Kedleston Kingfishers et al!

 

The Kedleston Kingfisher

13th February 2025

Four hardy birders met in the car park at exactly 0946.  Hugs were absolutely necessary, not just because of our friendship, but it was flippin' cold.  Not sure about a still, standing around birding activity, we decided on brisk walks interspersed with some serious stuff.  Maggie, having seen the bird list outside reception,  requested a kingfisher and a pintail.  She's so demanding! 

We didn't fancy the stepping stones in lieu of the out-of-action bridge across lots of mud, so opted for the main bridge where there was plenty to see and plenty of goose poo to try and avoid. .  Here are the orange-billed ones. 

Oystercatcher with grubby bill.

Greylag with clean bill. 

The task was made a bit harder as I didn't always say exactly where the birds were.  Plus, adding in counting the birds was fun, and the coots decided their chances of being noticed were better if they milled around in a large group. 

A lovely view of the Hall, the estate buildings and bridge arches to perfectly frame

three gelly heads! 

We return over the bridge to further test our skills on the other part of the lake.  With further counting and an added task to distinguish between male and female, we find the black and white birds.  Plenty of tufted ducks diving around and good views of goosander 

Handsome male goosander, with female following. 

But, can we find Maggie a kingfisher? 

After a few attempts at following each other's instructions of which tree and branch it had landed on, we find it, at least three times!  

obviously helped by wearing one of the traffic light hats.

Pam was so busy taking this photo, that she missed the kingfisher but she did spot a grey heron in the  tree. 

As we'd found one of Maggie's target birds, we headed towards the cafe for a much needed  warm drink. Jo found us and having admitted she had never been inside the cafe, because we nearly always meet in the warmth and sit outside, we decided a celebratory photo was needed  As luck would have it, one of my friends was on the next table. 

Thank you Val. Hope your coffee didn't get too cold!

We cut through to the gardens and admire the back of the Hall, which is rather grand. 

The gardens were showing signs of winter plants with resplendent groups of 

hellebore 

small swathes of snowdrops

and more snowdrops drifting on their own.

Our walk through the woods was virtually silent with viewings of a only couple of blackbirds. Maggie and I forged ahead (she was hell bent on getting a pintail).  We'd not realised that Pam was fading fast to the point where she disappeared altogether!  Fortunately Jo and Alison filled us in and we now only had to find Jo a kingfisher. We can't be double lucky, can we? 

Right where the kingfishers normally pose for close up photos  at Splash Pool, we find a coot finding nesting material on the edge of the fall...

re named kamikaze coot!

Grey heron likes living on the edge too!

And hooray, Jo finds a kingfisher too!

We get back to the cafe in time to see that Pam has magically reappeared with friends Helen M and Julia, tucking into rather lovely hot bowls of steaming red thai soup, except for  

Alison who plays odd babe out and opts for a bean soup.

We chatted about the usual health issues, rip off dentists and holidays.  Our shared topic as a whole group revolved around various forms of recycling and silly booking systems which don't encourage folks to save the environment. Selling on 'stuff' as Helen M puts it, seemed to be a reasonable way to get rid of sentimental family heirlooms from lovely bone china sets to grandfather clocks (ah, no, Helen M has kept one of those!). 

Finally, we come to books and the rediscovery of the library... not necessarily for borrowing books, but they are essential for keeping one' s own heating bills down!  

So, we come the end of an action packed fun day out .  And here's a bit of proof that we did find the kingfisher (another time for the pintail Maggie).  It's a dodgy photo, but it is there...

 

Level 2 birding with numbers today!

32+coot 

2 mute swans 

3 teal

8 goosander (5m 3f)

24+ greylag 

too many canadas

2 pheasant 

6 tufted  ducks (4m 2f), lots of ducking and diving

3 shelduck  

little egret

2 grey heron

1 kingfisher (bird of the day)

2 great tit 

robin

6 blackbird

jackdaw

jay

buzzard (did you all see it on the ground on the way out?)

Christmas Card Charity 2024

Christmas Card Charity 2024 

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

The blog is created by all of us with entries as they appeared in my What's App in-box and a rogue one which appeared on Messenger.  (I'm saying nothing about the ability of teachers to follow a simple set of instructions!) 

As well as sharing cards and our chosen charities this year, there is also a fun element.

