January - A good start

The third day of January started with a ground frost, blue sky and little wind. A perfect winter photography day. We thought we would see what was about at Burwell Fen.

Love these traditional National Trust signs.

A Kestrel hovered and hunted around and feasted on several worms just the other side of the gate from where we were standing.

When he had his fill of worms he just flew up onto a nearby post.

A good spot to sit and digest his meal.

Its always a treat to see the herd of Konik ponies that graze the fen.

A very placid Highland Bull just quietly munching away and letting the ponies do all the running around. Its all much to energetic for him.

We were just thinking of calling it a day, no Short Eared Owls to be seen today, when the Kestrel once again landed in front of us. After waiting to make sure we had photographed him with his prey, it was like he was showing us what he had caught, he flew just along the ditch and cached it for later. We are not entirely sure what he had in his talons but we think it may have been a mole. He was having a really good hunting day.

A few days later and another bright, frosty, calm day and ideal conditions to pick up some Bearded Reedlings at the Ouse Fen RSPB. These endearing little birds do not like it when it is too windy, and for obvious reasons they stay low in the reeds and are difficult to find. On this day they were everywhere and very easy to spot.

The Bearded Reedlings get their name from the males black moustache.

The females are pretty in their own delicate way.

Bearded Reedlings are not that easy to photograph as they are so quick. They flit about from reed to reed hardly stopping to rest, and calling to each other all the time.

A male Bearded Reedling thinking about a bit of ice skating.

He surpised us, or did we surprise him, not sure which, but a quick picture of the fleeing Chinese Water Deer was the best we could manage.

A Sunday morning and the end of this spell of cold frosty weather was forecast so a long morning dog walk was the order of the day before the paths turned back to mud again.

The allotments looked a bit a cold and abandoned as we walked past, but the seed heads always look beautiful in the frost.

The Great Garden Birdwatch at the end of January and our best spot was a Male Blackcap that was around for few days before moving on. As usual, most of the birds decided to disappear when we started counting.

We are still putting out the camera traps but we keep encountering frustrating hiccups like the flashes don’t work, or the animals by pass the sensor, or most frustratingly of all the focus went awry and we missed out on some lovely fox pictures. So still work in progress but we are getting there.

Our garden Wood Pigeon sits here for ages, wonder what he thinks about.

We have had several private photography projects on the go this month, and from these have come requests from local landowners to photograph the wildlife on their land. This will keep us busy this year.

The news from the government to go ahead with the Cambridge to Oxford rail link, with a new station, thousands of houses along the route, and the aim for our own silicon valley, is very worrying. It will pass close to our village boundary. The plans show the destruction of hedgerows, countryside, farmland, and this is just to house the logistics and construction, before the actual railway is built. Our friends who farm a Nature Friendly Farm and over the years have encouraged rare farmland birds and animals, are due to lose a lot of their land, with the line passing close to their house. Disgraceful how the land can just be acquired and pay the owners little for it. Also there are no plans to electrify the line as it will cost too much money, so more pollution. We are already living on the edge of all the work going on for the Caxton Gibbet to Black Cat roundabout improvements. Everything in its path has been destroyed and the fields are now just a sea of mud and water and vehicles that look like yellow dinosaurs. What are we doing to this area!

December - New projects

So many dreary days this month we lacked the motivation to go out and find the wildlife. We have, however started a new project.
Camera Trapping.

A camera trap is often confused with a trailcam but they are quite different. A camera trap is usually a good quality DSLR or Mirrorless camera, with a wide/telephoto lens and housed in a protective case, it is triggered by the use of an infra red sensor and can also be used with external flash guns for night time photography.

We are using one of our old Nikon DSLR (D7100) with a 18-55mm lens, our flash guns are our old Nikon SB-800 housed in pasta containers and the sensor is the PIR V3 from Camtraptions with all the equipment being linked wirelessly. It is not recommended to use your best and expensive equipment for camera trapping as it is subjected to the elements and can be damaged while being left out for long periods.

The photo above shows a trailcam which we use to capture video of the scene, the camera is in the housing under the camoflage netting next to the trailcam, the two flash guns and sensor are on poles to the left and right of the track.
If an animal walks along the track the motion sensor’s beam will be broken and a singnal will be sent to the camera so it can take the picture, all this is done without anyone being there.
We are being lazy and staying in the warm.

We set the system up in the garden first to make sure it all worked and that we had got everything in sync. Lots of dried mealworms scattered about ensured the Starlings stayed around and did not take flight when the flashes fired.

The garden Robin is also partial to a few dried mealworms.

We were very pleased to capture a Starling in flight.

With the camera traps working well in the garden we moved them out, with permission, to a location on private land where we were fairly certain Badgers frequented. We couldnt wait to collect the cards from the trail cam and the camera the next day to see what we had managed to capture. And here he is, a handsome Badger

It was a wet night and he looked as though he had been busy with a muddy face and very wet fur.

Badgers cannot resist peanuts and we threw a few around to tempt them to stay. He only visited the once and we have not been so lucky after this, only capturing rats that also can’t resist peanuts it seems. We think that with all the rats around they are triggering the flashes and this is keeping the Badgers away. We are looking at changing the sensitivity on the sensor so it only picks up the larger animals. The only problem with that is that we may miss out on any stoats,weasels and polecats that may be about. So having a think and will keep you posted over the next few months.

Nothing but Rats.

November - Winter Visitors Arriving

The garden birds have started to visit in large numbers every day, and are emptying the feeders and clearing the bird table of food at a frantic rate.

We had a visit from a Ring Necked or Rose Ringed Parakeet.. They had been reported in the village but this is the first time we have had one visit. She stayed all day, backwards and forwards clearing out the peanut feeder, and then she went and we have not seen her since.

The Ring-necked Parakeet was accepted onto the British List in 1983. It has long been a popular cage-bird and the British breeding population, currently estimated at around 12,000 pairs, is the result of birds escaping from captivity over a long period of time. The birds breeding here in Britain constitute the most northerly breeding parrots in the world. From the BTO website.

The Great spotted Woodpecker started visiting the garden at the beginning of the month and has been a regular visiter everyday.

A Trip to Burwell and Wicken Fen was very quiet, but we did see this this Muntjac who was not camera shy at all.

Eldernell was the next place to visit on our winter list. The Tawny owl was in his usual hole sunbathing in the sun. A very safe place across the other side of the river in the middle of woodland. You need to know where to look to see him. Definitely a wise old owl. The Long Eared Owls were there somewhere as they had been seen on previous days, but the hedges still had a lot of leaves and the Owls proved impossible for us to find.

Winter Thrushes were arriving in large numbers, and we saw hundreds of Fieldfare and Redwing but again they proved difficult to photograph. They were very skittish after flying hundreds of miles and not being totally sure of their surroundings. We did manage a quick picture of a Fieldfare before it flew off to be with the rest of the flock.

A lovely Song Thrush near the car park, feasting on the Hawthorn berries before all the Fieldfares found them.

A pair of Stonechats were sitting out enjoying the sunshine.

Fenland farmers leave stubble and the tops of the sugar beet for the visiting Whooper and Bewick Swans to feed. The field was a white noisy mass of mostly, Whooper Swans.

It was a very cold day the day we visited the Suffolk coast. A Hoopoe had been seen in the dunes near RSPB Mindsmere. Lots of lovely pictures were showing online taken by other birders over several days, and we were hopeful of finding him. We parked at Dunwich Heath and walked along the beach. And just our luck, he had ben seen about a half hour before we arrived and had flown off towards Sizewell, never to be seen again.

It stayed cold all day. The ice did not thaw on the scrapes at Mindsmere and flocks of ducks were huddled out on the ice with their heads under their wings.

A Gargany Duck slip sliding its way towards one of the islands

A bemused pair of Mallard wondering what to do next.

Another quiet day at Summer Leys in Northamptonshire. We usually see a good number of Bullfinches here at the feeding station but unusually there was no sign this time.

We did find this Little Grebe having a very successful fishing trip.

A great bonus was spotting a Water Rail. Water Rail are shy birds and not seen very often. They like hiding in the reedbeds at the side of fresh water lakes and are related to the Moorhen.

It was a beautiful sunny day the day we went to Norfolk to see the new born grey seals at Horsey Gap and Winterton. A lot of the pups were only a few hours old. Feeding on their mothers’ milk, which contains around 50% fat and 12% protein, the pups gain around 10kg a week. They wean about 3 weeks old and are then expected to fend for themselves.

Covered in a silky fur these new born pups were so lovely.

The beach is roped off and closed to the public for the winter months while the pups are being born. But you can still get views fro the dunes.

As soon as the pups are weaned the females are ready to mate again. They then leave the beach and the pups are forced to learn to hunt for themselves or starve. Its a hard life.

Grey seals gathering to give birth on the beach at Winterton. These gatherings of grey seals are called rookeries.

Whooper Swans coming into land on the flooded wetlands at Welney. There were lots of birds here this time, and we finally saw our first Short Eared Owls of the winter, a long way off, but at least we know they have arrived.

There are always lots of Male Pochards at the reserve in the winter.

The light was almost too bright for photographing, making it difficult to adjust for the very white plumage on the swans

As well as being a bright day it was also very still making some great reflections in the water.

You always get a good mug of tea in the visitor centre, and good views across the fens in the comfort of the cafe.

We are still continuing with our “View as We Go” gallery, posting pictures from our days out during the month so don’t forget to keep checking. Some months there will be lots of pictures, others not so many. We will just have to remember to keep it updated.

Canada Road Trip - Part 3

The last leg of our journey, Golden and then onto Canmore.

Snow on the tops of all the mountains as we headed towards the town of Golden. Golden B.C. is surrounded by six of Canada’s most stunning national parks; Yoho, Glacier, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Mount Revelstoke,

The town of Golden sits in the Rocky Mountain range. Usually a busy little place we were there at a quiet time, the summer vistors had gone and the town was preparing for the Ski season to start.

The main river through the town was Kicking Horse River and we spotted an Osprey here on our walk.

The Kicking Horse pedestrian covered bridge built in 2001, leading to walks on both sides of the river.

Reflection Lake, just outside the town.

Autumn colours and snow topped mountains everywhere you looked.

Just outside the town of Golden is the Northern Lights Wolf Sanctuary. A unique facility dedicated to awareness and conservation for the wolf. Northern Lights is home to nine resident wolves, which you are able to view, and photograph. The owners are really passionate about educating people on the Wolf and to dispel any negative myths there are about these lovely animals. This female had a lot to say for herself, and the howling was quite a chilling sound, especially when the others joined in. You could just imagine hearing that out in the wild.

After chatting for a while, the guy at the centre pointed us to a back country walk where small Sock Eye Salmon were spawning and a few Bald Eagles had been seen gathering. Despite being a bit out in the wilds, there were several dog walkers and fishermen about. The fishermen were heading down to the main river, which was way past these trees, to catch fish known locally as Bull Head Trout.

Autumn was turning the trees vivid yellow and orange, and a long way off, a Bald Eagle was sat in the middle.

Then, we found more Eagles. Not fishing as we had hoped, but calling to each other in the trees.

Quietly watching us, with a half grown fawn behind her was, what we think was a Black Tailed Deer, She, then just seemed to melt away. We were still on the hunt for Elk. Everyone kept saying that you will see them, they are everywhere, so maybe we were looking in the wrong places.

Walking in the wilds……..but not that wild as lots of people walk here.

Emerald Lake, Yoho National Park. As a photographer, when you set out for the day you have in your own mind what you would like to see and pictures you would like to get. So when we arrived at Emerald Lake, the mist was so thick, and it was very cold, this was not quite what we had in mind. But you cannot control the weather, you just have to go with it.

Some brave souls were hiring canoes and braving the mist.

On our walk we noticed the mist was starting to lift and the true colour of the lake was beginning to show. The emerald colour of Emerald Lake is due to glacial sediment called rock flour. These tiny particles are suspended in the water and reflect and scatter sunlight, giving the lake its emerald colour. So now we know.

Then, suddenly, around a corner and through the trees we saw this. It made us gasp and stop dead in our tracks, we were not expecting to see this when the day had started out. so foggy.

Down by the lake side the full view opened up.

Emerald Lake is truly an emerald colour. We think this is the most breathtakingly beautiful place we have ever seen. We stayed in this spot for quite a while, just drinking in the view. The pictures we took on this day were better than we ever had expected to take.

