Ingrebourne Valley

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Before I start I have a little bit of a rant, Dogs, or more precisely owners who have a lack of control over their Dogs.
I have had Dogs most of my life, only of late have I not, I am a dog lover but irresponsible owners are beginning to piss me off. Just to be clear I used to show English Bull Terriers a good few years back and love the breed along with others, so it’s not a dog thing. I also know a few of the people over there with dogs, this is not directed at any of them either, they are responsible.

On Saturday morning last week I firstly had 2 dogs running up barking at me before being recalled by their owners, they got them back, instead of putting them on their leads the dogs then rang back to me, the explanation was that they didn’t like my camera bag. This happened 3 times; I said I will make sure I won’t have it with me next time to save upsetting the dogs.

There then followed a little argument before I moved onto Berwick Glades, 2 owners again walking away from me with 3 dogs, all off the lead, one a Japanese Akita type sees me and comes up barking, owners, oblivious carry on walking. From this I gather that it is normal for their dog to bark at people, I shout out to them, get your dog under control, they turn round and say sorry mate, I got the impression I had interrupted their conversation.

Really though it’s not good enough is it, if the dog behaves that way it should be on a lead shouldn’t it? Not blowing my own trumpet but I am ok with dogs but imagine if I wasn’t, what if it was someone with a nervous disposition or even a child?

While I am in dog rant, how about the doggie bags littering the trees here and there, I know it’s only a minority but it’s not on is it, crap hanging everywhere from the branches???

Nice isn't it

The doggie rant pales into insignificance compared to the Gypsies who broke in at Ingrebourne Hill last week, what can you say, the authorities are weak for letting it happen, yes but from what I understand their hands are tied due to the stupid bloody laws in this country.

Not too bad or so I thought

When I arrived I thought there was some rubbish on the right and thought that was not too bad, then I walked up the hill looking for Wheatear and this was the sight that greeted me when I looked back.

Why do we let this happen wherever they go? A good 200 metres of rubbish dumped

What can you say, there’s something drastically wrong if people can break in, can’t move them on for up to a week, they leave rubbish and crap (literally) everywhere and then we have to foot the bill indirectly for clearing it up?????

Rants over, back to the bird stuff, the viewing area or rather the back area with the exposed mud is looking very good and has a Wood Sandpiper written all over it or some other rarer wader, if it stays the way it is we could be on for some goodies come May.

Back area - Wood Sandpiper territory

Well done to Dave McGouth and Russ for getting not one but 2 Ospreys near the viewing area, photos below from Russ Sherriff, thanks for letting me use them.

The list continues upwards with recent additions being Reed and Sedge Warbler, Swallow and Sand Martin, Common and Lesser Whitethroat and 5 Shelduck bringing the list up to 82.Keep missing the Little Ringed Plover but the back area has held up to 4 Green Sandpipers and 15+ Common Snipe. Cuckoo and Hobby should be next up along with Garden Warbler, it’s been a year or two since we had a Nightingale, one wouldn’t go amiss, it seems there range is diminishing.