Wednesday 19 March 2014

Long Overdue!

Well I am so far behind with all this blogging business yet I have so much to show and tell! The photos in this post are in fact from the very beginning of Feb! I have contemplated just posting about up to date things but I quite liked these photos. I'll save stories from volunteering for another post and in the mean time I'll just leave you to have a little gander at these. I do hope you are all okay and enjoying the less wet weather :)

Walking at Seasalter on 1st Feb
Redshank and oystercatchers

Screwing his eyes up really tight while he sticks his snout in the sea to retrieve....

....An empty can of 'tropical guava' flavour energy drink. Delightful.

Pouncing and leaping

Wader tracks

Monster tracks

Our Minnis Bay and St Nicholas at Wade walk on 2nd Feb
From left to right: Oystercatcher, turnstones, redshank, and in front common sandpiper (?) followed by more turnstones.
Update: poss common sandpiper is in fact a dunlin in winter plumage - thanks to Stewart :)



Hummingbird Robin

Pondering

...a bit closer

...taaadaaa!

Getting his beak right into the home made fatty mealworm block

...and retreat

Off he goes with his beakfull

Finally - pretending to be a sparrow or a tit of some variety

Spring weather arrived early...

The usual visitor to the fat balls

A lovely bee on the pretty purple crocuses

Our resident pair of collared doves

Pretty pup enjoying the February sun

A few photos from my volunteering expeditions during Feb


Sheep on the marsh in the project area

A couple of mute swans wandering the marsh

A swan's webprint vs my wellie print

Sheep with a cool hair do!

Love walking Bracken just before it gets dark - such gorgeous lighting.



Pheasant feather I think




That is it for now folks. In the past week I have been on an amphibian survey and ecology course and a biological recordings course. Both very interesting and useful. To top my week off I am going to Cornwall with my Mum for 6 days. Very excited! Lots of lovely things planned so fingers crossed for decent weather.

I hope you have all been enjoying the sunny spells and been out making the most of it! Hopefully I'll catch up with you all soon and post some more recent photos :)

16 comments:

  1. Hi Lou Mary, your lone wader marked as poss Common Sandpiper is a Dunlin in winter plumage..

    Lovely pics too I especially like to dog playing in the sea!

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    1. Thank you Stewart! I really do appreciate help with IDs when it comes to waders etc!

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  2. Bracken has a lot in common with my sisters dog Boo, they love picking up them empty cans.
    Glad to hear you're busy in your new volunteering yet still getting the time for some interesting images.
    I also like yhe new header image, where is it?

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    1. Thanks for your comment Doug :) The header was taken one morning on one of the land holdings on the North Kent Marshes. Everything is non-stop at the moment, when I get a couple of hours I'll catch up with what you have been up to!

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  3. Great shots Lou and this blogging business is bloody hard work when you have loads of other commitments! Lovely to hear from you though; better once in a while than every day.....I just can't keep up with those and feel disappointed when I've clearly missed loads of stuff! My favourite pic is 'pouncing and leaping'.

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    1. Thank you so much Em :) I've just got back from my short break in Cornwall. When we drove past Dartmoor I thought of you! Got our mad pup back from the kennels and he is enjoying being home!

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  4. Wonderful photos Lou - you've had some great outings :) The courses you've recently been on sound really interesting :) I struggle these days to keep up with Blogger - it can be very time consuming!!! Its so easy to get days or weeks behind. Good to hear from you whenever you get time to post :)

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    1. Thank you RR :) They have been really informative and I have met some friendly like-minded people! I will try and see what you have been up to recently :)

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  5. lovely photos. I love the bee and the athletic robin! Have a lovely break in Cornwall.

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    1. Thank you Wendy! Cornwall was lovely - the weather was... interesting!

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  6. That looks like a buzzard feather to me Lou :-) Great shots of the hovering Robin- they are so clever at adapting to circumstance. Bracken is looking so well and I know exactly what you mean about walking in the gloaming- one of my favourite times of day. Glad that work/ courses are going well- it's so similar to what I am doing I just know you're loving it all xx

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    1. Ah thanks CT :) They are clever aren't they, I guess anything can learn to adapt in order to survive if food is scarce! Bracken is well apart from his ears - they get terribly itchy but he isn't particularly happy letting us look at them :/ Soon I will take a look at what you have been up to! It is so great being out and about and learning lots of new things and meeting new people! x

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  7. Nice to see you posting again Lou. Coming down to my county with your mum eh? Which part of Cornwall are you staying?

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    1. Thanks Simon :) We stayed at St Wenn near Wadebridge - beautiful! I shall tell more in another post :)

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  8. A wonderful collection of photos. I love the prints in the sand.

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