Fairy Dell

2009-11-05T13:14:00.002Z

It's November and the weather is very good today, down the Dell the air is full of insects and spiders floating on their threads, seems very warm for the time of year.
Coming down the steps towards the top lake I caught a glimpse of a blue flash as a Kingfisher flew behind and around the island, I lost sight of it and no matter how much I scanned the branches on the water's edge, I couldn't relocate it again.

I met a man who was on the way out of the Dell and he stopped to chat and talked about his younger days playing and exploring around the Dell. He told me a little bit of history but he had plenty more he could tell me. If you read this you can contact me from this site.

Down at the big lake there were around 25 Mallards including the very light brown one, also the Grey Wagtail was there at the edge near the "Frog Spawn" bridge.

2009-10-20T17:55:00.002Z

Well, Autumn is certainly hitting the Dell now, plenty of leaves on the ground and the sound of Blackbirds,Thrushes and Squirrels rustling through them.

I saw two Grey Wagtails today up at the dam end of the lake, no Kingfisher though but there were a few people and dogs about.
The Mallards had a very light brown one with them today, not sure what it is or what it is crossed with !
It would be interesting to hear of what others have seen, birds or animals, even fungi that is popping up all over at the moment.

Had an extended walk all the way to Newham Hall via the beck path that comes out at the main road to Coulby. My main reason was to see if I could find the Tree Sparrows I had seen before in the hedges at the back of the estate houses, I wasn't disappointed although I only saw two but heard many more. Never seen these birds in the Dell even though the distance is slight.

Festival

2009-07-24T11:15:00.007Z

Well, I said I'd post more but once again so many other tasks to do, mostly working !

It's time again for our annual celebration down the Dell and this year it will be on August 1st from 12:00- 16:00 entry is Free. Here is what's happening on the day:-

South Durham Dog Agility Displays;
Greyhounds Galore &fun Doggy competitions;
Free dog chipping;
Free T’ai Chi Taster Session
& displays;
Free Cycle Surgery – bring your bike for its MOT and
learn how to do your own repairs.
Lots of stands & activities;
RSPB,Wilflower Ark, Middlesbroughs Countryside Team,
Sure Start,Save our Strays, Saltburn Animal Rescue
Ass., Fire Brigade and many others.
Plus lots of activities for children including;
Drummer Clare, Face Painting, Willow Weaving and other
crafts.
Guided Walks through Fairy Dell
Refreshments available on site.
For more information call the countryside team on 01642
577325

I had a walk down the Dell today to have a look at the damage that was done after the storm last week. A largish Oak had fallen across the path and into the lake but it has been cut through now so you can still use the path although most of it is still in the lake.
Collected two pockets full of plums from the plum tree next to the bird hide and ate two of them, they are very nice and sweet too ! noticed also that the Hazel tree behind the hide has quite a lot of hazel nuts on it, wonder if I can get them when they're ready before the squirrels do ?

There has been some more work done to the lake, the height of the drain wall has been raised and a grill attached . The lake level has been raised through this work which I suppose is good as it makes the lake deeper but really it is the silt we want out ! ah well it is something .

The new grill and wall

There are lots of flowers in bloom at the moment with the meadow on the hill looking good. Here's a photograph of a type of Nightshade, a nicely coloured but poisonous plant !

This year seems to be a good one for Speckled Wood, I've seen quite a lot around the sunny parts of Fairy Dell Wood.

Lake Work

2008-12-28T16:58:00.003Z

After lots of pressure from the Friends, we have had some good work done on the lake. Some vegetation cleared and channels cut to allow the flow of the beck into the lake. A lot of reeds were removed from the north end which has made it a lot clearer and flowing.
Here are some shots of the finished work and lets hope that the council and other agencies get together and finish this lake off .

What do you think of the work done ?

Celabration Event 2008

2008-09-05T10:58:00.000Z

Saturday 13th September.

Fairy Dell Celebration Day Programme
There will be lots of activities for children, including Drummer Clare, a magician – Noel Brooks , and a face painter. Children
will also be able to join in making lots of crafts from a variety of
other organisations, enjoy party games, watch Punch and Judy etc.

The programme will include music from two Rye Hills School bands. There
will be stands from many organisations – the RSPB, Wildflower Ark ,
Groundwork, Recycling, Climate Change, SureStart, the Library, Fire
Brigade, Middlesbrough Environment City and others.

