Daily Nature Log. 11th September 2026

Avian life

Daily Nature Log ✍️
    A steady 8 mph northerly breeze off the sea nudged the 16°C morning down to a brisk 15°C as I set off around the outskirts of the golf course.
    Passing the houses along the railway line, a flock of twenty feral pigeons erupted into the air—no doubt well-fed by the locals. Nearby, sparrows darted amongst the railway brambles, and tree lupins were just beginning to unfurl their bright yellow blooms.

Seashore sights

     Out on the course, ten rooks grazed peacefully on the greens, while two small white butterflies fluttered through the dense briars near the clifftop entrance. There, a bustling flock of sparrows scrambled through the bushes while cormorants posed on a groyne below, gulls scavenged the beach, and distant boats dotted the horizon.  

     It was a busy morning for dog-walkers, too: a shaggy sheepdog, a lively cockapoo, a sprightly border terrier, a black retriever, and a handsome schnauzer all trotted past with their owners. Before heading back, I paused to photograph a pair of gulls and jackdaws sharing the grass, a splendid sycamore with white campion blooming beneath it, and the clamorous gull colony raising a din as my coastal stroll drew to a close.


Walk Statistics
Distance: 1.89 miles
Time: 41 minutes
Google Fit: 17 Heart Points

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

Daily Nature Log. 10th September 2026

Sheringham beach

Daily Nature Log ✍️

Margaret tackled the steep promenade slopes with fantastic progress today as we headed down to the blustery Sheringham seafront, where a 14 mph south-westerly wind took the edge off the 18°C warmth. Leaving her to rest at her own pace, I struck out towards the lifeboat station past the vast expanse of wet, golden sand exposed by the low tide.

    Along the shoreline, white-topped waves rolled in beneath a busy aerial display—a juvenile herring gull criss-crossing overhead while an adult kept watch from a wooden breakwater.

Cormorants
Cargo vessel

     Local dog walkers were out in force with spaniels, Labradors, and golden retrievers, but the real highlights were perched further out: a scattering of cormorants occupying the wooden groynes, a cargo vessel framed against the distant Sheringham Shoal wind turbines, and cheerful seaside daisies clinging to the base of the towering cliffs.


Walking Stats
Distance: 1.71 miles
Duration: 41 minutes
Google Fit: 5 Heart Points

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

Daily Nature Log. 9th September 2026

Daily Nature Log ✍️
    Another cracking afternoon walk in the books, complete with full-throated avian drama, noble bulldogs keeping their cool under pressure, and a cameo from Dolly Parton herself!
     I set off into a fresh breeze at 5:00 pm, greeted almost immediately by a friendly local and her terrier. The rooks were putting on a proper air show over the treetops today—first a scattered squadron on the horizon, then a swirling vortex of 50 noisy birds as I entered the cemetery grounds.

Rooks

The local canine contingent provided plenty of excitement near Cemetery Drive. While the neighborhood dogs—including the resident ‘friendly’ pitbull—erupted into a chaotic chorus, the three leads-in-hand bulldogs strolled past without so much as batting an eye. Absolute class acts.
    Along the rest of the route, the local wildlife kept me company: a blackbird darting into the underbrush, many feral pigeons holding court on the leisure centre roof, and a quiet spot of bright yellow evening primrose brightening up the cricket club perimeter.


Daily Stats
Distance: 1.63 miles
Duration: 34 minutes
Heart Points: 24 Heart Points (Google Fit)
Temperature: 17°C (63°F), Fresh Breeze
Key Sightings: 50+ Rooks, 3 Bulldogs, 1 Blackbird, 40 Feral Pigeons, Dolly Parton (the cat), Evening Primrose

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

Daily Nature Log. 8th September 2026

Muntjac deer


Daily Nature Log ✍️
    Stepped out into a 22.5°C breeze blowing in from the west.
    I gave a passing bull terrier a wide berth—it has a reputation for snapping first and asking questions later. Down at the football pitch, twenty gulls were busy foraging, with a couple of herring gulls joining the feast.

