Garth Peacock
2020 - Out with a bang

Archive

Friday 4th October - North Norfolk

Monday 7th October 2024

Tanzania Day 8 - The Serengeti

Saturday 5th October 2024

Two trips out with little to show.

Wednesday 25th September 2024

Tanzania Day 7 - The Serengeti

Monday 23rd September 2024

Abberton Reservoir - again

Thursday 19th September 2024

Abberton Essex

Wednesday 11th September 2024

A morning at Grafham Water

Thursday 29th August 2024

After holiday blues

Thursday 22nd August 2024

Trying out a new lens

Monday 5th August 2024

Tanzania Day 5 - Ngorogoro Crater

Saturday 27th July 2024

Kevin Robson's Tawny Owl hide

Thursday 25th July 2024

Local stuff

Saturday 20th July 2024

More local stuff

Saturday 29th June 2024

Catching up with a local rarity

Friday 14th June 2024

Tanzania - Day 1 - Arusha

Monday 13th May 2024

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Tuesday 22nd December 2020

When scribing my last blog, I had doubts as to whether I would be out again before Christmas. I managed two trips, both local.

The first was to nearby Aldreth on 14th as a Dusky Warbler had been present for a few days,  a species that I have never seen or photographed before. Nice sunny morning, conditions underfoot very wet but after a couple of very brief views, it finally showed up.

Clouds came over about lunchtime so that was it for the day.

With a lovely day forecast for 17th, I went to Wimpole Hall as there was a Tundra Bean Goose and a couple of Russian White-fronted Geese there with the local Greylag flock. I wanted better photos of both.

Very muddy again and after a long walk, I saw them from a hill overlooking the lake. Going down the very muddy hill, I took a tumble and twisted my right knee rather severely. Using my tripod as a crutch, I started to make my way back to the car, very slowly, but thought that I would have great difficulty in making it. I phoned the estate office to see if they could provide me with a lift to the car - the duty manager declined to help. 'Phone an ambulance'. Very nice people there!!! Typical of the unhelpfullness that I have experienced a few times from the National Trust over recent years. Not one of my favourite organisations.

I did finally make it after two and a half hours of very painful walking but the damage my knee has sustained by doing it means that I will most likely be out-of-action for 4 to 6 weeks.

So here's to 2021. Hope it is better than 2020 for all.