A Treat After DIY!

Don’t you just hate having to do DIY when the sun is shining?  We worked hard until mid-afternoon decorating the kitchen, our newly plastered kitchen ceiling has had about 5 coats of paint now, and the walls and paintwork are all ready for new paint.  We were so hot and tired afterwards, (following a quick shower of course) we headed off to Sculthorpe Moor Nature reserve near Fakenham, home of The Owl and Hawk Trust. The reserve is situated in the Wensum Valley and has a number of hides.
 We enjoyed seeing bullfinches, neither of us has seen them for years.  We also saw a pair of Marsh Harriers circling around above the reeds.  It was the perfect antidote to decorating, and we felt completely chilled after wandering around the boardwalks in the late afternoon sunshine.
 I don’t know what the plant in the photo is, there was quite a lot of it growing near the picnic area. See the extra for a view from the wooded area of the reserve.
 The Hawk and Owl Trust was founded in 1969 because of concerns about the alarming decline in numbers of peregrines and other raptors. They are the only British charity working solely to conserve all wild birds of prey, including owls, in the face of mounting human pressures.
 They have some of the leading owl and raptor experts in the country and, together with volunteers from their local group network, they are working with landowners and government in various parts of the UK to create habitats for birds of prey and install nest boxes for species such as barn owls, little owls and kestrels.