Struggling

At this present time Bev's deteriorating health situation dominates my waking hours. I have absolutely no intention of sharing the details with visitors to the blog beyond the fact that she is very ill and, as a consequence, my posts may well become very erratic over the coming period. I was able to get out with Bruno for a couple of hours, this morning, taking a leisurely stroll around the Minster Marshes. Nothing to get excited about, yet I did see my first Hairy Dragonflies of the year and managed to grab a shot of a sunbathing Common Lizard as we meandered our way around the area.

So, unsurprisingly,, fishing gear, cameras and/or binoculars are of very little importance currently. I am in awe of the efforts of the NHS Thanet Community Care Team, and the Pilgrims Hospice Support, as they ensure Bev's pain relief treatment is the best that is available.

Minster treasures

Bev's health issues have impacted dramatically on my ability to get outdoors, so the daily Bruno walk has to provide the majority of my wildlife encounters. Minster Marshes have certainly played a major part in my birding, thus far in 2025, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future? Yesterday's stroll enabled me to add Lesser Whitethroat and Nightingale to the year list whilst this morning's exercise resulted in my second Ring Ouzel of the year and, most unexpectedly, I finally managed to get some useable images of a Grass Snake. 

I captured this image using my 100 - 400 mm lens. I need to get back with
the macro kit to see what might be achievable?

The set-a-side fields have now been ploughed and this has had a dramatic effect on the numbers, and variety, of birds around the area. No point complaining, as it is farmland afterall. I will continue to send my sightings in to the Save Minster Marshes gang, knowing that every little helps add to the database and, as such, might just provide the evidence to sway the planning decisions?

Carp Puddles = short cut to learning

In my opinion, if you can't catch a Carp from the C&DAA Minster Lakes, then it's time to consider taking up golf? Now embarking on my fourth season as a member of this angling club, I have nothing negative to say about the fisheries available via the purchase of a club ticket. "You pay your money and make your choices" If a particular venue doesn't provide what you're seeking, then simply don't bother fishing it as there a plenty of others available which offer vastly differing challenges. If that still doesn't work, then why join the club in the first place?

Eleven and a half pounds of Brook Lake entertainment

Brook Lake, at Minster, is nothing more testing than a "beginners" runs water. I've had sessions down there, using freelined wholemeal bread cubes, with a split cane rod and centrepin, landing twenty plus Carp, up to low doubles, in less than three hours. It really is that easy and incredibly enjoyable if a bent fishing rod is what you seek. There is, however, another reason for visiting such venues and that is for the purpose of fine tuning ideas. Be they based around tackle choice, bite indication, rig or bait presentation, I'm confident that lessons can be learned in very quick time. Only once I'm confident that an idea is worthy of pursuing do I seek to take it to another, more testing, venue to continue with the learning experience. To my way of thinking this where "day ticket" commercial fisheries come into their own. Always popular, thus heavily pressurized, the Carp in this type of venue are "cute" to say the least. They see "Muppets & Carp Clones" casting rigs and baits which are agricultural, at best. Copied straight off of some celebrity YouTube offering, or other, accompanied by ridiculous amounts of (very expensive) bait, spombed with all the subtlety of, repeatedly, chucking in a house brick. Heavy leads (tackle in general) for the size of venue are also par for the course. Still it's not my place, or desire, to question how others enjoy their time on the bankside? So as long as it doesn't directly compromise what I'm doing it must be a case of each to their own. 

My first Victory Lake "twenty"

Because it is so close to home, my favoured commercial is Kev's "Victory Lake" at Sandwich Coarse Fishery. Over the past couple of summers it has provided me with some exceptional Carp fishing. Containing nothing massive, the venue has fish to just over thirty pounds, but I have been able to fine tune my use of the "Bushwhacker" baiting pole system whilst getting regular action for my efforts. During that particular project, I wasn't in need of help to put the "Bushwhacker" together, or how to steer it. I needed to explore the amount of freebies  required in order to create a feeding response where a bite was likely to happen sooner, rather than later. I was also able to play around with bottom baits v's wafters, again gleaning some very valuable insight during this period. One very interesting side effect was the importance of hook pattern choice? It didn't end there, hook link length and,. more importantly, material became a massive distraction along with the "blow-back" vs "D-rig" conundrum. 

