our own Springwatch: Lackford Lakes Suffolk

[Two_Sheds]

We had ourselves a brilliant little day today: drove an hour to Lackford Lakes to look for a kingfisher (Mr TS has never seen one).

Well, despite being told the kingfishers had "flown" we'd only been sat down 5 mins before I spotted a kingfisher, sat on a pole. We watched it fly from there to a nearby willow and back for about an hour, until our arms & eyes were aching from the binoculars.
We aren't birdwatchers at all, but it was just brilliant.

There were some other "first sights" too:

- curlew
- lapwing
- baby coots (tiny tiny, with a red head?)
- baby black headed gull (a fluffy brown ball)
- water vole
- a deer what wasn't a Muntjac (probably a Roe)
- Barnacle goose
- a hobby
- a bee swarm (honey bees?)

but no tigers

[Comfreyfan]

Kingfishers are wonderful - they just don't look like British birds. Since I've been going fishing I've see a lot, they seem quite friendly to anglers, but it gets a little depressing when they're catching more than me!

[TEB]

If your into kingfishers then watch Halycon River Diaries on Sunday and if you can beg borrow or steal a copy of My Halcyon River then do because I have never seen such stunning camera work.

[Two_Sheds]

Pensthorpe Food Fair 5 & 6 June

This is well worth a visit, if only for the New Zealand sheep farmer and his disco-dancing flock

We ate lots of yummy food, supped some ale, bought some plants (at a large & brilliant herb stand). Actually, SO many plants to buy, all in really great condition.

anyone want some gratuitous chick shots?

[Two_Sheds]

goslings at Pensthorpe

(Barnacle geese)

[Suky]

We had ourselves a brilliant little day today: drove an hour to Lackford Lakes to look for a kingfisher (Mr TS has never seen one).

Well, despite being told the kingfishers had "flown" we'd only been sat down 5 mins before I spotted a kingfisher, sat on a pole. We watched it fly from there to a nearby willow and back for about an hour, until our arms & eyes were aching from the binoculars.
We aren't birdwatchers at all, but it was just brilliant.

We actually had one land in the garden, over our pond about 2 years ago, during a really cold spell. It sat at the top of the tree and preened in the sunshine and then flew off. 1st time I had ever seen one. Then DH & I went to Warwick Castle last October and as we crossed the bridge in the grounds on flew out of the reeds and up the river. Wonderful sight, would love to be able to sit and watch one like you did one day maybe.