One marquee will have the school art competition work displayed in it.
St. Augustine ’s, Lingfield, Rose Wood and Sunnyside Primary Schools
have entered for the Fairy Dell Cup and it is being judged at the event.

Bring your dogs to the event! The
‘Greyhounds Galore’ charity will be staging competitions for the
waggiest tale, the prettiest bitch and the most handsome dog, starting
at 2pm. Free dog chipping will be available from the Middlesbrough Dog
Warden Service and we hope to have displays from a dog agility team.

11.00 Rye Hills School Salsa Band
11.30 Rye Hills School ‘Screaming Jelly Babies’ Pop Group

11.30 Guided walk around Fairy Dell, meet at notice board

12.15 Rye Hills School Salsa Band
12.45 Rye Hills School ‘Screaming Jelly Babies’ Pop Group

1.30 Guided walk around Fairy Dell, meet at notice board

1.30 Rye Hills School Salsa Band

2 00 Greyhounds Galore Fun Dog Show

2.30 Rye Hills School ‘Screaming Jelly Babies’ Pop Group

March 2008

2008-03-13T10:39:00.005Z

Hello from Fairy Dell, it has been another long absence, with work commitments again taking up so much time.
Spring is upon us once again and all around the Dell new plants are springing up, Dogs Mercury are well on their way as usual and the SnowDrops and Primroses that were planted by the group and local schools are in bloom.

Walking along the Marton Beck on the other side of Gunnergate I found evidence of Deer using the area by the tracks left in the muddy path. I tracked where the single deer had walked along the path until they stopped and it must have headed off through the trees and bushes.

Deer Tracks along Marton West Beck

The Night Heron seems to have gone now as it hasn't been seen for some time at it's usual perch on the island in Gunnergate Lake.

This morning was a good day with lots of birds seen, including a pair of Bullfinches. The highlight of the morning must be the discovery of a female Sparrowhawk carrying nesting material to a half built nest in a crook of a tree. I spent sometime watching the nest from my position behind a bush and saw it fly back and attack a squirrel that ventured a little too close. The squirrel was darting round the trunk with the Sparrowhawk after it with talons out clearly showing it's beautiful wing markings.

Male Bullfinch, Fairy Dell

In the Dell park you might have seen some public art designed and displayed by Julia, one of the Friends of Fairy Dell.

The Bird hide is taking shape.

2007-05-22T17:26:00.000Z

Pupils from the Kings Academy have been helping out with the carving on the Bird Hide's sleepers.

Birds that can be seen in the Dell have been carved in relief onto both sides of the sleepers. Here's an Owl and a Kingfisher.

Today a rare bird has been spotted around Gunnergate Lake. The bird is a Night Heron, a smaller cousin of the Grey Heron that we normally see down there. The bird has rings on it's legs so it might be that it is an escapee from someone's collection. Hopefully the rings will be identified and then we will know if it is a true wild bird or not. Whatever it's status it is still a great bird to see , last seen having a nap up a tree on the island on the lake.

Spring

2007-05-06T19:26:00.000Z

A couple of weeks back Chiffchaffs had arrived, this week there was a lot of Blackcaps around the Dell. My highlight of the week was a Great Spotted Woodpecker, it was on the old decaying stump near the Frogspawn Bridge and I managed to get within feet of it as it chiselled out the wood looking for it's food, if only I had taken my camera that day !
The Heron seems to be spending a lot of time around the big lake, I've seen it every day that I have been down the Dell and managed to get a photograph of it when it was feeding just near the island. It didn't notice me hid in the bushes !!

If you have been around the lake in last couple of days you can't have missed the carving on the birdhide. I'll put some pictures up soon.

Building a Bird Screen

2007-03-04T00:23:00.000Z

The task started with the digging of a two and a half foot deep trench, which didn't take that long really.

We managed to get about ten sleepers in and secure them into the ground. The outcome is a quite pleasing shallow arc.

Slots cut into the sleepers at different heights will give good views over the lake and the proposed feeding area.

The highlight of the days task was the tea making equiptment which suprised us in providing a good hot cuppa.
I really should have got a photograph of it, you set a small fire inside it and that heated the water that was in a jacket around it.

There still remains about five sleepers to fit and then the feeding area needs to be laid out.

