Walk – Page 25 – Neil Baldwin's blog : Warning contains walking, technology, photography, holidays.

Wells back to BOS

After a fry up for breakfast, as if we had not eaten enough the night before, we took one of the cars to Wells, and parked in the car park out at the end of the sea wall, next to Pinewood holiday park. The weather was windy but when the sun broke though the clouds it was pleasant enough. In Nik and Helens honour we started a new bird list, of course Helen and I already had got our bird eyes in from the day before!. We planned to stop at Holkham for coffee but the general consensus was that we had eaten enough already so we continued on to BOS. We stopped off at the two hides, (Washington and Jordan), nothing out of the ordinary to report, but a bloke reckoned he could hear a Marsh Warbler in a bush but we could not see it.

After a sandwich back at the hut we headed out again to Titchwell RSPB. When we arrived Nik decided to buy Helen a pair of binoculars, that is something that does not happen everyday. We walked out to the sea, and back. All the usual suspects were present, but not in big quantities. I can’t help thinking that it has something to do with the changes that are going on there see http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/t/titchwellmarsh/coastalchange/index.asp for details. They are going to let the sea flood over the sea defences and they have built a new sea wall further back, right where one of the hides was. They are going to replace the hide and the position looks really good it is on the top of the new sea wall and so is in a raised position with views over both pools.

We finished off the day with a list of 51 birds. Nik cooked his tasty microwave risotto with the asparagus they had bought with them.

Burnham Overy Staithe

Helen and I have a weeks holiday and we are going to stay at Burnham Overy Staithe, in North Norfolk. The cottage we are renting is http://www.flagstaff-holidays.co.uk/ the cottage was once the house where the Master of the Cutty Sark once lived, and within the cottage there are quite a few references to that fact. The accommodation was clean, and up to the usual standard of holiday rentals. They promised Wifi but I could not get a signal.

We arrived early because the lady who runs the place told us we could because the property was empty the week before, that meant we could get out for a walk before Nik and Helen joined us for a couple of nights. We had a suspicion they may be arriving later. We walked out to the East from the cottage along the sea wall to the very tip of Holkham beach one of my favourite beaches. The weather was sunny/bright but the wind was cold. We quickly added quite a few sea/wader birds to our holiday list as you would expect. By the time we go back we were up to 52.

Helen and Nik arrive at 6:30 and we headed down the pub called The Hero for a few pints of Wherry beer, and some great food. They had veggie choices which is quite rare, amongst the options were Baked Butternut, Butternut squash strudel, both looked really good.

Out & about before the dandelions opened

An early start on Sunday & off to Dorchester on Thames for a potter. Pondered the wisdom of our decision as the heavens opened en route, however the skies cleared and the sun shone, in parts anyway. Got there so early the dandelions had’nt opened. Route started and ended by a homemade jam stall which is always a good sign. Saw lots of birds, including a willow warbler, linnet & female blackcap. Orange tip butterflies were drawn out by the sun and the skylarks were singing. Lots of archaeology passed on the way so everyone was happy. Ended with a pint of Youngs at one of the several hostelries Dorchester has to offer.

Cheese and onion Sandwich Tern

The weather looked good so Helen and I decided to catch up on some birding. We parked up at Wilstone reservoir car park and headed off toward the church to the north east. On the way we saw a couple of year firsts, Pied Wagtail and yellow wagtail (did I mention we had some birding catching up to do).

The sun was out but it was bitterly cold around the reservoir where there was nothing to stop the wind but once you were sheltered a bit it was pleasant. When we got to Tringford reservoir we headed to the hide/shelter, and on the way heard a very vocal bird but had trouble seeing it. We (well more I) had a few theories about what it was, after five minutes we got a quick look, it was a Blackcap but because it was so close it sounded like something bigger.

We then headed off toward Marsworth reservoir, and lo and behold what did we spy? A Sandwich Tern, I had noticed that one had been reported at Wilstone earlier, so when I noticed the bird in the distance I did have an inclination that it could be, but first had to satisfy myself that it was not just another Black-headed gull. Decide it was worth reporting to RBA not something that I have done very ofthen as it is usually me responding to the alerts not sending them out. Anyway we headed off to Bluebells Cafe for a bite to eat. I ordered a cheese and onion toasty (and thought a piece of cake might be in order later) and Helen order beans on toast and some chips. Turns out the cake would not be needed as there were enough chips for three.

We then headed off back toward Marsworth reservoir and it was obvious that the Tern report had got though there were quite a few Birders about, one of them said that there was a Sandwich Tern about, I was happy to reply that I had called it in. The bloke said thanks for calling it in and that the Bucks birders would be happy because the edge of the reservoir was in Bucks, and usually the Terns congregate over Wilstone. We headed off back towards Wilstone, and passed LGRE the local Birding celebrity, he nodded as he passed not sure if he recognises me but whenever I have come across him he has always seemed friendly enough.

