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Lackford Lakes are man made. The Lackford Lakes reserve, renowned for its kingfishers, dragonflies and winter wildfowl, was founded 30 years ago, when local conservationist Bernard Tickner initiated the transformation of what was a quarry into a wildlife habitat. He said: "Lackford Lakes is now enjoyed by many species, rare and common, and the trust has a remarkable chance to create even more first-class habitat to allow even more wildlife to move in." We have visited on a number of occasions, and there is always something to see. Today, an Egret, wades past us looking for breakfast. An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. (Wikipedia) Today`s one had no plumage but I was pleased with the image. On one part of the site, a fallen tree is an excellent place to lay bait for the Nuthatch who usually obliges. I know that some people would class that as

Autumn is noted for its changes to foliage from green to many shades of red, green and yellow, and the fields from golden to brown. Also, of course, the appearance of fungi in their many forms and varieties. 2015 was a good year for `autumn colours` and fungi, so here are a few of the images I captured. Always a sign, and not always a well received one, of the end of summer. Ploughed fields which were just yesterday it seems, covered in gold, now assume a mantel of brown. The road leading in toward Hadleigh had some lovely colours this year. The a close-up of the leaves before they fell. Autumn colours against a blue sky White Saddle Fungi The Miller - Clitopilus prunulus Not sure of the name of this fungi The jelly Ear (Auricularia auricula) Scurfy Deceiver - Laccaria proxima Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) Home      Forward      Back

We were staying in a forest cabin near Nottingham, so a trip to Nottingham and then another to Robin Hood country, was a must! Stanford House, in Nottingham - If you like Georgian architecture and buildings, then you’ll absolutely love Stanford House, (apparently!). Stanford House is a Georgian gem in the heart of Nottingham. Having read lots about it, it was great to see, if only from the outside! Sandstone caves under Nottingham City of Caves is a visitor attraction in Nottingham which consists of a network of caves, carved out of sandstone that have been variously used over the years as a tannery, public house cellars, and as an air raid shelter. The attraction is accessed from the upper level of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre. Few people in Nottingham are aware of this labyrinth, which exists underneath the city streets, and fewer still have visited them. Nottingham has more man-made caves than anywhere else in Britain. People have worked and lived in t

Anglesey Abbey is a great place to visit and is very family orientated as well. A community of Augustinian canons built a priory here, known as Anglesea or Anglesey Priory, some time during the reign of Henry I (i.e., between 1100 and 1135), and acquired extra land from the nearby village of Bottisham in 1279. The canons were expelled in 1535 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The former priory was acquired around 1600 by Thomas Hobson, who converted it to a country house for his son-in-law, Thomas Parker, retaining a few arches from the original priory. At that time the building's name was changed to "Anglesey Abbey", which sounded grander than the original "Anglesey Priory". Further alterations to the building were carried out in 1861. Now it is a beautiful garden to visit, owned by the National Trust, and well worth spending the day here.  Heading toward the winter garden first, we encounter thes beautiful `touchable` trees Yo