Posts

Local Sightings

-
Image
Making the most of an extended Easter break, I chose to spend time around a few sites local to home (including the patch), the furthest of which was Fowlmere RSPB, a convenient 20 minute drive into Cambridgeshire. There is something uniquely satisfying about discovering wildlife within the local area. After such a wet and at times bleak winter, a couple of days of warm sunshine was most welcome and hopefully a precursor to an agreeable spring and summer. Having returned from Albania the day before, it was surprising to see temperatures lift to 26C on Wednesday 8th. And when the weather improves, nature responds. So instead of travelling further afield, the day (8th) started with a walk around the patch, that produced a surprise sedge warbler singing from the depths of a scrubby area at Weston Hills NR. A willow warbler attempted song along the hedgerow opposite Bush Wood, a late fieldfare flew north, a raven flew low west, and three each of corn bunting and grey partridge were pre...
Post a Comment
Read more

Titchwell Marsh

-
Image
A lovely day out on a dull day that threatened rain that thankfully stayed away. Plenty of great birds at a fabulous reserve that deserves more than what has become an annual visit. Best of the day was the regular tawny owl roosting in a modest ivy-covered tree, two firecrest including a preening individual a matter of metres from a small assembled crowd. There were also two chiffchaff in the general area. Heading to the sea, a decent scan eventually revealed the four long-tailed duck , three great northern diver and a black-necked grebe along with decent numbers of red-breasted merganser . A female scaup on the Tidal Lagoon on the way back was a surprise but the usual assemblage of brent geese , wildfowl, lapwing and four avocet and the odd marsh harrier are standard fare for this site but a great place to see a range of great birds.
Post a Comment
Read more

Lourdes - New Years

-
Image
Just can't cope with having time off work and not having any travel plans to fill the time. The post-Christmas lull induced the inevitable skyscanner search of the cheapest flight over the new year. And so the search results returned Lourdes, £63 return on Ryanair from Stansted leaving on New Years Eve and returning the next day. It's not just about the flights though, there are hotels to consider and of course, places to eat for the evening. And it came to pass that everything checked out, the hotel felt less of a concern, but finding a table for dinner was a little more challenging, but we found a restaurant with availability close to our hotel which was a real steal. So we flew out on a crisp winter's day. The flight was really pleasant, as was the STN experience so no complaints there. It was great seeing Letchworth and Baldock from the air. On arrival, a bit of confusion at a very quiet airport, but we eventually jumped on a two euro bus that took us into the centre of...
Post a Comment
Read more

Christmas in Krakow

-
Image
Christmas in Krakow with the family. How lovely. The trip started with a nice surprise with an upgrade to the front of the aircraft and my goodness the difference between Business and Economy class is vast. So an early Christmas dinner was a real treat. It was predictably cold in Warsaw on arrival but the journey was not complete as the next day, the four of us were back at the airport for the short flight down to Krakow. Krakow is such a stunning city and despite the Christmas fare, it didn't feel touristy and was very charming. We stayed in a lovely Airbnb with adjoining apartments so it was really convenient having a relaxing space for a few days. The Main Square (Rynek Główny) was beautifully decorated, nothing garish just tastefully embellished, no plastic Santa Claus inflatables flapping about in the wind, and not a single utterance of fucking 'Last Christmas'. It was cold and largely overcast, but a joy to spend the festive season here. The castle is a short walk fro...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kruger Day 10 - Time to leave

-
Image
Time to leave. It reminded me of the moment I had to leave Kuwait a year or so ago, gazing out the window trying to bottle the moment. It felt the same here. Why couldn't life be like this everyday? Then the guilt of feeling this way - getting the sense of the opportunity and privilege that we have to travel to these incredible places. The freedom to fly. The drive to the airport felt long, because it was - over five hours - but a stop at what could be the greatest service station still makes me smile. Yes indeed - there were 13 rhinos here - albeit in captivity but was grateful for the last throes of seeing these wonderful animals regardless of their provenance. Apart from earlier finding out that British Airways had cancelled our flight back to the UK but being quick enough to secure a couple of the last remaining seats on the Virgin flight at the same time averting a potential inconvenience - the trip was the stuff of dreams. Two years in a row is indulgent - but it doesn't ...
Post a Comment
Read more