Cheddar Reservoir Axebridge 2.8

Looking for somewhere a bit different today for a walk so chose to go to the Cheddar Reservoir near Axbridge.  Turned out to be the wrong day to go there as the M5 was virtually closed northbound due to a crash some hours earlier.  No injuries but three lorries involved and a bad diesel spillage on the road which meant a resurfacing job over a couple of days.  Not good and the upshot was most roads in the area were choc a block.  Luckily, us cyclists know a few of the backroads which helped.

Sunflower

Just the one in bloom, growing near the water's edge of the reservoir.  There were several younger plants nearby, obviously self seeders.  The blurred blobs in the background were ducks etc at the water's edge.  The reservoir itself is an artificial one built in 1930.  It has a capacity of 135 million gallons

Black Headed Gull

A few of these about on the reservoir.  No black head on this one, probably a youngster in its first year.  Not really black headed these things, more of a chocolate brown on the adults which they lose in the winter anyway and just have light stripes.

Goldfinches

Plenty of these about this afternoon.  Mainly on the banks of the reservoir, eating the seeds from the thistle heads,

Rain was threatening in between the sunshine but it held off thankfully.  A nice walk, just under 3 miles.