Water Rail

This little character is a Water Rail, one of a pair I watched at the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve at Staveley, North Yorkshire.

I’ve recently resumed my pastime of birdwatching, after an absence of several years.  A new pair of binoculars and a freshly dusted spotting scope have already been put to good use as I brush up on my recognition skills.  I’ve given myself a couple of years to get into the flow again before I get into the twitching side of things.

—Stephen—

 

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Balustrade

An internal from Castle Howard, North Yorkshire.

—Stephen—

 

Clifford’s Tower

Clifford’s Tower, York (North Yorkshire, England)  – in late afternoon Autumn sun.  Clifford’s Tower was the location of one of the worst anti-Semitic massacres of the Middle Ages (see English Heritage ).  In Spring the slopes erupt with the mass blooming of daffodils.

—Stephen—

Parkland

—Stephen—

How Hill Tower

How Hill Tower near Wallerthwaite, North Yorkshire.  I’ve learnt the tower sits on the site of the ‘Chapel of Saint Michael de Monte’.  It was built 1718-23, by John Aislabie  (he was expelled from the House of Commons, where he had been appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer, after being found guilty of the ”most notorious, dangerous and infamous corruption”). (wiki)
…. Always interesting to follow things up…..!

—Stephen—

Lady Triathlete

This lady has already completed a river swim and she is about a mile into the cycle stage – I suspect it can feel quite intimidating to have a tractor like this behind you.  I doff my hat to her (and fellow competitors).

—Stephen—

Hidden

The arch hides a short tunnel which provides a small boat house.

—Stephen—