Mysterious Stanton Moor, Whitworth Park and the Pickled Pear

11.11.21 November 

visit to the Mysterious Stanton Moor, Whitworth Park and the Pickled Pear

One misty moisty morning three ladies went out to visit the nine ladies at Stanton Moor with a mere sketch of a map which took us round in a big circle as if trying to catch the Woozle.

 Pam, Jo and Alison met at the car park by Birchover quarry – the sat nav code was useless… and took Jo somewhere near Longcliffe quarry!! Luckily Pam and Alison didn’t use a sat nav. Unfortunately Julia was at home with a bad cold but thought she could manage lunch.

The rock climbers were absent today and there were no good views due to the fog.

The light and mist was really atmospheric and ethereal. Pam bravely led the way.

Who is Pam photographing?

Look out for the huge fruit bat flying over the woodland glade.

Beautiful pearls of misty dew. The spiders were up all night working on their  intricate webs.

Alison striding out to the nine ladies – we come to ….

……dance round the stones

The spell is set and ready to bring out the sunshine 

 Who is camping in the woods? 

Breakfast foraging for edible fungi …

The mist starts to clear before the ramblers arrive…

Peacocks strut noisily through the crispy autumn leaves….

Mini sculptures of rock stacks by school children on a day out in Derbyshire … renewed happy memories of AGS art trips out in the fresh air? 

Passing by the quarry blasting – thank goodness the sign is not from English Heritage.

On to Whitworth Park to find some points of interest and birdlife as our list was very short from Stanton Moor. Onzain in France is twinned with Darley Dale, they are celebrating 30 years together.

11.11.21 Armistice day – the cannon in front of Whitworth Park Hotel

 Whitworth Park Hotel

The park and war memorial which seemed very appropriate today.

Another peacock….

Little bridge but still no bird life

 Ahaaa - mallards 

Lovely autumn beech trees.

The Gelly Babes at the Pickled Pear.

 

Pam’s pics

Three ladies on the stones from a different angle

 A crow in a tree

Jo and Alison striding onwards

Then waiting for Pam!

Topics of conversation were very varied:

• Sticky ears and olive oil. Doctors and deafness? One ear could be treated for £50 or two treated for £70. What a bargain!

• Incipient Alzheimer’s – we’re all wondering… but it’s good to help our friends finish a sentence and remember a name.

• The success and the full gamut of emotions at the recent performance of Handel’s Messiah at St Mary’s Church Wirksworth, 80 singers and Chris Dixon on the organ,  following Lynn’s baton on her wedding anniversary.

• Dodgy land ownership and the complications of land registry past and present.

• Visits to glorious Cornwall

• Autumn colours

• An exhaustive discussion about the December Gellybabes pre-Christmas meet up - what day? Where? Who? Etc. Possible venues – The Stone Centre, The Pickled Pear or Carsington Breakfast? Lunch?

Bird list

Stanton Moor.

Magpie, crow, great tit, pheasant, peacock, wood pigeon

Whitworth Park

Jackdaw, mallards, coots, moorhens, cormorant, grey heron, black bird, squirrel

13 for the day!! And a squirrel.

Meanwhile somewhere in Yorkshire……..

   Cheers!

The bird sightings from the Yorkshire contingent were as follows: bullfinch, many jays, red kites, song thrush and an unidentified beast bird which did an enormous poo on the car windscreen when I was driving! In fact in might have been a baby pterodactyl!

And from our roving reporter in Norfolk …..

Sea birding at Titchwell-in-the-mist

A rare viewing of a shorelark at Holkham

As it was foggy the Norfolk sightings were greatly reduced, key birds which caused excitement were red throated diver in sea mist, demented sanderlings scampering  around on the beach, avocets not yet migrated, water-rail lurking in the reed beds, lots of pink footed geese and to cap it off the first barn owl of the year.

Bunting Hunting

 Bunting Hunting at Carsington 

13th October 2021

 Today’s gathering of Babes might be the smallest on record as several of our number are off on their travels and others are poorly - hopefully all will be fit and well next month.

