For New Years Eve we had a quiet night in as Alice isn’t quite ready for parties. New Years Day we headed up the coast to Amy’s dad’s house at Robin Hood’s Bay where we had a lovely meal at the Hare and Hounds in Hawker. Amy had the trio of pork and I had the home made burger with goats cheese. I just expected a few pieces crumbled on the top, but it was a solid slice of grilled goats cheese. It was all delicious. Alice had a good wait, so had walked back and forth across the pub multiple times before food. But she did quite well for her age. She has decided to reject booster seats now. She wants either a chair to herself or my knees to sit on. She knows her own mind for a one and a half year old.
The next day saw a good sunrise over the bay with breathtaking skies. I think I said it last time I went, but photos don’t do it justice.
The next day we got out for a walk. I was taking photos as we went for the New Year Plant Hunt organised by the BSBI. The aim being to monitor what wildflowers are in bloom in Winter.
A few seen on the way.
Red Valerian
The winter heliotrope. A rather delightful low laying wildflower.
Plenty of gorse along cliff faces.
We had a nice walk along the beach. We didn’t quite make it to Boggle Hole, just down the coast. Boggle is a local name for a hobgoblin, a mischievous little person. Boggle Hole was one of the spots the smugglers on this stretch of coast used, thus the name.
Alice was keen to get in the howdah today trying to clamber in before we were ready.
Having read a lot of other people’s New Year Round up posts I’ve seen a lot aiming for seeing 100 bird species in a year. I’ve no idea how many I’ve seen last year so may try and keep better track. The first day days though at Robin Hood’s Bay has given ample opportunities. Although not all were obliging for close up photos.
The bays best known bird: the oystercatcher and black headed gull.
What I think is a stonechat. Not a bird I’m familiar with.
The grey wagtail.
The pied wagtail. One of my favourite little birds. I enjoy watching their odd little bounces along the seawalls.
A robin on the beach.
Back at Amy’s dads house they’ve been getting lots of visitors to their feeders.
Another robin.
Blue Tit.
Bull finch.
I set up the trail camera on the feeder which shows the variety coming in.
And I think possibly the nicest, non-family, photo I managed over the last two days of a bull finch attacking the berries.
We’ll have to see how many species I can manage as we don’t go out of our way to see birds. But we live in good areas for racking up a good number.
Those are really nice bird snaps. Some I’ve never seen. I wonder how you got them to let you so close.
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A reasonable lens and sneaking quietly forward.
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What a wonderful way to begin the new year!
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You are correct with your stonechat and they are such charming and obliging photographic models. Why not log all your sightings this year on birdtrack and gain the benefits of a free easy system of recording with adding valuable scientific data to help protect them for the future generations. https://app.bto.org/birdtrack/main/data-home.jsp Happy new year and look forward to hearing all about your year.
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Coincidently I’d just re-registered to the birdtrack app again. I’d tried it last year, but didn’t get used to it before my phone went wrong. I’ve got it going again and I’ve got my head round submitting my lists. 21 species so far without going beyond garden watching. I reckon I’ll come across a lot day to day seeing as I live by the sea, the garden attracts a good variety and I drive through the countryside to work. A few trips over the year to a few reserves and I think I should clock up the 100 I’m going to aim for.
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Sounds highly likely Good luck
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