Wet Thistle

Yes, I’ve seen plenty of these in my life & yes, they grow freely in Cumbria but this is the genuine article...

It’s a Scottish thistle, in Scotland. I couldn’t come here to visit & not take a photo of one. On the wettest day of the holiday, what better thing to do than to go & sit in a hyde at Argaty Red Kites in the hope of seeing a rare bird or two?...

I may have mentioned previously that we did actually see a red kite on our way to Auchingarrich (on consultation with the lady who owns the farm at Argaty, this was confirmed).

We were keen for another sighting however, though it was not going to be as likely in the lashing rain.

We could hear them quite clearly & then one poor, wet, bedraggled red kite swooped down & picked up some of the food which had been put out for it. The wing span on the beast was utterly phenomenal!

Apparently, there are red kite nesting at Grizedale Forrest; I never knew this but I’ll be off there soon to get a closer look, now I know what I’m looking for.