Rooks

    Along the perimeter towards Cemetery Road, hardy patches of yarrow, ragwort, and mallow are still standing tall, somehow defying the recent extreme weather. Even the neighbourhood’s usually lively Pitbull Terrier barely raised an eyebrow from its spot in the garden, giving me little more than a sleepy glance as I passed.
    The real highlight was inside the cemetery: an immediate face-to-face encounter with a male muntjac deer. Expecting it to bolt the moment I raised my camera, I started snapping furiously. Instead, the bold little chap barely blinked, calmly eyeing me up before getting right back to grazing.
    Further along, a solitary magpie worked the grassy verges while a noisy chorus of at least forty rooks circled above the trees. Six wood pigeons suddenly scattered from the grass in all directions, and over at the leisure centre, seven feral pigeons kept watch from the rooftop edge. To top off the walk, a brilliant clump of yellow evening primroses has suddenly burst into bloom near the cricket pavilion.
Walk Statistics
Distance: 2.27 miles
Time: 57 minutes
Heart Points: 25 Heart Points

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

Daily Nature Log. 7th September 2026

Felbrigg Hall

   A dark, brooding sky and a brisk 17 mph wind set the scene for a loop around the grounds of Felbrigg Hall today. Sheep grazed nonchalantly right up to the edge of the drive as we arrived, forcing a cautious crawl into the car park. Brolly in hand, I set off into the grounds.

Deep water

It was a busy afternoon for dog spotters—and sheep spotters alike! Alongside the usual well-behaved canines, a sprightly young bull terrier gave its owner a proper workout, vigorously tugging at its short lead while being firmly reined back in. A handsome pair of brown labradoodles strolled by on separate leads, and later, a magnificent, large white Tatra shepherd dog made quite the impression.

  . Nature put on a grand display as well. A sudden flutter sent ten wood pigeons erupting from the long grass, while four jackdaws quartered the air beneath a canopy of ancient trees and thick green ferns. Deep in the woods, the deep water pool looked wonderfully revived after recent rains, framed by unruly bracken and host to a busy flock of small birds flitting between the oak leaves. Between snapping photos of artist’s bracket fungi, mushrooms under a hawthorn, and the stark skeleton of a dead tree standing before a grove, I even spotted a couple of grey squirrels darting up and down the trunks.

     After a friendly greeting from a fellow walker and her mongrel, I turned back to meet Margaret for a well-earned pause at the Squire’s Pantry.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 2.79 miles

Duration: 1 hour 2 minutes

Google Fit Heart Points: 21

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

Daily Nature Log. 6th September 2026

Muntjac deer

Daily Nature Log ✍️
   The sun was up, the air was a crisp 20°C (68°F), and a 10-mph breeze gave the morning a lively feel.
    Holly bushes along the road were already heavy with bright, festive red berries—fruiting far earlier than usual, a quiet nod to our changing climate. Along the path, silver birches dangled delicate catkins, and two graceful black greyhounds glided past on their way to the leisure centre.

     Entering the recreation ground, a meadow brown butterfly darted out from the grassy border, while a pair of small whites fluttered erratically through the air in their delightfully unpredictable point-A-to-point-B dance.

    The cemetery paths brought the morning’s magic. A female muntjac deer was quietly grazing by the roadside, and just as I raised the camera, a male stepped into view to join her—a stunning pair framing the perfect shot. Further along, a splash of vibrant yellow bird’s-foot trefoil brightened the track, while woodpigeons and a swift magpie watched from the hedgerow.
    Reaching the leisure centre, a flock of 30 feral pigeons dominated the rooftop alongside an adult and juvenile herring gull, all soaking in the breeze as fellow dog walkers drifted by.
Stats
Distance: 1.87 miles
Duration: 41 minutes
Google Fit: 16 Heart Points

Orange Dahlias

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

Daily Nature Log. 5th September 2026

Muntjac deer

Daily Nature Log ✍️

    A brisk start at 23°C saw herring gulls and wood pigeons claiming the recreation ground, while the local ‘friendly’ Pitbull gave his customary single bark from behind the garden fence.

