Wading Time

 Sadly not a post about spotting wading birds, but rather a walk at the weekend in the rain.

I've had a sore back the last couple of weeks, as well as a cold, so I've not been out too much. Determined to go out on Saturday despite the rain, I went out in full waterproofs and wellingtons, wellingtons I've only worn once before, and headed down to the park to see how the flooding was going. 

Well the water has receded somewhat, but the heavy rain that day was making them rise again, and a lot of the path by the River Devon was underwater. However, with wellies on, I was able to power on through! 

I felt ever so slightly adventurous, rather than slow and lazy for a change. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.11.23

The Flooded Town

 Well, Storm Babet hit us much harder than it initially seemed it would. There was a day of strongish wind and a bit of rain, then a calm Thursday, but Friday it suddenly started raining and blowing a hoolie unexpectedly. 

Apparently, some sort of atmospheric block up north skewed the storm back down the east coast, and a month of rain fell in twenty four hours, blocking roads, cutting off villages and creating a lot of misery in places like Lowdham and Retford, that visits from a government minister - Teresa Coffey - did very little to alleviate, to say the least. 

Here, the Trent and Devon burst their banks, and also the vast housing developments on the edge of town caused hitherto non flood plain areas finding themselves underwater as the water ran off the estates. 

The cricket club is underwater, of course, as is the rugby club. Devon Pastures in the park was turned into a lake. A charity duck race has been cancelled, as it was feared the ducks would end up in the North Sea rather than the lock as they were supposed to. 

All that rain gave me a cold too. 

Si

All text and images copyright Cream Crackered Nature 25.10.23

Commas and Damsels

 I've been a little unwell, having eaten some ice cream which I didn't realise had a sweetener in it that acts as massive trigger of IBS symptoms. 

Oof. Not nice. 

The sun has decided to make a few rare appearances in the last few days, and that has meant that some nice insects have made an appearance. Such as the lovely male banded demoiselle I found having a restful moment on the pavement of all places. and then a comma enjoying the sun by the River Devon while having a chat with a bee.

By lucky chance, this is one of the best shots I've ever taken. 

I myself then went to enjoy the sun at Rumbles cafe, although unable to sit on a flower like the comma did.

Fraction too heavy, you see. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 08.08.23

Sconce Park Butterflies

 No cricket for me, as yet again the match I'd spent days preparing a team for an organising was cancelled by the opposition, officially due to overnight rain - the ground was bone dry at 10am - but more likely due to a severe case of couldn't be arsed-ness. 

Much disappointment for my team-mates and myself. We've only been able to play 5 games out of 11...

Si, in bright warm sunshine, I took myself to the park, to take in the open air, have a cup of tea, and photograph the plentiful butterflies that were around. 

A beautiful newly emerged comma would not co-operate, chased away from its perfectly posed spot by a marauding specked wood, but I managed to get some decent shots of other species - small tortoiseshell, holly blue and a rather tatty green veined white. 

I got a cup of tea, and settled down on my usual bench at the cafe to read. I've suddenly regained my love for reading which I seemed to lose during the pandemic, and take joy and peace in reading outside, be it at the park or in my garden in the early evening. 

So I was still able to make something positive out of a disappointing day.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.07.23

Gentle Meanderings

 I'm still not doing a lot of walking; I am now doing rehabbing exercises for my ankle - including a lurid orange foam roller with medieval torture instrument vibes - and wearing an ice pack when I remember.

I therefore apologise for the lack of riveting content, it is very frustrating for me to be not outside and also the weather is too atrocious for bike riding. The rain seems unrelenting, but I'm guessing our reservoirs need it so I'm not complaining about that. 

I can at least do my best to get outside, and just enjoy the sights and sounds. The harsh honking of the geese at the marina is rendered almost melodic by distance, and there is usually a robin to be heard singing somewhere.

There's a new noise too, one I've only recently discovered. The little sculpture outside Rumbles cafe, which I thought was actually a pretty little piece of polished metal, is actually a sort of steel drum as I found when I heard kids tapping it in their mittened hands, a soft "bonging" rather less tinny than a steel drum in actual fact.

It's a sound oddly out of place under skies of battleship grey. 

Si

A weekend of Nature

 Both of my cricket matches were cancelled this weekend, which is a relief as I seem to have gone down with sciatica in the back of my thigh after practice on Thursday and have thus been doing a lot of hobbling around and gobbling Ibuprofen.

However, I'm not too bad once I actually get moving, and so have been able to get in a couple of lovely walks, one in rather better weather than the other. 

Saturday was hot and cloudless, and the path along the River Devon had burst into life. As well as the orange tips, holly blues, brimstones and other butterfly species patrolling the meadow areas, and the very early appearance of damselflies.

There were banded demoiselles, males and females, out and about, but there was also a large red damselfly by the river in the old oak wood, a species I've never seen before. Throw in the appearance of a grey wagtail and a blackcap, and it felt like a pretty special morning. 

