Natural highs and lows

Today, we were supposed to have a family get together at a country park. Elder daughter, Sally, was driving down from Lincolnshire, younger daughter Ruth (plus her son Louis) would be heading north from Bedfordshire, and Megan and I would saunter across from Rutlandshire to all meet up in the Soke of Peterborough. Just as we were about to leave our accommodation, Ruth phoned to say that she couldn't start her car, so we revised the plan and all met up at her house. I behaved dadly and attempted to diagnose the problem, which appeared to be either a faulty starter motor or a dead battery. We all wandered through the narrow streets of Potton to a cafe for lunch, then on the way back I purchased a set of jump leads. With these, we were able to start Ruth's car and prove it had been a flat battery all along. Grandson kept us all entertained with his energy, songs, toys and games. We will attempt the country park again tomorrow.

Despite not having to rise early to give Mocha the cat her medicines and breakfast, I did manage to be up and about just after dawn this morning. Today we met up with good friend Alan (who visited us earlier in the Summer), at Stanwick Lakes Nature Reserve, near Raunds.  Although it was a warm day, the odes were few, but we found plenty else of interest. More birds were added to the holiday list, flowers were identified, the many patterns of Harlequin Ladybirds were photographed and we spotted three Otters, probably a mum and two cubs. There were several visits to the cafe, as is only right and proper. Alas, I am too tired to wrangle with video footage of the Otters, but here are a few views of the Reserve. The other highlight of the day was standing within three metres of the UK's loudest songbird, the Cetti's Warbler, as it belted out its "song". They sing from deep cover, so although we occasionally saw a bit of veget...

After our day's travelling yesterday, we did not rise early this morning, so I missed the opportunity for a sunrise photo. However, here I am, a shadow of my former self, taking the morning air before we spent the day at the Anglian Water Birding Centre at Rutland Water. Whilst the day's main focus was the avian interest, inevitably there was much else to sample: flowers, fungi, trees, insects and sausage rolls. We managed to see a lifer, a Pectoral Sandpiper, and spotted four species of odes: Common Darter, Migrant Hawker, Willow Emerald Damselfly and Southern Hawker. Too many photos to go through, but here's a brief taster: Spindle tree, Hornet and a 7-spot Ladybird. Apologies, I have not figured out comments and replies yet. I must give a special mention to the Chicken and Ham Pie at the Coach House Inn at South Luffenham. Pastry and filling were superb.

It is after 9pm, we're ensconced in a little wooden lodge near Rutland Water, having left Stromness aboard the mv Hamnavoe shortly before 6.30am. Thankfully, the crossing to Scrabster on the Scottish mainland was smooth. The drive to Inverness Airport was a little more stressful, owing to roadworks on the A9 (convoy system in operation) and an unexpected 40 minute detour when an accident closed the Cromarty Firth bridge. There were some lovely Autumn colours, lit by a low sun, and we managed to catch our flight to Birmingham. Then there was the small matter of negotiating the motorway system of the English Midlands, before finally arriving at our abode for the next week, just as the sun was setting. Following a much-needed shower and then a pub meal, I have just enough energy left for a quick blogpost. We shall sleep soundly and perhaps be a little more communicative tomorrow.

Today is the last morning of work before our holiday. This afternoon is pencilled in as "packing".  I was up early so that I could drive to Kirkwall for 9am to collect keys for various offices. So here's another dawn photo. As it was, despite driving slowly to take in the sights of bays full of geese and fields full of Curlew, I was seven minutes early, so I took a wander around the harbour, pretending to be a tourist. The basin is where the Kirkwall lifeboat and one of the Harbour Authority's pilot boats are berthed. At the end of the pier was Pharos , one of the Northern Lighthouse Board's tenders. The house Megan and I live in once belonged to an engineer of the NLB, but I think he served on the sister ship Pole Star . For me, who grew up beside a railway line, the word 'tender' conjures up a picture of the small coal bunker on wheels which trundled along behind a steam locomotive. This ship is a different order of magnitude entirely! Back home once mor...

You just know that I'm going to start with the weather, right?  It's much the same as yesterday, sunny periods interspersed with deluges of rain and hail. Except that it's vertical, not horizontal. Weird as heck around these parts. Here's Mocha just before she was lulled into a false sense of security by the warm sunshine and ventured outdoors. She thinks she's a lap(top) cat. But currently she is not allowed anywhere near electronic devices as she is a very drookit and damp pussy. She resisted any suggestion of a vigorous towelling down, but did deign to pause on the doormat upon her return home so that I could pretend to stroke her whilst wielding some kitchen roll. Jeez, cats and their pride. And I have put the heating on for her. Packing has begun for our short break to visit family, and I realised that I had been putting off a sewing task for a goodly while. A pair of trousers required some darning, but I had never quite got around to it. Well, today was the da...