As we discovered in the December meet up, dinosaurs with hats appear to be THE Christmas tree decoration for this year. So, we are mostly being trendy and a little bit daft in 'naming that dinosaur'!  Just ignore the fact that the baby dinosaur's tail is not properly attached to its bottom.  That's what happens when you download a  free image; you get what you don't pay for. 

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Helen J

Love to you all and here's to more active meet ups and lazy lunches in 2025. xx

My chosen charity this year is: War Child which protects, educates and stands up for the rights of children caught up in war.

I name this dinosaur:  Debora (after the whacky Tyrannosaurus Rex song of my childhood.  Bet you can't stop singing that tune now?! )

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Lynn

 

Christmas love to you all. xx

My chosen charity this year is:  Ashgate Hospice.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Jo 

 

Happy Christmas everyone. xx

My chosen charity this year is: Cancer Research

I name this dinosaur: Dinky

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Helen M

Happy Christmas to you all. H xx

My chosen charity this year is: Crisis

I name this dinosaur:  Mite

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Maggie

Wishing all the Gellybabes a very Merry Christmas 

and a Happy New Year. xx

My chosen charity this year is: Red Cross

I name this dinosaur:  Gellysaurus

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Julia

 

Happy Christmas to all my friends in the Gellybabes.  

Hoping you have a wonderful time and a peaceful and Happy New Year.  

Much love, Julia. xx

My chosen charity this year is:  The Children's Hospice South West because they provide hospice care for  babies, children and young  people living with life-limiting conditions and their families.

I name this dinosaur:  Steggybaby

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Pam

Warmest wishes for the Festive Season and looking forward to more convivial meet-ups in  2025. 

You  are a lovely bunch of friends!  x

My chosen charity this year is AQUABOX  as they have been successful in getting aid close and  into Gaza.

I name this dinosaur: Santasaurus

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Alison 

Happy Christmas. Love Alison xx

My chosen charity this year is the same as last year: Smile Train.  It allows children to have a relatively cheap operation to fix cleft palates, giving them a chance of a pain free and bullying free life.

I name this dinosaur : Henry the Hexapodasaurus as he seems to have six legs and is, as yet, an undiscovered species of dinosaur.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Charlotte

Wishing you  all and your families a wonderful holiday season and  peaceful New |Year. 

Much love Charlotte and Ian. xx

My chosen charity this year is, as always: Supporting Sofia and Satyam.  Sofia is now 19 and in her final year of A levels.  She has applied and hopes to go to University in UK to study Fine Art.  Satyam nearly 18 and is in his first year of A levels: studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry (!!).  He plans to apply for a Sponsorship in UK to study Degree Apprenticeship in Aerospace Engineering.

I shall also be donating to air Ambulance in memory of my baby brother 

as this was his favoured charity. 

I name this dinosaur: Grinchasorus

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Janice

Season's bleatings to you all. Janice x

My chosen charities this year are: Crisis and UNHCR

I name this dinosaur: Manxy, on account of him having lost his tail!  

He is clearly a Manxosaurus! 

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

I bet, like me, you've enjoyed reading the cards and messages, taken a deep breath over the choice of charities we have chosen and then had a chuckle at the name choices of the dinosaur.  We even have new species reported too!

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Tiger Inn, Turnditch

Time for the Tiger Inn at Turnditch

Friday 13th 2024

After lots of planning and a few concerns about the very latest reviews of The Tiger Inn, the pub manager gave enough reassurances to encourage us to stick with him.  So glad we did. The pub is well known for its pub garden and views across the hills...

Fortunately we had a warmer welcome with a table indoors.

  

Apart from someone's love of pictures and ornaments of tigers throughout the pub, why is it called The Tiger Inn? 

Here's a seasonal one !

There are two stories.  One is that the original owner once worked in a circus and brought his pet tigers to live with him at the  pub.  The other is that he collected tiger's coats for rugs.  Not sure about the ethics of that but better than finding tiger kittens in an abandoned wooden crate for Alison to look after at The Ark, eh?

Not sure the circus tigers look that friendly!

Whilst waiting to order, a rather large group of men arrived for their works' dinner. What a lovely surprise for Maggie to be greeted by one of her ex-tutees.  He's now 55; so how old really is Maggie?! And then another one turned up but at least Maggie knew who he was... haha! So, Gell represented by retired ex-teachers, long ago ex-students, parents of current Gell students and a future one all in the same building. 

The pub is also well known for its themed meal evenings. Advance booking required! An incredible range; good vegetarian choice too. 

How many weeks are there in a year?  

