Author Archives: Sabena Blackbird

The MNA Coach parked beside the Yorkshire Dales Visitor Centre in Malham village and after donning waterproofs against the typical English Summer weather we were soon listing slightly unusual botanical sights like a huge coppiced Laburnum Laburnum anagyroides and a … Continue reading →

A natural history packed day as DaveB and I visited a couple of sites in the Wrexham area using public transport. We initially took the train to Chester then boarded Arriva’s 1 bus alighting at the village of Marford famous … Continue reading →

A few days visiting some familiar sites in Anglesey and the Great Orme in late June proved fruitful. At Breakwater Country Park the initial clouds did give way to some blue sky giving a great backdrop to the dramatic rocky coastline. … Continue reading →

Four years have passed since the previous MNA Coach Trip to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserve at Potteric Carr, close to Doncaster. Most members headed to the far side of the reserve with the scrapes and Huxter Well and Piper … Continue reading →

Richard Surman, DaveB and I headed down the Conwy Valley to Llanwrst and crossed Pont Fawr, the narrow three-arch stone bridge before taking a steep road up to the Gwydir Forest Park Offices and the adjacent 17th-century Gwydir Uchaf Chapel. … Continue reading →

Six Swifts were screaming overhead in blue skies as I wandered down The Rake towards the Reserve On the now infamous fallen tree trunk on the slope running down from Bromborough Rake Station were a large number of impressive plates … Continue reading →

A much welcome burst of sunshine for the first part of DaveBs and my walk along the Sefton Coast starting on the Green Beach at Ainsdale and continuing in a meandering line along the saltmarsh, shoreline and dunes in a … Continue reading →

A return MNA Coach Trip to Stocks Reservoir lying within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We passed through the picturesque village of Slaidburn before driving through the south-west edge of Gisburn Forest managed by the Forestry … Continue reading →

A great start for the day when Hugh pointed out a rather exhausted looking Whinchat sitting on the grass beside the Burton Biscuit /Typhoo Tea factory. Fifteen members dashed across Pasture Road avoiding the traffic and turned into Tarran Way … Continue reading →

Richard Surman, DaveB and I returned to Cilcain near Mold in Flinshire, North Wales for a circular walk that we did a few years ago. Singing Chiffchaff, Wren, Prune, and Blackbird greeted us on arrival. A Silver Birch Betula pendula … Continue reading →