Lake District, November, Day 4.

A thoroughly wet day today from the start.  Spent the day hunkered down apart from a trip to Windermere to buy a bath masquerading as a slow cooker from Lakeland and then on to Bowness to buy some new boots for me.  Once home we treated ourselves to tea in the campsite bar where they sell an exellent pint.  The curry was good too.

The Langdale Pikes across Windermere on a better day.

The Langdales and Bowfell across Windermere.

View across Windermere.

Lake District, November, Day 3

A mottled and streaked back and pale underparts showed as the bird flew away in front of us and landed on some rose-bay-willow seeds.  A black chin showed and, as the bird dipped its head, a scarlet crown.  A lesser redpoll.  Wonderful!  I hadn't seen one for some time.  As it fed on the seeds it rewarded us with superb views.  A photographic gift had I had the big lens but exciting to watch nonetheless.

We had woken to a bright morning, although it was still dark when we saw Thomas off to work. It was still dark when I head a tawny owl calling sending a frisson of pleasure. Pack up made, we set off down the green lane to Bowston Bridge enjoying the redpoll on the way.  Another tawny gave us good views on approaching the village as it ghosted across the lane and hooted its quavering call, hidden away now, in the depths of its tree.  We soon reached the bench above the weir where we settled for our lunch in the usual spot.  Looking at the river I was aware of some differences: rapids and exposed banks rather than the normal mill pool.  It took me a few moments to realise that the weir had been removed.  Wondering why and if it would affect water levels or flooding potential we continued and noted that only a few hundred yards up river, water levels were normal, even somewhat high following recent rains.  A puzzle that was solved on returning to the van and doing some googling.  It was removed in June, the largest river barrier removal in the UK this year, as part of an ambitious restoration project called Cumbria River Restoration programme. Its removal will allow the river to renaturalise; benefitting both people and wildlife.  It is hoped that it will produce a 44% increase in biodiversity and improve navigation and fish migration as well as reducing the risk of flooding.

On arriving at Cowan Head I was delighted to find a male goosander which performed beautifully for us, even approaching close enough for my 55-200mm lens.  Further on, at Beckmickle Ing, it was interesting to note that more restoration work was being carried out on the old barn and solar panels have now been fitted.  We found a heron in its usual location, hidden in undergrowth and perhaps assuming we couldn't see it.  The dippers were absent from their usual spot, but just before we parted company with the river I heard a bird singing beautifully seeming to come from the river.  Looking closely, I was delighted to pin it down to a dipper on the far bank.  Although I was aware that dippers do sing I would never have heard this without the new hearing aids.  I never did catch up with any grey wagtails, perhaps they have moved to coastal or lowland areas.

Reaching Stavely, it was time for tea and stickies in Wilf's before heading back across the fields to the site, calling in for some photographs at 'The Tree' first.

An excellent day.

To view large, please click on an image.

Site of Bowston Weir

Bowston Weir with the Kent in Spate a year ago.

Bowston Weir with the Kent in Spate a year ago.

Goosander

Wax Cap

Wax Cap

The Tree with Stavely and the Kentmere Fells behind.

Lake District, November, Day 2.

We woke early this morning to the familiar sound of rain on the caravan roof.  This was not unexpected as the weather forecast has been predicting it for some days.  This is not a huge problem as we plan to go into Kendal for some Christmas and food shopping.  The really good news is that, on reconnecting the water system the airlock cleared and everything now works perfectly.  It IS raining very hard, mind.

After returning from our shopping expedition to Kendal we hunkered down cosily while waiting for Thomas to come and stay with us for the evening while he is working in Lancaster.

View from the site on a non-rainy day later in the week.

