More Humber Bank Birding

 It was a clear and frosty start as I left home but the closer I got to Goxhill Haven on the Humber Bank the more overcast and misty it became, turning into quite a drab day with the odd splash of warm light as the emerged.  Goxhill Haven is situated on the banks of the Humber opposite Hull so as I turned to walk first east and then south I had the P&O ferries to Zeebrugge and Rotterdam in my sights.  I had arrived about an hour after low tide so there was plenty of mud exposed for waders to feed on.  Large numbers were making the most of the opportunity with plenty of redshank, dunlin and knot as well as the occasional curlew.  On my return walk I had excellent views of black-tailed godwit, identification confirmed when the flew a short distance and revealed the black tail beautifully.  During the morning I saw several skeins of pink footed geese and good numbers of these were settling just inland of the sea wall a couple of fields away.  I did try to find them in the car later but to no avail.  Just past Dawn City Clay Pits ( a Lincs Trust reserve)  I enjoyed watching a marsh harrier as it hunted the marsh and fields.

My turn around point was East Halton Skitter giving me a round trip of 5.5 miles.  As I approached Dawson City on the return leg a short-eared owl delighted as it quartered the marsh on the seaward side of the bank.  A stirring and soul enriching sight.

Once back at the car, having failed to find the geese I popped in to Winter's Pit to check out what was there and enjoyed the sight of a large flock of wigeon coming in.  Their whistling call is always one of my favourite bird calls.

• House Sparrow
• Little egret
• Redshank
• Black Headed Gull
• Mallard
• Dunlin
• Crow
• Meadow piput
• Herring Gull
• Great Black Backed Gull
• Starling Reed Bunting
• Linnet (several flocks)
• Pink footed goose - several skeins
• Knot
• Wood Pigeon
• Curlew
• Magpie
• Blackbird
• Marsh Harrier
• Green Finch
• Stonechat - pair
• Short-eared Owl
• Wigeon
• Black-Tailed Godwit (7)
• Lapwing

Winter's

• Mute Swan
• Grey Lag
• Pochard
• Dabchick
• Tufted Duck
• Mallard
• Redshank
• Wigeon - large flock
• Curlew
• Gadwall
• Lapwing

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A Return to the Viking Way

 Now I had declared my back recovered it was time to test out the pacemaker on the hills along the Viking Way from Walesby.  We had walked here just before the operation so that I could use this hilly walk as a benchmark for any improvement once fully turbocharged.  I'm delighted to be able to report that all went well and, unlike the previous occasion I cruised round with hardly any breathless or aching legs.  Fingers crossed.  As usual we parked in Walesby and walked up to the church.  From here along the undulating path to Risbly and its flock of Lincolnshire longwool sheep (featured on BBC's Countryfile on 22nd November) as far as the dramatic Castle Farm before returning to the seat just above the sheep where we enjoyed a comforting flask of hot chocolate with expansive views across to the Lincoln Edge and the magnificent cathedral set high above the city itself.  Amazing to think that we were looking across to the Viking way  20 miles to the west from the Viking Way.  We dropped down to the lane to return to Walesby in order to make it a round walk.

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Walesby Ramblers Church

Trees above Risby

Castle Farm

Field Pond Risby

Horsefield Sunset

 Trying to get out and walk every day, I tend to opt for the cemetery for it's convenience but today I extended my route and returned via the Horsfield, just as the sun was going down on a wonderful afternoon.

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Acer Autumn

 Outside our back door we grow an acer in a large pot.  It gives us pleasure throughout the year but it looks particularly stunning for a few days in autumn.  It is late to take on the mantle of autumn and when it does it is only for a brief period but even when the leaves are dropped they form a carpet of reds, gold, yellow, orange and bronze.

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More Autumn Colours and Fungi in Nettleton Woods

 Having had my pacemaker fitted on 28th October and struggled with a bad back since, I was suffering from cabin fever, so persuaded the very patient Mrs Pickwell to drive me to Nettleton Wood to catch the last of the autumn colour.  The less said about the back pain during our walk the better.  The woods were looking stunning, although the avenue of beeches along the drive to the scout camp were past their best.  There were still a few fungi but the fly agarics and amethyst deceivers appeared to have finished.

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