Kicking Horse River , Yoho national Park.

Located south of Emerald Lake, the Natural Bridge spans the rushing waters of Kicking Horse River.

Kicking Horse River rushing through the natural bridge.

In to Banff National Park and the road to Canmore

Policemans Creek Boardwalk. A great walk from our hotel into town. 

The town of Canmore. A centre for Photogrpahic and Art Galleries. So tempting to spend a lot of money here. Although all the galleries were outstanding, we spent a lot of time browsing the gallery All in the Wild., with a very chatty assistant. The gallery was full of amazing photographs by photographer Jason Leo Bantle and we ended up buying his book, “Beautiful Banff and Beyond.” The purchase of the book goes towards the All in The Wild Land fund. Six percent of all sales  go towards this fund, and this has allowed for 1760 acres of land to be purchased and set aside for conservation. You can just make out his gallery on the picture, its next to the board with the Grizzly Bear portrait. 

Armed with information of where to find Elk around the town and beyond, from the hotel staff, the gallery assistant, and Parks Canada Rangers, we were told by the river, park playing fields, out by the airport, in the street, surely we would find them now. It was rutting season, easy to find they all said………!

The top of our to do list for this area was the Banff Gondola. Not too busy this time of year so plenty of room in the car park, and no restriction on how long you stayed at the top.  It was so worth it. 

From the Gondola on the way up to the top. 

Looking down to Bow Valley and beyond. After heavy snow the week before the weather had turned mild and much of it had disappeared apart from the very highest peaks. Having said that, we found the wind very cold out on the exposed viewing areas. 

At the top, a Grey Jay or Canada Jay taking advantage of any crumbs of food dropped between the cracks of the boardwalk.

Big Horn Sheep/Rocky Mountain Sheep, live under the structure that is the restaraunt, shop and gondala stop and viewing areas. At first we thought, really, and then thought “Why not”.  There is shelter and water and food all year round. In fact we saw many birds here as well. 

Clarks Nutcracker taking advantage of easy pickings. 

The star of the show had to be this busy little Chipmunk doing his bit to recycle rubbish, pick up any stray crumbs, and keeping the area tidy. This paper bag was shredded, pushed into his cheeks, and taken away under some rocks, presumably to line his nest. 

The Chipmunk giving himself a bit of a spruce up after a busy time cleaning up the area. 

Another day and another Lake. Lake Louise, a major must see tourist spot, or so we were informed. On advice we were up before dawn to find a parking spot . As far as the weather was concerned this was our worst day. It started to rain before dawn and did not stop all morning. And it was so cold, we were surprised it did not turn to snow.  Still, on the positive side it did keep the tourist numbers down. We were not likely to be able to return so just made the most of it. It was still beautiful, although we both agreed we liked Emerald Lake more. 

Lake Louise, still  lovely, even in the rain. 

A Statue at lake Louise to commemorate the first Swiss Mountain Guides to the area. The mountain guides were brought from the Swiss Alps to work for Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) hotels between 1899 and 1954 and led hundreds of first ascents and taught safe climbing techniques to thousands of climbers.

We skipped going on the shuttlebus to Moraine Lake, and carried on to Lake Minnewanka. The famous red chairs are placed at all popular viewing spots by Parks Canada

Here we watched a Douglas Squirrel. These a very small and fast. Its now you see him now you don’t. This one paused in his very active schedule of nut and pine cone collecting and burying to take a snack. 

American Robin. Nothing like our Robin. More the size and behaviour of our Blackbirds. 

Insane autumn colours of the Larch trees, Banff National Park. 

Dawn over the reservoir Canmore.  Our last full day, still no sign of any Elk or even Moose. This turned out to be a long day in the Kananaskis Park, 

Lower Kannanaskis Lake. Minutes before the water was mirror calm and it would have been a great reflection picture, where did that breeze come from, rippling the water and spoiling the image. The Park rangers told us Moose had been seen in this area. Really? Where? 

We were lucky to find a flock of tiny Ruby Crowned Kinglets. 

Upper Kannanaskis Lake. Here we met some local photographers from Calgary who were on the lookout for migrating birds. They also had not seen many and had tried all the main places along the migration corridor where they are usually seen this time of year, with no luck.  Opinion was, the birds had either moved through early, or were very late. Every where the natural world is changing. 

We were now at the top of the trail, and we stopped off at the visitor centre at the top. The ranger in the lower visitor centre said that Grizzlies had been seen digging around just outside the windows. It was so comfortable to rest here for a while, with large armchairs and sofas and big windows looking out onto a balcony and a clearing in the forest where the bears had been seen. They didnt show today though. On the way we had seen a large wolf/ dog like animal strolling along and melting away into the forest. The rangers thought that it may have been a Coyote. Wish we had been a bit quicker and managed to get a picture. 

Another photographer who had also called in to see if he could get a picture of the bears, told us of two large herds of Elk at Banff golf club. Its always good to get information from like minded people. 

Of course, we didn’t waste any time, off to Banff Golf Course we went.  At last! Elk! Not just a few Elk but two large herds. Not quite the setting we had been expecting but really good views. The golf course had closed for the winter. The greens had been securely fenced off and the fairways scarified, and the course had been left for the Elk. 

One of the big bull Elks, bugling away, but too shattered to stand up. 

Our last morning. Bright, crisp and sunny and a very hard ground frost. 

Everything packed up into two suitcases and camera gear into the rucksacks and time to say goodbye to Canada and make our way to Calgary for the flight home. Just like that, we had left the Rockies behind and were travelling through a vast expanse of plains, we would’t have been surprised to see Buffalo grazing. 

We estimated we had travelled about 1800 miles, much of it on the Trans Canada Highway. We had filled the car with petrol 5 times, each time about $70.00 except fot the last time which was about $25.00 to return it full to the car rental at the airport. 

We must also thank Premier Travel, who listened to us, and organised everything, flights, car hire, ferry, hotels and the whale and bear trips. They also made the change in schedule due to the Jasper wildfires stress free. They provided maps and information for each stage of the journey. It was straightforward and hassle free, which all went towards making this trip so memorable. A job well done.

We hope you have enjoyed following us on our road trip. Experiencing the wildlife and views along the way. An epic lifetime jouney for us. Canada you were welcoming and amazing. Thank you. 

October- Canada Road Trip - Part 2

It was dark when we boarded the ferry back to Vancour. Its about a 90 min crossing and after the early start an onboard breakfast of coffee and a blueberry muffin was much needed.

As dawn broke we were treated to the most amazing skies, which only lasted a few minutes. The image was just how it looked. A dark sea, and dark clouds lifting to reveal a letterbox of orange sky with silhouetted mountains and islands  and another ferry.

Evening light at Harrison lake. 

We were heading to Harrison Hot Springs for two nights. The hotel gave us free passess to the pool which is fed by the hot springs but to be honest we just ran out of time and did not use them. 

Cheam Lake and Wetlands is a popular birdwatching area. The lake was drained in 1949 to expedite mining for marl limestone which is a form of calcium carbonate mud, formerly done by slurry suckers. In 1990 the lake became a regional park, and efforts began (and continue today) to restore this area to its natural state. We spotted lots of woodland birds here but summer wildfowl had left and winter wildfowl was yet to arrive.

A Downy Woodpecker. This was very small and is similar to our Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

A record shot of a Red Breasted Sapsucker, great name . Sapsuckers are part of the Woodpecker family. They probe the bark for small insects and drill rows of shallow holes in the bark from which they lick up the flowing sap.

Black Capped Chickadee, very numerous and everyone likes to see these. 

A  busy railway line crossed the Harrison River at the point where we were walking. This is the famous Rocky Mountaineer carrying passengers across Canada 

Canadian Pacific goods train. Just the start. These trains can be up to 200 to 300 carriages long and have engines at the front, in the middle and at the end. They travel just a bit faster than a walking pace. Glad we didn’t have to wait at a crossing for these to pass. 

A Western Grebe was hunting out on the river.

A juvenile Common Loon .

The main reason we stopped at the Harrison Hot Springs area was to try and find some Bald Eagles. In mid November they have a Bald eagle festival as thousands of Eagles visit the river for the salmon spawning season. Hard to imagine really. Anyway, we knew we were a bit early so we were’t expecting to see that many, but we hoped we might spot some of the resident Eagles. This one flew past us and onwards up the river. 

The Sandpiper Golf and Country Club at Harrison Mills have a viewing area looking over the river where you can watch the Eagles. These two were close by up a tree and looking thoroughly fed up as the weather was very damp and misty. This was a great golf club, lots of trees and perfect greens. They welcomed visitoirs to view the Eagles and even have a dedicated marked nature trail down to the covered viewing area. We had lunch here in a warm welcoming dining area. Everyone was very friendly. 

Would not like to be on the end of that beak, and those eyes……………. We can’t look at these birds without thinking of “The Muppets” TV show. 

Just outside the town, on the way to Revelstoke is the Bridal Falls. Set in a deep forest area and a bit of an up hill walk, you could hear it long before you saw it. 

This must be just a wall of water thundering down when the snow melts. 

From the hotel balcony in Revelstoke. 

The next part of our trip to Revelstoke was the longest and took about Five hours, with a stop in Kamloops for a delicious scrambled egg breakfast wrap. The car was easy to drive and by now we were getting used to being on “the other side of the road”. It was one road all the way, the Trans Canada Highway 1. We were glad it wasnt snowing, although snow was visible in many areas, as warnings to change to winter tyres and for trucks to carry chains on certain parts as we climbed high into the mountains made us a little wary. Especially as we were in a rental car and no idea if we had winter tyres or not. 

This was a change to our original agenda, it was going to be a much longer drive. We were supposed to go up to Jasper with an overnight stay in Kamloops. However, serious wildfires in the late summer destroyed a lot of the areas in the national park and worse still about a third of the town of Jasper.  We would still have gone but our hotel couldn’t guarantee to be open and in the end all trips to this area were cancelled. So difficult for the residents of Jasper who rely on tourism, so not only have they lost their homes but many lost their income for this year as well. We believe one firefighter also lost his life. It must have been a very frightening experience for all. 

We were transfered to the Sutton Place Hotel, Revelstoke Mountain Village. This is primarily a skiing resort and has mountain biking etc in the summer, so it was very quiet this time of year, and we benefitted. They upgraded our room to a suite. Well, it was huge. Kitchen, living room with giant television, utility room with washer dryer and room for outdoor gear, a snug with a sofa bed and another giant television, two bathrooms, and a bedroom with the biggest and most comfortable bed we have ever seen, oh and another giant television, under floor heating, plus a balcony with mountain views.  Car Parks were underground and led directly to the rooms. Luxury and an ideal place for us to rest up. 

Large greenspaces have been put aside for wildlife along the the Colombia River at Revelstoke. These spaces can flood at times depending on the flow through the Revelstoke Hydro Dam. You can hike these areas but be aware of the change of the flow of the river. It was very low and slow when we were there but can imagine it in full flood after the spring melt. 

Revelstoke National Park. The Illecillewaet River, which is a tributary of the Columbia River. 

The Illecillewaet River. Look at the power of water that can pick up a tree and toss it to one side like a small branch. And this isn’t the main river. 

We parked here and had lunch watching the river race by. This was also the parking area for the Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk Trail. 

What is Skunk Cabbage we hear you ask. The Lysichiton americanus got its name as its supposed to have a skunk like smell. It likes marshy areas and in the Spring the area is full of its yellow flowers, which then give way to massive green cabbage like leaves. They were all dying back when we were there and were odour free. Only a small portion of the boardwalk remained open as the rest had started to rot down into the marsh. Work was ongoing to fix it, but it is going to take a while. 

The area is supposed to be a fantastic bird watching spot, but as we discovered, this is the edge of the Rockies in October and most birds had migrated to warmer climates. So sadly not the amount of birds we were hoping for. 

We did, however, get our first sighting of the Stellers Jay. This beautiful inquisitive blue bird came and greeted us as we walked the boardwalk. 

One lone Yellow Butterfly was busy around the picnic area.  Think this is a Clouded Sulphur. 

The Giant Cedars Boardwalk Trail. These are the oldest Red Cedar trees in British Colombia,some over 500 years old and is part of the rare temperate rain forest. You could get dizzy and neck ache looking up to the tops of these trees as you walk round. The elevated boardwalk is protect the fragile forest floor. Its only a short walk but so worth it. 

