7th May 2012

Bank holiday Monday brought us yet more rain, however it also brought us a visit from Sally’s cousin Ray and his wife Janice, from SPALDING (ok Ray).

They arrived about lunchtime and after a soggy walk back to the boat we had a hot drink and some sandwiches as we sat and chatted in the dry. Ray and I spent quite some time talking Red Kites as he and Janice enjoy a bit of bird watching. We also went through the photographs I had taken of other birds on the previous couple of days, some I knew and some I did not, so the challenge was on to see who could identify the one that was building a nest on the bank side in the nettles. It turned out to be a Willow Warbler, well we all reached that conclusion from matching the photo’s to the picture and description in the Collins bird directory, (photo attached).

It was then time for a walk in the woods with Ray, and we managed to spot the male Red Kite perched in a tree, close to the nest and got several images of him as he flew around watching us and perching again. The girls thought that they had lost us as we were away for quite some time, but both of us came back very excited about what we had seen. As for me I have always had a favourite colour, number and other things, but now on my list is the Red Kite. Of course most all of the photos have been taken with Tony’s lens, and I am sure his is worrying that he has lost it forever, especially as when he mentions it, I reply (what lens)J.

Back at the boat Sally had prepared a nice lunch so we sat at our new dinette to eat, poor Janice could hardly touch the floor with her feet, but we all enjoyed what she had set out for us. Oh yes Carolann, guess what we had for afters (wedding cake) but honestly not a baby in sight.

Anyway as it was time to leave, the rain started again, so it was raincoats for our walk back to the car with Socks. As we crossed the bridge over the Nene we spotted two Canada geese in the field and so did Socks, it was off, and chasseing. At first they started to run away then realising that he was to quick they soon opened their wings and took to the sky to make good their escape, I am sure Socks was laughing as he ran in a great circle back to us.