Last week's bits and bobs

 

Yellow Wagtail

This looks like a magical path to a secret garden......beautiful

The first fire of the year on Thorne Moors, we believe deliberately started. The burn spreads some considerable distance, but already green shoots are showing. 

Snakes-head Fritilaries in our garden

Sedge Warbler

A lovely evening walk, waiting for our first nightjars and getting bitten alive !

There was a bank of sand here that the sand martins had started to nest in. This bank was destroyed a couple of weeks ago by Sibelco, who mine the sand. The Lincs Trust have become involved and have visited the sand quarry and given advice. The bank being removed was also witnessed by another local birder who also contacted Sibelco. Last week a sand bank was built in this space and signs erected. Lets hope we are not too late and the sand martins can excavate more nests. We walk up this path a couple of times each week so will keep our eyes on things.

Reed Warbler at Messingham Nature Reserve

Just pegging the washing out and glanced up to see a large raptor......red kite, garden tick !

Marsh Violet

Aaaaaah xxxx

Cuckoo, Crowle Moors

Cuckoo Flower, gets its name because it flowers when the cuckoos arrive

Cuckoo silhouettes on Crowle Moors

A Monday walk across Crowle Moors and onto Thorne Moors gave us 35 hobbies, yes 35 !

We kept loosing count !  But it was fantastic !

The railway on Crowle Moors. This was an ongoing project managed by the team I worked in. Infact I worked on this project for a while. This part of the project was completed by volunteers, grown men playing with trains, a train set on a massive level !  But really, this is asking for a de-railment and the line is only 100 metres !  Lots of up and down and zig and zags. Going to be an interesting ride !

Chaffinch

Beautiful blossoms

Red-footed Falcon, Thorne Moors

An excellent find by Steve Routledge yesterday. Thanks for the text, pity I was stood in the que to get into Asda (that seemed to take an age to move), followed by the que to get into our local garden centre as a purchase of tomato plants was number one priority.  So we were a day late in our moors visit but it was certainly worth it.

The sky was overcast as we walked through Crowle Moors and onto Thorne. Nothing was flying but as soon as we headed up the main path, out popped the sun, the dragonflies erupted and so did the hobbies enjoying their breakfast. Simon soon had the red-footed falcon found which was feeding among the distant bushes. It never stayed still for a moment, constantly feeding and chasing, never perched and certainly never still. So afraid no pics.

The sun certainly didn't stay out for long and soon all was quiet and still, the feeding frenzy over. Then Simon picked up 7 large birds approaching and over our heads we had a fly by of 7 Common Cranes. A turtle dove was the star of the supporting cast. A fabulous day, in good company. 

Thorne Moors