I was walking along one of the quieter roads in the locality on my daily walk today when I saw six magpies in the branches of a medium sized leafless Oak tree. I quickly raised my mobile phone to take a picture. Suddenly there was a movement of another creature right in front of me, I saw a brown four-legged creature walking slowly from behind a nearby tree. My first thought was what breed of dog is that? I realised it was a muntjac deer and promptly snapped a few photographs. The deer hopped over a low wall and raced off along the hedgerow into a nearby field. I never did get my photo of the magpies.
I began to walk along the clifftop path when, to my surprise and delight, a single medium-sized bird flew overhead. I was unsure what kind of bird it was until it suddenly started hovering over a patch of brambles. I quickly snapped a couple of photographs and a short video. Google Lens later identified it as either a peregrine falcon or a sparrowhawk. Sadly, I’m sure it was probably the latter, as I have seen a lot of sparrows or dunnocks flying around these brambles. I continued walking along the pathway and I noticed several gulls flying overhead and above the beach. I photographed a line of gulls perched on a line of posts, obviously part of a breakwater, showing above the waves.
I saw quite a few sparrows flying around in and out of the hebe shrubs on the promenade gardens. I was happy the predatory hawk I photographed earlier had disappeared, although sadly nature has ways and means of feeding the hungry. Today, I walked for 2.57 miles in 55 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 35 heart points.
Some beautiful, strong gold sunshine was swiftly melting a slight early morning frost. A flock of about 30 feral pigeons was flying around the rooftops of the industrial estate across the busy main road. Several corvids were feeding on the golf course grass, many of them jackdaws mingled with a few rooks. A lady passed by, walking a lively Pekinese-type dog, and I also passed a young woman with a brown poodle-type dog around the outskirts of the golf course. A single gull flew down onto the boating lake as I reached the clifftop viewpoint. I shot a short, dramatic video of the waves crashing into the seashore. The sound of the seawater dragging some small pebbles around on the beach was surreal. I also took a couple of still photographs of the white-topped waves rolling into the shore. A man walking a Golden Retriever walked along the clifftop path. I couldn’t resist taking a couple of photographs of some frost-covered tree mallow shrubs. In fact, the whole row of these shrubs alongside the clifftop pathway drooped and looked sorry for themselves. A lady walking a Jack Russell terrier wandered along the promenade with many other people, enjoying the cool, pleasant morning sunshine. Several hedge sparrows were flying around the hebe shrubs growing on the promenade gardens. Two men with two retrievers were laughing and watching their dogs barking loudly at each other. I’m sure dogs often symbolise and take on many of their owners’ characteristics. A lady with a well-behaved retriever-type dog ordered her dog to sit and wait while the barking was happening. A robin was perched on a twig at the edge of a shrub; the sunlight was shining on him, lighting up his vivid red breast. The people living in the bird-friendly house near the golf club entrance had just provided some food for the birds. About 10 gulls suddenly flew around, calling loudly to one another. A large flock of feral pigeons began circling around, and I noticed several jackdaws perched along the ridge of the rooftop. There were several corvids in the treetops growing along both sides of the main road towards the leisure centre, where I met up with Margaret. Today I walked for 2.25 miles in 46 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 28 heart points.
Although the sun was shining powerfully, there was quite a stiff breeze blowing when I left the house to commence my daily walk.
The rooks were loudly calling in the trees above the rookery as I walked along Foxy Lane. I began to walk around the outskirts of the recreation ground where a small group of about 10 rooks were feeding on the grass. As I approached, five of them flew over the hedgerow into the cemetery; the rest continued feeding slightly further away. A few dunnocks were flying back and forth into the shrubs that made up the hedgerow. It felt quiet without my friendly Pit Bull Terrier, who was sadly missing today, but the smaller dogs in a house not far away soon began yapping loudly. I entered the cemetery and began to make my way along the pathways. The powerful rays of the sun lit up the branches of a tree growing over the rookery. I took a couple of photographs of some rooks perched in the branches of a leafless tree growing above the rookery. A couple of small sparrow-like birds and a male and female blackbird flew off as I approached the entrance. I walked along Wey Road towards the leisure centre where I could see a small flock of feral pigeons sheltering from the wind on a factory rooftop in the industrial estate. I noticed a young lady walking with a Yorkshire Terrier by the cricket pavilion. My total distance for today was 2.66 miles in 58 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 25 heart points.