Maggie, Pam and Alison managed to get out of bed on time to meet at Millfields car park, unlike yours truly who for the first time in many years managed to over sleep  didn’t make it on time!

Given the option of the long walk or a very short stroll and a long lunch the energetic three chose the easy option which gave them plenty of time for bunting hunting en route to the visitors centre.

The three weary walkers soon revived themselves with a well earned coffee and although the skies were grey enjoyed the view from the balcony. Before long three became four just in time for lunch.

Maggie entertained us with tales from her twitcher’s trip to Northumberland and Pam astonished us with the news that there are no birds or trees in Scotland but there are some very nice views -from the car!

The perfect spot to enjoy the view- if you are facing the right way!

        Spot the snow bunting, he’s definitely in there somewhere 

There he is!

We would have spotted him if we had the right equipment, the patience, the knowledge and if he didn’t look quite so much like a sparrow!

I think we can say that we saw at least some of these even if we weren’t aware of it and Maggie would add a vicarious lapwing and there were definitely lots of pied wagtails and sparrows but they don’t warrant a mention.

I’m sure we will do better next month both in distance walked and wildlife spotted!

Catching up at Kedleston

More Kedleston Capers 

9th September 2021

Very nearly a full quota of babes gathered for coffee at Kedleston, pretty much on time and all very pleased to see one another. Considerable time was spent catching up with everyone’s experiences over the summer. Wedding photos were admired: wonderful dresses of  both brides, handsome grooms, one rather fetching hat and two memorable days. Even the story of one wedding and a funeral didn’t spoil the mood!

The weather forecast had not been very favourable  so it was a pleasant surprise to be sitting in the sunshine but then the sun always shines on the righteous.

Jo challenged us to remember the name of someone by giving us a very vague description and was surprised when none of us could come up with a name… perhaps it will come to us later, in fact one day later Alison has come up with an answer!

After lamenting the demise of the traditional cobbler and consuming all the coffee full advantage of the facilities was taken and we set off for a walk, much to the relief of Bob and Tali who had been waiting very patiently.

Tali obviously hasn’t read the sign and is happily hugging the ground rather than a tree and Bob seems content with head butting the tree,at least Lynn and Jo are following the instructions.

Pam seems to be treating us to a ‘teacher’s look’! Perhaps because some of us are spending too much time admiring the views, the wild chicory, the berries on the beautiful guelder rose bushes and the demolition work of the insects on some of the trees.

There is definitely a hint of autumn in the air.

We headed back down the hill to the cafe to meet up with Helen J after her jaunt into Derby mingling with the unmasked masses.

The wild flower garden was a little bit past it’s best but there was still lots of insect activity and it raised the question of how wild is too wild and are our pollinating insects really that fussy and anyway what do the self appointed ‘experts’ know. Let’s just plant more lavender!

We said goodbye to Jo and hello to Helen J and after lunch in the sunshine Lynn left us and we set off to count the geese. The total number was many and much goose poo.

The clouds were gathering but we weren’t deterred and we set off on the ‘wilderness’ walk by the river.

Thankfully no one got swept away by the raging torrent.

Not really living up to the idea of a wilderness walk but very pleasant nevertheless.

Spot the bat.

Natural sculpture or tree yoga?

Fungi spotting and trying to decide what they are and if they are edible (good job that Jo had to go or she would have filled her pockets)

This one would feed a family!

With a bit of help from Mr Google we think these ones are Earthballs and before they explode they make a good substitute for tofu!

The highlight of the day had to be spotting three young kingfishers amongst the willows by the edge of the river.

And finally we just got back to the car park as the first drops of rain began to fall.

Bird List

Please bear in mind that we only had our resident expert for half the day

Cormorant 

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Heron

Swan

Tit (type unknown)

Crow

Jackdaw 

Mallard

Magpie 

House Martin

Ruddy Shelduck

Great crested grebe

Kingfisher (x3)

Swallow