Bat Safari Punting

Last Friday was the world premier Bat Safari by punt which was GREAT fun. We set off in daylight travelling in a 4 punt convoy slowly navigating from the punt yard south towards Granchester.

At Skaters Fen the Bat Detection Units picked up their first signs, we spotted them swooping against the semi lit sky. For at least half an hour through dusk we spotted many more bats both high up against the sky and low down over the water.

Having turned back at the start of Granchester Meadows and with dark having enfolded us we broke out high power torches, we caught glimpses of several bats skimming low over the water on our return journey.

Though we had been supplied with Bat Identification Charts, we of course neither got close enough nor did the bats fly slowly enough to distinguish one species from another. However, it was a 75 minute tour I will remember with great delight for quite some time.

This shot does our chauffer far more justice than my sketch.

Barges & Bouthouse

Still wanting to make the most of the outdoors in my lunch hour I cycled down to the Comon and sat by the river to eat lunch, sandwhiches, cake and a bottle of squash.
Then of course, out came the Postcard Pad.
The barge the drawing is based on was moored on my side of the bank, but I thought it would better if it was chugging upstream.