We took the longer route back and I got some pictures of colts foot which we found a big patch of near the end of the canal. We headed up over the hill and got a view of Wilstone neither of us had seen before, it was about the bridge over the empty Wendover arm. We popped into the hide at Wilstone and got great views of a Wren just outside the hut windows, but there was not much else about as the water levels were really high even the island were not showing.

We then fished off the walk we were both a bit tired over 6 miles done.

Later reported by LGRE on his Herts blog http://hertfordshirebirding.blogspot.com/2010/04/saturday-3-sandwich-tern-spends-day-at.html

A walk from Berkhamsted

Met up with Ange, after picking up Helens folks. We set off up to the left hand side of the castle up the fill and past the gated community at the top. Great view on you left as you go up the hill, at the top we cam across a couple of Munkjak deer. We then headed over towards the common on the edge of Ashridge estate. It was a bit muddy out and about. We saw the usual birds, lots of Bumble bees, and even a few Butterflies.

View Walk Berkhamsted in a larger map

Walk round Little Hampden

View Walk round Little Hampden in a larger map
Helen and I went for a walk round little Hampden on Sunday, starting at the car park at Whiteleaf, and I used a new Blackberry App calls GPSLogger to record the walk. It was not too warm to start with and warmed up as the time went on. After 2 hours of walkig we had both had enough, stopped off at Tesco in Princes Risboro on the way back to get a couple of naan bred to do with Daal and Potato and Spinach curry.
Saw lots of birds they seemed to be out eating the buds of trees, particularly the Larches. Saw a ChiffChaff in an Oak tree on the edge of Hamden House.

The fence

After having done some chores this morning, because R&L, A&M, Ange are coming rouind for a curry tonight, we headed off to Wendover for a walk to Coombe Hill.
On the way there we popped into our painter’s to have a look at his PC. He had managed to get some fake antivirus software installed which he could not get rid of. We sorted it and were soon on our way.

We parked in the public car park and headed off up past the railway station. The weather was sunny but there was a cold wind. I think we were on the cold side of the hill too, as there were not many signs of spring about, as there is else where round and about. There are fragments of an old fence up round the Coombe Hill area which I wonder maybe belonged to Chequers in a era gone by. See the photo’s

attached to the post. The fences are serious structures, the posts are cast iron and the fence part is quite fine (you would not be able to climb them), and very pointy on top (even more reason not to try and climb them).

Any way we did a loop round and ended up coming down the “usual” route up Coombe Hill with the view. When we got back to Wendover we went into Rumseys for a coffee and some lunch, I had Chocolate truffle cake and Helen had carrot and orange, very health concious we are.

The canal is overflowing

On the way to and from work this morning it looked like the canal was going to over flow. Not sure if it was caused by the recent rain/snow or a lock open up stream. The water was flowing fast through a closed lock, it was only a bout 1 or 2 inches from over flowing, and generally the canal was clear rather than the usual murkiness.

Up Norf weekend

Long weekend up to lovely Yorkshire. Bright sunny day all the way up and the M1 was kind. Got there in plenty of time for N to potter of to the school play whilst I babysat. An eventful afternoon involving one small child launching herself down the stairs (swiftly distracted courtesy of “Room on the Broom”) and a cat fight in the garden. On Friday we refused to let a very misty morn disuage us and matched off around a local reservoir (not that we could see said reservoir). Home made curry for tea & then on Saturday off for a brighter but muddy walk around another reservoir. Home made pizza and tiramisu for tea (decadence on a stick & no mistake) and a round of the really nasty Golf Game. I have not made that name up. Early start & back home via the delights of Costco. Birds: canada geese, blackbird, pheasant, tits, redwing, kestrel, greylag, woodpigeon, mute swan, magpie, buzzard, robin, starling, missel thush, pied wagtail, gold finch, jay, mallard, chaffinch, coot, little grebe, common gull, black headed gull, red kite (must be back in Bucks!)

Walk from the Alford Arms

Out with C&A table booked for 1pm. Tit flock in the garden , with a couple of Redwimg in the apple trees, then Helen spotted a Snipe flying over head. Seems Snipe were the order of the day as we saw another later on.

Then it is the return leg through Asheridge golf club and back to the Alford Arms for a lovely lunch. I had roast garlic and bread starter, followed by a grilled mullet boulliabaise (not sure about the spelling), all washed down with a pint of Flowers.

After the meal during which Helen had a glass (or was it two) of the local Frithsden white wine. So we walked back up the hill to have a look at the the vineyard and buy a couple of bottles.