January 2025: Quick Roundup
WIP
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Sunrise on the north Norfolk coast
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The new year blew in on fierce winds and clouds.
It remained blowy and grey all day; what had been a promising band of yellow over the north sea made no further approach to land.
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New Year's day
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I postponed my beach walk to the second day, and set out too early, startling a dog-walker as I waited in damp darkness for it to lighten enough for me to walk to the sea.
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Pre-dawn on the 2nd
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Sunrise on the north Norfolk coast
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Egyptian goose
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By the third, clouds parted and the winds dropped.
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At Wells
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Barn owl at sunset
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Beneath a delicate new moon, a kettle of over 50 kites circled at dusk.
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Kites and a crescent new moon
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On the 9th day of Christmas
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Throughout the month, I kept myself in the company of cranes, mostly our wild Norfolk Common Cranes, but also the three species that are found at Pensthorpe, where I took notes and made sketches.
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Red Crowned Crane at Pensthorpe
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Crow in the birch, garden
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Jupiter behind the birch
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Waxing crescent moon, Venus
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Walled garden Kale was on offer at Blickling. I made a donation and took some home, and what with my being prejudiced that it is cattle fodder, and not having bovine molars, I made it into a warming soup.
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Local Kale
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Soups and stews were frequently made, whilst my preserved pears were much appreciated, particularly as the season for stewing apples came towards a close.
Frost was welcomed on many days, after the very disappointing winter 2023/24 where it had seemed endangered.
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Blickling lake
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Wild Cherry tree
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The trio
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Soft winter shadows
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Common Cranes
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Common Cranes
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Car park attendant
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Little moo at the milk bar
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Mallards on a frozen mere
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Heron, waxing gibbous moon
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| Common Cranes |
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Masking cards
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Smudgy Norwich
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Goldcrest, garden
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Pheasant hen, from the window
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I ate my lunch at my favourite local spot and just glimpsed a Peregrine Falcon as it flew over, taking its own lunch to go.
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Peregrine with lunch to go
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Two new apple trees were welcomed to the garden: Rosemary Russet and Discovery.
I trimmed the pear trees.
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Reach for the sky, Rosemary Russet
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A fine view at lunchtime
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Rainbow, garden
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The first of the crocus flowers appeared on the 29th.
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First Crocuses
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A pleasant January.