I began my daily walk at 15:30, and immediately, the air felt heavy with the promise of night; dusk was rapidly drawing in. Barely ten paces from my doorstep, the rain hit—not a gentle drizzle, but an immediate deluge. It was the kind of rain that seemed to fall sideways, instantly transforming the pavement into a shining, obsidian sheet. I quickly fumbled, raising my umbrella to deploy the necessary shield just in time.
As I arrived at Foxy Lane, I spotted a young lady passing me by, walking two sturdy mongrel-type dogs. By this time, the rain had become so heavy that the dogs were utterly defeated, their fur clinging tightly to their bodies. They were both soaked to the skin, trotting with a philosophical resignation while their owner hurried past.
Moments later, a small tabby cat entered the scene. It moved with an acute awareness of the downpour, making a series of desperate, low sprints. Each dash ended abruptly at a doorstep, where the poor creature would huddle, using the slight overhang as its momentary sanctuary before sprinting to the next dry patch.
I started to walk around the leisure centre. The heavy rainwater was quickly filling the muddy pools and puddles along the path. Up ahead, through the shimmering curtain of rain and the reflective glare from the building’s exterior lights, I noticed the familiar sight of the man I usually see, walking his black Labrador. The dog moved with its usual eager, quiet purpose, its coat like polished black leather, catching the damp light as it pulled gently on its leash.
The thick black rainclouds above were contributing rapidly to the evening darkness, and the leisure centre lights were shining out brightly, illuminating the surrounding, wet area.
Finally, as I passed by our neighbour’s house, I saw the last dramatic spectacle of the evening. Framed perfectly in the well-lit window was their large white sheepdog. The moment I came into view, the dog sprang onto the settee and launched into a torrent of loud, throaty barks, scrambling its paws against the glass—a furious, woolly sentinel guarding the warmth within.
Despite the dramatic soaking, I walked for 1.98 miles in 45 minutes, a journey Google Fit deemed worthy of 18 heart points.
I ventured out on my walk earlier than usual today. There was a sharp breeze and watery sunshine as I walked towards Foxglove Lane. I noticed that most of the red berries had been stripped from the rowan trees by the wild birds.
A solitary crow
A solitary crow was underneath the pine trees, and, with a flapping of its great black wings, it took off as I approached.
A descriptive Haiku
Great wings flap for flight, Black coat leaves the cold pine trees, Shadow on the path.
I noticed two small flocks of about six blackbird-sized birds feeding on the grass amongst the larger birds. I took a couple of photographs of them, and Google Lens later identified them as mistle thrushes.
I left the recreation ground and noticed that my friend the pitbull terrier was missing from his garden.
Rooks
I entered the cemetery, where 20 rooks and several wood pigeons flew up from the verges between the graves.
The leaves on the smaller pathways were giving off a powerful, autumnal, decaying smell. A few small sparrows and finches were flying around the hedges.
I left the cemetery and as I passed by his garden again, I heard a single familiar bark and there was the pitbull, seated on his trampoline starting straight at me. I returned his stare with a smile and continued on my way.
A descriptive Haiku
Friend upon the net, Seated there, a single bark, Stares right into mine.
When I arrived at the town football ground, I noticed that on the border of the car park, a wild evening primrose plant had burst out with a couple of late, impressive yellow blooms.
We began our walk along the beautiful Sheringham Park autumnal pathways. I noticed a robin, with its chest provocatively puffed out, perched under a hedgerow as we walked by. Quite a few different types of dogs were around, most of them on their leads. I noticed several different Labradors walking with their owners. People passed us by with spaniels, poodles, and terriers; sadly, many cross-bred dogs are hard to identify these days. I snapped a lovely photograph of my favourite ancient beech tree in Sheringham Park.
A female blackbird landed on a rowan and began feasting on the ripe red berries. I snapped a photograph of this hungry bird as it fed on the berries and built up strength to survive the winter ahead. A lady passed us walking two black Pekingese-type dogs. One of them was obviously unable to use its back legs and was walking with the aid of a wheeled device. We continued along the main pathway, taking photographs of the stunning scenery and each other.
I spotted a couple of grey squirrels racing up and down the smooth bark of a tall deciduous tree. We returned to the National Trust café and indulged in some liquid refreshment.
I walked outside into dazzling bright sunshine with a mild breeze today. Three jackdaws were perched on a rooftop when I turned into a local lane and I noticed a wood pigeon on a nearby house. I walked around the outskirts of the recreation ground. A few rooks from the rookery were around, making a lot of noise as they called to one another, and a wood pigeon was flying over the cemetery.
