The final instalment in my series about the WNAG excursion to Pensthorpe, featuring the Waders Aviary.
Welcome to the final instalment in my little series of posts about the annual WNAG excursion to Pensthorpe which took place a week ago yesterday.
A PLACE TO DIP IN AND OUT OF
The Waders Aviary at Pensthorpe is well placed for starting your explorations, or for ending them, or for filling in a few minutes, or for many other purposes. It does not have space for a vast number of people, so it is best not to spend too long in there on any one visit, but there is nothing to stop one from visiting several times in the course of the day, as indeed I did. There are a number of bird species to be observed there, not all of them waders, and a visit never disappoints.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Before I do the full gallery, here are a couple of pictures to help you identify the rest:
Now for the gallery proper…
Two avocet chicks – even at this stage the slight curvature of the beak is noticeable.A black winged stilt – both parts of the name are obvious in this shot.
Continuing my series about The WNAG outing to Pensthorpe last weekend. This one deals with artworks and insects.
Welcome to the sixth post in my little series about the annual WNAG excursion to Pensthorpe which took place a week ago today. Still to come after today are a post about the Waders Aviary and a page linking to each article in the series.
ARTWORK AT PENSTHORPE
There are many pieces of art dotted around Pensthorpe, and there is also a bridge inspired by a very famous artist. Flowers, birds and insects all feature, as does a fairy standing on a feather, and a heron sculpture in a stream. I also deemed one of the pieces worthy of a very short video:
GALLERY 1: ARTWORK
INSECTS
Pensthorpe do not particularly emphasize the insect species that can be seen there, but it is no surprise that there are some fine specimens. I actually saw a damselfly flutter past while on the trailer ride, but not even I could attempt to photograph that one – a small moving target when one is oneself on the move is simply not doable. However I did get some remarkable sightings.
INSECT PHOTOGRAPHS
Two damselflies in one shot – which at that time was a first for me……but I later managed to top it by getting three in a single shot.
Some general pictures from around Pensthorpe, as I continue my series about the WNAG trip there on Saturday.
Welcome to the fifth post in my series about the West Norfolk Autism Group annual excursion to Pensthorpe which took place on Saturday.
GENERAL PENSTHORPE PICTURES
This is the second post I have devoted to the general Pensthorpe experience rather than specific elements of the site, and it is the pictures that will do all the work today…
The fourth post in my series about Pensthorpe, giving the cranes and flamingoes (plus a few other species who were in the same area) their time in the sun.
Welcome to part four of my series about the annual WNAG excursion to Pensthorpe which took place on Saturday
THE CRANE AND FLAMINGO AREA
The Crane and Flamingo enclosure at Pensthorpe is close to the Monet inspired bridge, and can be approached initially by way of the Millennium Garden. Once inside the enclosure there is then a split, with Crane Hide one way and the Flamingo pond the other way. These giants of the bird world are not the only species to be seen here – I also observed a pair of shelducks, a pair of Egyptian geese, a pair of oystercatchers, and in the Crane Hide swallows had built nests in the roof and were visiting periodically. I made several visits at different times hoping to ensure that I did not miss anything.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here is the photo gallery for this area, including every species mentioned above…
An adult swallow visits one of the nests.More from the swallow nesting area. The chicks were periodically poking their heads up and I tried to photograph this happening.
Covering the trailer ride at Pensthorpe, my third post in this series about the annual WNAG outing there.
Welcome to the third post in my series about this year’s annual WNAG outing to Pensthorpe which took place on Saturday.
THE NEW TRAILERRIDE
This year the old set up of a converted Landrover and trailer was out of action, and instead we had tractor-drawn trailer, which meant less capacity, and three trailer slots instead of two. The route was slightly different as well, being a bit shorter. The experience was as enjoyable as ever.
A general post about Pensthorpe, with photographs from around the site that do not fit into any particular category, the second post in my mini-series about the WNAG excursion there on Saturday.
This is the second post in my mini-series about the West Norfolk Autism Group trip to Pensthorpe on Saturday.
EXPLORING PENSTHORPE
The main parts of Pensthorpe are accessed by way of the gift shop, and you have to be wearing a wristband of that day’s colour to prove that you are entitled to be there. Once through the gift shop there are three distinct options:
The Waders Aviary which I will say no more about for now since I am giving it a post to itself.
An exit towards the Millennium Garden and other stuff which is right near the door to the aviary…
A viewing gallery at the far end of which is an exit that takes you out at the edge of a large lake with a wooden bridge across part of it. This is the way that leads ultimately to most of the really interesting stuff in the site, most of which is accessed from the far side of the wooden bridge.
There are several marked walks that one can take, and the site is generally very well signed (there are a couple of exceptions when you get to the further reaches of it) so you can simply follow your own instincts if you so choose, which is generally my approach.