Mount Revelstoke is the tallest mountain in the park with a peak of 6,375 feet

Revelstoke National park. The higher part of the road was closed due to light snowfall but you could still access the summit by foot if you felt energetic, which we did not. 

The Columbia River is vast, fast and powerful. It winds 2,000Km, 1243 miles,  through British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon and empties into the Pacific Ocean. Apparently the rivers delta has an area the size of France. The things you find out when you travel. 

We followed the road alongside the river to Shelter Bay, where a small car ferry crosses the lake. The Arrow Lakes are divided into Upper Arrow Lake and Lower Arrow Lake, and are widenings of the Columbia River made by the building of the hydro dam. 

Picnic tables are dotted about and we sat quetly for a while and saw a host of birds. A Northern Flicker flew in briefly and we managed to grab a quick picture before it disappeared. 

Redbreasted Nuthatches were busy finding food in the fir cones. 

A shy White Throated Sparrow. 

A White Crowned Sparrow. 

One of our favourites. Quite a few Stellers Jays were collecting some kind of nut and were being very noisy about it. We watched these for ages. 

With our stay in Revelstoke over, we set off on our next part of the journey, again on the Trans Canada Highway 1, to the town of Golden. 

September - Canada Road Trip - Part 1

The 24th September, and after planning and saving and more planning the time for our road trip to Canada had arrived. We will try and give you a taste of our adventures and a full gallery of images will be available soon.

View from our hotel in Vancouver.

We arrived in Vancouver late afternoon after a nine hour flight from London, and picked up our hire car, which was upgraded to a new Kia. It was only a few months old and had plenty of room for all our stuff, result! Weaving our way through the rush hour traffic we found our hotel and after a bit of a walk around the area to see whats what we collapsed into the extremely comfortable beds, pinching ourselves that we had finally arrived.

Next morning was an early start to catch the ferry to Vancouver Island and our next stop in Victoria. We were welcomed at the hotel by a Polar Bear in a Kilt !!!! Apart from the hotel being called the Royal Scot, we could not make the connection. Anyway, it was a great hotel.

We were woken up one night with a strange sensation of the room shuddering, it was a bit disorientating. We found out in the morning that the area had experienced an earthquake. 

A bit of a fun fact - Vancouver Island. is closer to America than to Canada. Who knew . . . ?

Victoria, like all cities was busy however, it is a pretty city and not that big as cities go. Lots of greenery, gardens and hanging baskets, and a climate very similar to England. We also had our cups of tea in bone china tea pots and cups. Very English . . . !

. 

If you dont want to walk there are lots of differnt options to see Victoria. Water Taxi…………..

Pedalcab………….

Horse and carriage………….

Or by air in a sea plane.

Floating houses and restuarants can be found in the Fishermans Wharf area . . .We had some great Fish and Chips from Barb’s Fish and Chip Shop located in Fishermans Wharf.

Our Whale watching trip on board the Orca Spirit Adventures started from Victoria inner harbour.  This was a fabulous trip. 

At first it looked as if we would not find any Whales today but Gulls feeding on a massive bait ball of possibly Herring gave hope that they would soon appear. 

Humpbacks soon appeared around the boat, but they were only going to show us their tails today. But who cares, they were there and we saw them. 

A lone Orca, a young male, possibly on his way to find a new pod to join. 

So, whats happening here then? The experts on board explained that Orcas like to swim around and rub themselves in the kelp. for the massage like benefits. Barnacles and lice attach themselves to whales and irritate their skin. Kelp is quite a tough marine plant and its rough surface can be used to brush off the annoying creatures. The seaweed also has antibacterial properties, so it helps reduce bacterial growth on the surface of the whale's skin.

This is the sight you do not want to see if you are a seal. The upright dorsal fin of a Killer Whale heading directly towards you. 

Bachelor Steller Sea Lions sharing an island not far from the Orca. 

Beautiful Sandhill Cranes on their migration down to the Gulf Coast, flying over the boat. The sight of these caused a bit of excitement, not just with us, but with the naturalists on board, apparently this is quite a rare sight.  

There were also hundreds of Turkey Vultures gathering high overhead, also getting ready to migrate to warmer climates.

A little way down the coast we found a quiet beach, French’s Beach. Here we spotted Horned Grebes and a long way out was a little Sea Otter. Local dog walkers told us he was always there after being rescued and then released in the summer after climbing on the board of a windsurfer. 

An early morning start for a full day with Campbell River Whale Watching and Adventure Tours out along the Bute Inlet to Orford Bay to find Grizzley Bears. Orford Bay is the land of the Homalco,and they know and respect the bears. A full two hour boat trip, and what scenery. Another fabulous trip. 

"The XWE’MALHKWU, or Homalco, First Nation are known as the people of the fast running waters ... Like other Coastal First Nation peoples, the Homalco thrived on the bounty of the ocean, lived well in the village sites, and had all other necessities for everyday living. Travelling with the seasons for gathering, hunting and fishing, the Homalco people shared in the resources throughout the territory, and above all were taught to respect the ever-so-sacred cedar tree."

-- quoted from the Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours website

From one of their information boards. 

Distant, but our first siting of Bald Eagles at Orford Bay

First Grizzly spotted was Mum and a Cub, who walked past us and then crossed the river and walked back. Our guides said this was unusual as they knew this pair and where they frequented. It all became clear as a large male bear appeared and it was obvious she had spotted him and was leading her cub away from danger.

Pictures following are of some of the grizzlies seen on our trip. Eight all together plus three cubs. 

Note; These were wild Bears and they were BIG. We had to stay in our group with the guides at the front and back of the group carrying bear spray and radios.

On the way back we saw a Humpback Whale with a calf leisurely gliding along and when the boat engine was turned off the only thing that could heard was the sound of the whales blowing. It was a magical sound and just gave you goosebumps. 

It was getting late, our guides said that we had stayed out later than they had intended, but we weren’t finished yet. A small pod of Orcas,(Killer Whales) were swimming fast and with purpose. The boat, at a respectful distance, was flat out to keep up with them. They were heading to a reef where some sea lions reside. It was not safe for the boat to follow. Not pleasant, but what a sight that would have been. 

We found out that a Black Bear was sometimes seen on Elk River near the hatchery. On arrival the fishermen said the bear had passed by heading up river and that he would probably make his way back soon. We followed the path and found him, and also a couple of professional wildlife photographers who had been tracking him up the river. So we tagged along with them because, as far as Bears were cocerned, they knew the behaviour and the best place to be to stay safe and not upset him. 

This meeting will go down in our memory as the most exhilarting , if not a little scary, wildlife encounter of our lives. He knew we were watching him, but he needed to catch as much salmon as he could eat so that he could hibernate through the winter.  

Nothing in nature is wasted. The salmon were spawning and about to die, the Bears only eat the the roe and brains of the fish,the rest is eaten by gulls or other predators, and what is left goes back into the land. 

The fishermen and the Bear were both after the coho salmon. When the bear was near, the fishermen climbed the bank out of the river and just let the bear pass, which he did without a second glance, although we suspect he was watching them out of the corner of his eye. Once he had ambled passed, fishing as he went, the anglers returned to their spots in the river. Thats respect!

With the images of the encounter with the enormous Black Bear still in our minds we headed off to the Elk Falls trail.

We viewed, but did not cross, the suspension bridge at Elk Falls, before making our way back to Nanaimo and an overnight stay ready for another early start back to the mainland in the morning. The restaraunt at this hotel made the best burgers we have ever tasted, or maybe it was because we were just hungry. 

Vancouver Island was amazing, what next . . . ?

August - A quiet time

August is always a quiet month when it comes to wildlife. Fledglings have fledged, adult birds are taking a breather with many getting ready to migrate, and animals are keeping a low profile, chilling out for the summer.

The best morning of the month was spent at RSPB Fowlmere. We went to find a Tawny Owlet that had been posing well for quite a few days. We did see it peeking out behind lots of undergrowth. Later, as we were watching this lovely Kingfisher hiding in the willow trees, the young Owl flew in front of the hide and into the trees at the back and was not seen again. So no photographs but we did see it what a treat.

The early morning sun was just catching the back feathers on the Kingfisher making them shine like a precious jewels.

Two lovely little Water Voles kept us entertained for quite a while. 

Lots of little birds were hopping around the reed bed and willow tree in front of the hide. This is a Chiff Chaff, but we also saw Reed Warblers, Longtailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits and a Wren. The area was alive with them all. 

A Grey Heron was getting a good breakfast out on the mere. 

A mteallic blue Banded Demioselle. Such beautiful damselflies. They like lush vegeatation along side slow moving waterways and lakes and ponds. 

A walk around the boardwalk at Wicken Fen is always very relaxing. Lots of swallows were feeding up in preperation for their long journey back to Africa. 

A Common Lizard was basking in the warmth of a handrail and seemed quite happy to have his picture taken. 

We were lucky to spot this Female Migrant Hawker dragonfly on our local dog walk. There were lots of Hawker Dragonflies darting about but this was the only one that decided to take a quick break. 

Common Darters, this one is a female, followed us along the hedgeline. Possibly waiting for any small insects that our feet may disturb so that they could pounce on them. Darters are some of the easiest dragonflies to spot and photograph as they rest and pose for you. 

Back in the garden a few butterflies were finally starting to appear on the Buddleia, not many though. The underneath of a Red Admirals wing is like a tapestry, who knew the wings were so beautiful closed as well as open. 

We have had a constant stream of Hornets visiting the small garden pond. We think we may have two nests nearby as some arrive and leave from the woodside and some in a completely opposite direction. Unlike Wasps, Hornets are usually very calm insects and just want to be left alone to get on with their lives. Unless you get their flight path or they get into the house after dark. Attracted by the house lights,they get disorientated and then they are not very happy, as we have found out. 

At the end of August Mr Dobson and Mr Diss, at the invitation of Sunningdale Golf Club, spent a full and hectic five days photographing all the action of Curtis Cup Competition. 

The Curtis Cup, organised by the R&A and hosted this year by Sunningdale Golf Club, is the most prestigious team trophy for women amateur golfers and contested biennially by teams representing GB&I and the United States. And our girls won.

Pictured above is the GB&I team and their caddies with captain Catrina Matthews looking on.

For all the pictures from the five days go to https://kevindiss.com/curtis-cup-sunningdale-old-course-2024. 

July - Mostly Insects

July started well for insect spotting, but as the month progressed it became obvious that numbers are down. Very worrying. There are lots of theories in the media as to why, but the very wet spring seems to be the favourite.

July 1st. A beautiful morning so we headed to the local Ouse Washes reserve, just for a wander to see if there was anything around. The footpaths at the reserve were boarderd by a fantastic show of wildflowers. A few Warblers were singing but we did not see any sign of Bitterns or Bearded Reedlings this time.

Ruddy Darters were darting everywhere . This is a female on an Ox Eye daisy.

Everywhere you looked Blue Tailed Damselfies were busy pairing up.

A morning walk around Wood Walton Fen drew a blank on butterflies but we did see lots of Four Spot Chasers.

Ruddy Darters

Waresley Wood is a Wildlife Trust reserve not far from us. Brownes’ Piece was farmland that the Trust bought and have started a regeneration programme, planting it up with long term plans to add it into the main woodland, thus extending the size of the wood. At present it has wide paths bordered by wild flowers, and young trees and shrubs.

Red Clover, Betony and Self Heal with spires of Rosebay Willowherb in front of the newly planted trees with the mature woodland in the background.

Common Centaury growing amongst the long grass.

Think this is Betony - Hedge Nettle growing throughout the reserve and was proving very popular with the insects.

Walking along the rides we were pleased to see Marbled White Butterflies everywhere. These were the best views we have had of this lovely little butterfly and they were loving the Clover.

Marbled White on Betony.

Large Skipper on Selfheal flower.

Gatekeeper Butterfly.

We usually visit Waresley Wood in the spring as the Bluebell show is lovely. Oxslips can been seen in abundance and Celendines turn some of the woodland floor into a carpet of yellow. After this show of butterflies we will now visit in the summer more often.

This time of year we visit Brampton Wood. The wide rides are alive with Silver Washed Fritilliaries, Red Admirals and White Admirals, and Dragonflies of various kinds. How disappointing that this time we did not see any and only a few Peacock Butterflies. We thought that maybe we had timed it wrong, but no, the wood this year has been very quiet.

