Old Moor, New Café

Old Moor Wetlands RSPB Reserve, Wath-upon-Dearne, 3 p.m.

Coot and its young dabbling for weed.

Dabchick diving in bay in front of hide.

5 of these duck in deeper water.

There are 3 cormorants on the main island, preening and stretching their wings occasionally.

A great crested grebe dives out near the middle of the lake.

Two of the ducks fly up over the water. The white flash is visible near the tail (not on the wings). I think that they're wigeon and that they're probably in eclipse plumage.

We enjoy a hot chocolate sitting at a table on the veranda of the new Gannets Café overlooking the reserve. We've heard keen bird watchers express surprise at the number of visitors who use the café compared with those who use the hides.

'It's a case of the tail wagging the dog,' complains one of them, 'I could hardly find a space in the car park; the café was full but the hides were almost empty.'

Even so, I have to confess that sitting here at the table with my hot chocolate, toasted teacake, watercolours and sketchbook ranks as a pretty perfect experience for me!