Looking for Breakfast.

Unexpectedly sunny this morning as I set off with my neighbour to walk to Goit Stock. Along the lane leading to the Park home/ caravan site there are lots of Wood Anemones in flower, (extra) a flower that always retakes me back to my childhood and nature walks from school.

We were hoping to see Dippers further on near the waterfalls but as we entered the woods we were surprised by a heron flying up from the beck and away above the trees. A little further on he was there again. This pattern followed our route through the woods. He would stay put for a while and then fly off as we approached to settle further up the beck. I imagine he was pretty fed up of having his breakfast hunt continually interrupted. At one point I managed to get this reasonably close shot. I did try to get him in flight but there were too many trees.

At the top of the woods the garden on the old mill site at Hallas Bridge was beautiful as usual. This would have been my blip had we not seen the Heron.

The way back through the trees was dominated by mud but we got back before the rain set in so it was a very pleasant walk in the company of this lovely Heron.
( I only noticed when I uploaded the picture that this tree stump seems to have some interesting fungi on it)

The weather has got much colder now and although there have been continued sunny intervals there have also been some horrible heavy showers including hail and it's turned pretty cold again.