Bubble Couples and Mystery Guests
10th -ish June 2020
The oak tree: a symbol of strength, morale, resistance and knowledge .
All things we have coped with over the last few weeks.
At the time of organising the June activity, there was still some uncertainty about what we were allowed to do and what really met the scientific evidence. Three choices were given: stay at home but dress up, meet a friend or go to Durham for an eye test. Whilst there was some temptation for a day trip to Durham, being who we are, we settled to meet a friend. Pairs were decided by nearest distance and each pair had to sort their own day and weather out, see birds and provide bits for the blog. This is what happened exactly as was sent to me, honest!😉
Maggie has grown very long arms enabling a socially distanced selfie, whilst
Alison gives the thumbs up!
Carsington Reservoir, the scene of many a previous GB get together had very kindly decided to partially open just in time for these two (and I am told a mystery guest). They walked anti-clockwise from Sheep Wash, dropping below the dam wall through the woods as an extension to the circuit.
Keeping two metres apart at all times, whilst stopping for drinks and snacks they caught up on a lot of news and collected litter along the way.
Alison is still giving the thumbs up!
And the reason for that is because over the last three days, as a result of an act of extreme stupidity, Alison decided it would be fun to close the car door whilst her thumb was still in the lock. However, the upside of attending hospital appointments during a pandemic is there is no waiting!
Three and a half hours later. Have they run out of things to talk about?
And who is the mystery guest?
Meanwhile, the Helens, not sure if they would recognise each other after such a long time, played safe and met at the newly opened Mitchell garden where it was all too much for Betty in much need of several mad hugs! After a lot of laughter, particularly about their social life (or lack of it) they set off to Stanley Common. Along the way, Helen gave Helen a private tutorial about plant identification
Buttercup meadow with grassy bits.
As leaves were getting in the way, Helen also showed Helen how her new bird app works. It managed a blackbird and wren combination!
Betty having a quiet moment pre-squirrel siting.
Squirrel spotting, but keeping quiet about it!
Avoiding golfers, they headed into the woods marvelling at the powerful smell of pine trees, spotted mostly squirrels, some birds and an unidentified flying red thingy (need an insect app now). Then headed back to an outdoor bistro for some lovely soup and sarnies.... each lovingly created by their respective halves. Helen took her litter home. Mike popped the bowls in the dishwasher.
The table is two metres wide ... the Helens are really quite tall!
After checking out each other's homemade masks, Helen was treated to a private viewing of a couple of art masterpieces: a beautiful photo of some giraffes and a penguin jigsaw puzzle; the closest they will get to any world wildlife for some time. In preparation for a camping staycation, Helen is sorted: she has a pop-up toilet tent and will be able to take a shower from a bucket. Bet no one else talked about that!
They soaked up the sun (it is a matter of timing!) and after a tour of a very flowery garden and pond complete with new water snail, they planned our next trip, curtsied and waved.
Meanwhile, later in the week, after much careful planning, Lynn and Jo met at Black Rocks for a walk along the track towards Middleton incline.
Sniffing beats hugs any day!
The walk started with some stunning views of wild flowers and a very loud song thrush, and just in case she couldn't be heard the first time, she repeated the phrases. Then another mystery guest appeared in the form of Sharen Thorpe, now a grandmother four times over.
Lynn and Jo continued their walk and thoroughly enjoyed reminiscing about industrial sites, quarries and megalithic stones. Their next few holidays are now sorted: Rotherham, Sheffield and a field in the middle of Brittany. Clearly exhausted by all the chatter, and looming rain, they were inclined not to go up, but turned down a track where Tali and Bob found an empty crisp packet to share. Obviously, they took their litter home.
Either Tali has shrunk or the spiders are taking back control!
Why these two did not take a photo of each other is a mystery but they obviously had fun trying to take a selfie.
We're ok Jo, it only took 14 minutes, we have 60 seconds spare but I have touched Bob's lead!
Meanwhile, across the borders, and keeping a very respectful distance from each other (138 miles-ish) a very well co-ordinated collaboration was taking place
C: I've done more washing up than you!
J: And I told you to wear yellow marigolds!
And the one we have all been waiting for! An exciting new venture. A video! It is wonderful but may not work on this blog, so you will have to
guess who! (it will be shared on WhatsApp if the published video doesn't work)
Not content with sending a video, a Powerpoint with several slides was also sent. Here are a few of them.
Wonderful view from wherever your imagination takes you!
Ahh... ...pointing out where they might be!
But, has Julia gone to Paris ?
or maybe to Brittany with Jo?
No....she's with Pam and they've been shopping for Breton tops!
Of course, we knew who it was really and where they went. Alport Heights, a good choice in normal conditions but at least the mist and clouds lifted to reveal the sun. There was lots of chat around the joys and woes of lockdown and the importance of mealtimes (or just eating and drinking!)🤣. They also claimed to have seen birds in the mist but were not sure if they were seeing a gull or a buzzard.
However, all the other birds seen do get on the blog and in a reverse of previous lockdown lists, if there is a number beside the listed bird it is because other birders saw these as well as Maggie and Alison and our mystery guest... well done, Carsington did you proud.
43 is probably the highest number on a single day!
Barnacle goose
Blackbird(3)
Black headed gull (2)
Blue Tit (2)
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Canada Goose
Carrion crow (2)
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff (2)
Coal Tit
Coot
Cormorant
Curlew
Dunnock(2)
Goldfinch
Great Crested grebe
Great Tit (20
Greylag
House Martin
Jackdaw(3)
Lapwing
Linnet
Little grebe
Long tailed Tit
Magpie (2)
Mallard
Mute swan
Nuthatch
Oystercatcher
Pied Wagtail
Redshank
Robin(3)
Song thrush (2)
Starling
Swallow
Swift (2)
Teal
Tree sparrow
Tufted duck
Willow Tit
Wood pigeon(3)
Wren (3)
And finally, the mystery guest is revealed. Well, her name is in the title...
Bet you thought I was someone else!