The end of July and time for the Big Butterfly Count. Well, we tried but as the month progressed Butterflies became very thin on the ground. This Comma was the only butterfly on our Buddleia. The Lavender and Hibiscus should be humming with all types of bees and insects, but the garden is strangely quiet this year. Very concerning and sad.

When visiting our Son and future daughter in laws house to water the plants whilst they were on holiday, out flew this Jersey Tiger Moth. A new one for us, and stunning when in flight showing off red and yellow underwings. Historically this is found around the Dorset coast area but is another species that is moving in land.

A heatwave and even the Hares needed to find a shady spot.

Its been really hot, and the best thing to do is just lie in the pool with a friend to cool down. ……..

June - Midsummer !

June started with sunny days and wet days and still cold, and everyone was wondering when summer, in all her finery, was going to arrive.

We started the month with a visit to the RSPB wetland site at Earith.

The RSPB are working with Hanson to transform a working sand and gravel quarry into Ouse Fen nature reserve along side the River Ouse.

The reserve is being created in reedbed blocks, with pools of open water linked by ditches and channels, allowing wildlife to move freely. Once complete, the whole wetland will stretch 700 hectares and include the largest reedbed in the UK, spanning 460 hectares.

Exciting for us as its not far from home.

Its only been about 20 years since this project was started and they already have Booming Bitterns in residence. We saw five on this particular day.

We also spotted a small group of Bearded Reedlings but they were not in the mood to hang about to have their pictures taken.

The bird we really went to find was the Great Reed Warbler. A rare migrant to this country. He was putting on such a concert, you couldn’t miss him. He was singing loudly from one bit of reed bed to another but in the same area, and it seemed as though sometimes he was throwing his voice as his song sounded to be coming from one spot when he was somewhere else. Bless him. He was trying so hard to attract a mate but that was not going to happen because he was in the wrong place. He should have been back in Spain or one of the other mediterranean countries.

Another bird singing his heart out was this Reed Bunting. He had lots of competition as there were so many of these little birds all over the reserve.

We found a freshly emerged Emperor Dragonfly and if you look closely you can see he is munching on a Ladybird. There is something very prehistoric looking about dragonflies and it is such a shame that loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Beautiful creatures.

A bit tatty but still lovely, a Peacock Butterfly.

Has anyone noticed how Ox Eye Daisies are everywhere this year, Nature Reserves, roadsides, central reservations on motorways, scrub land, and meadows. Good news for pollinators.

The last thing we expected to see whilst having a having a leisurely breakfast one morning was a freshly emerged Norfolk Hawker Dragonfly sunning itself on the fence in our little garden. The Norfolk Hawker is one of two brown hawker dragonflies found in Britain and is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Where he came from we do not know as we only have a tiny pond so maybe a neighbours pond.

Historically it was only found in the Broads area of Norfolk and Suffolk, but it is now spreading around to other counties.

.

The distinguishing features of the Norfolk Hawker is the yellow triangle and green eyes. He is yet to get his green eyes, which gives them the nickname Green-Eyed Dragonfly in some areas.

The Hibiscus shrub in the garden was just coming into leaf, and for a few days was alive with Ladybird Larvae. We spotted one, then another and then we saw they were crawling everywhere. We hadn’t seen so many in one spot ever, good for the garden. Perhaps not too good for the environment though,as looking these up it appears they may be Harlequin ladybird which are an invasive species and is threatening our native ladybirds in some areas. They are being monitored so we dutifully logged these on the CPERC recording site.

The Ladybird Larvae now turning into Pupa form.

With a promise of more rain later in the day we spent a quick morning at Wood Walton Fen, and Dragonflies were making the most of the sun. A Female Black Tailed Skimmer munching on something.

It was still very wet and walking was restricted to only a few main pathways around the fen.

A Four Spot Chaser

A Scarce Chaser

A Common Tern. A few pairs breed here on man made rafts.

Male Marsh Harrier

Hobbies were just too quick.

Water Voles are really cute and a good place to see them is RSPB Fowlmere. Their home is the small but beautiful River Shep which is a fine example of a chalk stream. Brown Trout can also be seen in the crystal clear water. The River Shep rises from springs at the nature reserve. It then flows north through Shepreth village to join the River Cam (also called the River Rhee) at Barrington.

Sorry, but just had to share another picture of the lovely rare Water Vole.

Apologies,not the best quality picture as against the light and along way off. The Marsh harrier bringing in a skinned rabbit to feed the young.

Reed Warblers were flitting about in the reed beds in front of the hide. We were a bit late to the party this spring, as Cukoos, Hobbies, Barn Owls, and a Heron fishing catching small Jack Pike have been seen from the hide this year, and a Stoat family have been seen regulary crossing the path. Still we cant be everywhere.

A few days away to visit friends in Poole and Summer arrived the same time as we did. The hot weather took us all by surprise as believe it or not it had been quite cool in Dorset up to then. This was the view from the cafe patio at Durlston Country Park, Swanage, looking across to Old Harry Rocks and Bournemouth in the distance. It was so hot we had to move into the shade.

There are several walks in the park and we decided to take the coastal path, thinking a sea breeze would make it a bit cooler, what sea breeze? Looking across to the Isle of Wight, we could have been in the mediterranean. Beautiful coastline and on this particular day the sea was a stunning colour.

This was not a birding trip but we couldn’t resist capturing Fulmars as they glided along just a little way from the edge of the cliff.

Another gorgeous day, and another stop for coffee and a cider on our dog walk, looking out across Poole Harbour.

So, if you have never been to Poole, let us just say, they do like their posh boats.

Eva could not resist a swim, and the thing is, this is a dog walking spot along the harbour with many dogs chasing balls into the sea, and Eva just had to join in the fun, but they weren’t her tennis balls !

Eva with a friend. What is it about dogs and walls……….Note, Eva is still watching the other dogs swimming in the sea. She does like making friends and being where the action is.

Back home and we discovered a Marbled White in the local meadow. Never seen one here before. One of the butterflies that looks just as pretty with its wings closed as it does with them open.

One lone Pyramidal Orchid on the edge of the meadow.

A small and furry Small Skipper butterfly. Insects are starting to appear now but they still seem to be very low on numbers this year. The cold wet spring has not been good for them.

The Ladybirds in the garden have started to emerge and yes, they are Harlequin Ladybirds.

So summer was a long time arriving this year and June did turn out to be Flaming June in the end. Lets hope it continues into July.

May - Coast and Castles

Lots of pictures this month of landscapes and wildlife from our two weeks “up north”. Plenty of History and wildlife and stunning scenery .

Our base in Northumberland was a cottage in Warkworth. A few steps from the door was this lovely walk alongside the river Coquet with castle views. Just around the corner was a good pub,which also carried a doggy menu as well as human menu! We were not far from our old neighbours who had moved here a few years ago to be near family. So lots of time spent catching up with family news. Perfect!

The river is popular with paddle boarders, and the walks are a favourite with dog walkers. Warkworth is famous for its castle, and has a beach sweeping round to Alnwick. The river Coquet flows down to a harbour through Amble, and out to sea.

Everyday a Grey Heron could be seen fishing up and down the river ond using the old fallen tree trunk as his own lookout stage.

Warkworth. bridge is a medieval bridge which was built in the last quarter of the 14th century (it is suggested that the actual date of construction was 1379 and until relatively recently (1960's) the bridge carried the main A1068 road through the village. The bridge is now pedestrians only.

A pair of Red Breasted Mergansers leisurely swam up and down the river every day. We watched them regularly.

Warkworth Bridge Tower is a rare example of a late 14th century stone gatehouse, built to fortify the bridge. Warkworth castle can be seen in the background.

Warkworth Castle was founded in the 12th century and became the home of the Percy family – one of the most powerful dynasties of late medieval England. We spent a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon exploring the castle ruins. So much history in one village.

From the Castle tower. The River Coquet flowing down to Amble and Coquet Island in the distance.

Eva dog looking to see what was the other side of the wall, it was another nice river walk. Children and dogs have to walk along walls, they can’t help it, sometime in the past the instructon “walk along this wall” got embedded in their brains and has passed down through the generations.

An early morning start to explore the coast. Bamburgh beach was shrouded in the morning mist and we werent the only ones out and about. Voted the best walking and beach in the country, and dog friendly too. Smiley faces all round.

The mist soon cleared and showed the real Last Kingdom of Bebbanburg,the magnificent Bamburgh Castle in all its glory. (Bernard Cornwell fans will know) It is one of the largest inhabited castles in the country and has stood guard above the spectacular Northumberland coastline for over 1,400 years. Spanning nine acres of land on its rocky plateau, it makes a stunning back drop to an already breathtaking coast line.

Red Linnets like the gorse bushes that grow at the foot of the castle walls.

Our aim was to carry on to Holy Island. Well, the world and his wife has found Northumberland. We blame Robson Green and the Hairy Bikers. The queue of cars to get on to the island started on the approach road before we had even reached the causeway. As we had already visited the island several times before, and Mr Dobson does not like sitting in traffic, we decided to turn around and leave them to it. Next stop, Seahouses for Lunch.

We took a stroll down to the Seahouses beach and were welcomed by a group of Eider Ducks. They were such characters, walking up the beach and along the slip way talking in their suprised way that they have. It sounded like they were saying ”OOh, someone new” We had read the signs though, “Please do not Feed the Eider Ducks”, so no treats today.

A relaxed female Eider on the beach, not bothering about us or the dog (who was on the lead by the way) or other families with dogs. She has seen it all before.

A little bit of a kerfuffle when two males had their eyes on the same female. Happens all the time.

She gave them both a telling off and told them to grow up. You can see who’s boss.

She has had the last word and picked him. He looks a bit surprised.

Another day another castle. Dunstanburgh Castle, again we arrived early, by lunchtime the car park was full. The castle was built by Earl Thomas of Lancaster between 1313 and 1322, taking advantage of the site's natural defences and the existing earthworks of an Iron Age fort. It was also thought to be built to be bigger and better than Bamburgh Castle, showing off the Earls immense wealth.

About 1.3 mile walk to the castle but so worth it when you get there. The views from the castle walls were fabulous. The weather helped, we also managed to get a bit sunburnt.

Thrift growing along the old castle walls.

A little micro eco system of its own going on inside the grounds of the castle . A Green Viened White enjoying the warm sunshine sheltered from the sea breeze.

A Wall Brown Butterfly on an old wall…….

A Silver-Y day flying moth on the daisies. Swallows were flying around your head as you walked, trying to catch the insects disturbed by the feet of the visitors, and Meadow Pipits were flying back and forth from the safety fencing. Kittiwakes were nesting just outside the castle on the cliffs. Nature reclaims where she can.

Swallows are a bit fast so a back view of one is all you’re going to get.

Meadow Pipit with food.

We decided against a Farne Island visit this time and went for a trip out to Coquet island as they have the incredibly rare Roseate Terns nesting. Because of the sensitivity of the site visitors are not permitted to land, but the boat will take you in as close as tide and weather conditions allow. A shout out now to Dave Gray’s Puffin Cruises of Amble, www.puffincruises.co.uk. Very knowledgable and obliging. Searching out the wildlife on the sea, and pointing out the birds on the island. We can’t praise them enough. It was a little choppy out there but they still managed to steer the boat close to shore.

Puffins everywhere, never seen so many Puffins. Hopefully there are starting to make a recovery after the Avian Flu epidemic that claimed the lives of thousands of sea birds the last couple of years. Note the out numbered Guillimot on the left.

Coquet Island is a vibrant seabird reserve that's home to the UK’s only breeding Roseate Terns. It's also an important site for nesting Puffins and Common, Sandwich and Arctic terns. Our birds of the week,our first ever sighting of two Roseate Terns, the ones with the black beaks. The birds with the red beaks are Arctic Terns. Thank you so much Dave Grays Puffin Cruises for pointing these out.

Roseate Terns are pale grey on their backs and their tail feathers extend past the tips of their folded wings. They have a black cap and orange-red legs. The roseate tern's bills turn entirely black during the breeding season. It is has a pale blush pink breast which gives it its name, and is one of britains rarist sea birds. Thanks to Puffin Cruises we managed two trips out to see these birds and could easily have gone back out the next day if time and tide had been on our side.

