Being a little bit social

Well I hope no one is wondering where yesterday's batch of photos is. I had intended to take dad out yesterday but Mum's niece invited us over for a barbeque so we sat around in her lovely garden instead.

Oh the owl was on his sign this morning.

Comments

Someone has emailed me to ask why I hadn't published their comments. Well I haven't rejected any so if yours haven't been published please email me. Email address in about me.

Although I've left moderation on I've removed word verification.

cheers

Pete

Barnes

I decided to take the camera for a try out at Barnes. I mentioned this on messenger to Tricia and we agree to meet up.

The weather was lurvely but the birds were conspicuous by there not being that many !! Lots of Sand Martins, some Common Terns, Green Woody, Warblers calling, Redshank and an unknown raptor which I had a 2 second glance of.

Still some photos....

Lots of young coots






This young heron was playing hard to get stuck in the reeds!


but this one....



I do like male Tufties




Ruddy Duck



Black Tailed Skimmer




Pochard Ducklings


Damselfly


Young Coot having a splash


Young Tufties



This coot kept going back to the nest.

Coot


Adult Blue Tit, bit scruffy!!


Young blue tit through glass


Pied Wagtail


And just as we were about to leave we got word that 4 Black Tailed Godwit had dropped in. A bit distant but a record shot.



Pleasant day in good company.

You just need momentum

There is a freeby paper given away in London (and other British cities I guess) called the Metro. Whilst on the tube yesterday I espied an article so I picked up one of many discarded copies to read about "Cyril the Squirrel".

Apparently Sue Britton had feeders hanging from a frame (the photo in the paper shows this the online one doesn't) and it was "squirrel proof". Cyril noticed that the Britton's subsequently put up a basket of flowers hanging from the frame.

One afternoon Cyril hopped onto the rail and on to the basket and used the momentum of the swinging basket to reach the feeders!

The North American Grey Squirrel is not well liked over here due to its out competing the native red and spreading squirrel pox throughout the red population but you just have to admire their ingenuity.

There's a photo on the link.

Quick Flit to London

I didn't set the alarm this morning ah a lay in. I woke at 5:30!!!

Well as I mentioned the other day off to London. As I mentioned my destination was close to church on my list so

688 St James the Less, Pimlico.

It doesn't look that prepossessing on arrival.



To be fair it would look good in an open plaza not crammed into naff housing estates, hey ho.

I knew it was open (I had checked) but it was all locked and you had to buzz the adjacent office for entry. But on entry it was quite interesting.












I got to Grays and no problems.

So where to? I was tempted to wander St James Park or the Tower of London but it is a bit difficult to take photos with a few bags etc. So I headed home and went to Amwell. Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers about, young Redshanks and the usual suspects.

All this train travel got me a fair way through my latest book Lord of Emperors by the excellent Guy Gavriel Kay. Kay is a VERY superior fantasist.

Oh popped into pet shop and got soe stuff to send to Shane and yes Jan I did ensure I got a few toys for exercise! Oh and I saw a sign beware of the King Charles Caverlier Spaniel GUFFAW. I could just see Emma sat below this.

A Dr Who moment....

There have been a number of UFO sightings in Shropshire around the A5. One such sighting was when 13 "craft" were seen zig-zagging over Clive Barracks, Tern Hill, near Market Drayton.

Corporal Mark Proctor, of the Royal Irish Regiment, saw the lights when he and two colleagues were on night patrol on June 7. The sighting came two hours before helicopter police officers reported an encounter near Cardiff.

A woman who was "abducted" in the same area 27 years ago has retold her story to the Sun.

I am a sceptic on all things "paranormal". Although I think its highly likely that thre is life out there somewhere I find it a bit odd they should be hanging around the A5. Of course in a few weeks time I'll be in the area. If I don't come back....

Shane Update

Curiously OC asked me if I had heard about Shane my sponsor dog last night and guess what came through the post today!






If you read the second bit you'll still poor shane is nervous of strangers and so you can't touch him. What do people do to these poor fellas I ask you?

Anyway as it's my birthday soon I'll have to send him a parcel.

He watched me and I watched him

I was driving to work this morning when I noticed one had something on the end. As I approached I realised it was a Little Owl - YAY! As I passed we both watched the other go.

What a great way to start the day. Speaking of which....

In the office

So I am back at work. Nice to see no problems greeted me. It feels like I've been back for ages! Only a four day week this week (i'm owed two days) AND three weeks til next hols - ah I love this time of year.

Jan asked if my camera was still working, well one of them is playing up! This is my second hand d70 which I use as a backup but gets used a lot on holidays. Yes you can see me walk around with two cameras, one over each shoulder, one with a landscape/portrait lens and one with a telephoto (for birds etc).

Luckily it is still in guarantee so I can get it repaired woo hoo, I take it back Friday. Repeat after me I must resist the lure of a px on a fabbo d300.

Popped into see Dad on my return, the old boy seems ok. Its 6 months Sunday since Mum died. I've said we'll wander out for the day then come home and watch the Footy final, I know he'll remember the date not sure if he twigged that it is Sunday. There anniversary is coming up and this is a Saturday so I think I'll take him out.

Homeward bound

I looked out of the window and saw sun.

I didn't want to rush home and stopped at the lovely National Trust gardens at Stourhead. You've seen this before.






Not where I expected to find a Blackcap!