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

The Last Walk of 2020

 You are having a post about my walk yesterday, as I got too caught up in NYE stuff to write it on time, and today I've done not a sausage other than lol about on the sofa.

I've not been to the cricket club in a while, and found that once again it has mutated into a golf course since the season ended. As I half expected to find it underwater again however, this was a relief. The grass underneath my feet was delightfully crispy and crunchy due to the frost, and eerie mist gathered at one end of the ground, rising off the drainage ditch. 

The river is part frozen, and the swans were finding it hard to make much headway. More aconite is in flower. Sp pretty, so evanescent.

So that is that wretched year over; I honestly doubt the first few months of 2021 will be much better.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 01.01.21

Icy Golden Days

 Managed a two hour walk today, walking through puddles that had frozen hard overnight and had then been mined by passing children, carrying away glass like shards of broken ice the size of car windows. 

We haven't had snow, nor does it seems likely we will now. But it is very cold and at night the moon sports angry halos.

Sconce Park was full of robins, one which let me practically walk over it, and squirrels were running riot among the oaks. The good stuff was around Balderton Lake though - 2 drake and 6 duck goosander, 4 of which were close enough in for me to get a quarter decent shot off before they tore off  like powerboats, a kingfisher at the north end of the lake, and a lovely little watch of a goldcrest impersonating a hummingbird.

By now the sun was setting, and we had a firey rosey gold lake again. 15000 more steps.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 30.12.20

A Muddy Trek to Winthorpe Village

 Decent weather this afternoon meant I felt like taking myself out for a couple of hours, and wondered where I could walk that I haven't visited in a while, and wouldn't be a mud bath.

It was always optimistic thinking anywhere would be an easy walk today, and so it proved, although to be fair my trip to Winthorpe wasn't all that bad, and rather better than Clay Lane, say, would be at this time of the year. 

It isn't an attractive walk at all, it's rather featureless, in common with anywhere maintained for serious angling, I find. It also takes you under various road and rail bridges, and alongside a sewage works. 

Lovely.

However, saw some interesting birds; colourful deep pink bullfinches in the hawthorn heshes, and a lovely group of reed buntings. In Winthorpe village, there were long tailed tits and chaffinches and above isolated gulls rode the breezes. 

Not such a bad trek, occupied a couple of hours, had a nice listen to the radio, and got my 15000 steps in!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 29.12.20

Christmas Eve

 I was grateful to be allowed to leave work early, and so took a walk to the park, where unlike the albeit very high Trent, The Devon has burst banks.

Happy Christmas everyone, doubly so to all spending the day alone in this insane year.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 24.12.20

More Snowdrops

 The weekend weather was so atrocious that I barely left my home at all, and instead worked out hard on my exercise bike and pondered what my first Christmas alone would be like.

Monday I was able to get myself out and take myself around the two lakes, where I could see that more snowdrops were now in flower, and that also that lots of other shoots were piercing the thick wet soil of the cemetery - lots of crocus spears I think.

Above, two squirrels crashed about in the trees fighting over whatever squirrels fight over. 

On the lake, I was wondering if the goosander were about, and found them relatively close in at the south end of the blue lake, as ever the moment I tried to get my camera-phone the drakes accelerated like Donald Campbell in Bluebird and were in the middle of the lake in seconds.

Powerful paddlers are goosander! Very shy birds and not like obliging mallards or even tufted duck to get a photo of. A little egret hung like an empty plastic bag in the trees overlooking the carp lagoon.

Down on London Road Pond, the depressing lack of anything interesting continued. Best bird I've seen on here is a shoveller, which says a lot really.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 22.12.20

Out to Farndon Ponds

 More fine weather yesterday, and with my ankle by much less of a pain, I was able to plug my brain into a good Radio 4 sci fi drama and take myself out to Farndon to see what sort of waterfowl I might find in the little Farndon Ponds reserve next to the marina. 

It's not the most exciting trek to get there, along the old A46, but eventually you get to the church turn off and can make your way towards Willow Holt, which looked rather on the muddy side and was filled with sheep.

For some reason, the sheep were an enticing photographic prospect to a pro looking snapper, who was stood there with a tripod and a towel over his head. Maybe there was an interesting bird lurking. Or perhaps he is very shy. 

I walked past the marina, around the ponds and here things got rather muddy. I might have to buy myself wellies for Christmas. I managed to get a lucky half decent mobile shot of a long tailed tit, but the waterfowl weren't up to much; a few bored looking gulls and a couple of mallards. 

At least the river painted itself gold for the evening.

There's plenty of berries in the hedgerows, but there weren't any redwing like I sometimes see in this part of Farndon. It takes colder weather to the winter thrushes in town.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.12.20