Daily Nature Narrative: 8 March 2026

  The air held a sharp, easterly bite today; though the thermometer read between 5°C and 9°C, the 11 mph breeze dropped the ‘feels like’ temperature to a bracing 3°C. Despite the chill, the usual route was full of life. It began with a friendly greeting from a lady and her brown Labrador, and as I turned into a lane, the hidden depths of a shrub erupted with the song of a spirited wren.
    The birds are clearly sensing the shift in seasons. While the playing field was unusually quiet and devoid of avian activity, the rookery was alive with the low murmurs of birds in their treetop retreats.
    In the cemetery, wood pigeons have begun to pair up in earnest, gathering in readiness for the upcoming nesting season. Even the feral pigeons at the leisure centre were caught up in the spirit of the season, with a pair engaged in a gentle courtship display on the rooftop.
    Nature’s timeline is moving quickly; the Alexanders have shot up, their flowers already providing a vital feast for the first insects of spring. After a 1.98-mile trek—and spotting a pair of magpies in a private garden—I finished the 43-minute walk with 27 heart points and a clear sense that spring is truly finding its footing.

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

Daily Nature Log
Conditions.- 10°C – 12°C (Feels like 6°C) Wind Speed – 11-12 mph
Misty rain, turning heavier.

Key Observations
Magpie on Foxy Lane;
Green buds appearing on hedgerows along
cemetery road
30 gulls on recreation ground.

Observation Highlights:
Flora: Tiny green buds on hedgerows; moss-covered older branches.

Avian Activity: Magpie, Wood Pigeons (6), Rooks (Rookery active), Blue tits, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeons, Robin Redbreast.

Today I walked for 1.88 miles in 41 minutes.
Google Fit awarded me 24 Heart Points.

   There were light showers of fine, misty rain today when I started out on my daily walk. The temperature felt like 6°C, with actual temperatures reaching highs of 10°C to 12°C. Wind speeds were around 11–12 mph (approx. 18–19 km/h) with a moderate breeze.
   I decided to complete my daily walk around my usual route today. A magpie flew up into one of the pine trees in Foxy Lane and began hopping around the branches. A wood pigeon was perched on a rooftop, soaking up the extremely light rainfall. I made my way around the outskirts of the recreation ground, where around 30 gulls were spread out feeding on the grass.
  Two blue tits began surfing along the top of the hedge adjacent to Foxy Lane. It is always charming to see them chasing along the top of the hedge, landing for a few minutes, then taking off again. I entered the cemetery and began walking along the pathways; six wood pigeons flew up and away in different directions.
A couple of rooks also took to the air from the ground when I passed by. The rooks above the rookery were casually flying around above the treetops. The rain steadily got heavier, and I raised my umbrella as I left the cemetery. A single patrolling gull flew overhead, gliding high in the sky with its wings outstretched.
  I couldn’t help noticing the tiny green buds on some branches of the hedgerows along the cemetery road. The branches that were coming into growth seemed to be separate from the severely moss-covered branches of the main shrubs. Spring has certainly arrived here; in a few weeks’ time, these shrubs will be covered in a thick, bushy growth of fresh green leaves. I noticed a handsome robin redbreast in a leafless shrub along the way; he will be almost invisible, hidden inside there soon.
  A herring gull was hopping around, feeding on the golf course grass when I walked towards the leisure centre. A couple of feral pigeons were perched on the leisure centre rooftop. A wood pigeon was pecking on the ground near the cricket pavilion, and a gull stopped drinking rainwater from a large puddle and fled with a noisy flapping of wings.
Today I walked for 1.88 miles in 41 minutes.
Google Fit awarded me 24 Heart Points.

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

A damp and cool afternoon at Felbrigg Hall provided a wonderful backdrop for a 2.73-mile trek. While Margaret rested in the Butler’s Pantry, the woodland revealed its seasonal transitions—from the squabbling rooks in the canopy to the jackdaws foraging through last year’s leaves on the forest floor. Highlights included a sighting of a massive Newfoundland dog and a specimen of chicken-of-the-woods fungus on an old oak. Despite the muddy paths and the 10°C chill, it was a productive outing resulting in 28 heart points.

  ‘The imposing facade of Felbrigg Hall stood as a backdrop to a scene of quiet industry. In the foreground, healthy-looking sheep grazed peacefully. I captured this group framed by a traditional five-bar gate—a classic vignette of the Norfolk farming landscape.’

