Coming To Life!

Things are moving on in the nature world as each walking day brings new life to our countryside. Today was rather chilly along the coast but despite the cool breeze the parents were out on the river bank proudly displaying 8 or 9 young signets not quite sure how many?

You have to give them ten out of ten for trying, this pair of swans have only been a pair for about three years now and each year the young chicks are picked off day by day by either Mr Foxy, a local Stoat whose game for a quick snack or it has been said that a big scary Predator Pike may well live within the depths of our otherwise tranquil riverbed.

Anyway for the moment and lets be honest that's what we should all be grateful for, Mr and Mrs Swanny are happy bunnies and its just great to see!

Ramsey & Parkeston P3 Officer

I have recently volunteered to become the footpath officer (P3) for Ramsey and Parkeston inspired by my own mum who took up her voluntary post for her village of Fordham near Colchester. The position entails keeping an eye on the twenty four miles of public footpaths we are lucky to have within our boundary and hopefully encouraging the use of the footpaths as well as recruiting any other volunteers that may be willing to help myself and others in maintaining as best we can the way-markers,footpaths,gates and foot bridges as well as vegetation growth and other obstructions that may prevent us all using the pathways.

All P3's (Parish Paths Partnership) are recruited,encouraged and assisted by their local Public Rights Of Way (PROW) Officer working on behalf of the Colchester and Tendring Council.  I'm new in the post and a volunteer offering to help as much as i can, I currently walk regular footpaths every day with dog-walking friends. I would gladly welcome any help, and assist in any issues you may come up against that I have'nt covered.

To comment on this article simply click on the comments link at the foot of the article and happy walking!

Heard the Cuckoo Yet?

April 28^th 2011 the start of another fine day and another walk albeit a rather windy one after our hot Easter holidays.  With the girls in tow we set off 7.30am to meet up with my good friend and walking companion who lives local to me. It was not as pleasant as past days because the wind is definitely easterly and bitter cold, even had to resort to wearing my winter coat! 

I was armed with my camera as I have started surveying some of the footpaths we walk for Tendring as a volunteer looking for any problems that may require some maintenance to the pathways. We walked the few miles to the sea wall and then took a breather admiring the view as we do most days and thank our lucky stars that we have these wonderful walks on our doorstep.

Then we heard it. Yes the first cuckoo of the year! And by chance it also flew across our pathway so how lucky was that! The unlucky part was as usual the camera was never ready in time.

Avocets spotted in Harwich !

Oh joy of country walking across the fields and to the coast with my trustee girls that are always keen, ready and waiting with leads in mouth we never know what delights await us in the form of wild life.
The last couple of days I have seen a strange sight in the skies above a scrape the other gulls and terns chase it away and I managed to take a couple of poor photos with my bino camera to see if I could identify it.

Today there was a pair and of course! springwatch eat your heart out we have our own pair of Avocets gracing the skies above Harwich! What an absolute delight and an amazing year for myself as a novice bird watcher that is forever taking pics home to identify these feathered friends.

Back in April I was lucky enough to spot the Red Backed Shrike a truly wonder to see and now here we have these wonderful birds and a pair no less!

I am not sure if they are nesting as the scrape belongs to the wild fowlers on privately owned land but I will see if I can get permission to take a look would'nt that be just great to have a nesting pair!

What is this Flower?

Any idea what this flower is? It comes out every year in May just for a few weeeks and goes as quick as it comes.

Picture taken on a grass bank on the edge of marsh land and open fields. Such a joy to see, would love to put a name to it.

We are soooo lucky!

This morning on our regular jaunt across the countryside to the beach we saw a Kestral, the Marsh Harrier a wonderful Yellow Wagtail and Mr and Mrs Swanny with their nine signets!

Its days like today that my friend and I and our posse of five dogs are truly thankful that we have our health to do this walk and we have all this wonderful wildlife on our doorstep.

Scrappy & Bo What you found?

Bo - 5 yrs old girl. Nice natured, affectionate, loves rolling in smelly things. Scrappy (no tail) - 3 yrs old boy. Nice natured but not with some other dogs! Affectionate, loves chasing things, never stops running, not frightened of anything and an absolute nutter (you wouldn't think he only weighs 7kg)Both love the car, the beach and going in the sea.