A late 'catch up' before the year ends!

I do hope 2018 passes by much slower than 2017 has! Where have the days, weeks and months gone?

A few of my holiday/trip images to end the year with!

Portugal September 2017.

Black Stork in flight and one sighted preening whilst perched! Awesome to see and a change from the White Storks.

 

  
                                                            Caspian Terns.

                                                        
                                                              Crested Lark.

                                             Hummingbird Hawkmoth

                                                      Little Grebe

                                      
                                                
                                            Little Owl tree! Can you spot it?

 

 

Sanderlings

 

 

 

                                                         Stonechat

 

                                                  Swallowtail Butterfly

                                                            
                                                            Wheatear

                                                       Yellow Wagtails

                                                       
                                                     Zitting Cisticola

                                                           Another one!

 

 

Azure-winged Magpies enjoying a drink from a puddle on a car park.

 

Cattle Egret about to hitch a lift!

 

 

 

 

Praia de Beliche, Sagres.

Needless to say I filmed the video and did not participate in any Windsurfing, though it did look good fun!

 

 

                                                                      

               

 

 

               

 

 

 

 

Menorca October 2017

 

 

 

A Speckled Wood as has been pointed out to me.;-)

 

 

Common Snipe

 

 

 

Spider webs, seen whilst walking through vegetation! There were hundreds of webs!!

 

                                                    Banded Argiope spiders!

                                            
                                                             Black Redstart

                                                  Blue Rock Thrush

Egyptian Vultures..it was late.:-)

                                                                   Menorquina Cows.

The Menorquina was formerly a triple-purpose breed, used as a draught animal and for milk and meat production; it is now raised mainly for dairy use.

 

Scarlet Darter

 

This beautifully situated lighthouse to the north of Es Mercadal, was built in 1857, it is built 90 meters above the sea level, and has dramatic cliffs surrounding it. According to records, one year prior to its construction there were eight shipwrecks in the area. The actual light is now run by solar panels and batteries – and it can shine up to 36 miles.

 

 

 

 

Gates in Menorca made from the olive tree. The olive wood is tremendously strong. Each branch is split in two so that you have a symmetrical gate. All the gates use the same pattern.

 

 

 

Grasshopper.

 

On a walk to a gorge (on a hot day) which is known to have roosting Egyptian Vultures we had great views of 2 perched  Egyptian Vultures after a while they took flight! I now have 2 young Grandsons with happy memories they will keep forever of a super 'Birding' walk!

 

 

 

 

WWT Martin Mere and Marshside. November 2017.

 

 

An assemblage of Wildfowl.

 

Pink-footed  Geese were seen and heard in great numbers! A wonderful experience that never fails to amaze!

                                  

                                                      Join the dots?

 

Marshside.

A perched Merlin was the highlight and very nice it was too.

                                            Blackpool Tower in the distance.

 

 

                                  Back to Martin Mere.
                                                                     A busy hide!!!

                          The berries were being enjoyed by several Blackbirds!

                         
                                                     Harrier hide.

                                    The Geese were spooked by a Marsh Harrier.

                  

                                      I can see a bird in this image. Can you?

                                                       Starling Roost.

 

 

 

 

                  The Starling roost was a great spectacle and great finale to what had been a super long weekend in Lancashire.

 

 

All that's left now is for me to wish all bloggers and readers of blogs and anyone else who just happens by a Happy and Healthy New year 2018.

 

Have a good 'un!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowy Sunday! 10/12/2017

The snow was relentlessly falling and adding to the snow already on the ground, hence the garden was slowly but surely disappearing under a blanket of white snow!

Blackbirds enjoyed the berries on a Rowan tree. The tree was planted last Autumn so has some growing to go but is bearing fruit nicely.

 
Grey Heron spotted lurking over the fish pond that is securely netted!!!

Pansy flavoured ice cream anyone?

I cannot remember seeing such an accumulation of snow on the feeders. They are now free of snow and visible to the birds!

 

Not the weather for relaxing by the pond!

Party time for the Black-headed Gulls! I counted 15 though there could have been 16.;-)

 

 

" Have I said something wrong?"

 

 

Room for two

 

This Woodpigeon struggled with the depth of the snow.

 

 

 I was really chuffed to see a Redwing in the garden!

The apples I spiked on an apple tree went down a treat as did the persimmon!
Note to self: When knocking the snow off a tree with a broom remember to try and stand out of the way to avoid the falling snow!!! I hope my neighbours were not watching me.lol

 

Lovely to see the snow.

 

Take care and stay safe everyone during this extremely cold and snowy bout of weather.

 

First snowfall. 08/12/2017

Brrrrr, it's cold!

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?


J.B. Priestley

Autumn at Bodenham Arboretum, Wolverley , Worcestershire. 01/11/2017

A few images taken on my recent walk around part of the arboretum. A delightful walk whatever the weather.

The bark on this tree fascinates me, it looks as though a ribbon has been tightly bound around it.                            Prunus Serrula- Ornamental Cherry.

                              
                                     Dogwoods are a treat to see in Autumn.

Meet Elvis. He is one of two sheepdogs that enjoy bringing a cone or piece of wood for you to throw or kick for them to chase and return to you in readiness for another chase!
                               


The donkeys will soon be in a stable and playing their part in one of the Nativity scenes around the farm.

 

 

 

Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.

William Cullen Bryant

 

 

Red sun in the morning.....

Ophelia's warning!

The sun was/is an unusual colour this morning!

I have read that the reason may not just be Saharan Dust. There may well be dust particles in the air, or particles from forest fires across Portugal that have blown up courtesy of ex- hurricane Ophelia!

The wind is gaining strength, leaves are blowing here, there and everywhere and the birds are not having too good a time of it either!

Roll on Spring 2018!

My images (taken at 11.15) do not do the event justice but good to have some record of the 'red sun'!