Not an easy task photographing birds from a boat in a bit of a swell, but we managed.

Caught this Sandwich Tern having a mid flight shake after a dive. How can they twist their heads round so far.

Grey Seal having a nap, couldn’t care less about the boat.

Inqusitive Grey Seal Pup, about 6 months old, mid moult.

Eider Duck

Weird weather. We were just sitting in the bird hide at Hauxley nature reserve and we watched the sea fret move in and within ten minutes the reserve was shrouded in mist and we could not see to the other side of the lagoon. It varied from thin to thick but it was quite obvious this was here to stay for the rest of the afternoon. We couldn’t make out what this little gull was that floated in front of us. It turns out, that is exactly what it was, a Juvenile Little Gull. Its the smallest species of gull in the world. Adults have a black head similar to the Black Headed Gull. Another first time spot for us.

Whitethroat

Our last day in Northumberland and the sun was out again. After a walk around the reserve and a cup of tea and yummy scones we spent a pleasant hour just sitting and watching the birds visiting the feeders. A lovely sheltered sunny spot, and loving the signpost feeder holder.

Bullfinch

A juvenile Dunnock kept us guessing its identity for a while.

Tree Sparrow

We would have been disappointed if a Robin had not appeared. So our week in Northumberland has come to an end. Just time for a meal with our friends before packing up and heading off down the coast road to Yorkshire.

May - Totally Birding

We intended to take the coast road down to East Yorkshire, but from the start a heavy sea fret blanketed everything and stayed all day. We abandoned calling it at places like Saltburn, and Staithes and although we stopped at Filey Country Park for lunch we could not see a thing. Not even the edge of the cliff in some places.

It was a bit early to check in at our holiday cottage so we headed inland a bit to Forge Valley and it was glorious. The sun was shining and it was really warm. The sides of the stream were covered in wildflowers, predominantly Wild Garlic which filled the air with a heady scent.

A Grey Wagtail was flitting up and down catching the flies that hovered just above the water.

The sun is out and this is where we spent most of the second week. Rockville Cottages at Bucton is just 10 mins away. Home from Home. The coastline here has suffered a lot from erosion and one of the viewing platforms was closed as unsafe. The amount of cliff falls here and at Flambourough and Filey this past winter is quite worrying.

Fulmars

Gannet, don’t think the missus will be pleased with just one blade of grass for the nest.

This cheeky so and so is pinching someone else’s nesting material.

Ha Haa, got it, now to take it back to my nest.

Kittiwakes collecting nesting material from the field.

More nesting material coming in.

Did you know Gannets mate for life. They renew their bonds when returning to the nesting colony every year.

Razorbills

Guillimots

Fulmars

Razorbills

A morning at Filey Dams nature reserve . Mum swan so proud of her family.

Chiff Chaff singing away in the sunshine.

“ I just want to reach the bottom like Mum does”.

Oyster Catcher having a spruce up.

Male Garganey,a summer visitor .

Tides out, it was very warm the morning we visited Thornwick Bay.

House Martins collecting mud to build their nests on the cliff face the other side of the bay.

Thornwick Bay is a good place to get close views of Puffins.

His mate had just disappeared into the nest.

A forlorn Guillimot on the rocky shore. “No one loves me”

Not just seabirds at Bempton, they also have a large colony of Tree Sparrows. The Tree Sparrow is a scarce farmland bird, although you would not know it here, they are doing very well. There are plenty of nestboxes for them to use at the reserve. They have about three broods a year and are another bird that mates for life.

Jackdaws are constantly hunting the cliff face for any unattended nests, and also clean up around the visitor centre looking for any discarded food. They are extremely cunning birds.

Sedge Warbler among the Red Campion flowers, not the usual place to find them.

Gannets, again!

Fulmar, just hanging about soaring in the breeze

Razorbill incoming

Gannets also like to just glide along in the wind. This one is about a year old, they do not mature until about 4 or 5 years old.

Another immature Gannet, just hanging about. This one is probably just entering its 3rd year.

The Bempton Barn Owl.

Mid week and the rain arrived. Not just rain but torential all day, it just did not stop. Thank goodness we had a comfortable warm cottage. A meeting and a chat with a fellow local birdwatcher on the Bempton clifftop led us to explore a raptor viewpoint that we did not know about, where all kinds can be seen. As the sea fret or “haa” had returned we decided to head inland to find it.

Look at these great seats with a tilted back so you can look up without falling over! This viewpoint is very high and was shrouded in low cloud so we did not find any raptors but at least we know where it is for another time.

Our last afternoon, and the bad weather seemed to have swept in various migrants. Pied Flycatchers had been seen close to Bempton and a female Spotted Blue Throat had been spotted at Thornwick Pools. There was no sign of it when we arrived and local bird club members had not been able to find it either. However we did see a Common Sandpiper.

Late afternoon and we went for a dog walk along the cliff top at Thornwick Bay. We left our cameras in the car and just took our binoculars, the weather was so dreary. A local birdwatcher spotted us with our binoculars and said”If your looking for something different I’ve just seen a Red Backed Shrike up the top, on the fence at the back of the park”. Fellow birdwatchers are so friendly and helpful.

We headed back to the car, grabbed our cameras and off we went. The light was so poor, but there he was, on the fence. A handsome male. We had not seen one before, so another first and our bird of the month. So thank you to the local dog walker and birdwatcher who pointed him out to us,

We watched him for about half an hour before he flew across to a small spinney and out of sight. Gorgeous bird. We have since discoverd that Male Red Backed Shrikes had been seen all along the east coast that afternoon, and about 36 of them had landed in the Shetland Isles. It must have been the storm that brought them in.

So thats it, heading home with a stop off for tea and biscuits and a catch up as we were passing right by their door, with another friend and neighbour, who has just moved to Yorkshire to be near family. So, one set of neighbours moved to Northumberland, another set moved to Yorkshire, and another to Devon. Starting to think its something we said……

April - Summer Migrants return

In a world that is changing and in turmoil, it is reassuring and a relief when you start to see and hear the first migrants appear again for the Summer. It makes you want to shout ”Yes, they’ve made it”.

When you start to hear the first Chiff Chaffs calling in the wood on a warm sunny day, then it really feels as if Spring is here. They start arriving from Southern Europe and North Africa in March and April.

Little Blue Tits are calling and being very busy getting ready to start a family.

Comma butterfies look very vibrant against the white of the Blackthorn blossom.

A lovely day at Lackford Lakes with the air being filled with singing male Blackcaps. We couldnt see one anywhere, they were so well hidden. We did spot a Female though, with a russet brown head, Males have the Black Cap.

Blackcaps arrive early April (females arrive a week or so later than the males), to breed in scrubby woodland habitats, and depart again from late August. A summer visitor from Germany, the Blackcap has a beautiful song and is sometimes known as the Northern Nightingale.

A lovely spot for a Canada Goose nest.

A quick visit to Cavenham Heath not far from Lackford and a Grey Wagtail was flitting around the River Lark. We heard lots of Skylarks and Wood Larks, and we were so lucky to see Four Stone Curlews, too far away to photograph but these usually shy birds were easily seen with our binoculars. They are spring and summer visitors to the UK, where they nest on sandy heaths, well-grazed grassland, and arable fields. Numbers declined historically, reaching a low point in the 1980s, but dedicated conservation efforts mean breeding numbers have now more than doubled. They are well monitored and protected in Suffolk and Norfolk.

Male red Linnet calling on the top of the gorse.

A brief few days of warm dry weather, with drying winds meant that some of the path in the local wood was passable. The grey mud that made walking very hard work last time we visited, was replaced by various shades of green and blue, a really wonderful sight. We are back to mud again now, so we have not not been able to visit again.

Bluebells must like wet winters. The scent was heavenly. They are associated with ancient woodland and many thousands of bulbs can exist in one woodland, creating the incredible blue carpets.

Bluebells are a favourite with the fairies. Lots of Fairy stories are connected to Bluebells. It is said that if you hear a bluebell ring, you will be visited by a bad fairy, and will die not long after.

Every Spring the “Bleeding Heart” plant in the garden puts on a show.

A good morning birding at RSPB Frampton Marsh, Lincs. started from the car park, with the best views of the Lesser Yellow Legs, which has spent the winter at the marsh and looks to now be a permanent visitor. A rare vagrant, it usually nests on the ground in open, dry locations in central Alaska and Canada. They usually winter in the West Indies and South America, so he is a bit far from home.

Sedge Warblers had arrived and could be seen and heard calling all over the reserve. This one spotted within ten minutes walk of the car park.

Another Sedge Warbler a bit further along singing from the top of a hawthorn bush.

A Black Tern was ducking and diving in front of the visitor centre. The Black Tern once nested in Britain in large colonies, but these disappeared as wetland areas were drained, it is now an annual visitor from Europe. Maybe with the return of our wetlands they may start to breed here again.

Black terns are 'marsh terns', named for breeding in freshwater habitats, such as marshes. They feed more on insects than other Terns, and can be seen dipping down and picking food from the surface of water. This one was so fast and twisted and changed direction in a blink of an eye. So difficult to photograph.

The Great Crested Grebe weed dance. This mating ritual is so lovely and something we have been waiting years to see and photograph. We had been watching the Grebes , when suddenly they both dived and we held our breath, hoping that they would re-appear with their weed. And they did! So intimate, and we feel very priviliged to have been witness to this beautiful spectacle.

This Ruff was looking a bit rough. He is midway to getting his summer plumage. which is a varied affair, with richly-mottled earthy colours and a feathery collar of either russet, black or white, giving rise to the name. Males display communally in front of females at sites known as ‘leks’. They rarely breed in the UK so it would be great to go back in a few weeks time to find hime in full breeding regalia.

A sleeping Grey Lag Goose.

We came across as to what only could only be described as a parent a toddler group. Parent Grey Lags with goslings running everywhere, wouldn’t like to say which group of babies belonged to which parent, they were all looking after all of them. We do not apologise for the following “cute” factor images.

Just making sure no one strays too far.

What a fantastic morning it had been at Frampton, but after lunch the cloud started to roll in and it turned so cold. We had not managed to see the Red Breasted Goose or the Black Winged Stilt. They had been spotted the other side of the marsh and on a better day we may have tried to find them but it had turned too cold so homeward bound we went.

A flock of Teal. On the way home we called it at Willow Tree Fen, a Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reserve on the Lincs.-Cambs border. A very protected site with viewing from the small car park only, and monitored constantly by reserve wardens.

This is what we were hoping to see. Common Cranes! Altogether a flock of about 18 plus, a long way off so binoculars needed, but you could hear them calling quite clearly.

One of the Cranes, a long way off so a heavily cropped image.

What an absolutely brilliant birding day we had, and only half way through the month.

Since our day out at Frampton Marsh the weather has been so cold and wet, and depressing. We have, however had a pair of pretty Stock Doves visiting the garden most afternoons, rain or shine.

A warm spring day was forecast but not promised, with maybe a few April showers. Taking advantage of the weather we went off to the RSPB headquarters at The Lodge. As it turned out it was a really lovely day weather wise and no showers! Lots of birds flitting about but they were not posing for photographs today.

The Tree of Life in the woodland at The Lodge. A beautiful setting and once again Bluebells! its such an uplifting sight to see a spring woodland carpeted with blue and the trees with their fresh leaves of various shades of green.A few pictures of the woodland as we wondered about and just enjoyed the spring day.

A pair of Green Veined White Butterfies.

Sycamore flowers.

Yellow Rhododendron in the Lodge garden.

What better, safe place to raise a family than the gardens of the RSPB headquarters.

Well, true to form the fine weather did not last long and the next day brought cold winds and not just April showers but torrential rain, flooding paths, fields and woods again. Even the Wood Pigeon is looking fed up.

March - Winds

March continued to be wet, windy and cold but we did manage to get a couple of good days in Norfolk.

Views from our favourite hide at Cley Marshes, once again, did not disappoint. Views of this Common Snipe feeding just in front of the hide were fantastic as these birds are usually quite diffult to see as their markings keep them well camouflaged.

Common Snipe head on.

On the edge of one of the islands were a pair of beautiful Pintail Ducks, the drake now in full breeding colors.

Spoonbills were also getting their breeding colours. They can look all white but when you can get close to them, as you can at Cley, you can see the gold ring on their neck and gold in their crests.