Later on, as I watched the second team cricket match I was in no way good enough to take part in, I saw a beautiful small copper in the long grass, absolutely fresh out of the packet and very very vivid. It was a better result than that of the match.

Tonight, I had a cup of tea with my stepfather, then carried on with an evening walk around the Blue Lake on a grey evening with rain in the air. Radio 6 had Stuart Maconie playing music inspired by the ambient sounds of nature, and the  slowed down song of a blackbird on one track merged in with the real life evening chorus around me beautifully. 

The appearance of a fox watching me at a distance on the cycle path put the proverbial cherry on it, even as the rain began to fall harder.

Si

All text and photos copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.05.22

A Birthday Bat Detector!

 So, it's been my birthday weekend just gone, hence the reason I've been off the air for a few days, and amongst some lovely presents and a spot of baking and walking with my sister, of which more anon, I was absolutely staggered to be given a bat detector.

A Magenta Precision 4, to be exact.

I've tried it in my garden, but the local pipistrelle that flits about my building is either asleep or off chasing the lady bats. I've walked round town, again nothing. 

Tonight, I decided to go a little less urban.

I first walked along the river alongside the dry dock towards the weir. Not a hint of a click. But then I headed just into the entrance of Sconce Park and along a very dark River Devon - there is a light on the detector but it isn't very bright. 

I turned it on at 45khz, which is the frequency the the common pipistrelle and daubentons bat click at. Nothing there. But when I moved up to 60khz, I suddenly got shorts bursts or rapid fire almost squelchy sounding clicks.

I'd detected bats!

No idea of the species; according to the guide in the box this may be a soprano pipistrelle echo-locating at 55khz or so.

I tuned back to 45khz, and I got more calls. Lots of species operate at this frequency; I know we have common pipistrelles and daubentons bats (which feed over water) so I'd guess at one of those species. 

I was so excited!!!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 14.10.21

A Deeply Hideous Thing

 I was working from home on Wednesday, and was able to take advantage of this to have a quick afternoon wander along the river and to the park, which was still under a large amount of River Devon.

The eye-catching "thing" I found - and "thing" is the best word, was lurking on a tree stump in the lock gardens, where the cultivated cowslip is emerging, next to a clump of brightly coloured fungi.

And at first, this is what I thought this was. A horrendously awful fungus, looking like a pile of rotten mincemeat, squelched onto the wood like a pile of vomit.

I thought it must have been some sort of particularly ugly form of tremella type witches butter fungus. But researching at home has led me to believe that this was actually an agglomeration of fungus gnat larvae, which have a habit of forming nasty looking bundles that slomp around presumably looking for toadstools to eat.

Posting the picture on Instagram seemed to induce vomiting sensations among viewers, I hope you have stronger stomachs.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.02.21

Watertown

 I've had an active weekend, lots of pics I'll show you over the next few days.

This is despite the fact that some of my normal walking routes have been blocked off by the flooding from the Rivers Trent and Devon. They went high with snow melt from the Derbyshire hills initially, and then the heavy rains of the end of last week sent them well over the banks.

Riverside Park opposite the castle was flooded, most of the land beyond Mill Lane bridge is a lake, and finally our poor cricket ground finds itself completely underwater again. 

I really hope that the water clears quickly and the new grass we had after last years flood isn't destroyed. 

It's been a horrible week. More virulent and deadlier strains of covid got me down rather; it all felt endless again. 

Just got to hang on in.

Si

The Kingfisher and the Goosander

 A couple of days ago was a sacred day for me, which goes to show what the standard of days have been for me - and I suspect most of us - as of late.

I managed to get my first ever kingfisher photographs, and got my first clear shots of drake goosander.

The kingfisher came first on my walk through Sconce Park along the Devon. I'm quite used to seeing kingfishers around town now, but normally as a blue blur with a neon streak down its back as it they fly somewhat like a hummingbird from where on the bank I've flushed them out. 

But this time, the kingfisher was sat on a fence post on the opposite side of the river, where I got one shot, before it flitted across first to some wire on the other side of a flooded patch where cattle often drink from. I got a shot here, then it just dropped into the water and caught a small fish, maybe a stickleback or minnow, that it ate on another fencepost. 

I admit the pictures are pretty dreadful, not even good enough to be called record shots, but best I could do at a distance. To see one catch a fish for the first time was pretty exciting, I must say.

The day wasn't done with me yet, as I extended my walk right through the cemetery to the Balderton Blue Lake. Here, on the lagoon where the giant carp mock anglers in the one part of the lake they aren't allowed to fish in, 2 drake and 6 duck goosander had gotten incredibly brave and come right up to the edge.

I was able to approach behind some plantlife, and managed to start taking photographs before they spooked and took off like torpedoes. They move so fast they can blur the shot, but I'm happy I got a couple of good ones. 

Looking forward to a good weekend of walking. I hope. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 06.01.21