Kes

female Kestrel perching in the open in Macclesfield Forest

Down in the woods

amazing what you can stumble across so close to home. We took a few new paths through some very sodden access land. Well off the besten track we found this lovely mock tudor cottage.

Winter Sun

At last partial blue sky and some sunshine here in East Cheshire, unfortunatly it doesnt last too long around these parts

Cretzshmars Bunting

SW Turkey July 2020 Only my second ever sighting of this species. A short walk or drive up the Cadianda hill just just outside the village of Uzumlu. A pair gave me the run around for ten minutes before I got a few shots, and then they were gone...... Great bird!

Red Backed Shrike

SW Turkey July 2020 Probably the default species in most locations visited. This male was one of the few that allowd great unobstructive views as most seemed to be perched in bushes rather than out in the open.

The Urban Fox

So here is a young female Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes).

This female is from last years litter and has now established herself queen of the territory. Where once a family regularly came to our urban garden, this single Fox now comes every night, but always on her own. Recent camera trap footage also indicates that currently no other Fox is making use of this garden.

She always comes at dusk.... until last evening when she turned up with more than a few hours of daylight left.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Night Creatures ......

From the trail cam during a night just over a week ago.

Wood Mouse that lives under the doorstep

One of the Foxes that comes to the garden on a regular basis

 

And the Badger

 

Long Tailed Tits.......

For Wild Bird Wednesday

OK a little late this week.......

http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/

Hailstone and Sunshine

So, Saturday evening..... no pubs remember.
Liz and myself choose a film to endure, I mean watch! I decided to keep off the Ale this evening and have a wee tipple instead.

A Royal Brackla 16 year old was the chosen one.
Smooooth and mellow. No sharpness at all, sounds like I know what I am talking about, but any how what a lovely dram to chill out to a movie with.

Today is the day when the clocks leap (Lept) forward, less sleep for a night but in return longer days as the Spring gets into full flow.

I managed to make that Soup....... Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato, before going for our exercise (not allowed to call it a walk during these troubled times..... exercise is allowed). Exercised from home to the Anson Museum and back via the local recycling centre, it took over an hour and we were blessed by some lovely sunshine and...... hailstone. I knew these weekends were going to get weird.

Back home to a rather tasty lunch ........ no need to blend it when you like it chunky, found a little garnish too.

Afternoon was spent Drinking the ale that I didn't drink last night and of course I also succumbed to getting on my hands and knees and starting the weeding in the garden. A kind of bitter sweet afternoon.

 

 

and the partial gardening that's been done .....

 

 

anyway the garden birding has been a little slow, a few Robins followed the spade as I turned the soil..... looking for worms. Greenfinch in good numbers as always and the Coal Tits, Blue Tits and Great Tits nip in and steal the seeds before a mob of Starlings congregate. I can here a few Curlews way off on the moors and a rarity around here flew across the sky this afternoon, I wonder where from and where to.

 

 

 

Back to work tomorrow, stay safe, keep well. 

 

 

 

Coronavirus - since the pubs shut.

Challenging times, affecting just about everyone world wide at the moment. I haven't blogged for quite a while so as we all have a little more time on our hands I thought it would be good to blog again.

It's a week since the pastime of going to the pub (particularly when you're bored or just need to speak to someone) was stopped by the UK government. So the initial shock has worn off, the garage stockpile of beer is good to last a week or so, Whiskey is never in doubt even if I may have to open a few favs that I was keeping for special occasions or just for rainy days...... oh and my Whisky-me pouches still arrive every month with a rare dram or two that should keep the suspense going for a while. A little promotion for the team here.....https://www.whisky-me.com/

I am lucky for the time being as I am still working Monday to Friday, so boredom has only set in from about 5pm Monday to Friday and weekends. So as an example a few nights ago I just happened to sit on the couch with Liz and got talking..... was very surprised to hear that she was made redundant from Woolworths sometime ago. Funny what you can learn eh.

I have mowed the lawns twice this week already, I haven't succumbed to getting on my hands and knees yet to start the weeding. This morning I watched back to back episodes of Yianni Supercar Customisers..... I don't even like cars. I have a feeling the weekends are going to get weird.

Anyway I have filled up the garden bird feeders, Watched a Blue Tit prospecting one of the nest boxes, listened to a Wren singing outside the conservatory and even had a fox pass through the garden in daylight.

We gain an hours evening light tomorrow so Garden birdwatching will be back on the agenda after a few years of neglect.

Tomorrow I make Soup...... roasted Red Pepper and Tomato.

Just for pictures sake here is a Mealy Redpoll from the garden a few years ago (nine years to be precise)...... it is a picture blog after all