Ducks and geese on the river Yare - and Santa! - in Thorpe St Andrews on 23rd December 2025

 The river Yare in Thorpe St Andrews on a rather overcast pre-Christmas afternoon

Plenty of Black-headed gulls, a Greylag goose and a selection of Mallards

Female Mallard following three different types of Mallard drake

Two of the feather variations in the Mallard drakes

Large Cayuga duck

Egyptian goose

A few females with Mallard drakes in normal and different feather combinations

Male Gadwall with a female Mallard

I was watching the male Gadwall when it suddenly flew up from the river

Handsome Gadwall drake

Melanistic Mallard drake

Mallard in the usual colouring at the top and one with different feather suit at the bottom

I was hoping that this was a white Dove, but think it might be a white Pigeon - not sure?

The Cayuga duck is almost as large as the Greylag and Egyptian geese

The Cayuga towered above the Mallards when it was standing up

Cygnet at the edge of the river

One boat was decorated with coloured lights - better seen in the dark!

Light-coloured female with a Mallard drake

Pair of Egyptian geese ready for a ride along the river

Mallard hybrid having a word with a pal

Selection of Mallards on the grass

A skein of geese flew overhead

Later in the week I discovered a very large Santa had visited one of the nearby houses!!!!!

The organ, nativity scene and wall paintings inside Norwich Cathedral just before Christmas 2025

I spent Christmas just outside Norwich and visited the city with my sister on Tuesday afternoon.  We went inside Norwich Cathedral and saw the magnificent organ, which is in the centre of the cathedral with a long aisle on each side.  An added bonus was that the organ was being played while we were there and it was lovely to hear it.  It was also lovely to see the Christmas trees with lights.

Nativity scene in front of the altar on one side of the organ

View of the organ from the choir stall side of the cathedral

Amazing vaulted ceiling in a side section of the cathedral

We also went up a short stone spiral staircase into a small side room with old paintings on the ceiling

and an angel on the wall

Birding visit to Reculver in Kent on 29th November 2025

I joined a local birdwatching group on a coach trip from London to Reculver at the end of November

View of Reculver Towers during an overcast morning

View along the beach at Reculver with Herne Bay in the distance

Little Egret, Ringed Plover and a couple of well-disguised Sanderlings on the beach

Ringed Plover and five well-disguised Sanderlings on the beach

Three Sanderlings at water's edge

Cormorant resting on a pole

Group of Cormorants flying high in the sky

Some of the birdwatchers walking along the coastal path from Reculver

Female Stonechat on the top of a rock

Reculver Towers in the distance

Distant male Stonechat

Group of Wigeon on a shingle spit

The Wigeon flew off when the group got nearer

Oystercatcher searching for food in the sand

Redshank in the distance

Female Reed Bunting blending in with the branches at the top of the shrub

We wandered off the coastal path and past some fields where we came across a flock of Golden Plovers - it had started to rain, so visibility wasn't all that great!

Reculver Towers in the rain

The rain came on quite heavily, so we turned round and had a long wet and windy walk back to the cafe and coach.  After warming up with a cup of coffee, the leader decided to cut the trip short and head back to London at 14.30.  There is no shelter and no bird hides along the coast in either direction at Reculver, apart from the cafe and a pub, and it was pointless walking around any more in the heavy rain.