Even Kelham Village has its Ghost Signs

I was in a very peculiar mood about my running today. First of all I was going to ave a day off, then I thought I'd leave that for cricket day tomorrow, then I thought "Well, I'll go to Kelham and see if there are any bluebells a the church", and then when I actually started running I felt so stiff and grumpy I just wanted to stop and buy an ice cream.

Then, I thought I'd just run 5km. I ended up dillying and dallying along the Great North Road, before finally opting to be a man, and run the back way to Kelham.

Frankly I felt like a prize chump.

Kelham is another pretty little village, overlooked by the huge 19th century Victorian gothic Hall the local council has used rather overkillingly for years, and will do until there new home in town is complete in 2017. King Charles I was held by the Scots here after he ordered the surrender of Newark in 1646 and after his own personal surrender in Southwell.

Every so often, someone drives through the bridge and ends up in the river, causing this major road route to close for ages while the bridge is rebuilt and resulting in tailbacks the length of the Nile.

Sadly there were no bluebells to be had, but I did find some more ghost signs, and on the way home navigated on more virgin running territory for me that looked promising, but ended up with an impromptu crossing of a stony ploughed field in which more lapwing were calling and displaying.

Their wings folded up, they tumbled from the sky, which is how my legs felt after hauling myself across that farmland.

Si

Tired common carder bee that I had no means of helping

As I left town, another Newark ghost sign

The back way to Kelham

Gatehouse at Kelham Hall

Kelham map. But who is in the river?

I think it's an early mining bee

Legs yellow with pollen

Kelham hall stable range. Now repurposed as cottages

Kelham ghost sign 1

Kelham ghost sign 2

Loads of this 4 petal white flower now out. I can't remember what it is.

Kelham Hall

Kelham Church

Nice selection of flowers in the churchyard

A new route home?

Ummm, no

Peaceful Running, Dark as Night

I'm off shift now, and my heroic conscience likes me to take a run in the evening of my last working day...

Mr Conscience tends to forget such small points as it being cold and dark, but armed with my head torch and a desire to take pictures of the familiar after the sun had gone to bed, I headed out at 830pm hoping to run 10km.

Within three minutes, my headtorch had slipped down my my nose, and the straps pulled out of their clasp when I tried to adjust them. Great. But although I decided the cycle path and the lakes were unwise with no source of light, I was still able to run across Clay Lane park and through the Sconce with the light in my hand, and although no glowing fox, deer or badger eyes were illuminated in my path, it was still a very peaceful feeling, to be running on my own, in my own little pool of light.

There was no-one around. My thoughts were my own. All looked different.

I felt no threat. But maybe, I just got lucky...

Si

Magnolia coming into flower

Silver birch

Birch in bud

Ceme-tree

Gravestones

Close up bark

Along Clay Lane

Sleeping snowdrops, the forgotten nature reserve

Close encounters of the Navigation Kind

Willow at the Devon

Sconce oak wood

First Trip to North Muskham Lake

Been planning this adventure for a couple of days, a Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust reserve that is actually nearer than RSPB Langford Lowfields, but has a lot lower profile; for example, I never see any birding reports from there.

The journey out is an unattractive, into the wind slog alongside the old Great North Road, past the suplhuric and sulphidic odours of the now "on campaign" sugar factory and its slurry lakes, past the caravan park, past the bleak fishing lake that was once studded with colourful yachts and under the noisy A1.

(Note to self - always use the more attractive route through South Muskham you found on the way back.)

The lake is at the far end of the river, next to the Trent, and was full of life the moment I went through the gate. The scrubby grass was alive with grasshoppers and middle sized toadlets. Wildflowers brought flashes of colour and even even in the wind the water was like a mirror.

And on that water, there were some ducks (and grebes). Most were the typical mallards and tufted ducks, but with my 16x50s on duty today, I noticed some rather different ducks - glorious golden headed males with scarlet beaks, smart females with black and grey heads. I had no idea what these were, but a quick fiddle with a bird app made me think the only ducks with such a scarlet beak were red crested pochards. Later at home, I confirmed this.

Officially they are quite uncommon, but it seems there are plenty of escapees and feral descendants about, and these 7 or 8 ducks were probably of that nature.

Walking further round, I saw black sheep grazing, and plenty of speckled wood butterflies enjoying the sun.

It is a nice little site, easy to find, and I shall try and wigeon and goosander spot over the winter, I think. It was well worth the 25 minute bike ride.

First view through the trees

white campion type flower

side view

A very late poppy!

Knapweed

Buttercups too!

Pretty but no idea

Viewing platform

Migrant hawker at the water's edge

Grasshopper