Wild Walk 16th October 2025

Wild white-topped waves

  It was a cloudy day with a mild temperature as I began my daily walk.

   I started my walk around the Potters resort activities field. I avoided a clump of fungi in the centre of the leaf-strewn pathway.

  Many late autumn wild flowers were in bloom in the long grass at the side of the pathway. I photographed some yellow ragwort flowers growing alongside white yarrow and purple clover. Dazzling yellow dandelion-like plants were growing everywhere in the grass. A blackbird swiftly flew into a nearby shrub as I walked past. Two wood pigeons were feeding on the grass in the centre of the field.

  I turned and followed the footpath alongside a local farmer’s field. A large herring gull was flying around high in the sky. I stopped to photograph some impressive teasel plants growing alongside a cluster of chamomile daisies.

  I followed the pathway to the clifftop on the way to Corton, where I took some excellent photographs of the wild, white-topped waves crashing into the rocks on the sandy shore.

Another large, restless, herring gull drifted overhead, obviously patrolling the area searching for food or territorial intruders.

  I photographed a clump of bird’s-foot trefoil. I was surprised to see this, as I have noted these growing in the part of Norfolk I live, all through spring and summer.

Today I walked for 2.56 miles in 56 minutes.
Google Fit awarded me 28 heart points.

Wild Walk 13th October 2025

The sky was cloudy, with a persistent fine rain, when I began my daily walk across the  golf course, towards the seafront.

Several large gulls were riding the wind currents, and I heard a vociferous crow protesting in a nearby treetop. I disturbed a small bird when I walked by some shrubs growing at the edge of the golf course, and a blackbird flew away with its typical alarm cry.

I photographed several wild flowers growing in the grass along the way. I photographed three colourful flowers, which Google Lens later identified as common mouse-ear, hedge-mustard, and hawk’s-beard.

Continuing to the clifftop, I was delighted to see a peregrine falcon hunting above the rocky coastline. I snapped off a few quick photographs as the hawk slowly glided along the shore, hovering above the bank leading down to the rocks. A large gull appeared and aggressively flew directly at the falcon, sending it flying away at speed.

I continued along the seafront and took some photographs of the relentless white-topped waves pounding the shore. I photographed a SeaCat boat speeding by, leaving a streaking white wake across the waves.

I made my way along a small, narrow pathway flanked by dense shrubs. On the corner, I took a great photograph of several house sparrows settled atop a large clump of bramble bushes. Several wood pigeons were perched on the trees and shrubs on both sides of the path. I photographed several species of wild flowers including snowberry, pyracantha, and evening primrose.

​As I made my way back across the golf course, six large gulls flew along the shoreline in a group, and several corvids were pecking around on the grass.

Wild Walk Friday 10th October 2025

Felbrigg Hall

Woodland walk

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon and Margaret and I decided to visit Felbrigg Hall, a nearby National Trust property. I left Margaret in the Butler’s Pantry enjoying a cup of tea and started off on a woodland walk. 

  As I started out, a man arrived walking a striking grey and white, rough-coated dog. The nearest identification I could find on Google Lens was a wire-haired pointer.
Many different varieties of dogs were out today, far too numerous for me to identify individually here.

  Alongside the pathway, there was a small farm with a few cows and some sheep in a field fringed with some large trees, mainly oaks and a few sweet chestnut trees.

I walked along a beautiful pathway through some large, impressive trees: horse chestnuts, oaks, beeches, and sweet chestnuts. The sweet chestnut trees were full of chestnuts, the nuts inside bursting out of the green, prickly husks. Many corvids, mainly jackdaws and rooks, were foraging under the trees on this huge windfall of food.

I continued along the track and met a lady with a golden labrador, which began to bark loudly. The lady said I had unwittingly wandered onto some private land. I apologised and turned back along the track. I returned to the main pathway and photographed some of the wonderful early autumn trees along the way back to rejoin Margaret in the Butler’s Pantry.

Wild Walk 9th October 2025

  ​It was a pleasant afternoon with a warm sun beaming through a diffused, cloudy sky.

  ​I met our neighbour, accompanied by her small black Cavapoo. The dog was looking quite dapper; she admitted they had decided against professional grooming, trimming his furry coat themselves.

  ​I passed a round holly bush that was glowing with beautiful red berries—somewhat early for Christmas, I thought.

