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Saturday, 21 March 2020
King Cups in the Garden
Although we only have a small water feature in our garden we have some marsh marigolds or king cups growing in it and at the moment they are looking magnificent.
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To view large, please click on an image.
Friday, 20 March 2020
A Final Visit to Rothwell Before Lockdown.
Today was to be our final outing for a walk using the car and meeting friends, although maintaining our 2 metres separation. We had decided to meet up at another favourite location: Rothwell in the Lincolnshire Wolds on Friday 20th March. We just had a short rather sombre and reflective walk before wishing each other well and heading home.
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To view large, please click on an image.
Thursday, 19 March 2020
Fitties Birdwatching
The Corona Virus predicament was beginning to kick in this week but little did we know that this was to be the last walk where we would meet up with friends, albeit, keeping socially distanced. Nigel and myself had agreed to meet up at Buck Beck car park, driving separately in our own cars despite living 5 minutes away from each other. During our walk we carefully kept our 2m distance.
It was a grey day with a chill breeze as we set off from the car park and headed down onto the saltmarsh backing the beach. We could see that the tide was well in and when we reached Anthony's Bank we realised that the beach was covered by the tide and so we continued along the elevated sea bank. There were plenty of people about and most were keeping a distance from each other. We continued to the Humber Morth Yacht Club on The Fitties and then headed out across the beach towards the mouth of the Haven where the Louth Canal flows out into the estuary. There was an abundance of bird life about although the numbers of brent geese were down, the greater number having begun their migration back to the arctic. As the tide receded flocks of waders began to fly up from their roosting grounds to move back to the mud flats to feed. What a wonderful sight. One of the most stirring were the flocks of curlew. I had seen groups of these large wader a few days previously on the fallow fields behind the sea bank towards Tetney Lock gates. As the tide was still quite high we were turned back by deep creeks before we could reach the have mouth. By this time we were well out on the mudflats on the edge of the saltmarsh; what a magnificent wild place to be. We are extremely lucky to have this on our doorstep. This is a regular walk and little did I know that this would be my last visit for some time. I shall miss it. We made out way back to the ponds by the sea bank and were pleased to see mallard, wigeon, teal, shoeveler and little egret. After a flask of hot chocolate sitting enjoying the view over the estuary, it was time to head back to the car and home.
Oysercatcher and redshank in good numbers
Brent geese
Curlew - large groups
Gulls
Little Egret
Shoveler
Wigeon
Teal
Mallard
Reed Bunting
House Sparrow
Skylark
To view large, please click on an image.
It was a grey day with a chill breeze as we set off from the car park and headed down onto the saltmarsh backing the beach. We could see that the tide was well in and when we reached Anthony's Bank we realised that the beach was covered by the tide and so we continued along the elevated sea bank. There were plenty of people about and most were keeping a distance from each other. We continued to the Humber Morth Yacht Club on The Fitties and then headed out across the beach towards the mouth of the Haven where the Louth Canal flows out into the estuary. There was an abundance of bird life about although the numbers of brent geese were down, the greater number having begun their migration back to the arctic. As the tide receded flocks of waders began to fly up from their roosting grounds to move back to the mud flats to feed. What a wonderful sight. One of the most stirring were the flocks of curlew. I had seen groups of these large wader a few days previously on the fallow fields behind the sea bank towards Tetney Lock gates. As the tide was still quite high we were turned back by deep creeks before we could reach the have mouth. By this time we were well out on the mudflats on the edge of the saltmarsh; what a magnificent wild place to be. We are extremely lucky to have this on our doorstep. This is a regular walk and little did I know that this would be my last visit for some time. I shall miss it. We made out way back to the ponds by the sea bank and were pleased to see mallard, wigeon, teal, shoeveler and little egret. After a flask of hot chocolate sitting enjoying the view over the estuary, it was time to head back to the car and home.
Oysercatcher and redshank in good numbers
Brent geese
Curlew - large groups
Gulls
Little Egret
Shoveler
Wigeon
Teal
Mallard
Reed Bunting
House Sparrow
Skylark
To view large, please click on an image.
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Snakeshead Fritillaries and Moss.
