On Freedom's Wings, Norton Disney, Lincs

A life size sculpture of the famous Lancaster Bomber has been erected near Norton Disney, Lincolnshire. It has been funded by the Bomber County Gateway Trust and has been erected to honour the World War II RAF crews. It will be seen by thousands of motorists from the A46 as it sits proudly on a nearby hillside. 

The wings are 47feet in length, 19 feet wide and are 15feet in height. The sculpture has been eight years in production and last weekend it was finally transported through Lincolnshire to be erected at Norton Disney. 

It is tilted to give the impression that the Lancaster is in flight, heading home to RAF Swinderby, a former station just 2 miles away.

These photos were taken on Monday and the sculpture was still under construction, but nearly finished. It really is something to be proud of and a big thank you goes out to all involved from the landowner, the original idea and design, the fundraising and the construction. It is fantastic ! Looking forward to our second visit already.

and a few short videos showing the ongoing work today.

Home-made Autumn Fruity Chutney

 

We have had an absolute glut of vegetables in the garden this year, a bumper year. With two freezers now full we decided to make chutney. Ten jars of absolute scrummy chutney, it's delicious. And with most of the ingredients from the garden, super fresh and tasty !

A few birds

Kestrel

Red Kites

Raven

Stonechat

and a very distant whinchat

 

Habitat destruction - Alkborough Flats

 

The local livestock farmer has removed two full hedgerows from the flats, no doubt so he can drive round to check his cows. These hedgerows were a good shelter and feeding belt for migrating birds. What gives him the right to remove all this habitat when it's on the flats and not on land that he rents ? 

and he then dumps it all on the flats and sets fire to it, totally covering the site in acrid smoke. Not happy with that, he has taken out all the roadside bushes from Walcot Road and they will, no doubt, be brought down onto the flats to burn. He doesn't do the burning on the land he rents, but on council/Natural England land. Makes my blood boil. 

North Lincolnshire Council are no better......in the middle of this willow there is a bird hide that is impossible to get to as the gate is now covered in overgrown tree. If you could get in there the view from the window would be one of 6 foot reeds. What a total waste of money.... I won't tell you how much the hide cost ! 

Little Stint, Toft Newton Reservoir

 

A lovely, quiet walk around the reservoir. The highlight was this little stint.

A few from last week

 

5 common terns this morning

This sign is very welcome at Owlet Plantation. Been asking for one for years now as the pickers now take literally everything, they pick the forest floor clean and whatever is inedible is usually dumped in the car park when their pickings are sorted. We even see them identifying the fungus on their phones when not too sure.....wouldn't fancy eating their harvest ! 

Shouldn't think this sign will make any difference or deter the pickers but we have to try and now there is a sign I will certainly challenge any pickers I see

A distant green woodpecker giving it big licks on a telegraph post

Seen raven three days running and all at different places

Redshank feeding at the edges

juvenile robin

Stonechat

Yellow Wagtail and a Swallow

the fence line was covered in yellow wagtails but getting near them was a near impossibility

Curlew Sandpipers, RSPB Blacktoft Sands

 

Curlew Sandpipers from Singleton Hide at Blacktoft Sands

Spotted Redshank still out on the mud

and masses of hornets in the corner of the toilet block. Very busy so a quick snap and retreat !