July 1983 - my very first "twenty"
I've been playing this game for quite a long time now. Is another Carp that important?

I have now to bide my time, purely because Bev's health issues are of far greater priority than placing another wet fish into the landing net. I now have a venue in mind once there is some type of routine back in our lives, so am happy to have ideas spinning around in my head awaiting the chance of a return to the bankside. If, and when, I get to place a baited rig into the water I am confident that it will be the most effective presentation that I am able to offer, purely because of the previous experiences at those club and commercial fisheries?

A pleasant distraction

 Our granddaughter, Emily, is completely smitten with Bruno and hasn't required a second invitation to join us for a morning walk, or two, it being the school Easter Holiday! Last Saturday we had a very enjoyable stroll around Minster Marshes, thus allowing Emily to spend time with Bruno, but also allowing me to show her Slow Worms for the first time and later how easy it was to get the Carp to feed on floating dog biscuits. I'd said that, weather permitting, we'd return and, after walking Bruno, see if we could catch her very first Carp (fish!) This morning was to see us return and it went like clockwork. I picked her up at 09.30 hrs and we were back in the van, less than two hours later headed for home. In the intervening period, not only did we take Bruno for a stroll, discovering two Slow Worms and a Grass Snake en route, she also landed her first two Carp. Both of which were "doubles". 

Emily's very first fish - 10 lbs 8 oz

We were on the bank for little more than thirty minutes, but plenty long enough to get the hungry hoards slurping down the floating dog biscuits. A six foot, Nash Dwarf, 2lbs t/c rod, a Nash GT 4000 reel loaded with 10 lbs b.s. Diawa Sensor line and a size 10 "Flota Claw" hook was as simple as it could get, with floating bread cubes for hook baits. 

A very special morning for us both - this one was 11 lbs 8 oz

I set the hook then immediately passed the rod over for Emily to do the rest. She was brilliant and not in the least bit phased by the situation. As a Grand-dad, it's moments like these which make it all worth while. It's Harry's turn next, so it seems.

Treading water - so to speak!

Four days after the diagnosis, yet still we await some contact from the Oncology team as to how things are going to proceed? One positive has been a phone conversation with one of our local Pilgrims Hospice nurses who have informed me of their intention to provide home visits in order to monitor Bev's pain relief medication and offer alternatives if they see fit. They were also able to confirm that the Oncology team were actively seeking a course of action for our situation. Under these current circumstances it is probably just as well that Bev is as "high as a kite" on Morphine and Cocodamol and sleeps (or is just unconscious?) almost 24/7

Bruno still needs his daily exercise, thus provides me with an opportunity to spend a while just enjoying whatever crosses our path. This past two days we've visited Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry NNR and it's been very rewarding. Booming Bitterns, a maximum count of twenty-eight Cattle Egrets plus good numbers of newly arrived Reed & Sedge Warblers. I've still not seen a Wheatear, Whitethroat, Garganey or Yellow Wagtail yet, under the current circumstances, will simply have to bide my time. I did have a nice surprise as I examined the contents of the moth trap, yesterday morning, when I discovered a lovely Mullein Moth. Not particularly scarce, but still another manifestation of simple pleasures?

We've had better days

Bev's cancer diagnosis was confirmed on Friday and I have no desire to expand upon this news. "Treatable, but not curable" was Dr. Podder's assessment during our consultation. Family, friends and neighbours have been amazing with their genuine offers of support. We now await the outcome of an Oncology Dept decision as to how we move forward? I should have known that things were going badly, when a Booted Eagle was flying over my garden, whilst Bev and I were at The Estuary View Medical Centre, Whitstable, for her CT scan. Fishing, year listing and the vast majority of other aspects of normal life must now play second fiddle to the reality of dealing with Bev's medical requirements.

Little Ringed Plovers at RSPB Worth Marshes

Bruno has made a massive impact on my life, despite the fact he was "adopted" to assist with Bev's anxiety issues. Our daily walks have to be undertaken in places where other dog-walkers are unlikely to be encountered. Living in East Kent, I am very fortunate that the flatlands surround Thanet and, therefore, it is possible to spot, thus react to the presence of, another dog(walker) by changing our route and avoiding a Bruno melt-down, should someone else, and their mutt, also be enjoying the surroundings!

Female Marsh Harrier, over Minster Marshes, this morning.

