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.

Daily Nature Walk: 8 February 2026

  I. Environmental Context

Conditions: The temperature was approximately 7°C to 9°C, with a gentle south-southeast breeze of roughly 8–10 mph.

Atmosphere: Despite the mild reading, the wind chill made it feel closer to 5°C or 6°C. It was a crisp start as I set out for my daily active nature walk.

  II. The Human Element

Encounters: I followed a neighbour and his small white Pug along the road. Later, I met June, the former maître d’ at the Dormy Hotel, and an aged gardener working on his garden. Near the playground, I passed a young lady with a Pekingese-type dog.

Dialogue: Upon meeting a lady with an aggressive Jack Russell, I joked, ‘He doesn’t like me, does he?’ She informed me, ‘He doesn’t like men who wear hats!‘

 Reflections: My interaction with the gardener inspired me to transplant two of my potted hydrangeas into a space left vacant by a shrub that succumbed to the winter frost. My attempts at chivalry with the dog—doffing my cap and bowing—sadly failed to silence its barking.

  III. Avian & Wildlife Observations

Species Noted: Wood Pigeons, Gulls (30+), Rooks (20+), Redwings, a Blue Tit, a male Blackbird, and six Dunnocks.

Behaviours: I disturbed a Wood Pigeon feasting on holly berries that have remarkably survived since Christmas. In the cemetery, Redwings were faithfully perched on yesterday’s roosting trees, while Rooks were active around their rookery. A Blackbird gave a sharp alarm cry as it took flight, and the Dunnocks remained settled on a hawthorn hedge.

  Flora Notes: Noted the persistence of bright red berries on the holly shrub and planned the relocation of my hydrangeas to fill a gap in the garden.

Today I walked for 1.78 miles in 38 minutes.

Google Fit awarded me 23 heart points.

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

Fieldfares

The Daily Nature Log

  The air carried the faint scent of impending rain as I began my daily nature walk. With the thermometer at 7°C but the wind chill making it feel more like 4°C, I diverted my path away from the sodden playing fields. My new route took me past the leisure centre, where six wood pigeons were stoically perched along the roofline.

  As I moved into Cemetery Road, the first signs of spring were evident in the daffodils emerging along the verges. Upon entering the cemetery, my attention was immediately drawn to a pair of trees play-hosting at least twenty fieldfares. I attempted to capture the scene, but the flock took wing almost instantly, settling in a nearby stand of trees. The hedgerow bordering the recreation ground proved equally lively; it was a hive of movement, home to dunnocks, finches, and restless blue tits. A male blackbird darted through the thicket, while a magpie remained tucked away, a flash of monochrome deep within a bushy shrub.

  The rain began in earnest as I reached Cows Lane. Beneath my umbrella, I passed a couple walking a black Labrador and paused to admire a cluster of yellow aconites. The raindrops beaded beautifully on their petals, lending them a fresh, glistening quality.

  I finished my 2.11-mile circuit in 44 minutes, securing 27 heart points on Google Fit.

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