Lincolnshire Wolds, Falconry and a Walk Along the River Witham

My daughter very kindly bought me a Falconry Experience Day for my birthday and last Tuesday I was booked in with Chris Miller Falconry near Southwell.  I set off from Grimsby about 8.00 am and was delighted to find mist hanging over the moor at Walesby Woodlands near Market Rasen.  It looked perfect against the rising sun.  The drive to Southwell went quickly and as was soon parked up at the falconry.  The day was a wonderful experience.  Chris had two Harris Hawks (more correctly bay winged hawks), a saker falcon and a saker/gyr cross and an Indian Eagle Owl.  It was fabulous to see such wonderful birds at close quarters and to experience the thrill of flying them and have them return to the hand.  Amazing.  On my way home I called in at Bardney on the River Witham to walk down to photograph Bardney Lock.  I approached once again by Nocton Fen and was delighted to see a marsh harrier hunting as well as a trio of roe deer feeding in a stubble field.  It was beautiful walking along the Water Rail Way to the lock; migrant hawker dragonflies were plentiful and the hedgerow was abundant with ripe elderberries, haws and blackberries - nature's harvest festival.  It was fascinating to see several narrow boats using the river and, as always, my mind drifted back in time to the days when I travelled on the old railway line, the train being steam hauled.  I returned home over the Wolds and revelled in the clear views and wonderful cloudscapes.

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