In a time of widespread wildlife decline, the spoonbill represents very current hope. It represents the capacity of wild landscapes and wild species to recover, recolonise, return against the odds. It is therefore the perfect symbol for the Cley to Salthouse Living Landscape, which likewise for 90 years has stood for hope for wildlife and wild landscapes.

Coots have enormous feet……

Marsh Harrier over the Cley reedbeds.

Cley Windmill,and Reed Beds.

Reed cutting is a centuries’ old occupation, taking place in the winter months, with most of the harvest going to thatching and the remainder to local crafts and fence making. Traditionally cut with hook and scythe, now mechanisation in the form of huge grass cutters is becoming more regular. Traditionally, the stacks were left on the marshes to dry but these days they are usually taken away for storage. When cutting is finished, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust undertakes the necessary management work maintaining important wildlife habitat on the nature reserve.

We took a trip out to the Broads area of Norfolk and visited St Benet’s Abbey. A spot we have seen many times from the River Bure but first time visiting by car. Short Eared owls had been seen around the area this winter but it was a very gloomy day with strong winds so no sign of any owls. Short Eared Owls do not like flying when its very windy. Can’t blame them really. Definitely worth a visit though despite the weather.

The site of St Benet's Abbey has been a place of prayer, pilgrimage and spiritual encounter for over a thousand years. An annual service is held on the site in the summer.

This board shows how the Abbey would have looked in its pomp

The origins of the Abbey are shrouded in uncertainty. What is known for certain is that by the 12th century, with Norfolk at the peak of its wealth and influence, St Benet’s Abbey was a powerful player.

In Tudor times, when Henry VIII shut down monasteries across England, St Benet’s was the only one not officially closed. Yet swiftly, most of its buildings vanished, including its centrepiece church.

On our way back to the main road we spotted a small group of Cranes, a long way off, but still very excited to see them.

Another success story for Norfolk, once common across East Anglia, a small breeding population established itself in the Norfolk Broads in the late 1970s.

On a day when the sun came out for a while we took a trip along the coast calling in at picturesque Blakeney.

A very high tide at Blakeney Quay.

A Little Egret taking flight over Stiffky Marshes.

Brent Geese grazing the Marshes at Stiffky.

Back at Cley the Black Tailed Godwits were having a squabble.

A success story for the RSPB, and their logo bird, Avocets.

A beautiful day, sunshine and blue sky so we headed back to St Benet’s abbey. All that is left is the ruins of the gatehouse archway and of a windmill which was built in the 1700s.

The Owls did not disappoint us today, a perfect flying day.

Oops, nearly fell off. Hope no one was watching

Beautiful

One last trip to Cley before heading home and “wow”, a Marsh Harrier gave a display in front of the hide. Norfolk delivered again.

Back home and a few rare dry days meant we could visit the farm. Another big “wow”, the Buzzard had just caught a rat and landed on the lower strut of an electricity pylon. Really chuffed to get this picture.

Not a common site, and not always easy to spot as they can be quite shy, but an English or Grey Partridge posed for us on the field edge.

We found a pair of Tree Creepers nest building in the woodland area of the farm. Must keep an eye on these.

The paths in our local woodland are still extremely wet and muddy and not pleasant at all. Its going to be a few weeks before we attempt the walk again. Despite this, the woodland floor is awash with primroses, a sight that gladdens the heart and lifts the soul. Unless it starts to dry up soon though, its going to be difficult to enjoy a walk to see the Bluebells.

Mad March Hares seen in the local fields

Easter weekend and the sun shone, it was warm enough to keep the back door open for a while and let the spring air into the house, and a little Chiff Chaff made our day by visiting the garden and spending a while searching the patio pots just outside the door. How magic was that.

February - Wet! Wet! Wet!

February 2024 has certainly lived up to its name of February Fill Dyke, The rain sometimes has been absolutely torrential, and it has become February Over Fill Dyke, but on the plus side it has been very mild for the time of year.

Despite the weather we have managed to get out on days between the rain and at the beginning of the month we visited the RSPB Lodge at Sandy which is not far from us. We always spot Goldcrests here and this one was flitting around and was very close.

The Lodge, headquarters of the RSPB with lovely wildlife friendly gardens.

Of course, you cannot have a wildlife garden without a Robin.

Goldcrest, these birds are so tiny. Weighing in at less than 6 grams, the Goldcrest along with its cousin the Firecrest, are Europes smallest bird. Its Latin name, Regulus regulus, also refers to its crown and means 'petty king' or 'prince'. Although it is our smallest songbird, it can lay up to 12 eggs in a clutch, which is about one and a half times the adult female's bodyweight.

We spotted Nuthatches around the garden shed area, probably because the gardeners had left some food out for them.

There was a large flock of Redpoll around. They were very mobile but we found an area where they were dropping down to the ground to collect grit, and were able to get a few pictures. Grit is an essential part of a wild birds diet, they use it to maintain a healthy digestive system.

We spent most of the month visiting the Thetford Forest area. The soil is very sandy and free draining so its easy walking and very little mud. Unlike at home, where as our local dog walk and woodland is like wading through treacle. We felt like we were taking one step forward and two back.That’s when we were not ankle in water. The wood resembles the Florida Everglades without the humidity. Not spotted any alligators yet. Little Eva dog is not bothered though.

Back near Thetford, at one of many little drinking ponds that have been provided for the wildlife throughout the forest we found small mixed flocks of Siskin and Redpoll.

A Lesser Redpoll and a Common or Mealy Redpoll at the drinking pond.

The Lesser Redpoll is a small finch of mixed woodland, birch scrub and wet woodland. It spends much of its time feeding on seeds and invertebrates in tall trees, especially Birch, Alder and Larch. It has recently been split from the Common Redpoll to form a separate species.

We have been searching Thetford Forest for Crossbills. The forest covers over 47,000 acres so we had a big task on our hands. But never fear, we know people who are in the know. Because of their dry diet of mainly conifer cones, Crossbills need to frequently look for water and the best way to find them is to find out where their favourite watering holes are located. So, after a bit of a wait at this particular pond, one female Crossbill came down for a drink. Superb!!

The Crossbill is a chunky finch with a large head and bill which is crossed over at the tips. Interestingly, the bills can be crossed left or right, for no particular reason, they just are. Probably the same as we have right handed or left handed people. This crossed bill is used to extract seeds from conifer cones. Adult males are a distinctive brick-red and females greenish-brown. Such a shame the male did not appear as they are really striking birds, although this female was a beautiful colour herself.

Lackford Lakes in Suffolk, part of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, is always worth a visit. We should try and visit more often as its not too far. It was a bit wet to go to the East lakes, and to be honest we had walked far enough today, so we just stayed on the Kingfisher Trail, with a little diversion walk into the woodland and found a very fat Cock Pheasant.

The Egyptian Geese seem to be taking charge of this small island with an old tree trunk. Wonder if they will be looking to nest here?

There seemed to be Snipe everywhere. Don’t think we have seen so many in one place before.

As well as lakes you can get quite close to the birds on the woodland walk. Nuthatches were everywhere, just leave a bit of seed on a log and they appear.

Did you know? Nuthatches are the only species which can walk up and down a tree, they don’t use their tail for support but rely on the strength of their legs and toes to hold onto the surface of a tree. Unlike woodpeckers or tree creepers the Nuthatch can descend head first back down tree trunks. Clever little things.

A Muntjac, came down to the woodland stream for a drink and then crept away, gradually disappearing into the surrounding woodland, as quietly as she had arrived. She did have a fawn with her but it stayed well camouflaged in the background.

We got several pictures of a Jenny Wren as she hopped along the bank and on and off twigs in the water. She seemed to be admiring her reflection each time she stopped.

A Marsh Tit. Another little bird we managed to get good views of this month.

Lots of very tame Robins around Lackford Lakes. Always on the ask for food and posing for pictures.

What a difference in a week! This was our usual walk in Thetford Forest and the small trees had burst into blossom. We thought at first this was very early Blackthorn blossom, which later on produce blue/black Sloe berries, great for gin, but we have since found out that it is in fact Cherry Plum blossom. The flower of the Cherry Plum is bigger than that of the Blackthorn but apart from that they are very similar. However, the Plum is the earliest to flower (usually in March) and the Blackthorn flowers 4 weeks later in April.Cherry plums can be eaten raw or used to make wines or jams. The middle of February is still early for this blossom.

Insects were making the most of the early blossom. A very large Red Tailed Bummble Bee, doing what bees do.

The blossom was full of Red Admirals, we counted about twenty in one small area, but overall there must have been twice that amount.

It was not all bees and butterflies on the blossom. Some insects were large hoverflies. Hoverflies are true flies, The larger ones are marked to mimic bees and wasps. In Britain there has been over 270 species recorded.

We didn’t think we would be showing so many insect pictures in the February diary. The world is changing and nature with it.

A quick visit back to Lackford Lakes and what a difference to the time before. Many paths were impassable or wellies needed to access them. The water level in the lakes had risen, meaning that some of the islands had disappeared and there was limited space to roost on the ones that were just above the water line. So a lot of disagreements were going on as to who owned what space.

The Grey Lag Geese obviously thought that their little island was full, and did not tolerate the Heron at all.

At least the ducks were happy with all the water and many of the Tufted were already in pairs.

The Garganey were also in pairs and not moving off their little bit of land.

Well, has it been a Waxwing Winter as forecast?

Yes, it certainly has. As at the end of this month, an irruption of thousands of Waxwings had spread to all parts of the UK and Ireland, due, its thought, to the very severe weather conditions in Scandinavia. Around Christmas time we had some visiting villages nearby but they were very mobile and had moved on before we could find them. March is probably the month when they will start their journey back to Scandinavia. They have been great to see and are really handsome birds. This picture, showing the red “wax” tips on the wings, is from November when we caught up with them in Norwich.

January 2024 - Starting another New Year of Wildlife Watching

Hello 2024.

Early Snowdrops were starting to show at Lynford Arboretum.

We always seem to be a bit “lack lustre” in January, struggling to find the motivation to get going again after the Christmas/ New Year break. However, 2024 is going to be an exciting year for us. In the spring we have booked a week on the Northumberland coast where we hope to visit the beach at Bamburgh, which is an absolute must, and also a trip to Holy Isle. We would like to take a boat out to the Farne Islands while we are there, but not sure if they will open to the public. The last few years visitors have been stopped due to the risk of Bird Flu spreading to the breeding colonies of sea birds. This coastline is stunning and breath-taking so we will be very busy. Hope the sun shines.

The second week we are back on the Yorkshire coast again, Bempton, Flamborough, Whitby, Filey and all bits in between.

In the autumn we have booked the trip we have been planning for many years, and at last, fingers crossed, it will go ahead. This year is our 50th wedding anniversary, and to celebrate, we are going on a road trip to British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Starting in Vancouver and finishing in Calgary. Taking in a bear watching trip and a whale watching trip on Vancouver Island, and then onward to the Canadian Rockies. We are already sorting out what camera equipment to take.

With the flood plains and farmland around the Rivers Nene and Ouse still underwater or under mud we visited Thetford Forest again. The Crossbills and Hawfinches were still eluding us but we did spot a few Brambling. Flocks of Brambling head to the UK each year, escaping the Scandinavian snow and taking advantage of the food on offer in our woods. They can be difficult to see in the leaf litter beneath the trees. The only way you know they are there is when you see the woodland floor moving. Then you know they are searching the leaves. Brambling are very similar to the Chaffinch and like to join up with them during the winter.

Lovely little Long Tailed Tits can be seen in large numbers around the woodland.

A Coal Tit searching for food in an old tree.

A little mouse like bird, the Treecreeper. Always starts at the bottom of a tree and makes it way up the trunk searching out food in the bark.

Early Snowdrops. It may still be winter but a promise that , all though six weeks away, spring is on the way.

One of the Holly bushes at Lynford was covered in berries and Redwings were flying backward and forward feasting on them. After being on the tree all winter, the berries must have been at just the right sort of ripeness for the birds. We had to stand partially hidden behind some other trees as the Redwings were very skittish and as soon as we moved they were off.

We were very pleased to get at least two reasonable pictures of the lovely Redwing.

An absolutely stunning golden late afternoon and we called in at the Fen to see if the Short Eared Owls were flying. The paths were surprisingly dry but the ditches were full.

Some of the young Konik ponies

Starlings like to hang around the ponies when they are grazing.

