River Wansbeck

Last week I went up to Morpeth on the bus so that I could have a walk along the Wansbeck without having to go back to the car, the downside is bthe route from Blyth to Morpeth is probably the worst route in the country they use the oldest buses that rattle and shake the life out of you  why, it's because on today's roads apart from being pitted with potholes (try cycling on them) are also littered with "humps" "sleeping policeman" "traffic calming measures" call them what you will but disregard them at the risk of damage to your car, anyway having arrived at Morpeth shaken but stirred for a brisk walk . Went down via the Abbey site which is now closed to access ,a pity because it was well worth a visit , surprising number of trees in near full leave , a Party of tits along the first hedge kept to the rear , 2 Jays went into the Hornbeam's , at the weir no sign of Dipper but a Grey Wagtail and 2 Heron , most of the weir got washed away a couple of years ago such is the power of  a river in flood. 20 or so mallard on the river near the bridge but not much else this was more just a walk than anything else when I headed back to Morpeth the Bungalows where in the process of having huge walls build in their gardens to keep the water at bay such is the modern day price of life on the river edge, the footbridge was closed so I couldn't get a look along the river nor a skip(figure of speech only) over the stepping stones 

 Sat here for my lunch and see what would turn up ? the weir washed out

 A calm scene for the moment

 Could this be Beavers in Northumberland :)

 I saw this on the opposite bank a bit like Feverfew but I don't know what it's called ,garden escape perhaps

Morpeth Riverside

The other day I had to go up to Morpeth so too the opportunity to check out the riverside usual there are one or two Goosanders  coming to bread which can give you the chance of some photos (but it's hard not to include the bread in the shot) but alas today non plenty of Mallards and BH  Gulls ,I walked along to Scotch Gill woods  still nothing on the river a couple of Jays making their usual racket before revealing themselves as they flew overhead  and apart from numerous Nuthatch calling and some Great & Blue Tits it was rather quiet and very dull .

 The stepping stones over the river

 The river looking rather tranquil although this section has flooded many times

looking back to the road bridge  this section a favoured haunt of Goosander

 I took this photo of the old gas light  but forgot to read the relevance of it

 I have taken  this before  two sections of Whalebone

 This Ash tree had a very large Burr on the trunk

 This evergreen no idea of what but it seems to be coming into flower, is it the species with the yellow flower spikes ?

 probably a garden escape

Some fruiting funghi coming through , look at the leaves on the verge of falling apart