karen's country calendar

 After waiting a few weeks for a free day and suitable weather, on Monday, we made the 3 1/2 hour  trip to Yorkshire  arriving at Bempton Cliffs at 9.30 where there was plenty of parking space  due to there not being any species of special interest about such as the albatross or red shrike!  The weather was cloudy with a very cold northerly wind so we were glad we had brought coats and needed hoods up too!  The forecast was for sunny skies later though.  All the usual seabirds were nesting on the cliffs including puffins, guillemots and razorbills and you could soon smell and see the gannet colonies!  Lots of flying to and from the nests though no chicks were seen that day.  We were told by a keen photogapher that the northerly wind was ideal for the birds to give them a extra uplift (and I guess to provide better photo opportunities as they often hung in the air on the wind gusts before landing)  No butterflies in evidence due to the we...

 When my sister comes up to stay we usually spend a day out birding together looking for birds she doesnt see in her area and adding to my list as I dont get out birding much on my own.  Yesterday was no exception and we decided to do a round trip of three reserves with different habitats starting with Eldernell by the Nene Washes where our aim was to see some owls.  There were a few other birders there also looking and once we had identified the area for the tawny sighting, my sister managed to spot it sitting in it usual hole deep in the woods.  We heard that the long eared owl normally seen there, was not in its usual place in the hedge so I wondered along looking to see if it was anywhere else. Suddenly my sister called out, "there's an owl" as something shot out from near me and flew across a field to a distant bramble bush.  We trained our binoculars on the brambles and could just make out the head of a short eared owl.  Another tick.  Sadly we d...

  Pencil and paper at the ready, binoculars and camera to hand, I sat down in the Conservatory ready to start my Big Garden Birdwatch for 2023.  My eyes went immediately to the feeders where I expected to see most of the activity ..... Nothing!     I scanned the tall trees and noted 3 woodpigeons,  which over the hour increased to 5 and with the addition of a magpie and collared dove.  Back to the feeders and  a great tit made a dive for the peanuts then back to the nearby bush where it proceeded to enjoy its breakfast.   Movement at the base of the feeder showed me a female blackbird busy pecking the titbits that had fallen from above,    Two male blackbirds then joined with one keen to chase the female round the garden till she flew off.  A pair of greenfinches flew in to a nearby bush from where they hopped onto the feeders and stayed for a while gorging on the sunflowers. A single goldfinch joined them and a ...

 Having been unable to visit Woodwalton Fen last year due to a broken ankle, I decided to try this year in search of the Purple Emperor butterflies so I duly set off yesterday morning early. I got to the turning down to the centre but signs all indicated that the road was shut and a diversion was in place so I duly followed the diversion which was about 10 miles  However I was frustrated to find it was also shut that direction so decided I had better return home but as Monks Wood wasnt far I stopped off there on the way.  I was pleased I did as I had a very obliging silver washed fritillary and a sighting of a White Admiral, my first for the year.  I also met a photographer with whom I discussed my morning frustration and he told me I should have ignored the first signs as the road was only shut after the the centre!  I should have zoomed in on the googlemaps before I came which would have shown me.   I decided to have another attempt today although th...