NORWICH 3RD MARCH 2020

IMAGES OF NORWICH

Statue of Sir Thomas Browne in Norwich

The Inscription below the statue - it reads: Sir Thomas Browne Physician & Philosopher born 19th October 1605 died 19th October 1682 many years resident near this spot. Buried in the church of St. Peter Mancroft Erected 19th October 1905

The plaque on the wall of Pret a Manger which sits on the site of Thomas Browne's house immediately opposite the location of the statue.

Sir Thomas Browne's House

Back to Spain - April 2019

Fig Tree in the Spanish Garden 5th April 2019

The fig tree looked dead over the winter but has sprung back to life. 

Sparrow in the hedge

There are hundreds of sparrows going back and forth in the garden every day. The trees are full of nests of sparrows and other birds such as Greenfinch and Yellowhammer. Occasionally pairs of Bonelli's Eagles fly overhead.

Yellowhammer in an Olive Tree

Collared Dove in an Almond Tree

Strumpshaw Fen and Newton Flotman

Crow

Marsh Harrier

smockmill common 2

Newton Flotman

 Bridge on the River Tas

Smockmill Common

The River Tas flowing through Stockmill Common

Back to Spain June 2018

On Sunday morning I drove from Buckshaw Village to Portsmouth - boarded the vessel Cap Finistere on Sunday night and arrived at Bilbao on Tuesday morning. I drove down the length of Spain, passsing Madrid and arrived at the house late on Tuesday evening. The image shows the equipment being unloaded from my truck at my Spanish property the next day.

 

November 2nd 2017 Mojacar by the Med

A day at RSPB Leighton Moss

I spent the day at Leighton Moss and took a few photographs using my new Sony Alpha 58 camera with my 150 to 500 mm zoom lens. On leaving the visitor centre you walk through a "picnic" area that has a number of bird feeders.
The male Chaffinch on the left was at one of these feeders.

The Robin on the right was on a nearby branch. I walked on to Lilian's Hide and took this image of a Bar Tailed Godwit.

I spotted a male Teal on the far side of the water and there were plenty of Black headed Gulls everywhere.

I moved on to Grisedale Hide and imaged a Lapwing - there was at least one more. A pair of Greylag Geese flew by.

 

In the far distance what I think is a Marsh Harrier flew by.

Still at the Grisedale Hide a pair of Gadwall were imaged. The female is on the left with the yellow beak and more pronounced mottling whereas the male Gadwall on the right has a black beak and less prononced mottling.

The Tim Jackson hide was pretty quiet - a[art from the noisy Black Headed Gulls.

On the way back from the Tim Jackson hide there was some male Blackcap activity

 

and a Robin was watching all of this from his vantage point.

I think this could be a Reed Warbler - pointed tail and long pointed beak - but I am not sure.

A Black Headed Gull was perched in front of the Public Hide

 A Pochard on the runway from the public hide  - going

 going

gone!

Its a hard life! Male Gadwall from the Public Hide.

Time to wake up for a few exercises

Several Tufted Ducks were in front of the Public Hide.

A few Mute Swans were in the lake at the Public Hide

A Male Gadwall close up in front of the Public Hide

A Greylag Goose was cruising by in the distance.

A nesting Coot at the Public Hide

Black Backed Gull at the Public Hide

Pochard at the Lower Hide

Marsh Harrier at the Lower Hide

Birds tweeting

The owls were well hidden at the top of a tall tree.

 

 

Martin Mere 40 Years

My first car

Evening Star- Not Venus in the western sky!

After Mallard in the previous blog, now on to the "Evening Star", the last steam engine to be built in the UK for mainline use.

The Evening Star in action!

The National Railway Museum

I spent yesterday at the National Railway Museum in York - no astronomy involved. I wil post all of the images on Flickr eventually. This is my favourite locomotive below. It frequently pulled my train on the way back from school in Sunderland - back to Hartlepool - that is me taking control in the driver's seat!

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This is Mallard in action. 

More Mallard

This is actually how Mallard looked when I knew it on my school journeys. British Rail green number 60022.

Drake's Progress Video:

A Walk around York Saturday 7th March 2015