A Covid Draft up to the Seconds

 Was expecting to play for the third team today, after C19 caused a few gaps in the Saturday line-ups, but a late "ping" to one of our players on Saturday morning saw me moved up into the second team to play Hoveringham 2s on what was a blisteringly hot day.

Today sporting a cap, as opposed to my usual headband this year, was a very good move. My brain would have been fried to a crisp otherwise. Spray on factor 50 was slathered all over my face and neck. I had enough water in my cricket bag to fill the hump of a camel. And it still wasn't enough.

I had kind of resigned myself to a no bowling or batting day, as opposed to just no batting, as the second team have proved to be incredibly strong this year, riding high second in their division. So I tried to do the best I could in the field, and luckily I was actually quite sharp and made no cock ups whatsoever which is staggeringly rare for me. That was fielding in the "Jonty Rhodes" position at cover point as well!

Hoveringham too had struggled with C19 related issues, and could only play 10 men in the end, and it was, shall we say, an experienced squad. This combined with the heat and some extremely accurate bowling from our lads up front led to some very slow progress, with regular wickets keeping Hoveringham in check. 

This was all watched, probably with little interest, by three buzzards circling on thermals and making regular keening calls. Looks like the resident birds from the stand of trees at one end of the ground have successfully raised another little raptor!

After 25 overs with Hoveringham 4 down for about 90, I was slightly surprised to be called into the bowling attack after the Sunday skipper was hoiked off for bowling too many beamers. And it went pretty well, all things considered. I didn't bowl anything short, only bowled the one wide when I stumbled in delivery, and best of all - lol - forced the keeper not to stand up to the stumps as I was getting ball to zip through reasonably sharply by my pitiful standards. 

And yet, I took no wickets despite beating the bat a few times, and every so often I got spanked for four by Hoveringham's resident cow corner hacker because I look to bowl the ball full to get it to swing. 

"Never be upset by being hit for 4 on the drive" is often the club bowler's mantra, but I was still annoyed. "Grrrrrr". That's how annoyed I was. 

Our opening bowler then returned, and in combination with our "mystery spinner" at the other end, made short work of the remaining sloggers to bowl Hoveringham out for 132. 

Unbelievably our opening bats knocked off the runs in less than 20 overs to win by 10 wickets, while I tried to increase my step count by walking round both grounds on my shonky ankle. Racked up over 20,000 steps in the end. 

As the third team went down to a heavy defeat that I would have done nothing to change, I probably had a decent deal out of the day, although my ankle is telling me otherwise.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 17.06.21

Tier 3 it is then

 Today, we found ourselves hauled into Tier 3 along with the rest of Nottinghamshire. Our infection rate is much lower than the city and Mansfield areas, but so many folk travel to those areas to work it was then decided to bring us in with the rest of the county.

I also think that rising hospital rates from Nottingham are starting to overspill into our  hospitals, meaning there are less places for local patients. Strangely, infection rates all over the county are dropping after the University outbreaks, but it is rising amongst the elderly.

Hence, no more pub or visits to the tattoo parlour for me.

Joking aside, the effects are pretty devastating to a lot of people - my sister was planning to visit to commemorate the first anniversary of my mother's passing next week, but that has been cancelled. I'm no longer able to even go to the family home to sit in the garden to mark it. 

Still, as my stepfather said, we complain about other people who don't follow the rules, so we must do the same. 

At least I can still get outside, and get very wet indeed and very nervous when I cycle!

See if you can spot the kestrel.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 28.10.20

The Owls of Lincoln

I thought I'd out these feathery fellows in a separate post. Not sure who looks after them, they are not Kilton Raptor Rescue Birds. I think there may be a Lincoln Owl Rescue centre somewhere.

Today, I got in a decent 7km run despite feeling a bit grotty all day. The rain relented to leave a lovely sunset, and I have been watching RPGs this evening while experimenting with microwaving bacon because I hate the mess of frying.

It seemed to work.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.10.19

Owls and Raptors at Christmas

My Christmas shopping has been delayed this year, as I was waiting  for some vouchers I'd earned at work to get posted to my house. I also wanted to get my hair cut, so I've been wandering all over the place today, buying stuff and being scalped so I look less like wreckage from an explosion in a poodle factory.

It took a lot of walking about (Hello Doctor Scholl insoles, little difference though you are making yet) to get myself sorted, but apart from a couple of things to get tomorrow, sorted I am. Then there is  the trauma of wrapping, which I am staggeringly bad at.

In the market today, the raptors of Kilton were about; always nice to see these birds. The bird being  handled is a ferruginous hawk, a very impressive bird indeed.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 22.12.18

The Angry Owl

Bit tired today after a run last night - my muscles are still a bit grumbly so I  took it easy today and pottered around on a warm autumn day, shopping (i.e buying rum) and getting my annoying hair cropped.

