Arrow River Park - Redditch

We had to visit Redditch this week and in amongst we managed a bike ride and some birding at Arrow River Park.
This park must have been stunning when it was first built with a café/visitors centre and a sailing club.
The café has an outside veranda where you can sit in the sun overlooking the lake and enjoy an ice cream.
Sadly, like a lot of similar places, the cut backs have had a devastating effect on the buildings and general look of the place.
When we arrived on our bikes at 9am the place looked  like it was deserted with ugly metal fencing with peeling paint.
The café opened at 10:00 am and it was a very friendly place where we enjoyed an hour or so looking over the very big lake.

Birds:-

Great Crested Grebe were plentiful with 2 pairs nesting.
Heron were nesting here as well with the prospect of Little Egret nesting, according to a local chap.
Reed Warblers were calling from the reed beds, but very reluctant to show - I got just odd fleeting glimpses.
Blackcap were singing as we went around, again difficult to photo.
A Terrapin was on the rocks as well and some 'dragon fly' types that I cannot ID.

A pr. Common Tern (I hope!) brightened the day - my first of the year.
A lovely bird to watch while the ice cream goes down!

A great day out in the sunshine and the paths are fairly flat, which matched my biking prowess exactly.