On a cold day I pedalled down to WWT Slimbridge to meet an old school friend Peter. We had a super day moving between hides. Great flocks of golden plover, lapwings, swans and various species of geese were often filling the sky. One highlight was watching a merlin chasing a skylark. A few pictures below!
Curlew
male tufted duck
common crane
bewick swan
two common cranes!
wigeon
Clare and I braved the cold and cycled into Gloucester today to the bookshop. We both had book tokens to spend. We brought back a haul of treasures – a pile of books! So we have plenty to read!
I am off birding in the morning with an old school friend. We are going to Slimbridge so we will see swans and geese!
We have just had a great couple of days. Starting with Friday morning spent playing with our two young grandsons (they are 3 and nearly 11 months!) After leaving Bishop’s Cleeve we travelled North to Burnley. After dropping off stuff at hotel we went to the same cracking pub we visited last year. Plenty of good ales and Burnley fans and many Hatters mixed well.
Really pleased to see our the Mighty Hatters are progressing in all confidence in the Premier League. After an excellent first half it was disappointing to be trailing by one goal. The one thing about the Mighty Hatters they keep going and an injury time equaliser was well deserved! The picture below is the team taking the applause from the travelling supporters.
“Old Apple Tree, We wassail thee…………………………”
Last night was the Wassail at Wick Court and of course guess who was Master of Ceremonies? Once again in my own imitable style it was a fairly anarchic evening with the young people from Ravenstone School Balham. I kept it fairly short because the young people had been outside all day and it was cold! I am thinking of writing a song/verse that is Wick Court specific for next year that we teach our participants beforehand. I had done my usual bird watching with them during the day and the children were delightful and we saw 24 species.
It was a rush home after the Wassail to host my Book Club. We did something different last night and each one of us had to chose a photograph that either meant something special or had influenced us. It was certainly a wide ranging philosophical discussion with surprising choices by my friends.
I wanted a picture of Basil D’Oliveira ( the South African who played for England because of apartheid). As I have written previously I went as a boy to that iconic Test Match in 1968 when he scored a big hundred and then for political machinations was not selected for tour of South Africa– he later was recalled and the the rest is history. I think it my rude awakening to the world of politics! For many years until apartheid was ended I was very much at odds with the conservative (with a small c) cricketing establishment. I went on marches and boycotted anything South African and even changed my bank. The picture below is with one of the great figures of the 20th century Nelson Mandela – who hugged him and thanked him after they had dinner together said “Thank you Basil you have done your bit!” Throughout the political storm clouds D’Oliveira always maintained great dignity. If you read a previous blog I went into the England dressing room at that fateful Oval Test Match and he said “Hello” to four grubby boys!
Tomorrow we head North for the vital relegation clash for the Mighty Hatters against Burnley. Fingers will be firmly crossed!
Well having worn shorts on my bike nearly all winter today was a shock to the system! The wind has had a real bite to it! had the delight of going to the tip (after collecting quince leaves) and then clambering up the Bramley tree to get down the Christmas Lights. I even managed to make sure I didn’t get it tangled! Pedalling tomorrow to deliver some stuff so it will be balaclava and inner gloves!
Still underwhelmed by yesterday’s football wasn’t sure how VAR didn’t give us a penalty. We are off to Burnley on Friday- a real six pointer!
A few pictures from the weekend including an attempt at catching a curlew flying, a dunnock at Rosemoor, lapwings and dunlin on the mud.
A delightful weekend in Bideford to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We enjoyed being out by the river in the cold sunshine this morning. The dunlin and lapwings made wonderful patterns as their skittishly shot up from the water.
Got home to listen to the 3rd round cup tie and was disappointed the Mighty Hatters were held to a draw. We don’t really want a replay!
A surreal picture from Rosemoor taken yesterday- look carefully and you will see the once dynamic duo celebrating their wedding anniversary. Hence today’s title!
Picture below is where I was bird watching in the afternoon by the estuary. Great views of oystercatchers, redshank, wigeon, dunlin shelduck, curlew, sanderling etc plus a brief rainbow!
I thought today was supposed to be better weather wise! It was ok up till late afternoon and then of course it has rained for several hours again. When I went for a ride I couldn’t believe seeing standing water in fields that normally drain well. The Severn further North from here has flooded around Worcester and where it meets the Avon around Tewkesbury. Hopefully we have a dry spell now.
Next week I am leading again the Wassail at Wick Court. Last year it was fairly anarchic. Apparently I led everyone the wrong way around the tree! This year we might struggle with the sodden ground.
Once more I am developing webbed feet to cope with all this rain- the ground is absolutely saturated! Today there was lots of surface water on the road into Frampton.
When the rain eventually relented I ventured out in search of Bohemian Waxings. Six were spotted in Frampton yesterday. I didn’t see any- plenty of Redwings and Fieldfares. Also another Starling Murmuration– but I think I have posted plenty of pictures of that recently! I took pictures of a distant rainbow – well part of one! Pictures below! Hopefully I might see some waxwings here in Frampton soon- there is a picture of one below – not mine!
