We have just got back from our hols – our annual trip to the Lake District in England
. It was great, as usual - even the weather, some days it was even hot! Only one day it was bad, it was when we went to Haweswater, hopefully spot the Golden Eagle but it was low cloud over the mountains and a constant drizzle and we didn’t get to see much at all let alone the eagle. Other than that it was lovely and we got to see and do what walking was planned. The Ospreys at Bassenthwaite and Marsh Harriers at Leighton Moss were a real pleasure to see. We also went to the nature reserves at North and South Walney and saw the seals coming in with the tide – I was hoping and hoping they would come ashore but they didn’t – but my photos were better than last year as the blobs were bigger and I can actually make out what they are.
I am afraid we saw grey squirrels in Cumbria where other years it was only Reds, we saw them at Arnside Knott in the South of the County then again at Esthwaite Water and the east side of Coniston Water. The only place we saw Reds was at Dodd Wood. (Note for non Brits - Grey squirrels were introduced to Britain from America in the last century and have caused havoc amongst the British native reds. Grey’s have been spreading north and Cumbria was one of the reds last strong holds in mainland England. Grey’s are larger and more aggressive the biggest problem is the virus they carry, it doesn’t affect them but reds contract the “pox” from them - particularly nasty and kills them.
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We went to the South Lakes wildlife park – I really love it there, all conservation work especially with the Sumatran tigers, great enclosures with various animals in, apart from the big cats, and walk ways and observation points above the animals. Some inclosures are huge and people are let into them where emus and other birds, walibies and lemurs roam free and visitors stick to the paths. There was a young rhino born the month before which was so cute. We were in a big enclosure with parrots and vultures and other birds looking down on them from a walk way when all of a sudden it went crazy and visitors had to duck when they took flight in panic and start screeching alarm calls. I wondered what had spooked them so badly –it was my husband
! His straw hat had blown off in a gust of wind and landed in the enclosure. We told a keeper what had happened – she was great about it thankfully and went to rescue the hat from a vulture with a broom, who seemed to think it was tastier than the meat it had been eating! The hat now has a used sort of distinguished look
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We had a really nice time, now though it’s back to normal and to sort through all the piccies!