I was fortunate to have a break from the normal routine and step off the world for a while when I recently spent a week on a narrow boat on a canal in Cheshire. When I was not tackling the locks I was observing the wildlife, most of which was wildfowl and herons. In fact, as soon as the kettle went on in the morning we were surrounded by begging ducks (mallards of course). I was pleased to see grown cygnets, moorhens, mallards and geese (not all of the Canadian variety). Why was I pleased, you may ask. Because they had not succumbed to bird flu that has devastated birds, especially wildfowl, in this country.

Wetlands are a huge attraction to migrating species as well as our resident species and the nearest large one to us is ‘Slimbridge’ in Gloucestershire. It is reserve that was started by, and the home, of the late Sir Peter Scott, many years ago. Not only did he start a wildfowl sanctuary but he rescued threatened species to breed and return to natural habitats with some great success. He was also a proficient artist and I have a print of one of his painting depicting ducks, shovelers, flying in on a windy dawn.

The day I am writing this I have spent part of it at the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust Titley Pool nature reserve and we could see many wildfowl swimming, or protesting at us, while we were there. In our area we have three places we can visit to see wildfowl: the little pool at National Trust Berrington where a public footpath runs by and you can observe the fowl from there, and the lakes, formed from quarrying, at Bodenham and at Wellington on the Marden side of the A49. This latter one is really only reached by foot but Bodenham Lake nature reserve has a car park and easily accessible hides to watch the birds from.

The winter is always the best time to look for water fowl as they tend to fly in about now, in November, and leave to go back to their breeding grounds in March. One of my favourites that visit Slimbridge are the Bewick swans. They have patterned faces and each individual has different markings. The marvels of nature. However, if you are a lover of the young then May and June are good times to visit.

The increase of bird diseases is a worrying one. You may have started feeding birds in your garden to help them through the winter but remember to clean and disinfect the feeding stations regularly to help reduce the spread of diseases.