Bird screen and Paths

2007-02-28T18:08:00.000Z

It's been a while since I last updated the blog but hopefully I can find the time to do it again more frequently.

It's coming up to spring again and so another renewal at the Dell . More paths are being made to make walking much easier and a lot safer as anyone who has walked up the hill from the storm pool will know.

There is a big group task for this weekend, 3rd 4th March, with the construction of a screen so that visitors can view the birds that hopefully will be hanging around the new feeding area also to be constructed.

The sleepers have been donated by Teesside Cast Products of Corus and we picked them up and delivered them down the Dell today with the help of Middlesbrough Council.

If anyone is feeling like a bit of hard work, then come down and help out this weekend.

Fairy Dell Celebration Event

2006-09-09T18:49:00.000Z

On Saturday 23rd September we are having a big celebration of all the work that everyone has done to transform Fairy Dell.

There will be lots of stands in the Dell Park with , face painting, birds of prey, wood working, basket making, guided walks around Fairy Dell and lots more going on.

The event is free and starts at 11am and then finishes at around 3pm.

Paths and Top Lake

2006-06-13T07:57:00.000Z

The Wildlife Trust have done a great job with the path construction, part of which is in the picture left, they have a still got a bit more to go but it looks good.

The friends Group are having two days out around the lake building some solid access in the wet and damp areas that cause problems in the winter and after any rain.

The group will be guided by leaders from the Wildlife Trust as none of our group have any experience in making paths .

The Princes Trust have spent sometime in the Dell woods constructing part of the pathway and steps as part of their training. The group where supervised by a couple of training supervisors from the Wildlife Trust and together they all did a magnificent job, they well deserved their barbecue at the end of the project

Above: Princes Trust Path

Right: The Barbecue

The Middlesbrough Council Engineers have been working on the top lake with their contractors and have constructed a "Coffer" dam that they believe will stop the water leaking out of the lake and through the ground. It looks like a success as the water has started to flow over the "trickle down" which it hasn't done for quite a while now.

They brought some very large machinery down to do the work and took great care not to damage anything .

Engineering Works

2006-05-19T09:01:00.000Z

The footpath work is coming on great but will take at least another month to get it near to finished. The picture, left, shows the path that has been cleared and edged ready for the dolomite infill.

The Borough Engineers visited the site and were very concerned about the top lake and the trickle down ( small waterfall ) . It looks like the top lake is leaking out but not over the trickle down but through the ground around it and the bridge. They are concerned that it might at sometime cause the land to move, which would be disastrous for the lake . A major engineering solution is being put in place that will mean a new trickle down being constructed, stabalising of the hillside and a type of dam built in the lake at the top of the trickle down.

In the wood chippings that we spread around the path near West Beck Way, there is a large colony of fungi sprouting up, they look like Yellow Fieldcap, pictured right.

Lots of plants are starting to flower now, Herb Robert and Herb bennet are appearing as well as Cuckoo Flower ( Lady's Smock ) in the damper areas near the lakes.

They are lots of Orange Tip butterflies around and also a Holly Blue was present this week in the brilliant sunshine .

Holly Blue Butterfly.

International Dawn Chorus Day

2006-05-12T13:08:00.000Z

On Sunday last we had an early start for the dawn chorus walk. Unfortunately the weather was not good at all, we started off with the threat of rain but managed to hear, Robin, Starling, Blackbird and Blue Tit. As we entered into the Dell we where able to pick up the songs and calls of Chiffchaff, Wren, Long Tailed Tit, Song Thrush, Great Tit, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit as well as the ever present Woodpigeon.

We had been gone for about an hour when everything went dark and the heavens opened. All the birds stopped singing and we headed back to the langdale centre a lot wetter !
A great breakfast was put on by the Tees Forest which was appreciated by all, tea, coffee, croissents etc.

Yesterday was a much better day and very warm. There appears to be three Mallard families, one pair with eight chicks ( lost one ) one with three chicks and the other with two chicks that look older than the others.
I have found two Moorhen nests, one of which is right out in the open and might come in for some attention from the youths !
Other birds I've seen showing nesting behaviour are, a Chiffchaff carrying nest material, Long Tailed Tits carrying food back and forth, Dunnock carrying moss and diving down into the brambles.

Fluffy chicks

2006-04-27T10:41:00.000Z

Nine fluffy Mallard chicks have hatched and are now on the lake with their parents, here's a picture I took this morning of the family.

