Richard Bell's nature sketchbook since 1998
11.15 am: On a cool, drizzly morning, two mistle thrushes are checking out the well-trodden grass of the play area at Pontefract Castle. One of them appears to have a sash of darker feathers across its speckled breast, perhaps a result of hopping through wet grass. On both birds there’s a white spot on the wing.
John, who was doing well this morning after a not-so-good weekend, has a view of a grassy bank with cherry trees from his room on the sunny side of the Prince of Wales Hospice, Halfpenny Lane, Pontefract.
My All Sorts of Walks in Liquorice Country features a walk along Halfpenny Lane and my Walks in Robin Hood’s Yorkshire also has a Pontefract connection. Now available on the Prince of Wales Hospice bookshelf!
Five weeks ago this morning, while I drew Canada geese, John and Barbara walked around Newmillerdam Lake, a circuit of about two miles. Four weeks ago he wasn’t feeling so good and they walked by the duck pond in Thornes Park. This morning walking to the other side of the room and back was quite an achievement.