I arrived at the entrance to the cemetery road where my friend the Pit Bull Terrier was standing on a trampoline in his garden, staring straight at me. I stood and stared back, smiling, and he never made a sound.
I raised my hand to wave goodbye and he visibly tensed, but he still never made a sound, and we continued to stare at each other. I think I have definitely made a friend here, as not long ago he would have raised the dead in the cemetery next door with his loud barking.
I walked into the cemetery where the bright dazzling sunlight was blinding the rooks flying around above the rookery treetops. I started to wander along the cemetery pathways, and as I turned away from the sunlight, I could see about 50 rooks flying around, making their harsh, guttural calls to one another. Several rooks and a few wood pigeons began flying away as I made my way out of the cemetery.
I noticed the recent wind had blown down many pine cones, which were scattered over the cemetery road surface, thick enough for me to slide on and almost trip me up.
I walked along past the leisure centre, where 10 house sparrows were perched and hopping around on the branches of a hawthorn hedge adjoining the next-door care home.
A man walking a Cockapoo-type dog passed as I walked along past the cricket club pavilion.
The view from the window was wonderful today. I watched a pair of Collared Doves exploring the grass beneath the bird feeders. A Coal Tit was flitting about in our Photinia shrub and a Blue Tit was flying to the feeders and carrying off a single seed.
Our resident wood pigeon
Our resident Wood Pigeon was enjoying a splash in the birdbath. A Robin was perched on the dividing fence between our garden and our next door neighbour’s garden. Later, the pair of Collared Doves returned and were hopping around under the feeders. Three Goldfinches were feeding until one took a drink from the birdbath and they flew away.
Goldfinches
Wild Walk
The sky was cloudy and grey, threatening rain when I left the house to begin my daily walk. Indeed, almost as soon as I left the house, I could hear and feel the raindrops pattering on my waterproof jacket.
Fortunately, I had brought an umbrella, as light rain showers were forecast for this area.
A wood pigeon, like a sentinel, was perched on a nearby rooftop as I walked towards the grassy area in Foxglove Lane.
Wood pigeons sharing a bath
I made my way around the perimeter of the recreation ground to the entrance leading to the cemetery gates. Several wood pigeons and a blackbird flew up from the corner of the cemetery when I entered.
The light shower of rain began to get heavier, and I raised the umbrella.
I couldn’t resist taking a photograph of a magnificent crab apple tree covered with red, succulent fruit—fruit that’s almost inedible except for making crab apple jelly or jam.
As I walked towards the leisure centre I watched a large gull gliding high in the sky over the golf course.
I passed a man walking a black labrador along the path by the five-a-side football pitch.
The sky was cloudy and grey with a light breeze when I started out on my daily walk today. I followed my normal route. When I reached Cowslip Lane, a wood pigeon burst out of a round holly bush. This bush is an excellent example of amateur topiary; it really does look good when it’s been trimmed and shaped. There are two silver birch trees growing at the end of Foxglove Lane, and the leaves on one of them have turned noticeably more yellow than the other. I climbed the steep bank into the recreation ground. This grassy bank is covered with alexander plants when they are in season. All that remained were some woody, brown stalks, now dead and brittle, scattered across the bank.
Blackbird
A lone corvid was feeding on the cricket pitch grass as I circled the recreation ground’s perimeter—possibly a crow. My friendly pitbull terrier was patrolling his garden when I walked by. I think he must have got used to me passing by now. I entered the black-painted, iron gate to the cemetery and began to walk around the cemetery pathways. I noticed a man lingering under the rookery trees on the cemetery side of the fence. His gaze fixed on the garden, I guess he was a nature enthusiast, although there weren’t any rooks visible in the trees today.
Wood pigeon
I left the cemetery and walked along the cemetery road. On my way, I met a young lady walking two dogs on leads. I recognised one as a whippet; the other was a strangely marked dog that was chocolate-coloured, with a patchy white underbelly and patchy white legs. When I asked her what breeds they were, she said one was part whippet and the other was a German short-haired pointer. I proceeded along Weybourne Road before turning onto the leisure centre road. When I reached the recreation ground, I noticed about six rooks on the cricket pitch and another ten rooks on the town football club pitch. Two crows were hopping around on the grassy area in Foxglove Lane. Today I walked for 1.8 miles in 38 minutes. Google Fit awarded me 21 heart points.
johnandmargaret1607 