The lake is full of water birds of various types. There is further water beyond, including of course the river Wensum without which Pensthorpe could not exist.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Here are the photographs for this post…
An information board about the Wensum.Pictures of the room set aside for WNAG members to eat in.
An introduction to yesterday’s excursion to Pensthorpe with the West Norfolk Autism Group, setting the scene for several more posts, with a selection of photographs.
Yesterday was the day of the annual West Norfolk Autism Group excursion to Pensthorpe, and we benefitted from excellent weather for the occasion. This post provides a rough outline of the day and a selection of photographs, while I will look more closely at various aspects of the site in future posts.
THE TRIP
I was one of those booked on the coach, which departed from its usual slot near Gaywood Library. We had asked people to arrive promptly so that we could set off at 9:30 sharp, and as it happened everyone was on the coach in time for us to set off a few minutes earlier than that. We arrived at Pensthorpe not long after 10, and once we had our wristbands in place there were only two fixed points to the day – the trailer rides for those who were booked on one of these, in my case at 11:15AM and lunch, which in my case was to be at about 1PM. Other than that, up until departure at 4:30PM the day was to be what we chose to make of it. We arrived back at Gaywood at about 5:15PM, and I walked home.
MY DAY AS IT HAPPENED
With limited time between our arrival and my slot on the trailer ride I deliberately did not venture too far afield at first, starting with a visit to the Waders Aviary, then a walk round some of the closer parts of the site, including the crane and flamingo enclosure and the Monet inspired bridge. Then it was the trailer ride, in a new trailer pulled by a tractor, with a reduced capacity meaning that we had three rides scheduled rather than two as in previous years. Between the trailer ride and lunch I ventured further, getting as far as Kingfisher Reach, where the path meets the route followed by the trailer, before heading back towards the restaurant for lunch. After lunch, which was excellent, I spent the afternoon engaged in further explorations, as well as revisits to some favourite spots. I was back at the coach in good time.
PHOTOGRAPHS
This gallery is just a small selection of the photographs I have from yesterday, designed to give you a hint of what is to come…
An adult avocet in the Waders AviaryA pair of black winged stilt – there is not much between these and the avocets in terms of leg length but the latter have bigger bodies, which makes the stilt legs look longer.The gate to the Millennium GardenTwo sculptures – three giant dandelion clocks and a fairy standing on a feather, all in silvery metal.The Monet inspired bridgeThe trailer returning from its first outing.An old growth oak, one of only three at Pensthorpe to have survived the great storm of 1987.An oystercatcher loose in a field.sheep in the shadow of a tree. A stretch of the Wensum.A platform with a gull on it.Another stretch of the Wensum.bird sculpturesA shepherd’s hut.A bee visits its part of the bug hotel.A tufted duck.Eurasian CraneGrey Crowned Crane (two pics)A goose of some description.FlamingosAn oystercatcher in the flamingo pond,.Greylag goslingsAn avocet chick (one of two I observed in the Waders Aviary)A bearded tit, another resident of the Waders Aviary.Three damselflies of different varieties in one picture (until yesterday I have never even managed to get two in one picture).Swallows nest in the crane hide.This pic which appears out of position in this gallery was the first time I had got multiple damselflies in one picture.
A look at developments in Surrey v Sussex, where the home side have taken a firm grip on proceedings, and a photo gallery.
The current round of Championship fixtures is now deep in to day three of a scheduled four. I have been following Surrey v Sussex.
WEATHER INTERVENES
Play ended early yesterday due to bad light and rain, with Surrey having reached 292-2 in reply to Sussex’s 358-9 declared. Due to yesterday’s interruption extra overs were scheduled for today. Today has been dominated by two players at opposite ends of the spectrum. The veteran Dom Sibley, as so often a near immovable object at the top of the Surrey order, was finally sixth out after 518 minutes and 377 balls, for 187. Surrey at that point had 446 on the board, an advantage of 88. Jordan Clark managed a mere 5, which made it 461-7. That brought Sean Abbott in to join first class debutant Adam Thomas. The pair are still in residence as I write, and have boosted the Surrey score to 600-7, with Thomas topping three figures on his first class debut, and Abbott, better with the bat than most number nines, well past the 50 mark. I suspect that if Sussex do not capture the last three wickets (and there is little sign of them being capable of doing so) Surrey will declare at some point at this evening to have a shot at Sussex tonight. In an otherwise sorry looking list of Sussex bowling figures one name stands out: Jack Carson, already with a ton to his name, has figures of 34-4-128-4, which is very respectable in such a massive score. Henry Crocombe has had occasional moments of looking threatening, but has a modest 27-4-89-1. Tea is now being taken with Surrey 615-7, a lead of 257 so far. I would expect Surrey to bat on a bit after tea before declaring (a new ball, due in another four overs, does not seem quite so threatening when it will be the third such of the innings).