  Continuing my walk around the outskirts of the recreation ground, I picked a couple of late, ripe blackberries from the briars at the entrance to the cemetery road. The noisy Pitbull was in the garden, and it gave a couple of low yelps as I walked by.

  ​Entering the cemetery, a group of six hedge sparrows scattered into the thick hedgerow bordering the recreation ground.

​Two wood pigeons feeding on the ground flapped away as I approached.

  ​I left the cemetery and made my way past the leisure centre into Foxglove Lane.

​Today I walked for 2.19 miles in 49 minutes.

​Google Fit awarded me 25 heart points.

Wild walk 7th October 2025

The sky was cloudy, with a light breeze blowing the grey clouds around when I started out on my daily walk today.

I walked around the outskirts of the local golf club. My lovely wife Margaret, drove the Kuga to the golf club and dropped me off before making her way to the gym at the leisure centre.

Two gulls were drifting around in the sky and a couple of jackdaws were pecking on the green grass when I began.

A lady walking a cross-bred, poodle-type dog passed me along the way.

I photographed a clump of pink sorrel growing along the borders simply because I couldn’t remember the name of this plant, and I knew Google Lens would identify it.

I continued along the way, and a large white gull slowly flew over the golf course patrolling the area for food.

  I noticed that the gorse bushes have burst out into beautiful, blazing yellow flowers, and I couldn’t resist taking a photograph.

  I left the golf course and walked across to the nearby clifftop where I stopped and looked out to sea and the beach below.

The tide was out, revealing a large expanse of damp sand. A couple of men were far out at the water’s edge digging for lugworms to be used as bait by anglers.

 I noticed a large patch of sea aster flowers thriving on the cliffside, and several people were exercising their impressive dogs on the beach. I photographed a golden retriever, a German shepherd, and an Icelandic sheep dog, all freely chasing around on the beach.

A friendly, fearless jackdaw perched on a railing in front of me as I was looking out to sea.

I walked along the clifftop path where I noticed some beautiful sea thrift flowers growing along the side of the pathway among the remainder of the mallow and other summer flowering plants.

I took a couple of photographs of the impressive cliffs towering over the beach below.

Animal intelligence

A Boxer dog 🐕 meets a sheep 🐑

  I took a short walk along The Arden Way, in Warwickshire, the surrounding rural views are glorious.
Farmyards, farmhouses and cottages with some beautiful rustic gardens, border the famous public footpath. Sheep and cattle, horses and ponies graze in the fields alongside fields producing crops for food.
As I passed a line of cottages a family left their house with a large, Boxer dog. The dog wasn’t on a lead, and it seemed friendly enough to accept a pat and a stroke.
Across the road was a small field containing sheep. I was surprised and delighted to see this large fearsome looking dog, slowly cross the road and start sniffing a sheep through the fence. The sheep didn’t turn and run but simply sniffed the dog right back through the fence.
This behaviour from both of these animals seemed totally out of character and well worth recording.

Wild Walks – Friday 3rd October 2025

A heron and a crow meet

  I would start my daily walk along a wonderful pathway leading from Studley Castle to Studley church. This beautiful, well-kept pathway is bordered by many healthy shrubs full of wild birds. It runs through three or four fields where many sheep graze. A new woodland has been planted on one side of the pathway with walking trails. This pathway is a small section of the Arden Way.
When I arrived at Studley church, I walked past the new town graveyard, which is right opposite the ancient churchyard. Many grey squirrels are living and thriving around here, and the birdlife is prolific; I have seen many varieties on my walks.
   I usually cross the road from the church and walk across a field to the River Arrow. This river is a favourite place for the local fishing club and there’s a notice on display advising people that it is a private fishery. This was always a breathtaking part of my daily walks and many local people use this field as a dog-walking route from the village.
   The River Arrow is bordered by many beautiful trees and shrubs and it winds around, through the fields. Many sheep from the local farms graze around the river and drink the clean flowing water. I have seen the usual waterfowl, such as mallard ducks swimming in the river and geese feeding in a field.
  My favourite sighting along the riverbanks has been the large white egrets and I have even spotted a grey heron that rapidly flew away as I approached. This is such a beautiful, natural, interesting part of the world.