Having eaten too well over the past few days I chose to have a tapas. Expecting a mini Yorkshire with a bit of stilton and mushrooms this is, apparently, a small portion! Now imagine the Friday pies on the menu... quite a bit more fiesty! Alison and Maggie must have rolled home!!

Yummy, filling and good value. 

It's lovely having a log fire and whilst I needed to warm up, we were all feeling quite toasty after a few minutes. No one wanted to swap seats, can't think why?

Right side; rosy red! 

We talked a lot!  One seasonal topic was about how much a Father Christmas can make just for turning up at a commercial venue or even better on Christmas Day!  So babes, all we need are some man bits, our own grey beard (for others to stroke.. urghh!), and a big belly. Of course, the real Santa doesn't charge and some of us have our own magical one at home, for free.  

Waiting for our instant coffee with hot milk. 

Slightly less seasonal: I had a bit of a revelation about male bondage and behaviour in the birding world.  We spent a long time talking about the cost of private dental care.  Pam still thinks she's entitled to an NHS dentist.... in Wirksworth? Reality check needed! And what about all the retired incomers arriving in Wirksworth telling everyone how to do it? And the fears of joining of a Pilates class full of stick insects when feeling like an elephant. You won't be turned away unless you have a young sounding name though.  Pilates politics, eh? 

I cosy up to Maggie... I'm too hot for my own good! 

We missed our other half of the babes and hope that we can all meet up with a bit more activity in 2025.  Chatsworth seems to be high on the list, especially when or if  the parking is free at Carlton Lees.

We ended with the final handing over of birthday presents (without a 0) and decided that a Secret Santa/Easter Bunny could also be ditched or not started. However, we are all keen to continue our Christmas Card Charity with blog for Helen J to organise.  See Whats App and don't forget to send by the date given as I won't be starting sorting cooking and wrapping until the last minute and although you might not think it, multi-tasking is so last year.....

An exchange between Maggie and me on Thursday. Maggie thought I might like a quick dip, I was referring to planning a lunch...

No tigers involved! 

Kegs and barrels

The Railway Inn, Turnditch

10th October 2024

We woke up to slightly horrific news to read that it wasn't just Florida stuck in a hurricane of great magnitude! It seemed the whole of the UK was affected.  Here is an example of what was happening just down the road. 

Fortunately Turnditch appears to have missed out on the BBC glitch and was delightfully calm, cool and a bit sunny! Well, it was what I had ordered 😉 . 

Whilst waiting for Helen and Pam to arrive, stuck in roadworks, of course, Jo, Alison and Lynn waited patiently to board the next train.

Having a a barrel load and two halves of fun!

Anyone for an outdoor pint? 

Whilst waiting for our drinks to arrive, we finally decided that although we love to receive a birthday present, it was time to lay the wonderful idea to rest, unless one has a O in it! So, Pam is okay for hers later this month. Now all we need to do, is remember how old we all will be and when. 

We settled down to read the extensive and promising menu. Fortunately there was something for everyone from light snacks to super sized meals!  Quality was good, although service was a bit 'Acorn Antiques-ish' but we all received a discount voucher for our return visit.  

Might have to bring a dog next time though.

Our chat was quite varied and whilst Jo took notes of everything, I am writing the blog without an aide-memoire, so I might have muddled up some of my information.  However, of the more serious topics, there was talk of how far certain types of 'free speech', completely different from our own views,  should be allowed an audience.  Probably best to keep one's heads and placards down and not add fuel to its fire, so to speak. 

On lighter notes, ski trips were being planned and/or eagerly awaited; Scottish midges don't like rain, but might try for an under-the-umbrella-meal; a personalised made up pot of Herbes-de-Provence was a nice touch from the shop where Marcus Wareing gets his stuff in St Remy-de-Provence, Lynn's Community choir and performance in a day.. (must put next date in my diary) 

We pause for a photo mid- chat...

Eyes wide open!

We continue with our well-woman health checks;  when we are due our shingles jabs (Alison and Helen caught out between the ridiculous roll outs), and how loud does the TV really need to be? Is this why we prefer sub-titled films these days? The gentleness of 'All Creatures Great and Small' type TV compared to the slightly harrowing films around.

We pause for a better photo than the first one taken during a serious discussion...

All smiles in this one!

The C word was mentioned, note I didn't take photos of anything C'massy, but we did decide that we might like to return to doing a Christmas Secret Santa, preferably to be given around December, but any date during the year seemed acceptable! To be firmed up... 

