Russian White-fronted Geese, Novartis Ings, Grimsby

 

A trip over to Grimsby on Sunday afternoon to, hopefully, see the white-fronted geese that had been reported there. Sat Nav was certainly needed to find the site and then parking was non-existent with the entrance being blocked off with massive concrete blocks. Managed to squeeze inbetween them and hoped for the best. Then the path was also blocked off......how you are meant to walk here on this council run reserve, God only knows. So we got between the blocks and we were in only to discover the site covered in dogs and their waste and bikes. Not a nature reserve at all really. We saw the geese in the distant corner of a field but a couple of bikes flushed them and they landed on the pools infront of the hide. What luck !  The views we had were stunning, best views of white-fronts we have ever had. We were joined in the hide by a chap with a dog that commenced the conversation with the usual racist crap, there really is no hope. 

Waking back to the car we could see 10 roe deer in the nearby field only to see a farmer running across the field to scare them away........

Hen Harrier

 

He is still around......pity he never comes close ! 

Ring-necked Duck, Messingham

This duck has been around for a while now but we have only just got round to going for it. A stroll to the hide and we soon found it.....and it really couldn't have been any further away if it tried ! So, what you might call 'record shots' of a brown bird on brown water in the dense grey murk that we have as weather these days. 

Short-eared Owl

A big surprise on yesterday afternoons walk. Lots of gull noise and action and then this owl flew up. Afraid never close to us but just seeing it was enough. Can't beat self found birds away from the crowds.

 

Happy Birthday to me !

68 years old, where have all those years gone to. I am sure my time is on fast forward these days, the years whip by so quickly. A birthday is never complete without some decent fish and chips so we had our annual pilgrimage to Steels in Cleethorpes for haddock and chips, bread and butter and a pot of tea, £30 for us both. It was some of the freshest fish we have ever had....simply delicious !

Just look at that....... it is my favourite meal in the whole world !

 and then home and Tom had bought me a planter of beautiful roses and a bottle of Moet !

A lovely, lovely day xx

Birds, fungus and a camera catch up

 

Stonechat

The very first snowdrop in the garden this year

A very, very distant ringtail harrier

Lots of goldfinches with a single redpoll

The time of year I really look forward to....when the propagators come out !  It's the sign of a new season, time to grow and plant. We have loads of peppers all pricked out and trays of spring onions growing away. The onions are now in the greenhouse. Tomato seeds went in the propagator today !

Our first orchid of the year, just the one rosette

Kestrel looking for lunch

Lots of Jelly Ears

Another trip for the shrike. It showed the whole time we were there but never close. We beat a retreat when the heavens opened yet again !

Lots of Collared Earthstars in an area new to us

The country was treated to a decent display of the northern lights last week. Everywhere else seemed to have a sky full of bright yellows and reds but afraid this dingy pink was all I could manage through the thick grey cloud that covered Lincolnshire.

Winter Aconites, a lovely display this year