Wild Walk – 2nd October 2025

Gulls on the rocks in Sheringham

Today, I varied my daily walk after I visited our local hairdresser’s in Sheringham.
I left the hairdresser’s and began to walk towards the busy High Street.
  A couple walking a yellow Labrador were walking towards me as I made my way towards the seafront. Three small mixed-breed dogs passed by with their owners. One was a Cockapoo-type dog, a Pekingese-type, and a Dachshund.
A pair of feral pigeons flew up to a rooftop, where I noticed a few starlings flying around.
  The pathways to the promenade were packed with many people enjoying a mild afternoon out, taking in the sea air.
  I reached the seafront wall and took several photographs of a group of gulls and some small birds perched on large rocks on the beach.

Gulls on the beach
Two ships on the horizon

Two ships were visible on the near horizon, and using the distance focus on my mobile phone, I took a couple of photographs.
Google Lens later identified these as a container ship and an offshore supply vessel.
  As I began to make my way through the town centre, I noticed a couple walking a pair of young Dobermans. Many gulls, feral pigeons, and starlings were flying around the buildings, scavenging for food.
  I then began walking homeward along Holt Road where I photographed a beautiful golden coloured acacia tree. Some tiny pink sorrel flowers were growing wild and brightening up the drab weeds alongside the pathway.
Today, I walked for 1.85 miles in 38 minutes.
Google Fit awarded me 28 heart points.

Wild Walk 1st October 2025

Monterey Cyprus tree

  The weather was cool and cloudy today as I walked along the roads and walkways around the Corner House dental practice in Cromer. The houses around this area were built in the late Victorian era, and the trees and private gardens are well-established.
  A single corvid flew high over the rooftops as I walked along Saint Mary’s road in Cromer. I passed a man walking two dogs and spoke to him; he said one of his dogs was a Cockapoo, and the other was a Portuguese Water Dog. Oddly, both of these dogs looked remarkably like each other; they were both chocolate brown in colour with curly coats.
  Many established shrubs were growing and thriving in the front gardens as I passed. Some beautiful floral displays and rosebushes in bloom brightened up the sides of the road.

Roses and Cyclamen


A man was walking a mongrel-type dog along a pathway behind the houses.
Two jackdaws flew over a rooftop and settled on a concrete ledge under the gutter.
  When I arrived at the end of the road I saw an interesting sight. Two men, one quite elderly, were seated on a couple of chairs next to a wheelbarrow, outside a garage full of gardening tools next to a colourful, neat garden. I couldn’t help thinking that is a great way to spend time while gardening.
  I photographed a marmalade hoverfly sipping nectar from a dandelion flower.
An impressive, large Icelandic Sheepdog, accompanied by a young man, passed by on the opposite side of the road.
I turned back to where the Kuga was parked, passing an impressively tall Monterey Cypress tree.
Today, I walked for 3.02 miles in 1 hour and 16 minutes.
Google Fit awarded me 22 heart points.

Southern Hawker Dragon fly

Wild Walk – 24th September 2025

NATURAL REALITY

by John Yeo

The overwhelming human presence

Floods the natural, wild presence,

Bringing an uneven, unnaturally balance.

~

These words reflect the sad, sad story

Of the unacceptable pain and agony

Of a harsh concrete experience.

~

Noise and fumes form a barrier until

Beautiful wildlife becomes roadkill—

Just a bloody heap of furry essence.

©️ All rights reserved.

  Today, I walked around a busy area surrounding Studley Garden Centre in Warwickshire. I spotted a live robin hopping around in the building as I left. I guess it had entered through the open doors and was busy exploring this new, interesting environment.

I walked across the car park towards a pedestrian exit, where I saw a sad pile of feathers on the ground, which was the remains of a wood pigeon. This poor bird had been either run down by a car or killed by a predator.

I left the garden centre and began to walk along a busy main road full of noisy cars and lorries. I passed the ‘Harvester’ restaurant in Redditch, set in a green area of woods. A lone crow was pecking around on a nearby field. I continued along the Birmingham Road past some large, impressive houses with beautiful grounds and gardens.

One of the gardens was next to an interesting area in the bordering woods with a large, marshy, water-filled area full of rampant reeds and weeds. Sadly, I was unable to get into this area as it was a gated, private property. A solitary magpie was hopping around on the grass.

I crossed over to a public footpath on the opposite side of the road, where I spoke to a man walking a cross-bred, chocolate-coloured Labrador. I walked along the pathway in some dense woods before turning back and making my way back to Studley Garden Centre.

A black cat was lazily prowling around the garden, and a couple of the customers had brought along three tiny toy dogs.

Today, I walked for 2.44 miles in 54 minutes.

Google Fit awarded me 27 heart points.

River Arrow at Studley.