Duck Creek Fungi

Trying out the “Rite in the Rain” paper. I really quite like it.

Beach Notes

A local posted an image of the sea lion on Inaturalist and was identified as a Californian sea lion. This is good to know as it was so far away off it made my eyes hurt squinting at it. Unless there is more than one sea lion patrolling these shores?

I like finding bits of Turkish Towel on the shoreline. I don’t see it often here and wonder if it gets broken up and washed ashore in the winter currents. I’ve never seen a complete piece with a stipe.

Earthstar Fungi

This is the first encounter with an Earthstar and I’m very excited. On my walk, I found the “Rounded Earthstar” or the “Bowl Earthstar” but thought I would also examine the similar “Collared Earthstar” to get the nuances of both species. There’s lots to learn… this is just the beginning of these starry delights.

Winter Sketching - Getting outside

A somewhat early snowfall left a good amount of snow - enough to get the snowplough out and clearing the roads.

Some outdoor sketching in the new snowfall. Despite the temperature hovering around 0 degrees, it felt colder with the damp. I warmed myself up with some shovelling and then went back to sketching.

With the sun on the snow, great clumps began to melt and fall from the tall conifers… one clump fell directly on my head and sketchbook. Fortunately, I was trying out a new waterproof pen… and yes… it is indeed waterproof.

Mississippi River Flyway Cam

I like to use live webcams to practice bird sketching and these stately cranes give all kinds of wonderful poses.

Not all the cameras feature birds, so there is much to look at around the world and if a live-streaming camera happens to be down, there are many more from which to choose.

explore.org

Lots of burbs seen...

The full list of everything seen in the UK, before I forget:

1. Egyptian Goose

2. Common Shelduck

3. Northern Shoveler

4. Mallard

5. Tufted Duck,

6. Eurasian Oystercatcher

7. Northern Lapwing

8. Common Redshank

9. Little Egret

10. Eurasian Kestrel

11. Carrion Crow

12. Common Kingfisher

13. Eurasian Robin

14. Curlew

15. Gadwell

16. Little Grebe

17. Mute Swans

18. Green-winged Teal

19. Teal hybrid

20. Jackdaw

21. Dunnock

22. Coot

23. Moorhen

24. Magpie

25. Black headed gull

26. starling

27. blackbird

28. Wood Pigeon

29. Widgeon

30. Pink-footed Geese

31. Ring-necked pheasant

32. Grey Heron

33. Wren

34. Great Egret

35. Golden Plovers

36. Brant Geese

37. Greylag Geese

38. Marsh Harrier

39. Pied Wagtail

40. Yellow Wagtail

41. Buzzard

42. Skylark

43. Eurasian Blue Tit

Egyptian Goose & Redshank

I really wanted to see an Egyptian goose… and lo… there were two in the field next to where we stayed. (The Redshanks in the estuaries were a bonus.) The pair of geese kept to themselves and if other Egyptian geese flew in to join them in the field, much flapping and indignation happened. The other birds would veer off mid-air. The pair didn’t mind other birds hanging out with them, such as the pheasants, curlews and jackdaws.

Overy Staithe

There was a path next to where we stayed that led us to Overy Staithe. A good portion was dedicated to the boatclub and small boats and tenders. The path continued through and up on to the dyke system which gave nice views of the expansive reed beds before meeting up to the dunes and the sea.

Norfolk and its Flint

On the elusive kingfisher

The UK kingfisher is very different to our chatty kingfisher at home. Elusive is the word for the UK kingfisher. Should have been called the Elusive Kingfisher, not the Common kingfisher. Ours is noisy and likes to let you know where it is, what it is eating, thinking, commenting on…. This one …the Elusive One, came out of nowhere like a tiny jet fighter and was gone. The sketch above is from the bird guide book.

A visit to RSBP Titchwell Marsh

“Located on the north coast of Norfolk, between the villages of Titchwell and Thornham, Titchwell Marsh is blessed with diverse habitats that include reedbeds, saltmarsh and freshwater lagoons where avocets, bearded tits and marsh harriers nest.”

Titchwell is renowned for its wading birds, wildfowl and geese. These gather in significant numbers from mid autumn onwards and with the arrival of migrant birds from Scandanavia and Northern Europe the fresh water lagoons are soon filled with a variety of resident species and visitors.” RSBP Titchwell Marsh

Oh the wind….the wind…the windy of wind days, yes. What was such a treat were the bird hides…deluxe! One can sit out of the elements and peer as much as one wishes.

Those peculiar lapwings stole my heart.

Tufted Ducks

Informal Mushroom Foray in the UK

well… all my forays are informal….

My first UK fungi!

I hope someone identifies it on iNaturalist. I am keen to know what this beauty is.