The First Session at the Winter Feeding Station.

Last Monday afternoon I went out to Scallows for a first photography session at the winter feeding station.  I had sat in the hide briefly on one or two occasions but there had been virtually no activity.  However as the food has been going down I decided to have a go, although I suspect that the culprits are squirrels as much as birds.  To a certain extent I was right but there were still quite a lot of birds coming in: a stunning male woodpecker came twice and at least two nuthatches were backwards and forwards and a single wren came to forage under a log.  Tits were plentiful with coal tits the most numerous followed by great and blue tits.  A robin and some chaffinches were the other visitors.  A very pleasant first session.

Lake District. November 2018. Day 4

Today was a relaxed start ( aren't most of them!) as very good friends Linda and Steve were driving up from Blackpool to spend the day with us.  They arrived about 11.00 and we spent time chilling out and catching up over coffee in the van.  Eventually we dragged ourselves out to walk over the fields to Stavely for a late lunch in Wilfs, one of our favourite walks.  I couldn't resist more images of 'the tree' on the way there and back.  We spent an exceptionally pleasant day, although sadly the next day it was time for home, even more sad as this will be our last visit to the van until next March.

Lake District, November 2018. Day 3.

Thomas spent the night with us last night so that we could go to the Kendal Mountain Festival together, something that had appealed to me for years.  I was delighted first thing to be able to watch a pair of goldcrests feeding in the silver birch trees outside the caravan amongst the foraging tits.  Again we were away fairly early so that we could book tickets for any talks we wanted to see.  It was fascinating to spend time soaking up the atmosphere.  While Heather went and explored the shops in Kendal, Thomas and I went to an illustrated lecture on Alpinism in the Great Ranges, introduced by long time hero Stephen Venables who began proceedings by talking about his Himalayan exploits in the 1970s - 1990s.  He then introduced climbers Tom Livingstone, Chantel Astorga from Alaska, Rick Allen and Nick Bullock.  I was mighily impressed by Allen who at 65 had already this year climbed Annapruna 1 and been rescued off Broad Peak.  There is hope for the rest of us yet!!!
On our return we had a cup of tea and then wandered over to our favourite oak tree in the last of the light.