RSPB Worth Marshes provides a brilliant option during the Monday - Friday period, as does Stodmarsh/Grove Ferry NNR, yet it has to be Minster Marshes on Saturday & Sunday, purely because we are able to wander, freely, around an area with limited public access. Under these current circumstances I am very aware of how much the local wildlife is able to impact, in a positive manner, on my demenour. My nocturnal feeding station has certainly taken on some extra focus, under the current circumstances, and I am delighted that one of the Vixens has gained enough confidence to allow me to keep the back door open, hence get far superior photo opportunities.

Blogging might become a little erratic, dependant upon how Bev's treatment impacts upon our daily routine? I will do my best to keep posting just because by sharing the experiences, I am able to keep a level of calm within this uncharted journey.

Meal for two

Whilst listening to the  Radio 5 Live commentary, of PSG vs Aston Villa, I have also been watching the feeding bowls placed on the patio. Although seeing a Fox and Hedgehog at the same bowl isn't particularly unusual, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to grab an image, tonight, with both animals feeding side on to my position. 

Taken from within my study (man cave) - tackle room, thus through a double-glazed window, it is still a very pleasing image of something which must happen frequently but, because it is during the hours of darkness, very few have been privileged to witness?

More Kite encounters

 Not quite what I'd expected when Bruno and I left home this morning. Due to some maintenance work (?) the access to C&DAA's Minster fishery was shut off and as a result we ended up at Grove Ferry NR instead. In reality, it is no great hardship having to walk around this stunning reserve opposed to the set-a-side fields at Minster. With thick cloud cover and a fresh NE wind, it felt decidedly chilly and, as a result, there was nothing added to my meagre year list for our efforts. We walked as far as the Marsh Hide, before retracing our steps back to the van. Four Sedge Warblers offered snippets of song as we passed, a flock of seven Cattle Egrets flew over and a couple of male Marsh Harriers were proclaiming territorial rites above the adjacent reed beds. All very enjoyable yet equally predictable given the location. It was as we made our way back towards the van that I spotted a lone Red Kite slowly headed in our direction. It passed almost directly above where we were, but the light conditions ensured that my attempts at photography were pitiful ! I am, therefore, grateful for the tools available, via my digital editing program, which have allowed me to produce a useable image.

I watched this individual for a couple of minutes as it made it's way slowly north, into the breeze, before it was lost from sight behind some adjacent Hawthorn bushes. Little more than five minutes later, and some distance from the original position, I spotted another Red Kite, this time flying deliberately eastwards along the Stour Valley. Obviously I can't rule out the possibility of this being the same individual, but it didn't stop me enjoying a second encounter of the morning.

Raptors on the move and some progress

 Bruno and I didn't get out for our morning walk until well after 09.30 hrs and it was RSPB Worth Marshes the destination of choice. Unable to park at the end of The Pinnock Wall, we started our stroll from the track outside the entrance to "Lilyroos" glamping site. It was fairly obvious that birds were likely to be at a premium, the wind still stubbornly in the east, although the sun was shining brightly from a cloudless sky. A lone Swallow was the only visible sign of migration, yet I encountered eleven singing Sedge Warblers whilst we were on site, thus ample evidence of the advance of Spring. It wasn't until we'd reached the northern end of the Roaring Gutter that I spotted a Red Kite, high overhead. Raising the binoculars, and then the camera kit, it quickly became clear that there were a group of large raptors present. It consisted of seven Red Kites, three Common Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier, although the Red Kites might have been the only migrants?

Back home just before 12.30 hrs, as we'd needed a detour to Wingham Country Market for some logs and coal, it was blatantly clear that the local gulls weren't particularly happy. Over the next three hours I counted sixty, plus, Common Buzzards and have to accept that there might have been many more due to the fact that they were moving on a very wide front above Thanet.

On a more positive note, Bev's medical situation is becoming clearer as her CT scan is booked for 17.40 hrs on Thursday with our follow up consultation meeting scheduled for mid-day on Friday. It's not been a particularly easy journey, the lack of communication does nothing for those involved, or their mental, and physical, wellbeing. I have to say a massive "thank-you" to the staff at PALS (Patient Advice & Liaison Service) for their assistance in making things happen. To be continued ......

Benno is off the mark!

