Favourite places revisited

Today we expected quite a lot of showers but we decided to leave our holiday bungalow behind in the safe keeping of the gull living on the roof and head for Yarner Wood.

We have been there several times before and it is a place I really like not least because it has always provided us with good views of Pied flycatchers, fingers crossed the rain wouldn’t spoil things. We popped first in the hide by the car park, which was unusually full. We saw the usual little birds including this Great tit and Nuthatch then we were off flycatcher hunting!

It took a while but then we were successful, first a fleeting glance but then slightly better views and even one entering a nest box. So lovely to see them, the brilliantly marked males and the much quieter female.

We had one brief shower but that was it apart from that it was dry and as the day went on it got brighter and brighter. We had hoped to see a Wood warbler but had no luck there but we were treated to a lovely Tree pipit sitting up proudly atop of a very high tree. Also more than a few Wood ants!

When we had finished our walk we drove into Bovey Tracey, another favourite place and had a relaxed lunch at the Devon Guild of Craftmen shop followed by a walk along the river side. Now when I think of Bovey Tracey the first thing that comes to my mind is Dippers! We have seen them there so often although last time we were there for over a week and didn’t catch sight of one. We walked along and back and were moments away from heading back to the car when A Dipper flew low over the water right down the river, brilliant that is three year ticks and brings our bird total to 197 dangerously close to 200 which I am aiming to get before heading back to Norfolk!!!

The day continued with a trip to the House of Marbles for a good look around and memories of a previous trip there when Sprocket had his paw print cast in glass! A detour for provisions and then we arrived home in sunshine after a really lovely day.

Tomorrow will be quite a different day as we are going up to Hertfordshire to join with friends and family to say goodbye to one of the nicest men I have known, Richard.