There and Back

Lakenheath Fen reserve comprises a mixture of wetland and woodland south of the Little Ouse in Suffolk. The RSPB has converted an area of arable farmland into a large wetland, consisting mainly of reedbeds and grazing marshes. The new reedbeds have attracted hundreds of pairs of reed warblers and sedge warblers, as well as bearded tits and marsh harriers. Lakenheath forms part of a network of other fenland nature reserves. These include Wicken Fen, Chippenham Fen, Woodwalton Fen and the washlands of the rivers Great Ouse and Nene. Many are now undergoing similar restoration and extension projects. What we wanted to see on our visit was the Bittern - we had heard rumours of many sightings, so were very optimistic. We were not to be disappointed! The journey was about 52 miles and was rather slow at the start as we started during the early morning rush. After a very warm welcome from the staff we embarked on a slow wander around the reserve. It is several years since our last visit and t...

It never fails to amaze me that so much wildlife live so close to us, and yet it is so easy to miss. However, if you go out with looking for wildlife, or photographing as in our case, then you can often be enchanted or amazed by the variety around you. Today was a walk across a local meadow and by the River Brett, with an aim in mind of seeing anything in the way of dragonfly or such. We were not disappointed. The first thing we spotted by the old Mill, was the Wagtail. This grey wagtail is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. The top of the bird you will see is more gray. Our Wagtail flew to a perch on a branch and then down onto the Lily pads on the river surface, where he did some hunting for insects. Once in our intended spot by the river, it was fairly easy to get images of t...

We stayed on the edge of Bridlington for our 4 nights and it was only a short walk to the harbour. So, after a day at Scampston Hall, we decided to visit the harbour in the evening especially as I wanted a photo of the bronze statue I had spotted on the harbour wall. Bridlington is a minor sea fishing port with a working harbour and is well known for its shellfish. It has a mix of small businesses across the manufacturing, retail and service sectors with its prime trade being tourism during the summer months. The origins of the town are uncertain, but archaeological evidence shows habitation in the Bronze Age and in Roman times.  Last ship in for the day?  The bronze sculpture, named The Gansey Girl, has historic and sentimental meaning in that she reflects the fishing history in Bridlington as well as the families in the town. She depicts a young woman sitting on a plinth knitting a gansey, a traditional jumper that contains a rich pattern of symbolism passe...

Looking for something different to visit in our short stay in Yorkshire, we picked a renowned country house and famous Walled Garden- Scampston Hall.  The Hall was built in the late 1600s for William Hustler. The estate was bought in the 1690s by Sir William St Quintin, 3rd Baronet, who was Receiver General for Ireland and Member of Parliament for Hull. The estate and title were inherited in 1723 by his nephew, also William, who was MP for Thirsk. He married Rebecca Thompson, a wealthy heiress, and was thus able to expand the estate and employ Capability Brown to landscape the park. The serpentine park of about 1.7 square kilometres was laid out first by Charles Bridgeman and later by Lancelot "Capability" Brown in 1772. It includes an unusual iconic "Bridge Building," concealing the end of a sheet of water and closing the view. Unfortunately, on our visit this was covered by sheets of tarpaulin and workmen!  In 1959 Scampston passed to the Legard (or Le Gard) famil...