The Kestrel is always around but this time she came and hovered in front of us. Amazing how they keep their heads completely still whilst the rest of their body is moving. What with all the Owls and Kestrel about the poor voles have been under siege this winter. Still, there must be enough small mammals around to keep everyone fed.

We never get tired of seeing these beautiful Owls.

Hunting!

It was getting late in the afternoon and this Owl took a rest from hunting and sat on one of the fence posts for quite a while.

Back at home in the garden and capturing the many colours in a Starlings plumage.

Lots of Blue Tits in the garden when this photo was taken, but, as usual, only two on the day of the RSPB great garden birdwatch.

The Grey squirrels are getting too cheeky and not at all bothered when we are around. This one was waiting and watching for us while we replenished the bird feeders, as if to say “about time too, hurry up!”. We have five of them visiting at the moment , despite little Eva dog chasing them when ever she can. Our friends have Black Squirrels visiting their garden regularly and they have kindly invited us over to see if we can get some pictures, we are looking forward to that.

December - Short Days

Wishing every one a Happy and Healthy New Year and hope you all had a Merry Christmas.

A lovely winter Robin.

The first few days of December were cold and frosty, making the morning dog walk an absolute pleasure.

A lovely crisp morning so off we went to Lynford Arboretum on the edge of Thetford Forest. The Arboretum is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission but is looked after by the Friends of Thetford Forest. One of the things they provide is feeding places for the wildlife, and there is also now a lovely little snack bar The Shepherds Baa providing hot drinks and snacks for the visitors. This is a very popular place for dog walking and family walks. If you have binoculars you will be able to spot the elusive Hawfinch, our largest finch species, feeding in the Hornbeams in the middle of a paddock. Crossbills can also be spotted feeding high up on the pine cones.

From the car park you can walk to Lynford Water, which is an area of flooded gravel pits in the Wissey valley but we just stayed in the Arboretum this time.

Its not JUST a Mallard, a nice light on the lake made this male Mallards plumage glow.

There were a good few Robins about the Arboretum. They always like to pop up to say “hello, any snacks going.”

Chaffinches also take advantage of any seed being provided. The Male birds do vary quite a bit, this one being quite peachy in colouring.

We always manage to see flocks of Siskins at Lynford. A lovely little finch and the male birds can be very yellow, almost canary like.

The main food source for siskins are Tree seeds, alder, birch, spruce and pine are all commonly taken. They supplement their diet in summer with insects.

We spotted a Buzzard in a tree, watching for Rabbits on the nearby hotel lawn.

A little Nuthatch taking advantage of the seed provided.

Mid-day is not usually the best time for bird spotting, unless its mid winter. The usual Little Owl was showing well at Burwell Fen, basking in the sun. Its such a shame but the resident Barn Owls seem to have disappeared.

Starlings hitching a ride on a Konik Pony, in the fens.

Lovely Konik pony.

I think I’m going to sneeze……………

Worth the wait, a Short Eared Owl landed in front of us.

The Short-eared Owl gets its name because of the very short ear tufts on its head. These are not actually the bird's ears, but are short feathers and aren't usually visible. They are usually sitting flat on the head, so they can often go unnoticed. However, if the owl is excited or alert it will often raise the feathers around its head. That is when the famous "ears" become visible.

Such good views of these owls at the fens this winter.

Oh wow, an Owl! Flying straight toward us.

Our last “day out” before Christmas took us to Frampton Marsh RSPB Lincolnshire. The first thing we saw on arrival was large flocks of Brent Geese leaving the reserve and heading out to feed on the marshes out in the wash.

The reserve at present is home to thousands of Lapwings and Golden Plover. The Plover were a long way out to photograph but could be seen through binoculars.

The Lapwing is a handsome wader with its glossy dark green plumage (often looking black from a distance) and long crest. It used to breed commonly over much of lowland Britain, but ,like many of our farmland birds, they face a reduction in the number of breeding locations, caused by changes in land management.

Hundreds of Wigeon were calling and talking to each other all over the reserve. Its such a lovely constant sound.

Teal could be spotted in amongst the Wigeon. All these Ducks have lovely colouring when you are able to get close.

Shoveler Ducks are fascinating to watch. Living up to its name, the shoveler has a large and distinctive shovel-like bill. A common dabbling duck, particularly during the winter, shovelers feed by sweeping their large, flat bills back and forth through the water, filtering out small invertebrates, plant seeds and other plant matter. They also seem to like blowing bubbles! . . . We think they must be West Ham United fans.

Several hundred Whooper Swans roost on the reserve at night, leaving early in the morning to feed in nearby fields. This one had a lie in, and the others left without her.

Pairs of Pintail Ducks were dotted around mostly just too far away for the camera, but we did manage to get a picture of this one. Bottoms up. The pintail is another dabbling duck, and rarely breeds in the UK, it is most likely to be seen during the winter when it can be found with other ducks.

Two similar wading birds. A Redshank on the left and a Lesser Yellowlegs on the right. The Lesser Yellowlegs is a rare vagrant to the UK. It is similar in size to a Redshank but more slender and graceful, there are only a handful of records of this visitor from North America every year, so we were very pleased to see this.

Greylag geese having a dabble.

Thousands of Lapwings and Plovers heading in to roost.

After lunch, and the daylight is nearly gone. Another good day.

So that’s our Wildlife Watching days out for 2023 finished. The year ended with rain, rain and more rain and gale force winds. Everywhere muddy and flooded.

Thank you for reading our monthly rambles, and we do appreciate the support and interest we get from family and friends. It is lovely that you all enjoy seeing our pictures as much as we do in watching and taking them. For us, 2023 has been a good Wildlife Watching year.

Our calendars have proved popular again this year so it looks like we will have to start planning our 2025 edition.

We wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2024.

November - Is this a Waxwing Winter?

Well, the question on all birdwatchers lips this year has been, “Is this going to be a a Waxwing Winter?” And the answer is YES, it is.

Early November saw thousands of Waxwings appearing mostly in Scotland. The town of Elgin saw flocks of between 100 to 500 birds. They descend on usually Rowan Trees and within days the berries are stripped from the trees and the birds move on to another berry location.

By the middle to the end of November some birds had started moving south, as well as more arriving from Scandinavia. We will not apologise for the amount of Waxwing pictures appearing in our diary this month.

First reports of Norfolk Waxwings were between 20 - 30 at Wiveton, and thanks to our friend who once again let us use her holiday caravan for a couple of nights at the last minute, we were able to see and photograph them. They usually like Rowan berries, but not been able to find out what they are feasting on here. Maybe a form of Pyracantha.

What’s happening here then?

The lookout.

They all want the same berries.

Showing the ends of the wing feathers that give Waxwings their name.

The Waxwings spend about five minutes all feeding together and then fly off to perch in other trees to digest the berries. A Mistle Thrush took advantage of the break to find some tasty morsels for itself.

A Blackbird on the roof trying to work out how to reach berries on the lower branches, whilst keeping out the way of the Waxwings.

We couldn’t visit Norfolk without taking Little Eva dog for a walk along the beach, East Runton to Cromer.

Weybourne Station preparing for the Norfolk Lights Express Christmas Spectacular. Still a bit more to be added but starting to look good. The Norfolk Lights Express departs from Sheringham and steams its way up the line of the North Norfolk Railway to Holt. Along the way, you’ll see beautiful lineside displays that tell a unique tale, and the on-train lighting will shine on to the North Norfolk countryside.

It turned very cold and windy at Sheringham, but we did manage to find this lone Purple Sandpiper hopping about the rocks.

On an early morning trip to Wicken Fen we spotted the Fieldfares, another winter visitor. We haven’t seen many after spotting this nice group at the beginning of the month.

Lovely colours showing in the morning sun on this Fieldfare.

They say that wildlife watching is 95% waiting and 5% spotting. This has certainly been the case with us waiting patiently for the lovely Short Eared Owls to make a show. We have spent hours this month, in sun, rain, frost and freezing winds. Sometimes not a sign and other times, a ten minute glimpse and even a spectacular flying display of five Owls, hunting, chasing each other. Occasionally they decide to sit, slightly out of camera range, and look back at us.

Short Eared Owls are often seen hunting during the day searching for Voles and other small mammals. In winter, there's an influx of continental birds (from Scandinavia, Russia, Iceland) to northern, eastern, and parts of central southern England. As with the Waxwings there seems to be a lot of them around this winter.

It had been a long cold wait in the freezing wind and we were just about to head for home, when from under the setting sun, the Owl flew out and landed on the gatepost we had just walked past. You need a lot of rights and luck in wildlife photography. Right place, right time, right light, right lens, right camera settings and lucky you were looking the right way.

Nothing stops the wind in the Cambridgeshire Fens.

Short Eared Owl heading off into the sunset.

Konic Ponies grazing the fens. Just missed a funny picture. Two ponies having a bit of a pushing match when the pony on the left moved and the one on the right fell over, rolled over and got up, looked around as much to say, no one saw that did they?

A Hovering Kestrel sharing its winter hunting grounds with the Owls.

It just so happened that the day we had planned a trip to the camera shop in Norwich, a flock of about eighty Waxwings had been reported in the park around the corner. Well, we couldn’t not go.

A Five minute feeding frenzy. They all fly down at the same time in one large group, feed for, at the most five minutes, consuming as many berries as they can and then off to a resting tree for about half an hour to digest and poop.

They’re off. Amazing how they all know when to arrive and when to leave. Does one bird give the signal perhaps? They are chattering all the time.

Determined to get the berries on the end, this bird hovered and twisted its head completely round the other way. Clever.

Another cold but bright day, and another afternoon waiting in the fens for the Owls. We can’t help it, think they have put a spell on us. We can’t stop going to see them. This time we did not have long to wait as they appeared straight away and were flying all afternoon. ‘Shorties’ roost on the ground in long grass and are very difficult to spot. This one flew in and then sat watching us.

Flying in to roost in the long grass.

A fly past looking at us, “look, here I am”

Another fly past.

Those eyes do not miss a thing.

The end of November and the days a very short now. The light for photography is almost gone by 3.15pm, if your lucky and its been a bright afternoon you can maybe keep going until 3.30pm. Its been a busy month but cant wait to start getting some pictures in the frost and snow.

October - Where did this month go?

It wasn’t until we started to think about our October diary entry that we discovered, that actually, we haven’t been out and about a lot this month but still the days have flown by.

As the song says ;

Busy doing nothing, working the whole day through,

Trying to find lots of things not to do.

We have been working on the images for the 2024 calendar. We just need to lay it out and make sure the images work. We really must go through our picture library and weed out the rubbish photos. We have far too many that are not up to standard.

The Christmas card is ready to go to the printers, just one last check before we send it for printing.

After queuing for over an hour we have finally had our Covid and Flu jabs for this year so hopefully we will not be quite so poorly this winter as we were last.

We must just say huge congratulations to our friends Martin and Juliet at Papley Grove Farm who won the Silver Award for Sustainable Farmer of the Year!! at the British Farming awards. They really deserve it as they work so hard all year round, and we feel very fortunate that they allow us onto their farm to “stalk” the wildlife (and the workers) with our cameras.

Beginning of October and the Humming Bird Hawk Moth is still visiting the garden most afternoons.

October/November is when the Red Deer Stags start to get a bit silly with just one thing on their mind.

Such a beautiful boy, but think he must have lost the challenge this time as he was all alone. Other stags were guarding the herd. He still looks hopeful though, so maybe next time perhaps add a bit more decoration to the antlers.

A Fallow Deer stag trying to reach the “best” bits.

Juvenile Fallow Deer with their friend the Jackdaw.

Another handsome Fallow Deer Stag.

A Mum doing what Mum’s always do, washing babies.

As the day became warmer the Deer retreated to the shade of the trees, with the Stags ever watchful. You know he is saying, “Back Off! These are my Ladies”.

Late October, and our local wood is looking very green with the majority of the leaves still hanging on. A bit wet and slippery underfoot, but very mild and looking like early Summer not late Autumn.

At the time of writing, Waxwings have started to arrive in their hundreds. Mostly in Scotland and the North of England, but a few have been reported flying in along the Norfolk Coast. So it’s looking promising for a Waxwing Winter which doesn’t very often happen. Towards the end of autumn, birdwatchers start to anticipate whether we will see an irruption of (Bohemian) Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) – when large numbers migrate to Britain, sometimes in flocks of hundreds, from their summer breeding grounds in Scandinavia and Russia. When this happens, the birds are often easily spotted in carparks around our towns and cities where ornamental rowan trees bear their favoured berries. So keep looking in the car parks when you are out shopping.

