~{nilheadimage~=143227~}
~{link~= https://www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/attenborough ~;text~=Attenborough Nature Reserve~;target~=attenborough~}, which is run by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, is named not after famed naturalist Sir David Attenborough (although he did open it, back in 1966), but rather after the community in which it is sited.

Large-scale gravel extraction began in this ~{link~= https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/fascinating-history-attenborough-nature-reserve-3688658 ~;text~=area~;target~=attenboroughhistory~} in the late 1920s, and the pits it left behind formed the basis for the reserve.

This is great walking territory, combining little paths that meander by lakes and bullrush beds with stretches along the River Trent.

It was cold when we visited, and many of the waterways were still icy. But the sun and the dwindling afternoon light made for great photography opportunities.

~{nilimage~=143215~;dir~=V~;alt~=stmary1~;caption~=The first thing you see as you drive in is the church of ~{link~= https://www.explorechurches.org/church/st-mary-attenborough ~;text~=St Mary, Attenborough~;target~=stmary~}. The original chapel was established in 964~}
~{nilimage~=143188~;dir~=V~;alt~=stmary2~;caption~=On the green in front of the church we saw our first wild snowdrops and crocuses of the year~}
~{nilimage~=143217~;dir~=V~;alt~=snowdrops~}
~{nilimage~=143216~;dir~=V~;alt~=crocus~}
~{nilimage~=143189~;dir~=H~;alt~=blue~;caption~=Lots of blue~}
~{nilimage~=143218~;dir~=V~;alt~=bullrush1~;caption~=And a magical light~}
~{nilimage~=143219~;dir~=H~;alt~=bullrush2~}
~{nilimage~=143220~;dir~=H~;alt~=bullrush3~}
~{nilimage~=143190~;dir~=H~;alt~=trent1~;caption~=Another stretch of the River Trent~}
~{nilimage~=143221~;dir~=H~;alt~=trent2~}
~{nilimage~=143222~;dir~=D~;alt~=text~;caption~=Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in the low afternoon light~}
And, of course, there are the birds...

~{nilimage~=143224~;dir~=H~;alt~=tuftedduck~;caption~=An adorable tufted duck~}
~{nilimage~=143225~;dir~=V~;alt~=egyptiangoose~;caption~=A nicely shaded Egyptian goose~}
~{nilimage~=143226~;dir~=H~;alt~=lapwings~;caption~=Lapwings... So hard to photograph... We thought our slightly unsharp version looked better in black and white...~}
To close, a photo that I really love: contrasting the glow of the setting sun with the paleness of the last full moon of the lunar year.

~{nilimage~=143228~;dir~=H~;alt~=fullmoon~}