The Midday Dash: Rain, Rooks, and Rebels

   With the air at 19°C but feeling a breezier 21°C, I set out under a bright sun, firmly clutching a defensive umbrella against the morning’s lingering showers. The pavement to the recreation ground was alive with bees raiding the purple Hebe shrubs. Nearby, six corvids held the grass, while a vibrant clump of comfrey burst forth in a sea of purple blooms. Near the cemetery road, a massive white Campion plant begged for a photograph, right before two goldfinches and a dunnock rocketed out of a nettle patch into the safety of the brambles.

   Inside the cemetery grounds, a pair of magpies were having a proper, wing-flapping row in the distance, settling their differences with large beaks. On the lawns, a massive gathering of rooks and jackdaws were busy feeding. From a row of pines, a glorious chorus echoed; my new phone app flagged it as a blackbird, though a song thrush and a background rook were clearly trying to steal the credits. At the top field, rooks and wood pigeons dined in numbers, but they spotted me and scattered the moment my camera came out.

   The homeward stretch delivered the visual prizes: brilliant wild red poppies framed against a crisp blue sky, a tiny oasis of colourful wild flowers along the main road, and a lone feral pigeon keeping watch from the leisure centre roof. Evening primroses had exploded into yellow blooms almost overnight, but the real showstopper was a massive New Zealand Flax plant in a private garden, flaunting impressive, newly erupted spiky floral shoots.

Walk Summary
Route: 2.45 miles
Time: 53 minutes
Fitness: 21 Google Fit Heart Points

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.

Narrative
    The elements threw a bit of everything at Sheringham today, with short, sharp showers trading places with the sunshine, all wrapped up in a brisk wind that shaved a couple of degrees off the actual temperature. Braving the concrete jungle of the town centre with an umbrella at the ready, the walk turned into a masterclass in pavement etiquette as crowds expertly balanced jostling with polite concessions.
    The local wildlife was out in full force: a calm wood pigeon made a brief pavement cameo before ducking into a garden, while the sky belonged to soaring gulls, feral pigeons, and corvids. The canine contingent was equally well-represented by a pair of Pekingese, a Spaniel, a handful of Cockapoos, and a very fortunate chocolate Labrador scoring biscuit handouts in the car park. Nature managed to reclaim a bit of territory too, with bright seaside daisies and campanula escaping their garden bounds into the roadside grass, all topped off with the flawless acoustics of a male blackbird singing his heart out at the finish line.

Location: Sheringham, England
Actual Temperature: 13°C to 18°C
Feels Like Temperature: 11°C to 15°C
Wind Speed: 12 to 18 mph
Weather Conditions: Short, sharp showers and sunshine
Distance Covered: 1.57 miles
Duration: 33 minutes
Google Fit Heart Points: 21
Flora Spotted: Seaside daisies, campanula
Fauna Spotted: Wood pigeon, feral pigeons, gulls, corvids, blackbird, Pekingese-type dogs, Spaniel, Cockapoo-type dogs, Labrador.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved

The Narrative
    A damp start didn’t stop the local wildlife from making an appearance today. No sooner had the boots hit the pavement than the heavens opened, prompting an immediate umbrella deployment against a chilly 19 mph headwind. The heavy downpour turned the recreation ground into a bustling buffet for twenty hungry corvids, while a lone blackbird claimed the high ground on a nearby rooftop. I took the cemetery road, serenaded by the local rooks, but decided to skip the usual lap around the graveyard to dodge the worst of the weather. Even in the grey rain, the wild poppies and mallow looked brilliantly vibrant. A trio of pigeons keeping watch from the leisure centre roof marked the final stretch of a shortened, but thoroughly refreshing, rainy-day trek.

The Stats
Distance: 2.44 miles
Duration: 56 minutes
Temperature: 17°C (Felt like 15°C)
Wind Speed: 12 – 19 mph (S/SW)
Google Fit Heart Points: 19
Key Wildlife Spotted: 1 Blackbird, 3 Feral Pigeons, ~30 Corvids (including Rooks)

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.

   The air carried a crisp coastal breeze, making the 17°C afternoon feel a touch cooler as I set off. Outside the house, painted lady butterflies and busy bees were making the most of the bright sunshine, feasting on the purple hebe. The local white Maremma sheepdog gave me its usual loud window greeting as I passed, and a tactical squad of six corvids was busy scouring the town football pitch.
   Moving into the recreation ground, the corners were bursting with colour—field mallow and ox-eye daisies soaking up the sun alongside the fading poppy leaves.

    Entering the cemetery, I kicked off a chain reaction of local wildlife drama. First, a pair of wood pigeons panicked, then a lone blackbird hopped for cover. Moments later, something spooked the entire rookery, sending a massive, raucous cloud of rooks and jackdaws swirling into the sky. At the top field, a flock of twenty more birds exploded into the air en masse, the rooks neatly lining up on the nearby telegraph wires like notes on sheet music while a few stubborn jackdaws refused to give up their lunchtime grass spot. Heading back past the leisure centre, four feral pigeons kept watch from the rooftop, and a lone sparrow dashed full-throttle for the cricket pavilion.

Clean Stats
Distance: 2.1 miles
Duration: 47 minutes
Actual Temperature: 16°C – 18°C
Apparent Temperature: 15°C – 17°C
Google Fit: 26 Heart Points
Key Sightings: Painted lady butterflies, bees, Maremma sheepdog, rooks, jackdaws, wood pigeons, blackbird, feral pigeons, a sparrow, field mallow, and ox-eye daisies.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.

