Back from England

[goosey]

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. )
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 .
We had a really nice time, now though it’s back to normal and to sort through all the piccies!

[ericrovve]

Thanks for that report, Goosey, really enjoyed it. Especially as I'm just planning mine in the Autumn - North Norfolk and Suffolk. Glad the weather held out for you.

[paul m]

Only one day of rain - you certainly got off lightly! The eagle next year, hopefully. Yes, shame about the squirrels .....

Welcome back - I doubt that you'll hear much from me for a few weeks, unless I find an internet cafe up in the Iberian mountains!

Originally Posted by goosey

........ . 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.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by ericrovve

Thanks for that report, Goosey, really enjoyed it. Especially as I'm just planning mine in the Autumn - North Norfolk and Suffolk. Glad the weather held out for you.

Thanks Eric, I have never been to Norfolk or Suffolk, I imagine with regards to the landsape though its much the same as this areas of coastal North Holland. Any way - happy planning!

Originally Posted by paul m

Only one day of rain - you certainly got off lightly! The eagle next year, hopefully. Yes, shame about the squirrels .....

The weather was good and we got off very lightly compared to some years. The warmth an sunshine made such a difference - especially to my face, all my freckles have joined up and it looks like I have a dirty face . I hadn't bothered taking a sun block, never needed it before .

Originally Posted by paul m

Welcome back - I doubt that you'll hear much from me for a few weeks, unless I find an internet cafe up in the Iberian mountains!

"Iberian mountains" I see you have changed your mind again . Any way have a safe trip and a great holiday, don't forget to take your camera so we can share your time there .

[frostfire]

Sounds like you had a good time! I see that you saw two things of your photograph wish list for this year; the seals and the ospreys. You mention that you got better pictures of the seals than last year, but you not if you had any luck with the ospreys... So did you? If not you could always have a shot at finding and getting a picture of the pair of breeding ospreys at the Oostvaarderplassen, which has been there for the last couple of years, as they are a bit closer to home for you than the pair in the Lake District!
Sounds like the grey squirrel is another species for this list...
Anyhow good to have you back!

~*~Frostfire~*~

[goosey]

I did manage some pictures this year, of the female osprey on the edge of the nest but even so not very good, certainly not good enough to put in the gallery. Also one of the male sat on a stick in the Lake. The views with binoculas were super, so if I had had a half decent camera I would have had something worthy to show. With a bit of luck next year the pair will return to this same nest, I will go to England on holiday again and I might have a better camera .

I don't know the area of Oostvaarderplassen at all I am afraid to say. I suppose the ospreys will be soon returning to Africa now, but it is something to bare in mind for next year.

[black]

Glad to see you had a great time, you seemed to have packed in a lot of varied reserves. I've been meaning to visit Arnside Knott for a while, I hear they have a nice population of High Brown Fritillary's that should be on the wing in July / Aug. I was in the Lakes at the weekend, visiting Haybridge where we had Honey Buzzards and an Osprey carrying a huge fish - probably caught at the local fishery ponds. Then I had a very wet day at Bassenthwaite on the other side of the lake to the RSPB centre, the adult Ospreys seem to have departed but the three youngsters were loafing around preening on some dead tree stumps in the water and an old dead tree. We saw one have an unsucessful attempt at fishing.

[goosey]

Yep we certainly packed a lot in!
We were at Arnside Knott on a very hot day and I expected to see the fritillaries in abundance - as it was, I only saw two, and my pictures aren't really good enough to ID which type. There were lots of other butterflies around though. I really enjoyed it up there, it was our first visit and the views across Morecambe Bay were fantastic. We could see Piel Castle, on Piel Island off the Furness Peninsula, Ingleborough and the Yorkshire Dales plus the Pennines.

I have never been to Haybridge or seen honey buzzards - do you have any pictures?

[black]

Haybridge is a private reserve just outside Newby Bridge, a kind of extension to the Grizedale Forest. Well worth a visit when you're next in the area, great variety of birds, insects + reptiles. No photos of the Honey Buzzards I'm afraid, they were scope jobs as was the Osprey.