Plenty of Chiffchaffs in the Dell now and at least one Blackcap singing this morning. I hadn't seen the Kingfisher for a while now and was a bit dissapointed in not seeing it, when, it flashed past me, over the bridge and off up the beck !

There is a work party in the Dell at the moment, preparing the pathways ready for the boardwalks to be installed. The Wildlife Trust are building and upgrading a lot of the paths along the beck and up to the lake which will make it a lot more easier to walk.

2006-04-03T10:42:00.000Z

It was a very sunny morning today, lots of birds about including a very early Chiffchaff. These birds are one of a number of types that migrate to Fairy Dell to breed in the summer. This early bird might have overwintered in the south of England and is moving north now the weather is getting better.
Other noteable birds were a single Mistle Thrush and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming on the trees.

Here's Steve Iredale, the sculptor, at the begining of his work to create his seating sculpures at the top lake. When finished it makes a great place to sit and look out across the top lake or down into the wood and gunnergate lake.

Here's what it looks like now it's finished.

2006-03-03T17:52:00.000Z

It was a very sunny morning today but the top lake was completely frozen over and the bottom lake had only a small space of open water. For some reason there were lots of Mallards on the bottom lake today, 34 in all.

Spent some time this morning with the Woodsmen, spreading the piles of chippings along the pathways as a temporary surface. There is a public event tomorrow so this will make the access a lot easier for everyone.

There has been a lot of Woodpecker activity lately with plenty of drumming. There are quite a lot of trees that have holes made by the Woodpeckers This is a picture of one of those trees. You can just make out the holes in the branches.

This unusual visitor has appeared overnight, not quiute a fairy of the Dell , but a little person all the same.

Here's apicture of the Tyne Tees camera crew that came down to do some filming to show how the money from the Lottery is being spent.

Work day

2006-02-27T12:41:00.000Z

There was quite a lot of work going on down the Dell today. The logging team was back with their chipper, making short work of the branches that had been cleared earlier.

The chipper was moved along the pathways dumping piles of chippings ready to be spread along the paths to provide a temporary surface until the hardcore paths are put down.

The pathways have had a real hard time of it this winter with a lot of water and hard use by the horses during the logging but hopefully the use of these chippings will make walking the paths a lot easier for now.

A work party from the Friends Group turned up to prepare the plots that are going to be used for planting the bulbs on our first public task day. We are providing bulbs for people to come along on Saturday 4th March and see the Dell and plant some bulbs .

Spring is definately springing in the Dell, apart from the singing of the Great Tits , Blue Tits and Robins, the plants are pushing through, with the first signs of Dogs Merecury and Cellandine.

Pictured left is a photo of Dogs Mercury taken this morning in the Dell. This plant is an indicator of ancient woodland, which the Dell is. The woodland along the beck valleys around this area where kept to provide sport for the local landowner

A Snake Bridge

2006-02-08T23:26:00.000Z

A snake appeared overnight across the beck. It has been carved out of a fallen tree and makes not only a good sculpture but a nice bridge.

There are a couple more trunks that have been cut, so we will wait to see what appears next !

The birds in the Dell were in full voice today, mainly Great Tits and Blue Tits again. The hybrid Mallard was on the top lake again, I think these ducks are tame ones from Stewart Park, they swim over whenever anyone appears ! those down on the bottom lake keep away.

There be Dragons !

2006-01-31T11:54:00.000Z

One of the tree stumps left by the Woodsmen has been turned into a dragon.

The Sculptor, Steve Iredale, has made an excellent small dragon that has proved a great hit with everyone I've talked to down at the Dell.
It has been such a talking point that the dog walkers from the Dell Park have been coming down to the beck walks to view it.

There was a very hard frost this morning which left the top lake frozen.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker could be heard hammering very loud over on the west side of the lower lake, a scan of the beech trees found it at the top of a well holed thick branch.

These Beeches are a favourite for our woodpeckers in the Dell and are where you are most likely to see them, this one was a male ( red on back of head )

There are a lot of buds on the trees and the catkins are well developed on the Hazel and Alder and lots of birds are singing, is spring here ? is it earlier this year ?

Friday 20th January

2006-01-20T16:37:00.000Z

More work going on down at the Dell. The Woodsmen are back, this time with two horses to help. The new horse is Painter and along with Tyne they set to work clearing out more logs and brush.

