At Thrupp Lake today, two members of The Earth Trust were there with leaflets encouraging visitors to become involved by joining as a friend of Earth Trust, not to be confused with Friends of the Earth.

They do not own Thrupp Lake but they do help care for the area.

There was a group of three tufted ducks that frequently dived together. This is a male and female and there was  also a second male.

The black headed gull is an inland bird and not a ‘seagull’ and there were lots bobbing on the water and flying about and making a lot of noise. I had never heard Thrupp Lake quite so noisy, what with them screeching, and geese honking.

The Radley Lakes Trust is working with landowners to protect and enhance the area, and there are new noticeboards on the walk round by the Railway where there are shallower wetlands

There I saw a couple of lapwings.

GWR trains come by frequently, and there also seems to be a lot of chatter from along the track. I saw my first bumble bee of the year buzzing about over an area of ground but could not see any flowers nearby.