Lake District, November, Day 1

A busy morning taking Mia to the cattery, visiting the post office and the pharmact twice to obtain medication that we needed.  We were still on the road in reasonable time, however, stopping only for lunch at Doncaster services.  Most of the journey was in thick fog, especially the beginning of the A66.  It cleared suddenly as we dropped down on the other side of the Penines with some amazing views of sun slanting down through clearing fog in the Eden Valley.  We arrived at the site still in daylight and set to straight away to put the awning up.  Before pegging down the awning I connected up the electricity and, thought, the water.  Unfortunately I switched on the pump before connecting the water barrel.  On correcting this I discovered that it had drawn in a lot of air and the resultant air lock prevented the system working.  In frustration I switched it off and disconnected everything planning to leave it for tomorrow to try again.  Completing the awning, now in the dark, I retreated to the van, a pint and a welcome meal.  Calmed down with a pint, wine and a digestif, I retired to bed early with my book.

A Wander Around the Woodland Burial Ground.

 An afternoon walk around the cemetery and woodland burial ground today with Nigel.  It was slightly colder than of late at only 11C.  Most of the birds we saw were the usual residents with good mixed flocks of tits with one or two small flocks of goldfinch with the odd sisking amongst them.  We checked out the alders at the bottom corner of the cemetery hoping for siskin and redpoll feeding on the cones but to no avail.  The bird of the day, though was the sparrowhawk that flew out of the plantation at our approach and then flew low around the corner out of sight. As usual there were large numbers of magpies and woodpigeon and a solitary pheasant on the adjacent stubble.

Goldfinch feeding on alder cones. (archive image)

Goldfinch feeding on alder cones. (archive image)

Goldfinch feeding on alder cones. (archive image)

A Perfect Morning of Birds at Cleethorpes

 On 30th I treated myself to a morning with nature at Cleethorpes/Fitties.  On a mild (15C) overcast morning I parked the car at Buck Beck and set out along Anthony's Bank towards the Fitties with a few spits of rain in the air.  Being a Sunday morning the sea front was busy with people but things became more quiet once I reached the sea bank running past the Fitties.  The harsh calls of gulls were a constant companion along with the bubbling song of curlew.  Oystercatchers were continually piping and in the background the more bass notes of brent geese.  I had caught the tide right: just on the ebb with birds withing good viewing range. It made a change to visit this section of our local coastline and the birds were differnet.  Further upriver black-tailed godwit are more common but here there are mor bar-tails.  Sanderling were present feeding frantically on the tide line and good numbers of turnstone were present among the vast numbers of knot, dunlin and oystercatcher.  I was pleased to see a single ringed plover, while out on Tetney Marsh I thrilled to the unusual call of a whimbrel.

Looking out over the estuary from Tetney Marsh.

Tetney Marsh panorama

The Fitties Beach

The Fitties Beach

The Fitties Beach

Haille Sand Fort

The Fitties Beach

A special visit to Whisby

 At the end of October Heather and I had the privilege of being invited to a special 'thank you' event held at Whisby Nature Reserve and organised by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to say thankyou to those people who used to deliver magazines pre-Covid.  We were treated to coffee and cake, encouraged to take part in a range of activities to 'unleash the inner child' and presented with a new LWT publication: Wild Lincolnshire.  In the afternoon we joined a guided walk led by Matthew Capper, Head of Public Engagement and Communications, and Graham, the reserve warden for the past 18 years.  It was fascinating to listen to Graham describing the various management strategies on the reserve.  These have seen a huge increase in orchids on the reserve, especially the green-flowered helleborine, although, sadly they have not managed to help save the dwindling population of nightingales.  However, with a new rewilding initiative (similar to Knepp)  about to start at nearby Boothby Pagnell, there is hope that they will return in the future.  Of course, some birding was indulged in, the highlight being good views of brambling, my first for several years, and calling lesser redpoll and siskin.

Grebe Lake, Whisby

Grebe Lake, Whisby

Lincoln Cathedral

Mixed flock of finches with brambling in the centre. (archive image)

Brambling. (archive image)

Siskin (archive image)

Siskin (archive image)