Nice Top Shopping & Birds

We were out nice top shopping yesterday morning at Lakeside shopping centre in Doncaster and then in the afternoon we visited Potteric Carr Nature Reserve for the first time. I think I've got Debbie hooked now judging by the fact that we both filled our cameras memory cards for the first time ever.

It's a lovely secluded place with loads of paths round the lakes, ponds and woodland. With it being so cold we only stopped for about 3 hours, I think it would take all day to explore the whole reserve, it's a much bigger place than I'd imagined. They have the busiest bird feeding station I've ever seen and when a Jay and Woodpecker dropped in we could hardly contain our excitement.

I'm sure we'll be visiting Potteric again soon but before we do I think we going to need to get bigger memory cards!

All the shots below were taken by Debbie...

Paul

Thyberg Country Park

Yesterday we started off with an early morning swim and then after that we did absolutley nothing! It was nice to just sit back and chill for a change, Lucy joined in , crashing out on the sofa for the afternoon.

The weather still isn't up to much here, cold and cloudy but at least it's dry. We braved the cold and went for a walk round Thyberg Country Park in Rotherham. It's a lovely place with a large lake to walk round, plenty of opportunities for a bird obsessed photographer with interesting shapes and light in the sky to mesmerise Debbie.

Paul

Weather For Tree Planting

It's the start of our holiday today and the weather is awful, plans to go for a walk were abandoned when we opened the curtains this morning, greeted by fog and drizzle. The forecast is for heavy rain later so no chance of it brightening up.

Instead we've been out and got some trees and shrubs for the garden which I've planted in the soggy soil this afternoon, no need for watering today!

Today additions to the garden were Weeping Willow, Peach Tree, Pear Tree, Red Rum Shrub and Black Beauty Shrub. Hopefully the sun will come out over the next week and we'll be able to get some pictures.

This morning Debbie managed to get some shots of the Spring colours emerging in the garden before the drizzle got too bad.

Paul

Howling Gales

We were hoping to get out for a nice walk this last weekend, however, the howling wind put paid to that. I can't remember it being that windy for so long, from Friday right through to the middle of Sunday.

The bins had a life of their own, every time we opened the back door, they were there, lying down begging for mercy!

At least with the rubbish weather we had time to sit down and watch Stardust on Saturday afternoon. By Sunday lunchtime, the wind had subsided a little so we ventured out down to RSPB Old Moor.

I've never seen the place as busy, we had a job finding a space in the car park. The visitor centre was crowded but thankfully the hides were nice and quiet, apart from the feeding garden which had drawn a large crowd so we left that until last.

After visiting all the hides we were going to buy a nyjer seed feeder and grab a coffee but the centre was still overflowing with people so we gave that one a miss.

We were back home in time to settle down and watch Elizabeth: The Golden Age, second fantastic film of the weekend.

We're both ready for a holiday, it seems like an eternity since Christmas, thankfully we've got some time off work coming up soon, I just hope we get some decent weather to go with it.

Paul

Sunsets, Frost, Birds & Earthquakes

It's been a busy week, it feels like it should be Friday but we're only on Thursday. Towards the end of last week we had some beautiful frosty mornings.

The sunsets have been amazing over the last week, night after night we've been treated to glorious reds and yellows illuminating the sky.

At the weekend we dropped into one of my old bird watching haunts, Carlton Marsh, while I faffed about with the bazooka lens, Debbie got a cracking picture of a Robin in the middle of a hedge.

From there we called into a newish nature reserve, a lake at Park Springs in Grimethopre near Barnsley. There was plenty there to snap away at but the miserable cold and wind soon took it's toll and we were off for a nice hot cuppa.

The earthquake has taken it out of Debbie, getting up to see to Eddie and Champagne while I rolled over and fell asleep again. I must admit I never felt the earthquake, just Lucy vaulting off the bed at high speed. I don't think Debbie got back to sleep until after 4 in the morning.

We're just looking forward to the weekend now, time to chill, no earthquakes, no vaulting dogs and no hysterical cockatiels.

Paul

Did The Earth Move For You?

In the early hours of this morning, Eddie says to Champagne, "did you feel that?". Champagne replies "yep, eeaaarthquaaake!!", "flap for your lives!!".

Lucy woke up, strait off the bed, "let me see, let me see!".

Debbie calmed the birds down while I went back to sleep.

Paul.

Frosty This Morning

It was really frosty this morning, I wish I'd had the camera with me, this snap on the mobile doesn't do the beautiful scenery justice.

Paul.

Worsborough Country Park - Feb 08

We've been out this afternoon for a walk round Worsborough Country Park, taking advantage of the wonderful winter sunshine. We had a hard frost this morning which was still hanging on in shaded areas.

I don't think it's that long since we last went but since then, a new bird hide has sprung up and a bridge we always used to cross seems to be suffering from an acute case of falling to bits.

Lucy had a ball usually and everything was calm and relaxed until we almost got home when Debbie announced that we were nearly home and Lucy threw up in the excitement. Luckily she was in her carry cage so wasn't too bad.. Until Debbie reversed the car in the drive, with me forgetting to belt the cage in and Lucy doing a dance, the cage did a 360 off the chair. Spent the next hour cleaning Lucy, the cage and the car!

Remember, clunk-click, every trip, or you'll end up covered in dog puke.

Paul.

BARLA Lions

We went to watch Debbie's Nephew last night playing Rugby League. He's made it to the BARLA Lions team and he looks the business in the British red, white and blue!

Last night they were playing a senior Police team, we didn't have to know anything about rugby to realiase that our young British team were running rings round Police Squad.

We're both really proud of him, he's worked so hard to get where he is now. Who knows, in a couple of years, we might even understand the rules!

Paul.