💻 Bank holiday Monday fishing, birding and gardening
🎣 Tench fishing to start the day
As you can see in the video, I got off to a flying start on the lake where I’m currently targeting tench.
Including today, there are just six days of August remaining, so I want to make the most of the remaining time of my tinca campaign.
I also banked a quality roach.
The morning was pleasant, with no wind or rain, but nevertheless just on the chilly side as far as air temperature was concerned.
As soon as the sun rose, though, the jacket was off and I was in a tee-shirt.
🪱 Tackle, bait and tactics
Fox Barbel Special 1.5 test curve rod and an Okuma Zeon reel.
6lb Maxima Chameleon, with a six-inch hook-length created by a small shot and 8mm bead.
Above that was a 1/2 ounce lead. Size 10 Drennan Super Specialist hook.
Single grain of corn over brown crumb and sweetcorn, twenty metres out.
🦆 Nature notes
Ring-necked parakeets (7) in flight, low and directly overhead.
Ravens (5,1) in flight.
Swifts (11).
Cormorant circled the lake a few times but moved on as it was busy with people.
📹 Footage from the water’s edge, the valley and the garden
🌲 Cotwall End Valley birding
As soon as I arrived home after fishing, I went for a birding walk in the local area.
You can see footage in the video, including lots of clips around the brook which runs through the centre of the valley.
I saw a new bird for 2024 as well, which takes me to 63 species for the valley so far.
Cotwall end nature diary here.
🪴 An enjoyable afternoon in the garden
Then, once back from my nature walk, I went in the garden with my wife and granddaughter.
Nyah was actually very helpful, as she did some tidying up.
Mostly, we worked on the patio.
We do keep on top of things but, as anyone who does gardening knows, there’s always something to do.
However, it was a labour of love and it always has been, since I got into gardening when we moved to our new home.
Talking of nature, as I was just now, while we worked in the backyard most of the birds stayed away, but we had 11 juvenile long-tailed tits visit the feeding station.
For a couple of minutes, we paused, and enjoyed the flock before they then moved on.