Birds, a mishap and a new purchase required!

Today we awoke to some sunshine, and some blue sky, which has mostly lasted all day!  Yippee, and what a difference it makes to how you feel. Although it still doesn't feel like we are on holiday, not sure why.

We spent the morning doing domestic chores, essential after a fortnight on the road in Elly.  As capacious as she is we have not travelled with a limitless supply of underwear, or bed linen for that matter!

With house-keeping concluded around lunchtime we headed off on the bikes to visit Tattershall Castle.  We got about 10 yards, and hadn't even left the site, when my chain jammed and on closer inspection I could see a chain link was bent.  I spent about 20 mins straightening and tightening in the hope of avoiding a full link replacement scenario.  We made it about 15 mins up the road before it jammed again.  Bother!  This time I did take some links out (good job a) I'm a bike mechanic and b) travel with required tools, on the bike), Mr Grok stood around looking handsome until I'd concluded the task!

So far the chain repair has held and the bike conveyed me to Tattershall Castle (a NT property - our Scottish membership gives us free entry to all English NT sites :-) ).  Although built in the 15th century for Ralph Lord Cromwell (Treasurer to Henry VI) it was abandoned as a residence a few hundred years later and fell into disrepair.  In 1911 Lord Curzon bought it from asset strippers and restored it.  A very impressive building but it feels a bit less than 'authentic' due to so much restoration last century.  However, there are some areas which are original; the staircase stone banister which has many a name and date scratched in, some from the 1700s ('vandalism' is obviously nothing new). It was Lord Curzon's intervention to prevent the stone fireplaces being exported to America (they'd already been sold and were awaiting shipping), that eventually lead to the Antiquities Act and the formation of the National Trust to prevent the loss of British heritage overseas. Quite funny really when you think how much our own explorers have pillaged from far and wide, on a global scale.

So for some pictures - first the birds we spotted yesterday and then Tattershall today plus another bird.  The purchase required is a better camera!  Through my computer wizardry I've managed to chop and enhance and zoom, but a better lens would make a massive difference.

For the record we spotted  from the hides at Cley-Next-The-Sea (yes, it really is called that) wood pigeon, jackdaw, lapwing, coot, little gull, warbler, grey heron, shoveler, tufted duck, widgeon, sandmartin, little egret, mute swan, avocet, swift, mallards, goldfinch, shelduck, greylag geese and a little stint (very rare) (in an hour or so) .  The facility is run by Norfolk Wildlife Trust and it's a gem of a centre with great cafe and viewing windows, a small shop area and very knowledgeable staff.  The hides are placed within the marshland area along boardwalks.  £5 per person, and really worth it (also wheelchair accessible).

Avocet - my favourite

Canada Goose (today near Woodhall Spa)

Coot

Lapwing

Mute Swan

Left Shelduck and right Greylag geese

Shoveler

Tufted Duck

Widgeon

The view from Cley bird centre across the salt marshes to the sea

Tattershall Castle

Restored original gatehouse

Ancillary building outwith the moated area

Bridge over the moat

Window at Tattershall, one of a number of stained glass panels

Today on our way back, tufted duck, but front left I think is a Dunlin not sure

I've just baked some almond cakes and quiche muffins for tomorrow's expedition; we are doing something completely different and cycling to Cadwell Park to watch motor-racing (Mel's Uncle to be precise in Legends - whatever they may be!).  Let's hope he makes it through qualifying at 0915 - we have  no intention being there that early - or we won't be seeing him racing!  

Fingers crossed my chain holds out ...