Lake District, March 2023, Day 5. Lunch out and a Macro Potter.

 A very pleasant lazy morning today until lunch time when we went to the Strickland Arms to meet some friends for lunch which was, as usual, excellent.  Back at the site we went out for a potter around the area to take some lichen macro shots and walk out to 'The Tree'.  An excellent day.

The Tree

The view from the tree towards Stavely and Kentmere.

Lichen

Pixie Cup Lichen

Lake District, March 2023, Day 4

There is was: covered in green algae and gelatinous, our first frog spawn of the year in the flooded path side as we came out of Lower Hide.  We had arrived at Leighton moss shortly after 11.00 and headed straight for the feeding station where I was pleased to quickly see my fist 'new for year' tick a marsh tit.  Next it was down to Lillian's Hide where we sheltered from the rain for half an hour before moving on to Causeway Hide.  Sounds of bird song were all around: chichaffs providing a sense of spring, cetti's warblers with their incredibly loud stacatto notes seemingly from the depths of vegetation right next to you and up to for booming bitterns. We took the opportunity to have our regular lunch of christmas cake and cheese in Causeway Hide and picked up snipe, lapwing and pochard. The most distant hide is Lower and we were ready for a sit down when we got there. There were large numbers of teal and shoveler here and I enjoyed watching the male shoverlers feeding, their heads submerged and spinning round like whilrlind devishes.  Taking photographs was a real callenge as they only lifted their heads out of the water for the briefest moment.  Every so often, though, the males would stray into each other's territory and the incumbent would lift it's head high out the water to show its displeasure.

Frogspawn duly inspected we wandered back to Causway where there was an impressive display of sand martins and swalls. it was time for tea and cake in the cafe but on the way I went to look for and had pointed out a water pipit that I had been told about.  Excellent.

Duly refreshed we finished our trip with a visit to the saltmarsh hides where, although picking up a few more species the water levels were too high to attract many birds.  As it often does, though the path to the Eric Morecambe hide had large scarlet elf cup fungi, always a pleasure to see.  Plants are appearing at a great reate of knots now as spring progesses: wood anemone with their beautiful pink sepals, green dog's mercury, promroses, cowslips, wild garlic and coltsfoot.

We completed our day with a visit to Arnside and the excellent Albion pub, looking out over the estuary.  It was, of course, beer o'clock.

Black-headed Gulls

Black-headed Gulls

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Jelly Ear

Moorhen

Moorhen

Shoveler

Shoveler

Shoveler

Shoveler

Shoveler

Shoveler

Shoveler

Shoveler

Teal

Tufted Duck

Arnside and the Kent Estuary

Lake District, March 2023, Day 3

We awoke early this morning as Thomas had to be away early for work.  Fortunately the toilet and shower block was open again, sadly not before the 'on board' facilities had been pressed into full service!  Although gloomy and with some drizzle in the air, the weather is brighter than yesterday so there is optimism in the team, especially as we half expected the site to close if the water situation hadn't resolved itself. Once Thomas had left we had our breakfast and then I set to to empty, clean and reprime the toilet and empty the waste water while Heather topped up the water barrel. While doing this it was good to note the busy bird life: yaffling green woodpecker, several calling chiffchaffs and a pair of mistle thrushes carrying food.  Thomas has reported that the weather is better further south so we are about to head to Lancaster to visit the castle.

We enjoyed a very pleasant day in Lancaster.  Despite the castle not being open we were able to get lunch at Atkinson's within the precincts and then we visited the Priory.  We found the park and ride here to be excellent. On our way home we called in at Sizergh Farm shop for some cheese and wine which we enjoyed for our supper.

Images: Stained Glass, Lancaster Priory.

Lake District, March 2023, Day 2

A thoroughly wet day today as well as one of jobs and enjoying time with Thomas who was coming to stay overnight with us as he was working in Lancaster. Our first task was to meet the man from Extreme Valeting who had come to clean the caravan.  The job was completed successfully, although he did tell us that the seal had gone at the front of the roof.  The next job was to ring our service man only to find that he didn't do repairs.  Research on Heather's part led us to Carnforth Caravans who came out to assess it and we have arranged for them to pick it up and tow it to their workshop to carry out the repair and service it at the same time. Along with a bit of shopping, this seemed to take most of the day and it wasn't long before it was time to start cooking ready for Thomas's arrival.  The next catastrophe came, though, just as he was arriving. There was a problem with the water on the site and they were waiting for engineers to come and sort it.  Unfortunately the site toilets and showers had to be shut.  Just what is needed when we were entertaining a guest for the night!!!

Lake District, March 2023, Day 1

An easy journey today helped by the fact thea we were already packed and starting out from Sheffield.  The journey went well and we were here by 3 o'clock.  Once settled in we went for a walk out to 'the tree' and then it was beer o'clock while we waited for our lasagne to heat up.  A good start to our trip.

A Walk Down Porter Brook, Sheffield

As soon as we walked down the hill from where we had parked the car into the wooded valley of the River Porter, I recognised Forge Dam from my college years in the late 1960s and slightly more recently when my brother and I rode here from our campsite in Derbyshire perhaps 30 years ago now.  From the busy cafe at Forge Dam we wandered down the valley nearly to Endcliffe Park where we were tempted by coffee and almond croissant before walking back up.  I was delighted to find dipper, grey wagtail and mandarin duck.

A Bittern Fest

 When Brian and I pulled into the car park at Far Ings NNR it was mild and sunny after early rain and 14C.  There was a strong wind blowing from the SW, though, with high wind warnings on the Humber Bridge.  The car par was full and we expected the hide to be crammed as well.  It was busy in Ness Hide but there was plenty of room for us.  We hadn't been settled in long before first one bitter appeared from the reeds and walked across the channel in a manner that only a bittern does.  Highly delighted by this I was amazed when another appeared, I then became unsure whether I was watching tow birds or three.  To add to the excitement was the appearance of at least two kingfishers but neither perched long enough of close enough for photography.  Cetti's warblers were also singing so an excellent short session in the hide. We continued our circuit of the reserve and were pleased to hear several singing chiffchaff - spring has definitely arrived.  We stopped off at the hide overlooking Target Lake hoping for some close views of displaying great crested grebes.  They were there and displaying but a long way away.  We were entertained briefly by warring mute swan couples.  Just before completing our tour of the reserve We came across a comma butterfly, my first for the year. It was now time to head to the fleshpots of the Ropewalk cafe for lunch.  An excellent morning.

Mute swan

                                                                     Mute swan

                                                                   Mute swan

Robin

Redshank

Moorhen

Little Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Dunnock

Cormorant

Comma

Canada Goose

Canada Goose

Canada Goose

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern

Bittern