A few bits from last week

 

No posting is complete without a pic of our beautiful Araya xx

A very proud granddad xx

Araya seems to have grown each week when we see her, nearly sitting up now and very, very vocal (with no volume control !) She is absolutely gorgeous xx

Whitethroat

Home grown tomatoes, a harvest every day xx

A couple of pairs of stonechats on one of our local walks

Two spotted flycatchers this morning, by the time we had come back along the path they had long gone

It's good to have a son that's a joiner as we have a steady stream of  waste wood that arrives by the van full. Good for the fire in the winter, we have already started the log pile. But sometimes the wood is too good to burn. 5 planters were knocked up this afternoon much to the delight of Pixi who couldn't wait to have an afternoon siesta in one ! These would cost a small fortune at the garden centre !

The pectoral sandpiper is still from Marshlands Hide at Blacktoft Sands

A family of three kestrels were having a bath, cooling in this stifling weather.

A lovely walk in our local forest xx

Freshly cut flowers from our garden that Simon takes for Lucy xx

Our dahlias have been absolutely spectacular this year. Simon is already planning the tubs for next year.

Simon makes all his own compost, saves us a fortune and is helping to save the world ! 

Here he has a bucket of compost from a previous session, soil and gravel and this makes up our bulb compost.

And last but not least......the best fish and chips !  Johnsons of Gainsborough on Ropery Road. Highly recommended and flipping delicious. A jumbo haddock to die for.........just look at them !!

Tom's Carp Fishing

 

Tom's weekend down at his syndicate lake started with this 22lb 9oz carp but ended with this 34lb 12oz monster carp. What a fish !!

RSPB Blacktoft Sands

 

We often visit Blacktoft as we live quite close and today was one of the days we were glad we went. The pectoral sandpiper was showing from Marshland Hide but afraid not close and kept hiding among the other birds and debris on the island. A couple of Green Sandpipers and Greenshank were close though. It was lovely to catch up with Pete and Masha, she had found the pec the previous day ! Then onto Townend Hide where a spotted crake had been reported. Excellent views of it, but photography was near impossible as it dashed in and out the reeds. But see them we did, an excellent afternoon ! 

Black-winged Stilts, Messingham Nature Reserve

Well this wasn't on our agenda today but certainly not complaining ! Just got the washing ready to peg out and pack-up done ready for a day at Welbeck and plans to call for delicious fish and chips on way home for tea. All change after an early morning call from JH and a dash to Messingham it was, which is only a couple of miles away for us.  A quick march to the hide trying to beat the crowds as the hide only holds about 5 people at a push. Got there to find just JH and GPC in there, and with us two the hide was full. Just one bird was visible, the rest snoozing behind the only bush on the island. But they were soon awake and all 6 fed straight in front of the hide. Brilliant views of the 2 adults and 4 juvs that had bred at Potterick Carr.  It will be a Welbeck day for us tomorrow and hopefully, a big fat haddock tea !

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A Spotted Flycatcher Day !

We have been looking for our local spotted flycatchers all summer and failing miserably at our usual spots. A walk yesterday where we saw 4 and today we struck lucky on a different walk and we topped it with 5 !  A fantastic couple of days with 9 spotted flycatchers !