8th December 2025, Met Office forecast is semi-favourable: cloudy with sunny intervals. However, strong winds. We set out early to catch the sunrise (due to crest at 7:55 am). Alas, Met Office hasn’t told the weather god about the ‘sunny intervals’. For most of the morning we walk beneath a dull concrete sky, which doesn’t make for good photography. But turns out not all is lost. Let’s go…

8th December 2025

🔼 15 minutes after sunrise we get a glimpse as it brightens the clouds. Briefly. 🔽 There are thousands of waders out on the mud, here disturbed in their feeding by a boat that’s ‘speeding’. This is the best my camera can do, so no identities except by fuzzy profile (godwits, red shank, some lapwing which surprises me, possibly a whimbrel)

8th December 2025

8th December 2025

🔼 ‘Strong winds’ translate into reality of 18 mph gusting to 30 mph and we’re walking straight into it. We make the decision to leave the estuary bank as soon as possible. Phew! Now we’re walking amongst the reeds, and the sky finally lightens. Still no sun 🔽 We might not get focus on the estuarine birds but this swan is another matter

8th December 2025

🔽 Both Little and Great Egrets breed around our marshes, but they’re not as confident as the swans with we humans. This shot is on high zoom. Confess, I’m surprised how well it’s come out

8th December 2025

8th December 2025

🔼 The (private) marsh road brings us into Burgh Castle, the village. Still seeking colour, any colour, I rejoice at the sight of this wall 🔽 Then the sun. But so brief. Yet I do manage to snap this sun-kissed beech tree

8th December 2025

🔽 We plan to have a pub lunch in the village but we’re early. So we head to the 3rd century Roman fort that sits above the confluence of the rivers Waveney and Yare. Along the way we pass a goat. Worth a pic, I think!

8th December 2025

🔽 Berney Arm’s windmill sits on the banks of the Yare, a reed-bed, a river, a peninsular of land and another river from where I’m standing to take this photo. Yes, it’s on zoom. And yes, the sky is brightening. There’s even proper blue sky showing in stripes

8th December 2025

8th December 2025

🔼 I could spend all day taking photos of these C3rd Roman-built walls. I’m fascinated by the construction methods. Roman mortar and concrete is famous for its hardwearing and long-lasting quality. Add to that an outer coat of napped flints and… not surprising it still stands 🔽 But maybe those Romans weren’t so good at digging deep foundations. Then again, this is ‘sand land’.  ⏬ One last look before we leave. Pub’s open, time for lunch

8th December 2025

8th December 2025

I hope you’ve enjoyed, despite we’re not so colourful this week. Yet we did find fungi (see Tuesday Treats) which makes up for that