Hilary Gostling
@hilarygostling.bsky.social
Love wildlife and wild places. Abhor cruelty to all living things. Learning to appreciate beautiful music. Dreamer, would-be nomad.
“Old Hushwing“ my grandfather called him, way back in my childhood days, but life is so much harder for owls now, and few grow old.
Barn owl, Norfolk Broads UK
Barn owl, Norfolk Broads UK
February 7, 2025 at 8:02 PM
“Old Hushwing“ my grandfather called him, way back in my childhood days, but life is so much harder for owls now, and few grow old.
Barn owl, Norfolk Broads UK
Barn owl, Norfolk Broads UK
Flying home to roost. Common cranes, Ludham, Norfolk Uk 6/2/25
February 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Flying home to roost. Common cranes, Ludham, Norfolk Uk 6/2/25
Decided to go for a walk along the beach at Old Hunstanton to see if I could find any shorelarks - and at last I did, a lovely little group of six!
I was windswept, sand scoured, lashed by sleet, and it was absolutely lovely! Norfolk, UK
I was windswept, sand scoured, lashed by sleet, and it was absolutely lovely! Norfolk, UK
January 27, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Decided to go for a walk along the beach at Old Hunstanton to see if I could find any shorelarks - and at last I did, a lovely little group of six!
I was windswept, sand scoured, lashed by sleet, and it was absolutely lovely! Norfolk, UK
I was windswept, sand scoured, lashed by sleet, and it was absolutely lovely! Norfolk, UK
Cold, and a mist hanging over the marshes. I waited still and quiet - and then there they were, little flashes of brightness on a dull grey day. Norfolk Coast UK
January 22, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Cold, and a mist hanging over the marshes. I waited still and quiet - and then there they were, little flashes of brightness on a dull grey day. Norfolk Coast UK
The garden gang - and for once, not knocking ten bells out of each other. (Greenfinches just don’t ‘do’ sharing.)
Norfolk UK
Norfolk UK
December 14, 2024 at 11:31 PM
The garden gang - and for once, not knocking ten bells out of each other. (Greenfinches just don’t ‘do’ sharing.)
Norfolk UK
Norfolk UK
The tree - hopelessly overstuffed, but it’s my whole life on a tree, and I love it !
December 14, 2024 at 10:25 PM
The tree - hopelessly overstuffed, but it’s my whole life on a tree, and I love it !
These - 1) the red bell, one of a set of 4 from my first ever Christmas tree, as a baby in 1953, 2) Tom Cat, 3) Jack Sparrow, 4) glass bells - just because I love them
December 14, 2024 at 10:20 PM
These - 1) the red bell, one of a set of 4 from my first ever Christmas tree, as a baby in 1953, 2) Tom Cat, 3) Jack Sparrow, 4) glass bells - just because I love them
A ‘charm’ of goldfinches? Hmm, nothing remotely charming about this morning’s behaviour! (Although most entertaining on a raw grey day.)
Fisticuffs on the feeders. Goldfinches just don’t ‘do’ sharing. Norfolk, UK, 10/12/2024
Fisticuffs on the feeders. Goldfinches just don’t ‘do’ sharing. Norfolk, UK, 10/12/2024
December 10, 2024 at 5:32 PM
A ‘charm’ of goldfinches? Hmm, nothing remotely charming about this morning’s behaviour! (Although most entertaining on a raw grey day.)
Fisticuffs on the feeders. Goldfinches just don’t ‘do’ sharing. Norfolk, UK, 10/12/2024
Fisticuffs on the feeders. Goldfinches just don’t ‘do’ sharing. Norfolk, UK, 10/12/2024
A bright and beautiful morning; the calm before Darragh swept in.
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK December 2024
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK December 2024
December 9, 2024 at 11:52 AM
A bright and beautiful morning; the calm before Darragh swept in.
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK December 2024
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK December 2024
Wings over Welney.
Black Friday? No way - it was a fab Friday here. Back to my fenland roots on a stunningly beautiful November day. Joy and peace in nature, and quite simply perfect.
Black Friday? No way - it was a fab Friday here. Back to my fenland roots on a stunningly beautiful November day. Joy and peace in nature, and quite simply perfect.
November 30, 2024 at 8:47 PM
Wings over Welney.
Black Friday? No way - it was a fab Friday here. Back to my fenland roots on a stunningly beautiful November day. Joy and peace in nature, and quite simply perfect.
Black Friday? No way - it was a fab Friday here. Back to my fenland roots on a stunningly beautiful November day. Joy and peace in nature, and quite simply perfect.
Daylight shines so very bright and clear but fades so very fast now, as winter solstice draws near.
Early afternoon, St Benets, Norfolk UK. My favourite birds, my favourite place.