Large flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares have also arrived, and the Short Eared Owls have arrived at their favourite winter feeding spots, so its time for us to start getting out and about again.

September - Not just wildlife

September started with some glorious weather. An extremely high tide in Norfolk in the first week of the month tempted us to RSPB Snettisham to see the Wader spectacular. The high tides this time of the year force the waders off the mud flats in the Wash, and onto the mainland for a while. There are thousands of birds all taking to the skies together. The high tide on the morning we decided to go was at a respectable time of 10.00 am. As it turned out we were not the only ones with the same idea and the area was full of like minded birdwatchers. Luckily it is a large reserve with plenty of room for everyone without upsetting the wildlife. A very social gathering where we met old acquaintances and made new ones. We really are a very friendly lot.

If you want cafe, shop and visitor centre then dont expect this at Snettisham. The RSPB have kept the reserve basic and wild. Expect a long walk so take your own refreshments, and “spend a penny” before you go.

The water is approaching fast and the birds start to out run the tide at first. Its best to arrive before the peak of the high tide. If however, you arrive when the tide is completely out, you will be disappointed.  The mudflats stretch out across to Lincolnshire, and the birds will be too far away to see.

The tide is high and off they go. Mostly Knot, Bar Tailed Godwits, Redshanks and Oyster Catchers.

The breath-taking moment when thousands of birds fly in front of you and over your head, all calling to each other, and the swish of their wings as they pass nearby just makes you gasp. This show is free, what more could you ask for. Wildlife is wonderful.

Some move further down the coast looking for a place to land.

The lagoon area with a few hides is a great place to watch the waders land as they arrive from their feeding grounds out on the mudflats.

A large flock of Redshanks resting, waiting for the tide to turn when they can return to mud to feed.

Spoonbills flying in to rest. Once very rarely seen, Spoonbills are now regular visitors to our wetlands. The lagoons held a group of approximately 15 birds.

Smaller waders such as Ringed Plovers can be seen along the shoreline. They are quite close and do not seem to mind everyone around.

Try and take in everything the reserve has to offer, not just the birds. Lots of Bees were along the sandy bank by the path on the way to the hides. Not really sure what these are, probably a type of mining bee. Not sure what was happening here either, possibly a queen underneath the group.

The walk out to the reserve takes you past several fishing lakes. A Cormorant was struggling with an Eel he had caught. The tussle went on for quite a while and the Eel, proving to be the slippery customer they are famous to be, finally got away.

It had been a good day, but now it was turning very hot. While a breeze had kept the temperature bearable on the coast, the hedgerows kept the footpath sheltered but not shady and the walk back was exhausting. The car park, again whilst being protected by hedgerows and shrubs was open to the full sun. The car was like an oven. We decided it was too busy and hot for any further birdwatching .( Birds are far more sensible than us and stay in the shade when its hot.) It was best to head for home, stopping off for a picnic lunch in the cool of the woods at Sandringham on the way back and getting home by late afternoon. Time for a cold cider and a nap, in that order.

What better place to spend hot days than at the cool peaceful fishing lakes near home. Not Norfolk today.

Late September found us back in Norfolk, this time for a week. We were based at Kelling Heath, just round the corner from Cley. We chose the only week in September that promised rain and gale force winds. As it turned out it wasn’t too bad at all and we managed to dodge most of the bad weather, although thunder storms and branches clonking down onto the caravan roof a couple of nights was interesting.

Fallow Deer at Holkham Hall estate.

A beautiful male Fallow Deer. He will soon be fighting for his ladies.

The boys meeting up for “A Stag Do”

Whilst taking in the view with a cup of coffee from the small car park at Stiffkey Marshes, looking for any Harriers that may be around, a Wall butterfly, thought to be so called because of its love of basking on walls and stones, landed on the footpath post. This is a little brown butterfly we have seen before but have not managed to get a picture. It insisted on resting with its wings closed, so we still have not managed to get a picture with wings open. Still very pretty markings though.

The tide was out a Morston quay so a walk to check for any waders was in order. Little Eva dog remained on the lead as she seemed intent on getting down into the mud.

A Curlew enjoying searching the mud banks for food at Morston Quay.

Norfolk rushes and reeds

You just never know what is going to drop in on the scrapes at Cley marshes, so its worth just sitting in the hides and scan the area with your binoculars. This time it was a Green Sandpiper.

So, two of the waders we always find difficult to identify. Dunlin at the front and Curlew Sandpiper at the back.

How lovely was this to sit and watch. A family of Swallows had nested in one of the hides and the adults were backwards and forwards feeding the young. Occasionally, the youngsters ventured out for a short flight but were soon back in again. These birds were obviously used to people and we spent a lovely half hour being entertained by these beautiful little birds. Its incredible to think that they will soon be making the long flight back to Africa. The return journey to Africa takes about six weeks. Swallows from different parts of Europe fly to different destinations. Ours end up in the very south. They travel down through western France and eastern Spain into Morocco, before crossing the Sahara Desert and the Congo rainforest – finally reaching South Africa and Namibia. Safe journey little ones.

So close to the swallows in the hide.

Photographing a Kestrel and got photobombed by one of the Swallows.

West Runton beach is ideal for all fossil hunters and is part of the Norfolk deep History Coast. While we were there the tide was out and large groups of school children were in the Rock Pools, looking to see what they could find. The Steppe mammoth skeleton was discovered on this beach. The best, and safest place to look for fossils here is around the rockpools and shingly parts of the beach at low tide

 The Cromer Forest-bed is exposed here during scouring tides which is rich in fossils.

We were so lucky to spot a Young Peregrine falcon on the cliff.

A bit of a drive from where we were staying, Horsey Mill, and on the coast opposite, our destination, Horsey Gap to find the Atlantic Grey Seals.

We were not expecting to see many seals on the beach as it is a bit early in the year. What a surprise to find over thirty, mostly teenage Atlantic Grey Seals just chilling, along with a few little Harbour Seals. As the beach starts to fill up with pregnant seals in late October/early November, a voluntary beach closure is put in place by FoHS wardens.  You can still access two great viewing areas on the top of the dunes from Horsey Gap car park. On the morning we went the beach was open and only a few people were sitting and watching seals. For more information about the Horsey Gap seals and the seals at Winterton on Sea see the website www.friendsofhorseyseals.co.uk.

A small Harbour Seal. The smaller of our two UK seal species, common seals are also known as harbour seals. So that’s something we didn’t know.

Not a care in the world.

The famous Happisburgh Lighthouse.

Happisburgh Time and Tide Bell

A giant bell that chimes when the tide comes in and goes out has been installed on the beach. Designed to be rung by the waves at high tide, Happisburgh's bell is one of 13 'Time and Tide' bells situated around Britain where at any given time one of the bells will be tolling. The timber frame holding the bell was made from a single oak tree planted in 1790 and felled in 2021, having captured within it carbon from all the years of the industrial revolution to the present day.

Dusk in Cromer from the pier.

Whilst everyone was heading for the show on the pier we went the opposite way to find a pub for a pie and a pint.

Cromer Pier.

A lovely day at Wells harbour.

The Lifeboat Horse, made from steel bars and whisky barrels, was created by artist Rachael Long as a tribute to the horses that once pulled the town’s lifeboat more than two miles from the quay to Holkham Gap

When the tide goes out at Wells, where is the sea.

Little Eva stretching her legs on Wells beach. It is such a great dog walking beach. Miles of firm flat sand, until the tide returns.

Last evening walk along beach road looking towards Cley Marshes.

Our last evening at Cley for a while and, despite the warm days there is an Autumn chill in the air as night draws in.
You will see in the background that the Pink footed Geese have returned for the winter . . . Their sound in the Norfolk sky signifies Autumn has arrived.

August - Sunny Days

At the beginning of the month, thanks to a good friend who offered to dog sit for us for the day, we visited Frampton Marsh RSPB in Lincolnshire. A great reserve, easy walking and good bird hides.

The bank of sunflowers that they always plant alongside the path was just coming into full bloom and was alive with Bumble Bees.

In May three adult Black Winged Stilts arrived at the reserve. One of the males and the female decided to nest and produced four little ones. We were able to watch this juvenile hunting in front of one the hides. The adults stayed along way off, easy to see with binoculars but too far away for our camera.

Black-winged Stilts have been expanding their breeding range to the south of the UK, and more tend to arrive in spring when their favoured wetlands in south-west Europe dry out due to drought.

Much of Spain and France have been experiencing severe drought conditions, which has doubtless caused the influx of stilts to the UK this spring.

Black-winged Stilts have the longest legs of any bird relative to size, making up two-thirds of their total body length, hence their name.

One of the most elegant waders, with its slim proportions and long needle-like bill, the Spotted Redshank lives up to its name when in its summer plumage, which is dark with white spots. Unlike the dark summer plumage, autumn and winter individuals are grey above and white below, much paler than their more uniform common cousin, the Redshank.

Spotted Redshank does not breed in Britain and is mainly a passage migrant, seen in both spring and autumn.

So, this lovely little bird caused a bit of discussion between Mr and Mrs Dobson, was this a Dunlin or a Curlew Sandpiper, and consulting our trusty bird ID book we came to the conclusion this is a Dunlin. We do find little brown wading birds difficult to identify even after all these years of birdwatching, as they have juvenile plumage, summer plumage, and winter plumage as well as the times in between when they are moulting.

Black Tailed Godwits were feeding around the reserve.

Something swam across in front of the hide and onto an island. It looked a bit like an Otter at first but a bit small. When it appeared on the island we realised it was a Stoat, an animal we had rarely seen. We could see it moving about in the thick undergrowth and then less than five minutes later it appeared with a huge rat in its mouth. A quick and ferocious killer and we suspect, not the first time it had been on this hunting spree.

The Stoat swimming confidently back the way it had come, possibly taking the rat back to its kits. They have between six to twelve kits usually born in the spring.

We finished the day by taking a seat up on the flood bank overlooking the marshes. The cattle were making their way along the top followed by young Pied and Yellow Wagtails.

A juvenile Yellow Wagtail.

There were lots of young Meadow Pipits flitting about and it wasn’t until we took a closer look at this picture when we got home did we see the little bug on its beak.

Our Hibiscus in the garden is always popular with the insects especially Bumble bees.

A female Southern Hawker spent the morning sunning herself and kept adjusting her body to catch the warmth of the sun as it moved round the garden. She flew off when the sun moved way from her spot in the afternoon.

A beautiful Red Admiral also took advantage of a warm spot.

The Hummingbird moth made an appearance again this year. A quick little so and so, darting from flower to flower looking for nectar but if you can catch it hovering for a few seconds, just like a Hummingbird, you could be in with a chance of getting a picture.

When resting the Hummingbird Moth can be easily overlooked as another grey insect, but when in flight this day flying moth is quite beautiful showing off its orange underwings and white flashes.

Love these little birds, and the Long Tailed Tit families are back visiting the garden after a summer break.

Mr Dobson was given a loan of a Drone, (Oooh that rhymes). So when we received the message one evening from the local farm that they were starting their harvest, we went up straight away.

Farm work, especially combining, looks great from a drone. Not bad for a first attempt at flying.

A Brown Argus in our local meadow.

Another lovely day out with our Granddaughter this time to Wimpole Hall Farm and Gardens. Many areas have been left to go wild. It looks so much better.

Mother Pig has a good litter of little piglets here.

Time for a good old scratch against the step for this little piglet, look at that the smile on her face.

Queenie, the Shire Horse enjoying her shower. Apparently she likes to roll around in the dust and is always having to be washed.

The walled garden at the hall is so stunning and beautiful, and a really lovely image taken by our Granddaughter with Grandads new camera.

The clock tower and old stable block at the hall.

Looking across the sheep field to the Folly.

A Migrant Hawker over the ponds on our dog walk.

The end of August and a Blue Moon. Nothing to do with the colour, its because its the second full moon within the same month. We took this picture from the back bedroom window about 10.30pm.

Blue moons only happen every two or three years (hence the phrase “once in a blue moon”). Blue supermoons are even rarer, occurring once every 10 years or so.