A new year approaches.

Christmas is now done and dusted and the New Year is almost upon us as I write. Always a time of year that is full of expectation with the season past now a distant memory and the coming season beckoning, full of promise and with hopes of some good times to come. The weather has been rather wet and windy for a week or so now and as you would expect the land around the lakes look damp and dismal with a plethora of fallen branches and piles of damp leaves. We have kept a board out of the vidange so that the rising water level will flow through the lake and run over the vidange point for a few weeks, ensuring a good turnover of water, thus leaving the lake fresh and healthy for the months ahead. As is usual in midwinter the predators in the lake are extremely active and swirls, crashes and sprays of silver fry are evident throughout the day. This year we have a lot of gulls on the lake as well as the usual waterfowl and the egrets are now with us in good numbers. The herons are sharing their time between the lake margins and the fields that surround us. A diet of fish, worms and mice keeps them well fed at this time of year. With the rain, that has been with us for some weeks now, freshening the lakes, we are seeing a notable change in water color. Gone is the suspended silt and algae leaving the water looking like it has been polished. Fresh and clean after a summer of drought and low water, very nice. The carp are no longer active on the main lake with just a very occasional fish showing when conditions are warmer. Poppy’s Lake however is continuing to be very active with carp swirling and crashing out on a regular basis. Poppy’s fish do not appear to enjoy a winters rest but stay actively feeding in all but the very coldest conditions. It is good to know that the regular winter feeding programme that we carry out is not going to waste. Once the new years celebrations are out of the way the work around the lakes will start in earnest. No major programmes planned this year but the general cutting back and tidying up certainly eats up the time. However hard we work in January and February will still finish up with a last minute panic to ensure all is ready for our first anglers. So, the next few weeks will be spent brush cutting, leaf clearing and burning. I love the burning part and consider that winter work is always cheered up by a roaring bonfire. Happy days.

Finally may the team at Le Moulin du Mee wish you all a very happy New Year.