Alloa Wildlife Walk Wonderful Views by the Edge of Black Devon River

I entered woods near Alloa Park Drive. I walked toward Pond Wood, going downstream. This wood’s pond came from an oxbow lake. A winding river eroded its bank, creating the lake.

The river cut off a bend this way, isolating an old channel from the river. Over time, the old channel silted up, and then a pond formed there.

The Black Devon River feels forgotten to me, as the larger River Devon gets all the praise. But the smaller Black Devon is wonderful. Brown trout and sea trout live here, and you might see kingfishers catching small fish often.

The Black Devon starts near Knockhill, stretching about 19 miles long. In 1952, part of it vanished when two miles went into old coal mines.

Old Ice House remains sit near Pond Wood, though sadly there is not much left to see now. People stored ice here long ago, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

They collected ice in winter to keep food cool, before refrigerators were widely available. They wanted to store enough ice all year.

I saw a silver birch tree with weird growths called witches’ brooms. These are odd tree growths, caused by fungi, viruses, or bacteria. Buds grow out of control, making tangled stems.

Many bluebell shoots emerged there, and wild garlic shoots appeared too. A male blackbird looked for worms, while a flock of redwings flew above.

Two blackbirds were fighting nearby, arguing fiercely over territory, as the nesting season was on their minds.

Spring’s early signs were everywhere around. Soon, wood anemones and bluebells will bloom, making this place very special.