Although it would seem that my own fishing gear will remain redundant whilst awaiting the medical treatment Bev requires, Benno is embarked upon his maiden, serious, Tench campaign. So it was rather pleasant to receive his phone call, yesterday morning, as he excitedly relayed the details of his first "seven", thus a new PB, from the (un-named) syndicate fishery. 

7 lbs 6 oz of pure joy

There was absolutely no way I could get across to the fishery to witness this stunning Tench, so it was the resultant email contact which allowed me to share in the moment. Ben's selfies, using his phone, aren't as perfect as he'd have wanted - he cut the top of his head off! Still it's a lesson learned for the next time? 

Adult Med Gulls over Minster Marshes

Bruno and I were out, on Minster Marshes, for our daily wander and , despite the superb sunshine, a blasting easterly ensured it felt decidedly chilly. No surprise, therefore, summer migrant species were few and far between. The odd Chiffchaff and Blackcap being the best I could manage, however, there was a steady passage of gulls moving south over the marsh and, despite the majority being either Herring, or Black-headed, I did manage to pick out an adult Lesser Black-backed and four Mediterranean Gulls. Slim pickings indeed!

After dark action

It doesn't matter what the thermometer says, the recent run of blasting easterlies has ensured that running the garden moth trap is a complete waste of effort and electricity. However, all is not lost, once the sun sets, the nocturnal feeding station is providing plenty of entertainment with several Hedgehogs and, at least, three Foxes visiting the food bowls.

It would appear that Hedgehogs find chicken much more attractive than
the regular kitten biscuits and "Meaty Meals" I place in their bowl

I've not yet managed to obtain any images of the Foxes with the back door open, although the Hedgehogs are not so wary and allow plenty of scope to play around with the camera kit. It is an ongoing challenge which is providing a nice distraction from the reality of our current situation. It was whilst I was listening to the game between The Lionesses and Belgium Ladies, a vixen was very active around the garden and I was getting a series of shots through the double glazed window when a Hedgehog joined in with the fun allowing me to grab a shot of the feeding companions.

It was a rather quiet wander around the marsh, this morning, with the only notable sighting being a lone Swallow battling it's way North into the blustery wind. 

Minster Marshes

Ten days after Bev's preliminary diagnosis and we're still no closer to getting a CT scan for Dr A. Podder to view prior to deciding on the course of action required. "Urgent" was his description of the scan, yet absolutely nothing has occurred since. I've even visited our local doctors surgery, in the hope of discovering if there is anything else we can do to speed things up? No seems to be consensus reply! It's no fault of any single individual (unlike Trump's impact on the global economy) just a glaring demonstration of how broken our NHS system now is? A feeling of complete despair, with all that it does for confidence and mental health, is now ruling our lives. Bev is in a very bad way and hasn't left the bungalow since the original hospital visit. At least I am able to take Bruno for a walk, thus spend some time clearing my head and away from reality. Minster Marshes has proven to be an absolute oasis during this recent period plus allowing me to do a bit of birding and provide some data for the "Save Minster Marshes" gang.

The vast majority of the overwintering passerines have long since gone, yet there is always something worthy of note whenever I'm wandering around the area. Yesterday produced the first Little Egret of the year, for me, and this morning it was a very noisy Oystercatcher which provided the most noteworthy entry in my diary. As Bruno and I were headed back towards the van, I espied a couple of guys standing on the raised bank of Brook Lake. One of them had a tripod and I felt sure that the other was my mate George, the gamekeeper. No surprise, therefore, that we took a detour to see what what was going on?

Not exactly what I had expected. As we neared their position it became clear that George was being interviewed by a reporter. As it turns out, he was a guy from BBC Radio Kent. Obviously, Bruno and I had no desire to interfere with this situation, so stopped where we were in order for the interview to be completed. I have to say, at this point, George's performance was top drawer. 

I grabbed this shot of a female Pheasant as we drove back along the track.
Taken from the van window, the bird crouched down on our approach, before deciding 
that it wasn't a good idea and scuttling away into the adjacent vegetation

On arriving back home I gave George a phone call, just to find out what it was all about? As always, a very light-hearted exchange which concluded with the phrase " I can bull-shit with the best of them!" Under the circumstances, not particularly accurate, but it made me smile none the less. If/when I find out when this interview will be broadcast I will post a link - I'm confident that it will be worth a listen?