A busy couple of days for me. On Tuesday I went with a Gloucestershire Seniors Cricket Team to Surrey for the vase Final as 12th man against Essex . Sadly they didn’t really perform with the bat and lost.

Yesterday it was back to Wick Court for my volunteering slot taking young people from schools in Yorkshire and Lancashire  birdwatching. There was a lack of birds but some great questions from some really curious and thoughtful young people!

We had a great discussion and plenty of laughs at our monthly Book Club meeting last night. We were discussing a short story by one of our own Brian.

We popped down to the Slimbridge WWT this afternoon mainly to buy birthday presents for my granddaughter Ellen’s 4th birthday. We wanted to get her some binoculars (not toy ones).We got her some! Clare wanted to look at a textiles exhibition so I slipped down to a hide for some bird watching! A few pictures I took below!

I had a lovely walk after story telling on Friday night. Only saw one other person but saw plenty of birds. About 20 long -tailed tits in a mixed flock of blue tits and amazingly at least 6 chiffchaffs. There were swallows darting over the lake and I saw a common sandpiper flying low over the water. Also heard a kingfisher but didn’t see it and a very noisy cetti’s warbler. Really good for the soul! Some pictures below but not mine!

   Chiffchaff

  Long-tailed tit

Common sandpiper

Just sitting watching the Tour of Britain on TV and the riders are about to go up the Tumble Climb. It is a climb I have done three times (later it is Caerphilly Mountain another climb I have done) picture below is me in this area a few years ago. Later this month I am riding to Stratford with some Book Club pals (more in future blogs)

Had a lovely day yesterday at Paternoster School in Cirencester story telling it is a special school and we had a lot of fun.

Very emotional Gramps here- just seen pictures of my eldest grandchild Owen going to school. Tears running down my cheeks as I see him in his uniform gripping his book bag.

Talking about school I have my first gig of the autumn in a special school in Cirencester on Friday.

I have been busy on writing for The Two Severn Bores. Our new show is based on Arthurian Legend with the ancient wizard Merlin. I have tried something different this time with the links between stories and music so watch this space.

Just had a wonderful weekend down in Exeter. On Saturday we had the pleasure of being with all three grandchildren. We visited Bicton and dodged the showers! I do love watch all three of them grow and develop- they are different. A picture of them on the little train round the grounds below. We spent Sunday looking after our granddaughter Ellen while her parents took in two games of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

For the first time in ages I wasn’t watching the Hatters or listening to them and they won 3-0 is there a message there? I have still booked a ticket for Lincoln (one of the few grounds I haven’t seen them play on!

I was trying to find the collective noun for a group of cattle egrets. Often you get congregation of egrets or a wedge or a skewer but from New Zealand I found they called it a stampede– so that is what I am going for! Why this debate? Well it was the monthly bird survey out by the river this morning and we saw nine cattle egrets– the most I have seen in this country! In the last 10 years more and more are in the UK and I should think they will mirror the advance of the little egret across the country. A few pictures of them that I took are at the bottom of the blog- couldn’t get all nine in- guess why they are called cattle egrets!! Other highlights from this morning were migrants moving south- a couple of wheatears, six yellow wagtails, plenty of swallows and a whimbrel. We actually saw three species of wagtail  (8 pied and 2 grey), as well as many curlews, avocets, godwits, shelducks and 100+ black-headed gulls on the river. A good morning!

The morning was rounded off with Clare and I cycling to Nailsworth for lunch (we were apprehensive about the forecast but it stayed dry).

A traditional family day today. My sister’s sons have organised a meet up at the miniature railway park in Cardiff. It is always a lovely day catching up with my wider family. Everyone has a ride on the trains! It was hot! I managed to pick two containers of blackberries this morning so more blackberry and apple crumbles to look forward to!

Had a fast cycle over the top on Sunday before it got too hot!

Despite the result on Saturday it was a really good game of football and it was certainly the best the Mighty Hatters have played this season. We are having a Hatters meet up this week at Stroud Brewery at least three of us will be there possibly more!

Currently on a slow train back from London after a good day meeting up with dear friends. Legs are tired now!

Had a good creative meeting last night with Dan as we plotted the next Two Severn Bores show. Much work to do both writing, learning and rehearsing!

This amazing bird turned up in Frampton yesterday (not my picture). It is a black-winged kite and only 3 have turned up in the country ever! A friend messaged me last night and I managed to see it. I went again this morning and just missed it but my goodness it was a real Twitch with birders from all over the country- it was at 7 in the morning.

The Two Severn Bores have been working together tonight on our next show. It was a really positive session. I will publish details when we are happy with the potential performance.