What have you seen

Fabulous Nellie.

Thanks ADP.. The nature reserve is well worth a visit at this time of the year if you want to see orchids, not just the Helliborines but there are also masses of Common Spotted Orchids too. Common Terns nest on platforms in the lakes, old gravel and clay pits, and many other waterfowl too.

We were walking along the coast path near Bolton le Sands, we could here the Curlews, one then took flight from the field next to the path, it flew past us within a couple of feet. Never been that close to one, they are bigger than I thought too.

Have seen buzzards and quite a few kestrels this trip.

Nellie I am so lucky to live less than a mile away to such a place called Bodenham Wildlife Park and it features such pleasures including Orchids. It was once a working Quarry and when worked out it was landscaped, Osprey Platforms built and bird hides made and then it was handed over to Hereford Council.I was area Sales Manager during this time so very familiar with the abundant goodies it holds which although I have not mentioned includes 4 species of Deer.

ADP, You are very fortunate to live so close to that Reserve. It is not one that we have visited, but hopefully we will sometime in the future.

Helen, on my afternoon walk today, near Masham, a Curlew flew across in front of me too. There has been Red Kites on the journey up to here, and while packing up we were serenaded by a couple of Greater Whitethroats.

We regularly  see Red  Kites and also Buzzards and often the crows mob them, however the other morning  it was a gull mobbing the buzzard, the buzzard was making quite a racket too, they circled over the house a few times before the gull eventually gave up.

As well as Buzzards, Curlew, Lapwings, Swifts and Skylarks I saw a Barn Owl flying over the Green outside the site, a Weasel ran across the road in the village, and have also come across a Hedgehog on 3 occasions over the last couple of days, once in the village at night and twice today on the fields behind the site.

Yesterday while out walking we watched a Red Kite coursing above a field where a tractor was turning the hay, then it suddenly swooped down, grabbed something off the ground and flew off ,I guess to its nest to feed its young.

Came across this patch of Conical Brittlestems, Parasol Conopilus, glistening  after a shower of rain.