With advancing years,  my eyebrows are becoming increasingly irritating as well. No wonder eyebrow  threaders seem to charge so much for doing whatever it is that threading is.

The Kilton Raptors were in town today, first time for a while and only three birds today. The scopps type owl looked like it was very mad at me, and was making chacky type noises with its beak.

I hate it when owls are mad at me.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 20.10.18

A Natural Vignette

I've not been cricketing today, as I've had a works festival to work at, at a Social / Football club with swallows skimming around the stalls all day, while house martins twittered above, their white rumps plain in the occasionally blue skies.

We were lucky with the weather today, we avoided a major soaking until 6pm when the event finished. Not been a healthy day; lunch was a burger and chips, dinner was a burger and chips. THat'll be a 10km plus run for me tomorrow, that's for sure.

Had a great view of a natural encounter on the way home, literally as I was leaving the car park. A woodpigeon was flying along, just minding its own business past a stand of trees, when suddenly, with three sharp screeches, a sparrowhawk - identified by the three dark bars under the tail - shot out of the treetops and set off in pursuit, causing the pigeon to do a handbrake turn in mid-air and head off in the opposite direction at high speed.

Wonder if it was an inexeperienced young raptor, as its timing was miles off! It set off in pursuit, but it was never going to catch the woodpigeon unless it had a jetpack strapped on. It made me smile though.

Here's a hoverfly on the sun to make you smile too.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 30.07.17

Beacon Hill Reserve Under the Sun

I was out earlier today, albeit not as early as I would like as I found Radio 4 Extra's output this morning really engrossing - plays about Scott's Antarctic expedition and the artist who painted the Nuremberg trials - but the afternoon still had plenty of light in it as I struck out on my walk.

I ended up walking for two hours past London Road Lake, then up to the reserve at Beacon Hill dressed for winter, and so feeling rather stuffy as it was a mild day. Long tailed tits were abundant, and abundantly annoying as they failed to let me photograph them. High overhead there were lots of flocks of finches on the move, probably goldfinches flying about the treetops in flocks of twenty or so. 

Lots of people were out walking dogs, cycling and running. Me I was doglless, bikeless and trainerless. I was taking it slowly, trying not to hurt anything before the marathon. Too bad my back is still sciatically twingey. This is a bit of a worry!

I have bought my race nutrition however. No energy gels or nutri bars for me. I've bough two bottles of Asda own brand isotonic drinks and jelly beans. 

Total spend £1.80. Paula Radcliffe had better watch out.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 25.11.15

Great crested grebes at a distance, as usual

Goldfinch hiding in the trees

Best guarded bird feeders ever

In the trees at Beacon Hill Reserve

Mini bracket fungus

Great tit being discrete

Passing buzzard

Beacon Hill Reserve

Even after they did this to me on the rack, I did not confess

Old man's beard macro

Pigeon social

Burnished river

Towards the lock

Kite Hunting in the Barhill Woods

I wanted to make the most of the short time I had in my hometown. After the harbour, and a lovely scone and generous pot of tea at the Harbour Lights cafe, I was abandoned at the woods above my old home on Barhill Terrace to make my own way home.

I played army up there as a child, high above the town, in the dark of the trees, making daft "ka-ka-ka-ka-ka" noises while we pointed our toy machine guns at each other. Any birds would have long since bolted for the Isle of Man.

Today, I was going to be quiet, for I was hunting. I was looking for the red kites reputed to live in the area, probably the most beautiful of our birds of prey, and one I hadn't seen since one flew low over the crowd during a new-rave gig at the O2 Festival in Leeds. I'd failed to photograph a magnificent buzzard sat on a telegraph post near Carrick, so I wasn't hopeful. Oddly I spotted a buzzard being chased at high speed by two crows just as I entered the woods, but I barely managed to get a shot before all three birds were gone.

The woods were indeed dark as in my childhood, but coloured posts helpfully marked out various walking routes along the trails. The trouble was, I didn't believe them, especially as they led me in the opposite kind of circle from the one I was expecting. I retraced my steps, hoping for an ambitious path across fields back to the cottage, but all I did was find myself in a field through of cows and their by-products.

I tried again, and found myself stumbling through thickets and thorns, holding onto trees as I descended steep slopes. I found another gate, and our cottage was just through this field of cows. But the cows had calves, and were already looking at me angrily as I began to unlatch the gate. So I retreated.

Another field. A thin white ribbon stretched across it, between me and a gate that would get me home. Was it electrified? I brushed my hand against it; the jolt confirmed that it was. I limboed underneath it, and was soon safe in the cottage, if scratched and scraped and stunned. But there were no red kites for me.

But wait? What is that all the way back in the trees, near the gate I'd just tried to walk through?

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 20.10.15

In dark trees

Along the track

A burst of blue sky

Bark

Toadstool

Foxgloves still out in Scotland

Beyond the cows, the hills

Buzzard chase

Distant raptor. Probably not a kite, sadly. Looks like a kestrel coloured back.