With the horrible thoughts in my head being at their worst I just had to get out into nature and take some photo's. But where to go I thought? I remember a photography friend once told me about the lakes at the digger people JCB Headquarters in Rocester, he told me they have a collection of rare captive birds, so I decided to make my way there.
Rocester is a small village in East Staffordshire. Built on the site of a former Roman fort the village lies between the rivers Dove and Churnet, the latter of which runs right next to the lake. JCB opened their factory on the site in 1970 and is now the headquarters of the digger manufacturer.
There are two lakes on the site which run around the JCB building. The smaller lake has a building on an Island, to get to which the JCB's cross a ford to reach. The bigger of the lakes (see photo below), is to the front of the headquarters building and has several bird sculptures rising from within it.
There is a hard path all round the lakes so access for pushchairs is easy and is a welcome relief not to walk through all the mud caused by all the rain we have had recently.
It was a splendid day, 1st March, and it really felt spring like, although a little chilly.
There is a wide variety of waterfowl & birds on the lakes including black swans, gulls, waterhens, Egyptian geese, grebes and cormorants.
Here are two of the geese having a wander down to the lake for a dip. In my mind they are called Mary and Gladys and are having a gossip whilst they make their way down to the lake!
I always find black swans to have that little something special. Their beaks are so wonderfully red which matches their eye and they glide across the water. This is a bird that isn't naturally found in the UK, they are actually native to Australia, this pair will be captive to the lake.
As I made my way round the lake I spotted a pair of grebes. Although not yet showing any signs of courting, it shouldn't be too long. I think this one was trying to impress with some weed it found..
Next to the entrance to the headquarters was a group of barnacle geese, (now I hope I've made a correct identification of these birds). They are a smaller goose which are normally found up in the Baltics. This one amused me as it insisted on standing on one leg..
Lapping the shores was a boat ramp behind which a boathouse, which I presume in the summer months you can rent a boat to take on the lake. On the ramp was this handsome black headed gull.
Now I know cormorants aren't everyones cup of tea, especially the fishermen, but have an obsession with them. I just love the way they look so pre-historic and I love how they dry their wings in the sun. I spotted three hanging out on one of the bird sculptures.
And you may have noticed one of the cormorants was showing their beautiful breeding plumage.
I hope you enjoyed my visit to JCB lakes and the wildlife I saw there. If you do get chance its well worth a visit. I believe you can also have a tour of the factory and there is a gift shop too!
If you like what I do then please consider buying me a coffee, (it's like giving me an electronic tip and helps to spur me on to create further content). Thank you.
To order a copy of any of the images in this walk please email me HERE and will get back to you as soon as possible, thank you.
Date of walk - 1/3/2022
What-Three-Words location ///positives.briskly.recline