Where I Live In Fenland of England, UK.

The racket of these birds as they came into the Fenland and landed in the flood plain. Further away, over and across the farmlands, the noise was intense. Yet, they were miles away. Hundreds of them or other types of swan and geese. They were majestic and almost arrogant as they came in from their migration routes.

Where I Live in Fenlands, England, UK.

My wife and I took a walk over the bird hides of Manea. There is always something of interest going on along the bridal path. We crossed by the rickety old cottage and began to walk between the two rivers. There is a dyke running along the River Delph with scattered bird hides along the way. The other side of the bridal path has the River Bedford with water reeds all along the bank.

I was flapping around with the camera when I saw the Kestrel hovering about doing the normal kestrel thing. As I started taking photoshoots, she went into a dive. She had a wicked sublime majesty as the air warrior dived for her prey.

Whatever she was going for, it got away and lived to forage another day. As, of course, did the hungry Kestrel.

Not if You Are A Little Rodent.

If it is small enough and moves, then it is food. I heard a lady at a raptor centre say such things about Birds of Prey. This little Kestral was delighting us with it's hovering and swooping over the Fenland. Then it landed upon this site, looking for little nibbles in the form of mice or voles. Kestrels are smashing little creatures and they are everywhere.

What Little Camouflaged Pipit Birds Are Theses?

I'm not sure if I was looking at a Water Pipit, a Rock Pipit or a Meadow Pipit. The reason being is because a man came into the bird hide, where I was looking out over the flooded Fenland. The River Delph always bursts its bank from November to March. Then it recedes back to the river for spring and summer. The man was all excited because he said he had seen a Water Pipit. I only look for the Birds of Prey like Marsh Harriers, Buzzards and Owls. The other little birds are lost on me because I've never really paid much attention to them and I'm ignorant of many of their names. Therefore, a Water Pipit did not flick any switches for me. Though I acted as though I was knowledgeable. Well... I never admitted to not knowing what he was on about. He went on to say he had got his camera out but his battery was too low. Therefore he had come back in the hope of seeing another the next day.

My wife Carole seems to know a great variety of these little birds and she knew what the man was talking about and had heard of such feathered friends even if she was not totally sure of what one might look like. I rely on her to tell me what is what concerning such things. Slowly, I'm becoming educated. Sometimes she gets it wrong, but we correct the judgement when looking at the bird watchers guides.

The man who spoke of the Water Pipkin did not stay long. He went off along the dyke to the next hide while Carole and I continued to look across the flooded Fenland. I noticed a lot of these tiny little birds running across the mud by the river's edge and started to photograph a few. The were very well camouflaged. I asked Carole and she said they might be Siskins.

I took a few snapshots and when we got home and blew the photos up onto the computer, the little fellas or gal Pipits that were running about, came out rather well. They were tiny little things. When we looked them up, they seemed to be Pipits. Like the little urchins, the man had been speaking of. However, they looked more like Meadow Pipits according to our guide book. Well, the water flooded Fenland does become a meadow in the spring so they may have been. They also looked similar to Rock Pipits too, but there are no rocks about. Of course, they may be Water Pipits but they seemed to lack the colouring according to the bird guide book. Whatever these lovely little birds were, they must be Pipits of some kind and not Siskins. 

If you are a bird watcher; What do you think?

Wandering Around the Old Town of Stamford

Wandering Around the Old Town of Stamford

My wife Carole, does like to get out and about to the local towns. We decided upon Stamford today and went there this morning. It's a very historical place but then England is full of such areas. What I love about many of these small hamlets, is how they blend in with new things. Or perhaps, new things must blend in with the antiquated look. Yes, I think that's what I really mean. The old wool town is rather upmarket in this day and age and I believe it is because Stamford retains the old traditional look of an old English hamlet with new buildings built in the style of the old.

Wandering Around the Old Town of Stamford

My wife Carole, does like to get out and about to the local towns. We decided upon Stamford today and went there this morning. It's a very historical place but then England is full of such areas. What I love about many of these small hamlets, is how they blend in with new things. Or perhaps, new things must blend in with the antiquated look. Yes, I think that's what I really mean. The old wool town is rather upmarket in this day and age and I believe it is because Stamford retains the old traditional look of an old English hamlet with new buildings built in the style of the old.

The Nooks and Alleyways of Stamford.

The Nooks and Alleyways of Stamford.

The morning out to Stamford had little charms for Carole and I. We went to a coffee shop and wandered about the shopping centre with its antiquated and charming shops. It had the feel of old England mixed with new modern day things. It was once a wool town and the old weaver cottages around the cobbled streets now sell for a pretty penny in this day and age. The place is certainly charming with an allure of contentment in the faces of all Stamford people.

The Arch leading to the Cloister of the Almshouse.

The Arch Leading to the Cloister of the old Almshouse from Richard III's Time.

We were walking through the marketplace at Stamford when we came upon a building with an archway. It was a rather grand old place overlooking the market street. It was founded in 1483 by a wealthy wool merchant named William Browne. It was later overseen by Lord Cecil Burghley of Queen Elizabeth I time. Inside, there was a plaque that said it was a place for alms - an almshouse. This was an old hospital from bygone times. 

This place was compelling. Carole and I decided to explore through the Norman arched doorway. It led to a cloister and across the lawn was an old residence that we observed through pillared arches. It was very picturesque. This old style hospital was for paupers who had no money and was founded during the reign of Richard III. Stamford is full of little delightful and historical things. We could only scratch the surface during our morning visit. 

The Almshouse with the small dome-spire right of Carole.

Old English Town of Stamford - Delightful Nooks and Passageways.

Old English Stone-Built Town - Delightful Nooks and Passageways.

Carole and I went to Stamford in Lincolnshire today. It’s a quaint old town and very old England gradually blending into the modern day world. It had a nice little shopping centre. The old buildings all incorporated with modern day shops. In all, it was delightful and we enjoyed walking around the place with its stone buildings and the hustle and bustle of twenty-first-century traffic.

There were so many churches too. The skyline was littered with old spires scattered about the hamlet town. All I could think was that there must have been a lot of extremely religious people of many different denominations. Or there were colleges and boarding schools with churches of their own.

Even the new build houses were designed with the same brickwork and window designs of the former old buildings. Therefore old and new blended together very well.