William the Conqueror...

History re-written, and licensed today. The pub sign features William the Conqueror enjoying a refreshing, post-invasion pint of Shepherd Neame’s best bitter, at Rye Harbour, East Sussex… 

Egrets...

Another good day for waders, at Blacktoft Sands: purple sandpiper, curlew sandpiper, redshank, spotted redshank, greenshank, dunlin, ruff, snipe, lapwing, and another little stint (just possible to differentiate, in a tight group of dunlin, because of its diminutive size and hyperactive feeding habits). The waders were regularly scattered by the arrival of raptors: kestrel, buzzard, marsh harrier and sparrowhawk. When I first started to become interested in birds, almost 70 years ago, I never imagined I would one day see little egrets, cattle egrets and a great egret all together. But here they were, along with a heron.

Licensed today: a woman on mobility scooter in the market square, Boston, Lincolnshire…

Sycamore Gap...

I’ve just read that the iconic tree at Sycamore Gap, on Hadrian’s Wall, was cut down last night. Why would anyone go to the trouble of destroying one of the best-loved – and most photographed – trees in the land? Here’s my version… 

Southwell...

Licensed today: a couple of pix from Southwell in Nottinghamshire. The Saracens Head is an old coaching inn, and the house is Burgage Manor, the home of Lord Byron's mother…

Irton Green...

Licensed today: the 9th-century cross in the churchyard of St Paul's Church, Irton Green, in West Cumbria… 

Hen Harrier...

Had a couple of hours this afternoon at North Cave Wetlands, one junction from Howden, on the M62, in the direction of Hull. Half a dozen swallows were swooping over the water, before making their long flight south. There weren't many waders about today – just a few curlew, snipe and lapwing – but you never know what might turn up. A raptor separated itself from a flock of gulls, flying towards me with wings held in a shallow V-shape. Smaller than a buzzard, and slimmer than either a buzzard or a marsh harrier, with a more direct flight: it was a female hen harrier (pic via Creative Commons).…

Boats for sale...

Licensed last week...