Flatford Mill and Manningtree

In my Hobbies… Falco Subbuteo post in reference to a return to Birding I said… It started with a trip to Manningtree in mid April. The idea was simple… Get Alasdair out for a walk in the countryside, get some haulage and photos of Class 90′s on the Norwich services and cover some grid squares for the Geograph project. Birdwatching was mentioned as a hook to encourage Alasdair – he enjoys seeing birds in the wild. Oh! and we also get to visit Flatford Mill in Constable Country too 🙂 So, although it was a dull day, I thought I’d share some of the photos with you…

A field of Rape – our Pheasant dropped down somewhere into those tractor tracks near the brow of the hill

River Stour – the southern arm. Those reeds may have had reed warblers in them but we never saw any!

The Stour Estuary on a dull damp afternoon

90006 ‘Modern Railways Magazine’ at Manningtree – our ride home at the end of the day.

Flatford Mill – Downstream side

90007 ‘Sir John Betjeman’ crosses the Stour Estuary

Willy Lotts Cottage and the River Stour – site of Constable’s painting ‘The Hay Wain’

Dry Dock, scene of Constable’s painting ‘Boat Building near Flatford Mill’

Cattawade Bridge on the River Stour

90041 heads the 4L97 Trafford Park to Felixstowe North Freightliner service through Manningtree Station

Bridge over farm track outside Manningtree Station

Meadow Wetlands – you can’t tell from the photo but this meadow produced Lapwing, Redshank, Grey Heron and our first Swallows of the year

Flatford Mill – upstream side