  ‘The air was filled with the noisy squabbling of rooks in the high canopy of their rookery. Despite the cool, damp 10°C air, the grounds were alive with activity. I met a particularly impressive, large black Newfoundland along the way; its owner and I shared a brief chat about the breed’s gentle nature.‘

‘Deep in the woodland, the cycle of life was on full display. I found delicate, seasonal spring flowers pushing through the earth, contrasting sharply with the ‘arboreal giants’—fallen trees slowly decaying into the soil. The scent of rain-sodden earth and damp leaves was powerful here.’

‘Approximately 20 jackdaws were busy beneath the trees, their powerful beaks tossing aside the brown autumnal leaves in search of food. Nearby, on the thick bark of a grand oak, I spotted a vibrant ‘chicken-of-the-woods’ fungus. While famously edible, I chose to admire its texture through the lens rather than take a risk on a taste.’

‘After a brisk 2.73-mile loop that earned 28 heart points, I returned to the warmth of the Butler’s Pantry to rejoin Margaret. A wonderful, wild variation of my daily walk.‘

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

I set off on my daily active nature walk under sunny skies. The temperature sat between 12°C and 13°C, though the south-south-westerly breeze made it feel a degree or two cooler. Near the start, I was warmly greeted by a neighbour with her Maremma sheepdog, accompanied by a younger lady walking a spaniel.
As I walked the outskirts of the recreation ground, the hedgerow by the cemetery was alive with the movement of small birds.

A Pitbull stood in the corner of its garden, regarding me balefully as I passed. Inside the cemetery, wood pigeons were busy feeding on the grass or lounging on ledges, while a pair of blackbirds darted for cover at my approach.

I paused to photograph a rook and a magpie having a vocal disagreement in the trees, and later captured a group of six rooks on a leafless tree near the rookery, where the air was thick with their deep, rhythmic cawing.

At the top of the cemetery, I managed a few long-range shots of a male pheasant bolting across the field.

I also documented the first signs of spring blossom near the allotments.

Returning via the main road, I spotted feral pigeons on the leisure centre roof and sparrows in the care home’s hawthorn hedge. Near Foxglove Lane, I met two more ladies with a black greyhound and a yellow labrador. The highlight of the walk was the stunning spread of purple violets trailing onto the pavement from two local gardens; I’ve made a mental note to take a small cutting for my own front hedge. Finally, I shared a cheery ‘good afternoon’ with a friend and his pug before heading home.
Stats: 2.86 miles covered in 1 hour 3 minutes (26 Google Fit Heart Points).

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

  A bracing walk through Sheringham today, defined by a sharp easterly wind that made the 4°C air feel well below freezing.

  Despite the chill, spring is asserting itself; the “sensational” blue of Greater Periwinkle against ivy and the appearance of wild primroses on a local lawn provided bright spots of colour.

  The transition from the urban town centre to the suburban fringes offered a variety of sightings, from the domestic (a Poodle and a Spaniel) to the wild (wood pigeons calling from deep within the pines).

Daily Nature Log
Date: 19 February 2026
Location: Sheringham, England

Weather: 3°C to 4°C (Feels like -2°C to -4°C), East winds 24–25 mph.

Flora Observed:
Forsythia, Camellia (purple/red), Daffodils, Wild Yellow Primroses, Greater Periwinkle, Pine Trees, Ivy.

Fauna Observed:
Poodle, Spaniel, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Mongrel-type dog, Border Collie, Jackdaws.

Today I walked for 1.52 miles in 31 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 20 heart points.

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

  The temperature was around 7°C to 8°C, but it felt significantly colder—between 4°C and 6°C—due to a 14–15 mph northwest wind. Light rain showers arrived, with wind speeds leading to a ‘feels like’ temperature of 4°C to 5°C.

  I began my daily nature walk along the usual route. When I arrived at the recreation ground, a couple of sparrows were flying in and around a hedgerow bordering the grassy area in Foxglove Lane. I continued along the path and noticed two blue tits surfing the top of a hawthorn hedge.

  I entered the cemetery and began walking along the pathways. The light rain showers had become slightly heavier, so I raised the umbrella I was carrying. Suddenly, three wood pigeons flew up and scattered in different directions. Then, a further three wood pigeons flew away, all in separate directions.

  I made my way along the main road and into the leisure centre road. When I reached Cows Lane, I checked a Weigela shrub in a private front garden and was pleased to see that, by comparison, our shrub that’s growing at home is very much alive. Finally, I passed a lady walking a large, beautiful, light-golden-coloured Golden Retriever.

Today I walked for 1.97 miles in 43 minutes. 

Google Fit awarded me 24 heart points.

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