dashing away.

The other hide revealed where most of the swans were hiding, and with them were the eider duck and mallard as well as a tern I didn't see clearly enough to ID. Herring gulls were here too casually floating around on the water. Unfortunately though, the mist was starting to roll in from the sea and I could see wisps of it drifting over the lake. The last thing I wanted was to be surrounded in the mist, and so it was time to head back along the paths to collect my bike.

On the way back though I heard a loud rustling from the ditch. I stopped and a roe deer lept from the ditch looking across the field and away from me. I stood perfectly still watching as she moved through the long grass. Only when I moved did she realise I was there and bolted across the field.

Sightings list:

Blackbird
Mistle Thrush
Starling
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Crow
Rook
Curlew
Redshank
Mute Swan
Blue tit
Pied wagtail
Reed Bunting
Sedge Warbler
Buzzard
Woodpigeon
Collared dove
Yellowhammer
Linnet
Black-headed gulls
Herring Gull
Unidentifed tern
Eider
Mallard
Skylark
Shelduck

Roe deer
Brown hare
Rabbit

Green-veined white butterfly
Red admiral butterfly
Small tortoiseshell butterfly
Scorpion fly

Just think, when you get your dog, you can do all that with him!

Yup! And try to teach her/him to run alongside my bike

You get a cool attachment that connects to the side of your bike and use a harness for the dog and away you go! Mack loves it.

I'll see if I can find a link so you can see pictures of it.

Here's a website, but they've sold out but they have pictures and videos of it. I use a harness for Mack because he pulls way too much to attach it to his collar.

Anyway;

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Sounds great Kat.

I'd be afraid the dog would bolt and pull the bike over.

I used tio cycle with Holly and there were no problems when I used to do that. Just takes a bit of training

Mack just pulls forward like he was a husky in a previous life. The contraption is designed in such a way that the dog can't get tangled up with the bike. I see your point about him pulling away though!