February Fling

February 5th 2016

 Cromford Canal

 

On a day that wasn’t too grey and amazingly wasn’t wet all the babes gathered at Cromford apart from Pam (who was otherwise engaged) and of course our marvellous and much missed Lynn. Having been given her honorary canine membership Betty was there as well and very excited she was to see everyone again.

Compulsory Coffee Stop

First stop of course was coffee at the Cromford Mill café, Betty’s presence meant that we had to sit outside but it wasn’t too cold and no one seemed to mind. We had a good catch up with everyone’s news and an update on the travels of the intrepid Jacksons (nothing too intrepid about lounging about in Lanzarote!)

Betty tucking in to the table

The newly opened visitor centre was very impressive and even Betty was made welcome. Maggie looked a bit wistful knowing that school trips would never be the same again now that it is all slick and interactive. We could have spent much longer there but Betty was eager to go for a walk and time was limited for some of our number who still have work commitments (on a Friday afternoon!)

Such a lot to see!

 

And Brian Blessed too!

 

Who else could that be referring to?

We set off down the canal and there was definitely a hint of spring in the air with celandines in flower and an abundance of bird life, although those of us who had forgotten our binoculars and were hampered by mad dogs found spotting them a little difficult and were not able to add anything to the thrush  discussion.  Sadly no water voles in were in evidence, I’m sure Betty would have liked one of those but thankfully the Cromford dinosaur is still in residence.

Next best thing to a water vole

 

We walked as far as the aqueduct, taking comfort in the fact that this is a walk we will be able to do when we get even further along our ‘journey towards death’ – we can thank Maggie for that cheerful thought!

 

 

Back at the café at Cromford Wharf and with Betty having a siesta in the van we settled down for lunch of delicious spicy parsnip soup.

It's Ok - don't wait for me!

We were hoping that Alison would be able to show us some photographs of her knitted Easter scene but it seems she hasn’t started it yet, we can only hope that she has time to complete all the important elements before Easter is upon us.

Duck of the day

Is it a bird, is it a thrush, is it a song thrush, is it  mistle thrush.....

Cromford birds Feb 2016

blackbird

blue tit

chaffinch

coal tit

coot (clicking away quite happily)

crow

goldfinch*

hawfinch**

little grebe (guffawing just like green woodpeckers and duck of the day)

long tailed tit

mallard

moorhen

nuthatch*

robin

song thrush*/ mistle thrush 

tree creeper** (creeping up the tree, as they should!)

wood pigeon

wren*

18 birds for the day. *are first for this year.  ** are GB firsts.  Thank goodness Alison is satisfied that she has seen tree creepers!  Next request? We now have 40 for the year and 80 for our grand total since records began.  Wonder if we will meet our running target of 85 by the end of the year?

Helen J has now done a bit more research on our thrush song and behaviour and thinks we may be mistaken and we have heard/ seen a mistle thrush.  They are commonly seen sitting high on top of a tree.  The RSPB website has been checked (and local sightings) and unless anyone can clearly remember the actual song... ha! ha!  I suggest we put it down as a mistle thrush

 

The sign says it all!