8^th November 2020

 

Dear All,

Highlight this week has been a pre lockdown trip to Whipsnade Zoo on Tuesday. I guess we are not great fans of zoos but at least at this one the animals have plenty of room and look reasonably happy - they are also big on breeding and conservation. I had been once before about 60 years ago when my abiding memory was an elephant playing a mouth organ, I don’t think that would be regarded favourably now! The views across Dunstable Downs were spectacular.

 

Dunstable Downs

 

Lynx

 

The mouse wars continue as I trapped a third victim last night having reinforced the trap battery.

 

Trap battery

 

We are back to walking on our own with the lockdown conditions and we took the Rothschild Way to Earith, round the gravel works and back via Willingham Fen – 10 miles but a gentle pace. We saw plenty of bird life including a Marsh Harrier, three Buzzards, flocks of Lapwings and Bramlings and female Bearded Tit. We started in mist and frost which made the Fens very atmospheric.

 

 

Early Mist

 

 

Soon after

 

 

Gravel Works

 

It was my turn to present at “Biographies” this week featuring “Cornelius Vermuyden” the Dutch drainage engineer who not only supervised the work in our local fens but was involved with repairing the Thames at Dagenham, draining Canvey Island, reclaiming Hatfield Chase in Lincolnshire and draining the lead mines in Derbyshire. The local fens involved 11,000 men, many of whom were Scottish and Dutch prisoners of war. He was knighted and found time to father 13 children!

 

 

Cornelius Vermuyden

 

 

 

Fen Drainage before & after

 

We ordered an experimental delivery of beef from our local farmer Les Cook this week which is now stored in our overflow freezer in the garage.

 

I cut the first Brussels Sprout stem this week and have cleared both greenhouses.

 

 

Variety - Marte

Another centre fold photo in the Cambridge News this week – the Packhorse Bridge at Sutton near Sandy.

 

 

Sutton Packhorse Bridge

 

With love

Mike & Kate