A walk along the Trent and Mersey canal PT 1

Yesterday I went for a walk by Trent and Mersey canal which leads into some wonderful countryside and today I decided i would go abit further and it was lucky I did as just around a canal bend where normally I turn back as its about four miles from my house but I get to walk by rivers, ponds and farmland with woods in between.  

Just around the courner I found 2 lakes one was very small and the other was about 6 times as big and there were about 30-40 Coots all displaying and fights were breaking out every where I do not think that I have seen so many on one lake it must be the wamer weather we have been having after the wintry weather in December but one things for sure there will be plenty of Coot nests to film and I aim to film the whole process from nest building to egg laying and the young chicks on the water as there are a 20lb Pike in this lake so they will have to keep there wits about them I have posted a link below to the lake.

Big Billinge lake
 
 The sky was blue but unfortionately the sun remained behind cloud for most of the afternoon but in the photograph below you can see the blue reflecting onto the water.

Also on the lake was a group of male Tufted ducks that were very nervous and every time we would walk down one side of the lake they would move to the other so I only managed to get some far shots but this is the first time seeing on my patch.

This hungry Mute swan cam very close and I ended up giving it abit of my sandwich.

I only wish that I knew about this spot in the summer as the water is so clear making it a great place for underwater filming as there is a great mix of fish so I think that I will be spending quite a few summer afternoons sitting on the fishing pegs that stretch out into the lake with a camera under the water as well as one on the surface.
Click on the smaller photographs to make them bigger.