A break from decorating the kitchen today in order to photograph one of our snakeshead fritiiaries and some moss growing on the wall.
To view large, please click on an image.
To view large, please click on an image.
Thursday, 12 March 2020
Hatfield Moor for Adders
Roger and I had been waiting for a couple of weeks for the right conditions to visit Hatfield Moor, part of the Humberhead Peat Levels National Nature Reserve, managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, to look for adders. The Humberhead Peat Levels represent the largest area of raised bog wilderness in lowland Britain and comprises Hatfield Moor, Crowle Moor, Thorne and Goole Moor. These peatlands are a remnant of a large wetland that occupied the floodplain of the Humberhead Levels thousands of years ago. They have been worked for peat to their detriment throughout recorded history. Extemnsive restoration work is being carried out to return them to their former condition. The area is internationally important for nightjars as well as adders.
We were waiting for a clear sunny, but fairly still morning and, eventually on the 11th March the forecast looked promising. I was up early, pack up made and at Roger's for 7.00 am. By 8.00 am we were parked and heading for the location they favour. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have worked had to create suitable habitat for the reptiles by creating sheltered bays of brash where they can lie out and warm up in the sun. Being cold blooded they are slow and inactive, and so easier to approach and photograph, early in the morning. As the day warms up they move much more quickly. As well as adders we saw a marsh harrier and a pair of buzzards and coltsfoot and goat or pussy willow were in flower. Altogether we found 9 individuals. To photograph and sit closely observing these creatures is a real privilege. As with all wild life photography and observation the subject must come first and so we always approached them slowly and quietly making sure to move slowly so that we did not disturb them. To observe an adder from only one or two feet and not disturb it is a magical experience.
To view large, please click on an image.
We were waiting for a clear sunny, but fairly still morning and, eventually on the 11th March the forecast looked promising. I was up early, pack up made and at Roger's for 7.00 am. By 8.00 am we were parked and heading for the location they favour. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have worked had to create suitable habitat for the reptiles by creating sheltered bays of brash where they can lie out and warm up in the sun. Being cold blooded they are slow and inactive, and so easier to approach and photograph, early in the morning. As the day warms up they move much more quickly. As well as adders we saw a marsh harrier and a pair of buzzards and coltsfoot and goat or pussy willow were in flower. Altogether we found 9 individuals. To photograph and sit closely observing these creatures is a real privilege. As with all wild life photography and observation the subject must come first and so we always approached them slowly and quietly making sure to move slowly so that we did not disturb them. To observe an adder from only one or two feet and not disturb it is a magical experience.
To view large, please click on an image.
Thursday, 5 March 2020
Lancashire Day 4
Sadly this was to be our last day, but as usual we were unable to drag ourselves away so we opted for for a walk over the fields and down to the junction of the Lancaster Canal and the branch that leads to Glasson Dock. We were fascinated to see the first section ogf the Glasson branch drained of water. Someone had got something stuck in the headlock gate paddle and this had allowed all of the water to drain out. The paddle was soon repaired and the canal refilled. We walked as far as the Mill at Condor Green where we had lunch before walking back and setting off home. We completed our break with afternoon tea at Betty's in Ilkley - very nice.
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| Holly |
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| Lancaster Canal Junction |
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| Lancaster Canal |
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| Glasson Dock Bracnch |
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| Glasson Dock Bracnch |
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| Canal Junction |
Lancashire Day 3
We met up with Heather and Linda at the reserve reception and then drove to Arnside for lunch before enjoying a walk from Silverdale down to Jenny Brown Point on the shores of Morcambe Bay. On the way, then to our planned watch for another starling display we managed some nice reflection shots of little egrets in a flooded field. Unfortunately today we were in the wrong place for the murmuration and I wonder if now it is passed its best for this year.
To view large, please click on an image.
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| Dunlin |
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| Dunlin |
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| Dunlin |
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| Shelduck |
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| Cinnamon-winged Teal/Shoveler hybrid |
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| Wigeon |
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| Wigeon |
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| Scarlet Elf Cup |
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| Jenny Brown Point |
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| Jenny Brown Point |
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| Little Egret |
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| Little Egret |
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