Today we went looking for Woodpeckers and Herons. There are quite a few people about so it was not really surprising that I never even spotted a Woodpecker, I was informed that if I found a small pond then I would also find a couple of Herons. After tramping through woodland that could have put the Amazon jungle to shame I found the pond, not a heron in sight………..Ho Hum!…Bother Blow!
An attractive little pond. What’s a wheelie bin doing miles from anywhere? I suspect it’s full of Pheasant feed but I didn’t check.
Razor Strop Fungus, indeed that is what it was used for in the days prior to Gillette and ‘The best a man can get’. I can think of one or two things a touch more exciting than a safety razor. It’s proper name is Birch Polypore it will also have an even posher Latin name along the lines of Polyporus Birchus.
I decided to carry on up to Muncaster Castle as we were halfway there and though a touch raw, it was dry with patchy sunshine.
This just a tree in patchy sunshine and a raw breeze.
A very scruffy Robin doing his best to sort himself out. Been fighting I suspect.
What he should look like if only he could control his temper.
Muncaster Castle……..It looks as if they intended to have a big front door then thought better of it. An interesting Hotch Potch.
Not a bad view from the castle terrace this is two images stitched together. I should be in a position to identify the fells and mountains but had my Dumb Cluck head on when packing so no map and no compass. The foreground is part of Eskdale and behind the black lump is, I hope. Wasdale. I had just finished clicking these when a Heron swooped overhead, swapped lenses, and with bags akimbo, tripod under one arm, Molly sort of wrapped in between off we set in chaotic pursuit..
Here it is, not the worlds best Heron image but at least it is a Heron. Upon enquiry it is semi tame having been recued as a fledgling, it now amuses itself terrorising ducks, dogs and children.
I know this is a rather peculiar image but I liked the sky too much to crop it. Having said that a good crop it needs.
We set off towards home. Sorry called in to see the Owls again.
A Snowy Owl, it has a mate but it is not as snowy in fact covered in black flecks.
Portholes in a barn. and to finish up for today…………….
A Thrush watching me watching it.
Tomorrow am hoping to go steam training. I trust the birds weren’t too intrusive, if they are then I can always change the blog to ‘Adrian’s Bird Guesses!’
I love the robin pics! he's so scruffy - you're right he needs to learn to control his temper. Is he fighting over territory I wonder? Hmmmm I don't know much about birds (you know this! lol) so really have no idea.
ReplyDeleteThat uncropped-but-needs-cropping photo is great! Sometimes I know I should crop but can't just because the sky is so interesting!
Adrian you must be as fit as a flea. Love all this chaotic wandering and charging about after a tame Heron...you could not make that one up...then when I saw that Snowy Owl I thought at first you had one the lottery. Still it looks to me as if you had another enjoyable day.
ReplyDeletePenny, he will have been fighting at this time of year they start to get very territorial. Brave little devils, It's why they are easy to photograph they will come within feet of you.
ReplyDeleteTrevor fit to drop more like. The girls at the owl centre feed it at 1530h each day sometimes they now get three or four dropping in. I was going to stay but realised I would be walking home in the dark and it's a rough old path. The Snowy owl is easy it's locked up.
Oh, that poor little robin came off second best, didn't he? I wonder if he learnt anything from the experience? The Snowy Owl is beautiful!!
ReplyDeletePauline I doubt it, he was OK flew away after he had his feathers back in some semblance of order. Glad you like the Owl had to wait for ages, well five minutes, for the sun to go in and then spot meter of him. White birds and black birds are the very devil.
ReplyDelete