A few from the camera

 

5 whooper swans dropped in 

Meadow pipit

A single ringed plover

Stonechat

Huttoft Bank - lots of birds past

Spurn

One of our lovely woodland walks that holds lots of good fungus

A few from the garden

 

Still harvesting spuds, very tasty compared to shop bought starchy rubbish

Lunch - fresh potatoes and carrots, picked that morning and covered with salt, pepper and butter !

The greenhouse is filling up with fuchsias and tender plants ready for the winter hibernation

A picking of carrots, so sweet,  scrumptious !

Just top and tail and give them a rub

Asters giving some stunning autumn colour in the garden. The bulbs are all now in and coming up but will a while before they flower. After the summer colour spectacular, the garden is subdued at the moment !

Rufous-tailed Robin, Flamborough

 

We joined the masses with very limited viewing that were 5 deep in parts so we knew it would be pot luck if we saw the bird. The main viewing area didn't move all day giving no-one else a chance. It was a very stressful twitch to be honest with a near fight quite near us and then a chap fainted and slid all the way down the banking behind us. But we had a birder just up from us that gave spot on directions when the robin flew up the gully and we had split second views. Was it worst standing for hours.....no ! But lovely to chat to friends old and new which made the day enjoyable. 

Celebrated with home-made chicken pakoras and a pint of cider !

A few fungi from the local forest

 

King Alfred's Cakes, not one we see very often

This is sickening.....pickers are in all our forests now stealing every bit of fungus which they no doubt sell at stupid prices. Piles of discarded mushrooms recently, all cut with a knife, selected and then discarded. I have informed the Woodland Trust who tell me it's a massive problem and is now starting to destroy the forest floor. Signs are up warning of fines but they take no notice, just sweep through the forest with their baskets and knives. Makes my blood boil.

It's that time of year again and the recent rain has helped tremendously. Lots of lovely fungus emerging on the forest floor. 

Slender-billed Nutcracker, Mundesley, Norfolk

After a night with little sleep due to gale force winds howling down the chimney we were grateful of the extra hour. But up and out early with a 3 hour drive into Norfolk to hopefully see the Nutcracker that arrived yesterday. We were not disappointed and were soon enjoying watching it feeding and flying around the paddocks and gardens. A new UK bird for us, that's two in less than a week ! Lots of locals were watching and good to see their children taking an interest. I told someone to get tea and bacon butties for sale......she thought that was an excellent idea ! Had fantastic views but the toggers were starting to chase the bird and it was flying further and further away so we beat a retreat knowing that we had that horrendous drive back to do. Glad we picked a Sunday when there was no farm machinery on the roads, that usually adds an hour ! A fantastic, but very tiring day !

When we first arrived it was the other side of the white house garden, but mobile. So glad it came closer

Common Tern, Toft Newton Reservoir

 

It stayed for quite a few days, feeding and resting

A few more Baird's Sandpiper pics

 

It was one of those perfect days for photography, just us two and a baird's sandpiper in excellent light.