Early afternoon, St Benets, Norfolk UK. My favourite birds, my favourite place.
November 26, 2024 at 11:01 PM
Daylight shines so very bright and clear but fades so very fast now, as winter solstice draws near.
Early afternoon, St Benets, Norfolk UK. My favourite birds, my favourite place.
Early afternoon, St Benets, Norfolk UK. My favourite birds, my favourite place.
Those who know me, know I have a garden full of huge old trees with POs on them, and that they cause big problems to my house - but I love them, and they’re worth every crack and sloping floorboard to be able see these beauties just outside the bedroom window!
Reepham, Norfolk UK 22/11/2024
Reepham, Norfolk UK 22/11/2024
November 22, 2024 at 2:08 PM
Those who know me, know I have a garden full of huge old trees with POs on them, and that they cause big problems to my house - but I love them, and they’re worth every crack and sloping floorboard to be able see these beauties just outside the bedroom window!
Reepham, Norfolk UK 22/11/2024
Reepham, Norfolk UK 22/11/2024
Freezing, bone numbingly cold, can’t feel my feet? Completely forgotten as soon as this stunning creature appeared!
Particularly beautiful short eared owl - Norfolk Broads, UK
Particularly beautiful short eared owl - Norfolk Broads, UK
November 22, 2024 at 9:23 AM
Freezing, bone numbingly cold, can’t feel my feet? Completely forgotten as soon as this stunning creature appeared!
Particularly beautiful short eared owl - Norfolk Broads, UK
Particularly beautiful short eared owl - Norfolk Broads, UK
A bright, bitter - and bitterny - sunrise today. And absolutely super. (Although there’s nothing quite like a Norfolk reedbed in below zero temperatures for teaching you what ‘frozen stiff’ really means! ) — at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB reserve, Norfolk UK
November 17, 2024 at 6:53 PM
A bright, bitter - and bitterny - sunrise today. And absolutely super. (Although there’s nothing quite like a Norfolk reedbed in below zero temperatures for teaching you what ‘frozen stiff’ really means! ) — at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB reserve, Norfolk UK
The first of the winter visitors are arriving, albeit a little late this year. Short eared owl, by the river Thurne, Norfolk Broads UK. Why I so love this time of year.
November 16, 2024 at 4:53 PM
The first of the winter visitors are arriving, albeit a little late this year. Short eared owl, by the river Thurne, Norfolk Broads UK. Why I so love this time of year.
Just a few more of yesterday’s bittern - it took me completely by surprise (looking the other way as usual!) and I almost missed it. Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK
November 15, 2024 at 8:53 PM
Just a few more of yesterday’s bittern - it took me completely by surprise (looking the other way as usual!) and I almost missed it. Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK
An early morning walk; a pale gold sunrise spreading over the marshes. Pure joy.
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK
November 15, 2024 at 8:40 PM
An early morning walk; a pale gold sunrise spreading over the marshes. Pure joy.
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK
Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk UK
Good afternoon in return - and I certainly have done, thanks!
November 13, 2024 at 3:54 PM
Good afternoon in return - and I certainly have done, thanks!
Sunshine, and time spent just walking, just looking, in one of my favourite places. I love these late Autumn days. Norfolk, UK
November 12, 2024 at 3:49 PM
Sunshine, and time spent just walking, just looking, in one of my favourite places. I love these late Autumn days. Norfolk, UK
At last, the sun broke through the clouds and the mist lifted - for a little while. A late afternoon walk along the dunes at Horsey, where the first grey seal pups of the season are being born, and it was so lovely to see them.
All photos taken from the dunes watchpoint, with full 700mm zoom.
All photos taken from the dunes watchpoint, with full 700mm zoom.
November 10, 2024 at 11:24 PM
At last, the sun broke through the clouds and the mist lifted - for a little while. A late afternoon walk along the dunes at Horsey, where the first grey seal pups of the season are being born, and it was so lovely to see them.
All photos taken from the dunes watchpoint, with full 700mm zoom.
All photos taken from the dunes watchpoint, with full 700mm zoom.
And still the mist and heavy cloud lingers on, not lifting all day again, but there were some bright glimmers amidst the grey.
November 9, 2024 at 1:43 PM
And still the mist and heavy cloud lingers on, not lifting all day again, but there were some bright glimmers amidst the grey.
Another muted grey day, mist shrouded and gently dripping. Out on the marshes, finding joy and beauty in the wild things; finding peace.
🍁🍂🍁
🍁🍂🍁
November 9, 2024 at 1:39 PM
Another muted grey day, mist shrouded and gently dripping. Out on the marshes, finding joy and beauty in the wild things; finding peace.
🍁🍂🍁
🍁🍂🍁