It seems like the birds are getting ready for spring, there are lots of Great Tits and Robins singing and they all look very clean and bright coloured.

Earlier this week we invited the Fieldfare Trust to come along to the Dell and compile a report to help us with our declared aim of access to the Dell for everyone. He is looking at paths, bridges and steps with a view to increase accessibility.

You can see what they are all about at :- www.fieldfare.org.uk

Fungi

2006-01-15T23:31:00.000Z

Well, I've been so busy I've not been down to Fairy Dell until today. Others in the group had met there some days ago and had done another litter pick, clearing the other parts we missed on the first pick.

The kingfisher was at it's usual spot behind the bottom lake island. Plenty of birds singing, Blue Tits and Great Tits in the main.

Noticed an unusual fungus on a branch near the lake side, looking in my reference book, it is a Yellow Brain !

Another fungus that is about a lot at this time of year is the Velvet Shank. Here is another picture I took in the Dell of this type.

Winter wonderland

2005-12-29T19:44:00.000Z

A good covering of snow down the Dell over the last two days.

Not a lot of birds about , the Kingfisher is still here in it's usual spot.

There were plenty of tracks in the snow including some deer tracks around the ford end of the woods.

Litter Pick

2005-12-23T17:56:00.000Z

Friday 23rd December.

The group met this morning at the Dell for our first task, a litter pick.
Armed with gripper sticks, gloves and bags, we set off around the site collecting any litter we came across and it didn't take long before we came across the first plastic bags .

We filled about 12 bags of rubbish, mainly drinks cans and plastic bags , the cans going to the recycle bins at Coulby Newham collection point.

Here's Dave Elliot, our new Chairman, clearing the cans from below the Dell Close bridge. This area is one of the access points into the Dell so in clearing these cans away, we will give a much better impression to visitors.

Monday 19th December

2005-12-19T10:52:00.000Z

Another cold frosty day although brilliant sunshine. The top lake was frozen and the bottom lake almost totally, only free of ice where the beck came in and around the island.

The Woodsmen have come back today for a few days extra work. Tyne, their horse, helped with the heavy work of pulling the logs out again.

The woods where alive with bird calls this morning, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Robins, Blackbirds and Wrens all joined in together.

16 Mallards today 9 of them males and 5 Moorhens all on the bottom lake.

The West Beck Way path again had Greenfinches and a couple of Chaffinches also three Bullfinches, 2 males and a female.

Walking up the steps into the park I could hear Coal tits calling, turned out to be three birds in the ivy covered trees at the top of the path.

In the park, an elderly gentleman walking his dog was filling up a bag with rubbish using a gripper stick ! a true "friend of Fairy Dell"

Dropping down the side of the wood towards the beck another three Bullfinches ! all males showing well their pinky red breasts and jet black caps. Watching these I caught site of something flying past me and back up the beck, the way it was flying looked very much like a wagtail. Doubling back and towards the ford to see if I could find it, there it was, a Grey Wagtail, bobbing up and down on the rocks in the beck. An unmistakable bird with grey back and lemon vent and breast. It searched around the ford for a while then flew off back up the beck.

Saturday 16th

2005-12-17T15:06:00.000Z

A very cold afternoon today, part of the bottom lake was still frozen ! 6 Mallards today, they seem to be paired up never leaving each other.
The Kingfisher was there again today flying up and down the west bank of the lake. Up on the west beck way path, two groups of finches, 4 Chaffinch and 6 Greenfinch.

Found the large group of Tits around the Dell ford, around 20 birds of Long Tailed Tits, Blue Tits and Great Tits also a Treecreeper with them. I would guess this is the same group I see regular, especially as the Treecreeper is normally present with the group.

Cutting through the wood to the park I flushed 2 Redwing, the first of this winter. They both showed the red patch under the wing as they flew off into the wood.
The Redwing is a winter visitor to us from the Scandinavian region often seen in large flocks with Fieldfares, usually for the Dell, you can see few of these together in the park but not yet this year.

Friday 16th

2005-12-16T13:18:00.000Z

Very quiet down in the Dell this morning, where have all the birds gone ? Walked along the path for the first time since the trees had been thinned out . Access through here is much better now, no more climbing over branches and logs ! the light here is also much better, will have to see what happens in the springtime, see what comes up.

