Twittering about in Tissington
Friday 10th May 2019
A good turn out today meant we were six out of nine babes and three out of four dogs meeting at Tissington car park, very much on schedule for a lovely day out. We missed Maggie and Charlotte who were otherwise occupied. With Helen J assigned to the blog and feeling a little under par, which might mean bits of info missing but there was certainly one birdie faux pas, rectified below.
Whilst Betty circles Talitha to see if she will play, Julia notices some dodgy activity. It being Alison's actual birthday, there are some concerns that she might be after yet another car.
You had a car for your 59th, Alison, you can't have Helen J's as well!!
Ooh, what mischief shall we plan for today?
Bob keen to get on with his business!
First, things first, a trip to the local café. A slow Talitha stroll meant we were able to enjoy the beautiful setting, spot our first birds and admire the local waterlife. A few minutes later tiny tots from the local Forest school escape for a bit of fresh air, but with data protection preventing actual proof of their line up, we are only able to publish ...
one crocodile....
We see Pam driving round in circles, so we know she will be around sometime soon and makes us up to seven. An 'in tents' conversation follows at the café. Alison should have been on her balloon trip today but unfortunately had to postpone, so Jo fills her in on how to prevent injury in case of gusty winds and a bumpy landing. But if Alison's next flight also gets postponed, Pam can always help out with her newly acquired inflatable tent. Chasing its landing might be fun activity for the rest of babes too!
Look into my eyes, my eyes... Bob's eyes!
We plan the rest of the day and decide to keep things simple: do the trail, return to the café for lunch, avoid the rain. Not realising there is a fault in the plan, we set off back through the village and chat about pension schemes. For those still working, it appears that contributions towards supply work may not amount to that much. In fact, the returns are probably worth less than the coins
in the undressed, decidedly naked well.
In the car park we hear a song trush... yes, I repeat... I repeat... I repeat, a song, not a mistle thrush greets us. As we start up the trail, Betty is a little disgruntled..
Not fair, Talitha is allowed off the lead
The walk is one of the prettier sections of the Tissington Trail, with views, hedgerow birdsong, lots of flowers and a striking orange tip butterfly. And we are not mown down by cyclists, well, not quite. Use your bell in plenty of time or shout, we all twitter to ourselves.
Fifty shades of green
One shade of blue
Lynn and Talitha have already headed back as a discussion on the pronunciation of words ensued. Bath or Bath? Castle or castle? Parwich or Parwich?
Tis definitely a scone though.
Squashed egg and
fungi makes for a Jo sort of breakfast!
We then can't quite decide which way to go, but as Bob needs to collect one of his little presents, it is decided...
back from whence we had come.
The route is a little quicker back down the trail, just with reverse views
One bridge
looking a bit like another
But we do manage a little bit of a change and with huge, uneven man-sized steps, follow a different way into the village
With both dogs firmly on their leads, we are able to make it across the fields without any trouble at all. And Betty remarks that it is lucky Talitha has already gone home!
Seeing double...
Naturally, when in Tissington, talk turns to Well Dressings, but it is one of relief that, that is all in the past for us now. And it is with good knowledge that we know that this beauty will be past its best by the time the Tissington Wells are decorated
Scrambling Montana Rubens,
Pam gets ideas for her rockery.
We enjoy our lunch outside in the sunshine with views of the St Mary's church
Obviously noticing its moated fortification
We chat about the family which own the Hall and research explains its uniqueness, in that the family who live there are direct descendants of one of its original builders from the 11th century. The family welcome visitors to their home, but they are also described as 'unspectacular landlords', which apparently is a compliment. More interesting though, the architect of the wing which houses the library and billiards room is none other than the eminent Arnold Mitchell. So, maybe we have a way in without having to pay. Helen M... you need to check your chronicles!!
Having a cartload of fun.
In the meantime, Jo tried to leave so she could catch a puffin for her supper, but is thwarted by the persuasive tactics of the village's latest ice cream seller.
Would you like a flake with that?
And then the mischief' reveals itself. We may not have had the thunder, but we certainly had the rain and hail, arriving so quickly we hardly had time to make ourselves waterproof! A kindly lady let some of us into her potting shed and a couple of lovely looking plants were bought.
And so endeth a lovely day, but all is not yet over. We have a very important announcement for the bird list. We saw or heard 24 birds today, 52 for the year and this brings our ongoing total to 100. Our target! So, we have two special entries today: the blackcap for its wonderful song and our prize bird, the linnet (seen by five, but only three of these were babes!). It therefore has a special entry.
blackcap** No 99 ( the icecream bird)
blue tit
buzzard*
chaffinch
chiffchaff*
collared dove*
coot
crow
dunnock
goldfinch
great tit
grey wagtail*
house sparrow*
jackdaw
linnet** No 100 (yeah!
Our target bird!)
magpie
mallard
pheasant (heard)
pied wagtail
robin
song thrush*(heard)
swallow
wood pigeon
wren
Upon this leafy bush
With thorns and roses in it
Flutters a thing of light
A twittering linnet
From 'The Linnet' by Walter de la Mare
Or, you may like to know that its latin name is Carduelis cannabina. Perhaps it twitters about because of its liking for eating hemp seeds! Its flight call is also a gossipy chichichichit.
Quacking good information!