So, six today was a very good number but we missed Maggie living it up in costa-del- somewhere, Julia on a mad tour of southern England, and Charlotte and Janice doing other things. 

Hopefully our next meet up is one for Pam to organise? 🎈🎂

  

Catching up at Cromford

 Catching up at Cromford

14th August 2024

Amazingly some of us managed to find a day when we all had gaps in our busy summer schedules to get together for lunch and a catch-up.

Alison, Lynn, Pam, Jo, Maggie and Helen M bagged an outside table at the very busy cafe and settled down for a couple of hours of discussing recent holidays and putting the world to rights. 

Notable subjects up for discussion included: Olympics withdrawal and how we have all become experts in a variety of niche sports, the merits of going grey and the benefits of purple shampoo, the demands of grandchildren and nineteen year old cats, the horrors of airports and flying and the joys of being able to go on holiday when it isn’t school holidays, Maggie entertained us with a very intents story which proved that adult children are still children and we pondered the mystery of how the internet can read our minds!

We saw a kingfisher - well, those of us facing the right direction did and we were entertained by some young moorhens.

Someone forgot to take any photographs so here’s one from a previous occasion, wrong Helen and let’s imagine it was taken before Lynn arrived!

Someone did remember to take a photograph to be included though.

All the way from Edinburgh.

We didn’t go for a walk as we only had a two hour time slot before we had to get back for various reasons: grandparent duties, vet visits and an afternoon nap for those who had to get up at 4am.

And those of you who were there you will be pleased to see that the brachyglottis sunshine is already looking much happier.

Kedleston Cafe and Walk

 

Crikey it's hot in Kedleston

9th May 2024

What a scorcher of a day! Perfect for refreshments outside and no wasps. 

Good to have so many of us together; some haven't seen each other for eleven months! We must do better  was the general agreement but as we continue to be so busy, we just have to keep our fingers crossed. Welcome to Bob too. lovely of you to join us.  A good substitute for all the absent babes. 

                                  

Lots of catching up to do but we still managed to return to our old favourites.  We need to be careful when booking our holidays to try and support the local economy by eating out. A bit difficult on a cruise made harder by not being able to sneak a wine box or two on board. 

We chatted about how to stay healthy.  Apparently Statins are an absolute must.  A show of hands showed 5 on vs 2 not on!  And those young influencers? Who knew that cottage cheese without pineapple could be so tasty and good for you! But most of us are 'old skool'.. if it looks and smells ok, the furry stuff is cut off, and the egg test works, who cares about whether it's out of date or not. Well, Julia might.... 

I've forgotten the one we talked about the most... umm... it'll come to me in a minute.  Haha! 

Julia and Bob needed to escape to bathe in Bath.  Hope they get the right one.

Charlotte laid claim to needing to leave too... but , perhaps she just needed a different chair. 

So, the Croots crew (last blog, remembe?r) set off .. 

                                                         

Our sauciest moment up to this point.  

We wondered what awaited us! 

Ahh, perhaps they meant the wild garlic: a bit of an aphrodisiac so I've heard. 

Mmm.. take in that smell!

The walk needed to be brisk so that we could get back for lunch, so hardly any birding time.  However, I revealed a bit of a short cut.  Merlin the bird app, reveals all sorts of birds if it listens properly.  No good if everyone is chatting though or the birds are distant.  Good to get the Blackcap properly identified.  Nuthatch didn't need the app but it did try a bit of hide and seek. The app'll keep Pam entertained for a bit. 

We did the long walk, with a quick burst up to the Splash Pool and then along the river before a spot of lunch indoors, so we could cool off! 

So, were any of our absent babes having decent weather too?  Blue skies suggest some were. 

Jo reporting from Wiltshire

Where's the Westbury White Horse gone?

There he is.. have a piece of apple xx

Helen M reporting from Lake Como

Yesterday's view

Today's view!

Being photo bombed by a sculpture at Villa Carlotta. 

I think we all need a bit of cool down now in the Splash Pool! 

 

Bird list for the day.  Mostly seen, some App ID

Canada geese

Jackdaw

Greylag

Mute Swan

Oystercatchers screeching around

House Martin

Swallow

Green Woodpecker (distant call)

Chaffinch

Blackbird

Mistle thrush

Robin

Blackcap (with app)

Dunnock (with app)

Chiffchaff

Great tit

Blue tit

Wren

Song thrush (with app)

Tufted duck

Great crested grebe

Coot

and a black Kite from Italy!