Go for nature walks at weekends

Went over to Whisby for the day. Saw plenty of evidence of spring – blossom, catkins, great created grebes displaying, spring flowers… and much more.

Heard and then saw a bullfinch. Strange how this is quite exciting these days – in my childhood they were a real pest in our orchard.

Indeed, the littlest one was utterly fascinated by the large amount of rabbit poo. He has requested that I post this picture of a Parrot Waxcap (Hygrocybe psittacina var. perplexa) struggling to grow up underneath a lagomorph dottle.

Nature is harsh sometimes…

Revisited Kirkby Moor today. All a bit soggy and gloomy, but a good outing despite that. Didn’t see many birds, but plenty of rabbits (and their droppings, which fascinated friend’s 4 yr old!). Took loads of photos – trying out my new macro facilities (as seen in the lichens here!).

It’s not the weekend, but is half term so I took the opportunity to take the children, my mum and aunt to Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve.

Rather a bleak cloudy day – nothing new there; Skegness is usually rather bracing. Unfortunately the tide was out so the birds were a bit distant for accurate identification, even with the help of binoculars. Curlews and oystercatchers were distinctive enough, though. I even managed to take a non-blurred pic of a gull!

I am pleased to think that I caused amusement by wrongly identifying an Oyster Catcher as a Cerlew… I’m sure that at least three members of the party pee’d themselves laughing. Well, I know I’m a complete dunce when it comes to birds, but I am learning.

I did have an excellent time grovelling about for fungi and we found some beauties. I particularly like fungi because they don’t run away when you stalk them…

Went to this reserve on the western side of Lincoln today for a warden led walk. Great location – plenty of variety of habitats. Saw several different waterbirds – including cormorants, oystercatchers, goldeneyes, tufted ducks, pochard, shoveler… and more. Not many fungi, but did find a few (see pic).

This is proof that it is worth going out even if the weather does not look promising. Nutmeg’s idea was a good one, and I thoroughly enjoyed the day out.

Highlights for me were spotting so many different types of duck, Little Grebes, and seeing a Treecreeper shuffling up tree trunks looking for food.

We took our wellies, and that was a good thing as the paths in places were flooded.

I discovered that I can’t take photographs through my binoculars, and that I can rustle together a mean picnic at short notice :-)

The weather this morning was wet and miserable so decided to go somewhere with shelter – and headed to Kirkby Gravel Pit, a Lincs Wildlife Trust reserve. On arrival the skies cleared, giving us a bright sunny afternoon.

Sat in the hide, looked at water birds and ate a rather good picnic.

Moved on to Kirkby Moor, walked for a while and tried out the hide there too (see pic).

This afternoon we headed into the Lincolnshire Wolds for a bit of geology. First stop was Red Hill, near Goulceby – famous for an exposure of red chalk.

Also went to an outcrop of green sandstone near Somersby.

Not exactly a nature walk, but took part in the RSPBBig Garden Birdwatch for an hour this morning.