Decided to have another look around the bottom lake, which was a good decission as the Kingfisher was there again. It was skullking in the low branches but again showed itself lit up in the sun. I've seen it in this spot several times now, maybe it will nest here this year.

Not many Mallards today, just the two pairs and a couple of Moorhen. Whilst watching the Kingfisher a group of around 20 tits arrives in the trees above me, mainly Blue Tits and Great Tits with around 6 Long Tailed.

Up on the West Beck path the "Willow" Tit was seen again in this spot . Also single Chaffinch and Goldfinch and a few Blue Tits in the Alder trees.

A view of the Top Lake

2005-12-14T14:59:00.000Z

Here is a picture of the top lake.

The top lake is fed by a little stream and then overflows down a waterfall into the bottom lake. This lake had a small boat house , the foundations of which still remain, and around the far side of the lake some rock landscaping.

It is on this lake that the female Teal stayed for a few days but usually it's only Mallards and Moorhens, both of which nested and raised young.

Tuesday 13th December

2005-12-13T14:40:00.000Z

A sunny but cold afternoon.

The water levels have gone back down after the last couple of weeks rain and the beck has slowed down a lot after last weeks rapids !

Had a look at the results of the logging. All the work along the beck seems to be done with the result that there is a lot more light getting in and the access on the west side of the beck is much improved.

The work on the trees has stopped now until after Christmas.

Wildlife seen today

On the top lake 14 mallards, 7 male and 7 females and the usual 2 Moorhens. Walking across the bridge there were 4 Goldcrests in the ivy covered trees on the lake edge.

Walking down to the bottom lake, there were another 9 mallards,giving a total of 23 ducks today and another 4 Moorhens. Whilst walking along the lake side path a Kingfisher called and flew low along the bankside then perched on branch on the lake's island. It gave great views of blue and orange in the bright sun. I hadn't seen it for a while which was probably down to the amount of disturbed silt in the beck and lake after all the rain.

Plenty of Blue tits, Great tits and Long tailed tits in groups flitting across the paths around the lake. One group had what looked like a Willow Tit (I never can quite say for definate whether it's Willow or Marsh).

A group of Magpies started getting alarmed, making a lot of noise, looking up I caught sight of a male Sparrowhawk flapping and gliding across the lake and over to the park.

At the top of the steps into the park, something caught my eye moving in the field. What I thought was a rat turned out to be a small Hedgehog !

The work starts

2005-12-12T23:36:00.000Z

The start of the work began last Monday when the Woodsmen arrived to start clearing the trees identified by Elisabeth Langton, a Project Support Officer from Middlesbrough Council . Chris Wadsworth leads the team using his horse ( Tyne or Tees ) to do the heavy work of pulling the felled wood around.
The horse will be much kinder to the wood and doesn't damage the ground like a machine would.
The trees selected for felling are going to be used in the Dell, the larger trunks will be made into natural seating and the smaller bits are going to be chipped to provide a temporary surface to the pathways through the beck valley.

A little history of the Dell

2005-12-11T22:33:00.000Z

Fairy Dell is a wooded beck valley and a small Park in Marton , Middlesbrough. There are two lakes, a top lake connected to the bottom lake by a small waterfall.
These features were part of the estate of Gunnergate Hall and the Dell was set out as a walk in the natural wooded valley. The owners of the Gunnergate Estate were the Vaughans, local Ironmasters, and lastly , Raylton Dixon who was a local ship builder. The Hall was occupied during both wars by the army and fell into dissrepair after they left, eventually being pulled down.
The bottom lake ( Gunnergate Lake ) was modified much later by the Middlesbrough authorities, to hold water in times of heavy rain so as not to flood the lower reaches of the beck that is in Middlesbrough.
The beck in the little valley is called Marton West Beck and flows through the Marton area to the Tees at Middlesbrough.

The wildlife in the Dell include most of the common woodland birds and the lakes have breeding Mallards and Moorhen. You can usually find a Heron on the lake early in the morning and if you are lucky you can catch a glimpse of a Kingfisher as it flies along the lake edge.
The most unusual birds seen, for the Dell, were a Common Sandpiper, Teal, Siskin and a female Mandarin Duck.

Mammals seen : Fox, Shrew, Water Vole ( not seen for a while but plenty of holes ) plenty of Grey Squirells and Roe Deer.