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The three runners raising money for WNAG in this year’s GEAR (right foreground), with the crowds of other runners plus three big buildings, Fraser Dawbarns, The Corn Exchange and Bishop’s Lynn House providing the back drop.A large beetle with a red-brown body, black legs and antennae rests on a green leaf in Kettlewell Lane Park (two pics).
A look at goings on in the fourth round of the 2026 county championship and a large photo gallery.
Between the games that ended early in definite results and the ones that ended with handshakes on the inevitable draw about 10 minutes ago another round of county championship fixtures is at an end. There is only one place to start, though I caught only the last few minutes of it…
DURHAM’S GREAT CHASE
Chester-le-Street has just borne witness to a remarkable turnaround. At one point Durham were 217-9 in reply to Lancashire’s 370, and in danger of not avoiding the follow-on (though Lancashire may well have chosen not to enforce in any case). Their last pair Matthew Potts and Callum Parkinson added 78 together for the tenth wicket, so Lancashire led by a mere 75 on first innings. Then, hoping to have a bowl at Durham in murky evening light, Lancashire declared on 260-9, a lead of 335. Unfortunately the light was too murky for their strategy to take effect. Even so, when Durham openers Lees and McKinney both fell cheaply and the score read 46-2 it looked dicey for Durham. However that was the end of success for the Lancashire bowlers, as Emilio Gay (159 not out) and David Bedingham (129 not out) put on an unbroken 290 together carrying their side to a remarkable eight wicket win.
SURREY v ESSEX
This game has been my main focus in this round, and at the start of today quick wickets were needed to breathe life into it. When Gus Atkinson struck in the first over it looked possible, but only one further wicket fell all day, though Surrey’s fielders let a couple of chances go begging. One quirk of this day, as Surrey realized there was no point tiring out the regular bowlers was that Ben Foakes bowled two overs near the end, with Jordan Clark standing in behind the stumps. The only Surrey players not asked to bowl were Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith.
ELSEWHERE
The only two definite results other than at Durham were both in division two, Worcestershire beating Kent by an innings and two runs in a match that did make it to the final day, and Gloucestershire beating Derbyshire by 10 wickets in a successful enforcement of the follow-on – Gloucestershire 498, Derbyshire 281 and 252, Gloucestershire 39-0. Warwickshire fared less well with the same tactic in the first division, Nottinghamshire batting through for 537-7 in their second innings to secure the draw, having built a lead of 357, but never being in a position, especially with the inflated award of eight points for a drawn match, to declare in an attempt to force victory.
PHOTOGRAPHS
This building has a macabre legend attached to it……as explained by this plaque……with this shot showing the heart in the brickwork.Fraser Dawbarns is handsome building as well. Yesterday was a WNAG pizza making session at Pizza Express, and I had spent over two hours out walking before arriving at the venue 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. This shows the base ready to be topped.Adding the tomato sauce.Then the chosen toppingsThen the cheese, and oregano powder as a flavour enhancer.Ready for consumption – and it was good.
A look at goings on on day two of Warwickshire v Surrey and a photo gallery.
Today is the second day of the county championship season. This post looks at events at Edgbaston where Warwickshire and Surrey are playing.
YESTERDAY EVENING
Surrey continued the fightback I reported on yesterday, eventually reaching 328, of which 128 came from the bat of Ben Foakes. The last wicket fell right on the stroke of time, meaning that Warwickshire did not have to bat in the evening session. They would have been disappointed to let Surrey off the hook from 65-6, but would also have noted that the pitch was definitely easier to bat on than it had been at the start.
TODAY
Today has belonged to Warwickshire. They have moved into a first innings lead for the loss of a mere two wickets. All four batters to have gone to the crease for them so far (Alex Davies, Rob Yates, Dan Mousley and Sam Hain) have topped 50. Mousley reached his first ever county century (he has scored an FC hundred for The Lions, England’s ‘understudy’ squad) just before the light got bad enough for the umpires to take the players off. With Sam Hain unbeaten on 80 at the other end Warwickshire were 330-2, two runs ahead of Surrey’s 328. With the pitch now playing very easily Warwickshire can and should leave Surrey with only a draw to play for – it would be advisable for Warwickshire to give themselves a bowl at Surrey tomorrow evening if they are not already all out by then, but they can certainly afford to bat for two whole sessions tomorrow, and possibly for another hour after tea just to render their lead insuperable.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
The WNAG 4th birthday cake.Pictures of my new trophy and medal (six in total).Today’s pictures start here.
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