Yet another faint comet: quite easy to locate using a camera, however, since it's currently just above the bright star Denebola (the 'a*se' of Leo, the Lion!) Several unusual flashing satellites this morning: I assume they are upper stages of launch rockets tumbling end over end.
It's become a tradition that Linda, Sue, Peter and I enjoy a pre-Christmas evening out: often this has been a visit to a light show at a stately home such as Sandringham, Felbrigg or Blickling, but has recently included a trip on a steam train followed by dinner in a pub!
Last night we took a ride from Aylsham to Hoveton and back on the narrow gauge Bure Valley Railway, preceded by a delightful meal at the Black Boys, Aylsham. (The only disappointment was the incredibly loud Gen Z-ers and their four infants who took turns shouting at each other and crying throughout the meal...)
A great way to 'step into Christmas': many thanks Sue for organising the event!
Join SYNERGY for a spot of New Year's Eve rock & blues! (Auld Lang Syne guaranteed!)
A few years ago Greenfinches were pretty thin on the ground: they seemed to have been suffering from some dreadful infection that 'glued' their feathers together. I'm pleased to report that there has been a dramatic upturn in these attractive birds' number (in our area, at least) It is not uncommon to look from my office window and see a flock of thirty or more in our Sycamore and Ginkgo trees, often accompanied by a similar number of Goldfinches. I'm sure the huge amount of quality seed that Linda puts out every day has a lot to do with this!
A truly beautiful sunrise this morning: the 'red sky in the morning' adage doesn't seem to have held true, though, because the sky has ben cloudless and blue all day so far... Finally our berry-rich cotoneaster tree has been visited by a Redwing - just a solitary bird, which is surprising.
On December 10th the Moon occulted (passed in front of) the bright star Regulus, leading star of the constellation Leo. Unfortunately, this occurred during the daytime, but I did manage a photo just before dawn that shows the beautiful blue-white colour of Regulus.
Since I needed to pick up some smoked fish from the excellent Smokehouse at Brancaster Staithe, Brian and I started at Titchwell, walking out to the sea to look for divers and grebes. There were lots of waders: Sanderling, Knot, Grey Plover, Turnstone and so on. Eventually we found a couple of Great Northern Divers, as well as a Slavonian Grebe and a Black-throated Diver - too far out for useable photos. Several Red-breasted Mergansers scooted by offshore. On the way back to the carpark we added Water Rail to the tally, as well as (probably!) the reported Siberian Chiffchaff. (Excellent top photo by Brian!)
The move to Cley for coffee wasn't particularly productive, so we carried on to Ludham Airfield where we eventually located two Bewick's Swans among a herd of Whoopers.
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The Moon and Mars were pretty close last night, the Moon having 'overtaken' Jupiter during the daytime.
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| Sunday night |
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| Saturday night |