A Walk Amongst the Woods and Wildlife at Felbrigg Hall

    A bright sun broke through after recent heavy rain as we visited Felbrigg Hall today. While Margaret headed for the Butler’s Pantry, I set out on my daily walk through the grounds and woodland pathways. The south-westerly wind kept things fresh, making the 16°C air feel closer to 14°C, but the shelter of the tall trees provided a welcome respite.

    The estate was teeming with life. In the nearby fields, a herd of brown cattle gorged on rich green grass while a lively flock of ewes and lambs grazed freely beside them. It was wonderful to see so many dog owners out, all respectfully keeping their companions on leads—from a pair of impressive Airedale Terriers and two small pugs to various spaniels, a retriever, and plenty of popular mixed breeds.

   Deep in the woods, jackdaws pecked at the pathways, blackbirds rustled through the leaf litter, and a lone crow sought cover in the canopy above. At a quiet crossroads, I paused to photograph an intriguing historical notice detailing ‘The Victory V’—a fascinating beech plantation designed to guide WWII aircrews safely home. Before heading back to join Margaret for a well-earned coffee, I caught the beautiful, mysterious song of a hidden thrush or blackbird, and captured some vibrant photos of foxgloves, poppies, and purple rhododendrons in a small garden.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 3.84 miles

Duration: 1 hour, 27 minutes

Google Fit: 24 heart points

Temperature: 16°C–17°C (Feels like 14°C)

Wind: South-westerly, 9–13 mph.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.

   With the air at 14°C to 17°C, fresh southwesterly winds and thundery showers meant it was firmly hat, gloves, and umbrella weather. My daily trek began at the town football ground, where ten corvids were busy feeding on the grass. Around the corner at the recreation ground, a cricket match was in full swing, yet a solitary, stoic rook still claimed the far end of the cemetery road. Nearby, the local Pitbull Terrier gave me his usual impassive stare from behind his garden fence.
   Inside the cemetery, I paused to photograph a stunning carpet of bird’s-foot trefoil mingled with red sheep’s sorrel.

   Ground patrol was active: a pair of blackbirds combed the path borders, corvids pecked at the turf, and a pair of wood pigeons clattered upward in alarm to settle on a nearby ledge.
   Leaving the cemetery, I passed the new public area by the care home—now a picturesque blanket of wild flowers well worth a photograph. After spotting a trio of feral pigeons ruling the leisure centre rooftop, I finished my loop, passing a man out walking a couple of cross-bred Pekingese-type dogs.
The Stats
Distance: 2.1 miles
Duration: 47 minutes
Fitness: 22 Google Fit Heart Points.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.

The Narrative
The air bit a little cooler than the 16°C to 19°C reading suggested, courtesy of a damp southerly breeze. Post-cloudburst, the golf course field was a bustling buffet for the locals. A pair of gulls patrolled overhead, two opportunistic crows pecked at the freshly unearthed grubs, and a flock of starlings dined as a collective on the grass.

Heading towards the seashore, the clifftops were alive with aerial action. Swifts and swallows skimmed the edges on an insect hunt, whilst a striking black and white oystercatcher cruised past. On the water, a familiar red offshore supply vessel sat on the horizon, while on land, a couple marched by anchoring two large, impressive bulldogs.
Nature kept the highlights coming: sparrows darting in and out of the Beach Road hedgerows, a bank of poppies braving the crashing waves, and a menacing black cat on a bird-hunting prowl that vanished into the brush just in time. After snapping a Sycamore Maple and a garden-escaped patch of Campanula, it was time to wrap up a brilliantly busy loop.
The Stats
Distance: 2.63 miles
Duration: 57 mins
Heart Points: 22 points.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.

The Narrative
   Setting off in a brisk 12°C chill that felt much colder, I wisely grabbed an umbrella. Good job too—the heavens immediately opened, forcing me to retreat after just thirty minutes. Still, I managed to spot three herring gulls, a scattering of corvids, a male blackbird juggling a beak full of wriggling worms, and a busy wagtail pecking at the grass.
   Post-lunch, round two commenced with a walk to the seashore. The sky was alive with swifts darting on the wing, while a flock of starlings sought clever cover under a leafy tree. On the cliff side, I photographed some stunning wild poppies—vibrant bursts of purple, pink, and deep red that Google Lens later revealed to be opium poppies.

After passing a lone carrion crow intently drilling the ground and a sea-fisherman managing a small forest of rods, I turned for home, tracked by yet more circling swifts. Finally, a female mallard duck crossed my path, she was busy drinking rainwater from a puddle.

Today I walked for 2.33 miles in 51 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 21 heart points.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.

The Narrative
   At 14:00, the temperature hovered around 18°C (64°F), though the Norfolk wind chill made it feel a touch cooler.
    Stepping out today for a change of scenery, I crossed a remarkably green field that had somehow escaped the recent heatwave. Down on the shore, I captured photos of the rolling waves and a contrasting, wild bank of poppies thriving among the weeds.
    Along the cliff top, I crossed paths with a couple walking three Chihuahuas. Amusingly, the man was pushing a small, empty pram which he laughed was for one of the dogs! Further on, a wood pigeon perched on a flower-covered fence, posing like a seasoned model.

Posing pigeon

My camera stayed busy: I snapped a small flock of birds in a tree—later identified by Google Lens as Fieldfares—and spotted a vibrant patch of pink Sorrel, while a chorus of sparrows chattered inside a thick hedge at the end of the beach road. Down on the sand, a Cockapoo-type dog was bounding around a family near some massive granite boulders placed for coastal defence.
   Heading back, a solitary crow watched me intently before hopping swiftly out of reach. My final shot of the day was a cheeky robin redbreast, proudly perched on the stone head of a garden statue, watching the world go by.
Clean Stats
Distance: 3.99 miles
Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes
Google Fit: 20 Heart Points

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.