Easter Sunday at Titchwell RSPB!

Bloody-nosed Beetle

Taken with Apple iphone 6 on the East Trail, Titchwell RSPB

I picked Lucy up and headed for Holme, to persuade mother to come out with us for the morning. She agreed in the end and off we went to Titchwell RSPB (via the farm shop at Thornham for bread etc) and parked in a disabled spot, using mother's new official badge. It was cold but fairly bright with sunny intervals. Neither my mother or sister Lucy are able to walk very far, so I knew it we wouldn't be covering the entire reserve!

We walked around the Fen Trail. We had good views of two male Blackcaps in the main feeding station area, along with Goldfinches, Robins and Wrens. Chiffchaffs were singing and Cetti's Warbler heard and seen at close range. At the Fen Hide, we headed towards the East Trail. We had lovely views of a Bloody-nosed Beetle on the wide concrete area – to be honest, I couldn't remember what beetle it was until I ID'd him in an insect book later on.

We sat on the seats overlooking Patsy's Pool – the water level was pretty high, in fact I haven't ever seen it this high before and there were no muddy edges on show. Fabulous close views of a Great Crested Grebe along with Gadwall, Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Greylag Geese with fluffy bundles of young. A Marsh Harrier was seen distantly over the far wood. It started to spit with rain, so we headed back to the cafe for lunch. We didn't see any hirundines and it was not exactly buzzing with birdlife – cold north winds not helping at all!

We all had the Potato skins with cheese and red onions with salad and coleslaw, which were very nice indeed, but the potatoes were considerably smaller than what they usually are. The hot desserts have gone up in price – I'm pretty sure they were £2.95, they are now £3.95! I wasn't going to pay that much, so we bought a piece of cake and shared it.

If I had been on my own, I would have gone on to walk along the main path, to the hides and sea, but Lucy and Mother had had enough. They both spent a long time in the shop, where mother bought some bird seed and Lucy purchased a bird book and some very expensive chocolate! I looked at the price of the 'Paramo' jackets which are now £325 – mine was £300 when I bought it several years ago and has now ripped beyond repair – it will have to stay ripped as can't afford £325.00 for another!

We headed home and spent the afternoon chatting about Trump, Kim Jong-un, Nuclear war, diets and lots of other depressing subjects – the rain was pelting down with dark and gloomy skies. All in all it was a very jolly afternoon!!! Oh, and there is something really weird going on with the cat – it has a new habit of sleeping on a plastic carrier bag on a wide low shelf in the bathroom! What is all that about? I picked it up and brought it downstairs and it went straight back up again to snooze on the bag?! Weird cat!

MORE PICTURES TO BE ADDED LATER