The evening sky

     Entering the cemetery, I flushed a crowd of forty corvids feeding on the verges. Most scattered toward the top field, where I managed to photograph a pair of rooks taking flight.

    Crossing into the field scattered them further—some to the young woodland, others over distant farmland, and a row onto the telegraph wires.

    A quick approach for a snapshot sent the wire-dwellers packing too, leaving me to admire a splash of roadside color in the yellow lady’s bedstraw and bright Californian poppies.


     Passing an Alsatian cross along Cemetery Drive, I cut through the wildflower garden and scored the highlight of the walk: a muntjac deer strolled casually right across my path before slipping out the entrance. Transfixed, I just stood there clicking away. A noisy finale at the leisure centre saw dozens of feral pigeons and a squawking trio of gulls locked in a roof-top dispute.


Walking Statistics
Distance: 2.57 miles
Duration: 1 hour
Google Fit Heart Points: 19

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

Daily Nature Log. 4th September 2026

Cormorants perched on the groynes

Daily Nature Log ✍️
     A wet morning gave way to cloudy skies, a steady 18°C, and a brisk westerly wind as I set off around the outskirts of the golf course towards the cliffs and seafront.

Sparrows

     Along the railway bank, a flash of yellow caught my eye—a patch of evening primrose blooming bright. Over on the greens, a flock of twenty gulls and scattered jackdaws were busy feasting on grubs brought up by the earlier downpour. Off-lead retrievers, cockapoos, and a handsome Westie were all out making the most of the fresh air, alongside a friendly “good morning” from a fellow walker.

    Down by the boating pool, around forty sparrows put on a show around the tree lupins before I caught a wonderful short video of them happily splash-bathing in a leftover puddle. Further along the cliff top, cormorants posed neatly on the seashore groynes. Botanical highlights kept pace too: a delicate white campion tucked beneath a hedgerow, and an apple tree fruiting among damsons right on the golf course border.

    Heading homeward past the club gates, twenty-six feral pigeons held a rooftop committee—clearly a favoured feeding spot—while a small brown butterfly fluttered through the railway brambles. Finally, a chorus of fifty rooks circling the rookery treetops signaled the end of another grand coastal circuit.
Walk Stats
Distance: 2.32 miles
Time: 53 minutes
Google Fit Heart Points: 23 points

Communal bathing for sparrows

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

Daily Nature Log. 3rd September 2026

Daily Nature Log 🥾
    A spirited stroll featuring enthusiastic canines and keen botanical spotting! A lively golden-coloured Cocker Spaniel led the charge on the path, whilst a flash of vibrant purple toadflax peeked through the ivy, accompanied by clusters of ripening mahonia berries under the hedgerows.
    A feast of fifty corvids took over the playing field, while pigeons and a solitary gull held down aerial patrol.
   
Daily Stats
Distance: 2.41 miles
Time: 53 minutes
Google Fit Heart Points: 28 Heart Points.

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

Daily Nature Log. 2nd September 2026

Sparrows among the goji berry hedge

Daily Nature Log ✍️

   An earlier start today for a reverse loop under 16°C skies and a brisk 13 mph breeze. The walk kicked off with fifteen feral pigeons keeping watch from the leisure centre roof alongside a passing Schnauzer.

Rooks above the rookery

    Moving onto Cemetery Drive, the local birdlife stole the spotlight—at least thirty sparrows were bustling cheerfully through the goji berry hedge, a welcome sight given national concerns over their decline. A few yards down, four thrush-sized birds (possibly fieldfares) were spotted foraging along the border.

Rooks above the rookery

Inside the cemetery, the resident rooks put on a noisy display over the treetops, claiming territory ahead of the colder months. Cutting through the wildflower garden brought bright orange Welsh poppies awaiting the sun, plus a passing Cockapoo and a black greyhound near the football ground. A juvenile herring gull sharing rooftop space with the pigeons wrapped up a lively, wildlife-filled circuit.

Possible Fieldfares

Walk Stats

Distance: 2.76 miles

Time: 1 hour

Google Fit: 37 Heart Points

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