Natural highs and lows

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...

Today has felt like Autumn. Heavy showers of rain and hail have scudded across the county, driven on by a brisk westerly wind. The showers were book-ended by rainbows, whilst sunny periods tried to tempt us outdoors, but I didn't fall for that. Well, not after the first three times anyway 🙄. My morning was spent with work and volunteer tasks: sorting out a TV and a satellite box after too many random button presses; delivering a 4G antenna to another company so that they could install it at a new airfield terminal building; and posting four copies of the latest Orkney Field Club journal to new members of the club. After lunch, I set my mind to preparations for an upcoming installation of a microwave link: checking through the equipment; working out what was needed and not needed; and most importantly, whether I could fit a 10 foot pole inside the car rather than attaching roof bars. Thankfully, I could. Then it was time for a bit more Autumn appreciation before it is g...