Window View

   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 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.

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.

  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.

Today I walked for 1.64 miles in 33 minutes

Google Fit awarded me 22 heart points..

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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

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.

  ​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.

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.

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.

  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.