Not Just Dog Walkers

Most mornings we see other dog walkers but occasionally our timing coincides with two ladies giving their horses some gently early morning exercise. This morning I asked them whether I could take a few photographs. They agreed and both ladies and horses patiently waited while my cold fingers fumbled with the Nikon pocket camera. Poor lighting didn't make for ideal photography conditions but a bit of tweaking in Affinity Photo helped to bring them out of the gloom.







Another day I must find a bit of information about the horses.

I Have Often Wondered ....

.... what the view of the world is like from horse back:



I hired a large van when I was moving house and really appreciated the better road view from a higher driving position. It's was only then I realised how restricted the view ahead is from a car.

Many years ago I thought about having riding lessons but bottled out.
Now I just think - it's a long way to fall and I don't bounce as well as I used to.

Making the Most of a Sunny Day

Friday turned out to be glorious. Very nearly wall to wall Sunshine with the temperature maximizing at just 1 point off 16C. On an extended walkies we went to see whether Stan's horses would be out in their paddock:



Yes, there they were wearing their coats to keep out a slightly chilly morning breeze:

 

Making the most of an opportunity to  eat some fresh grass:



Every now and then looking up to see what we were up to:








It won't be such nice weather today as we head towards wet and windy conditions.

Stan's Horses

From time to time we take a different route to see whether Stan's horses are out in his paddock. Not often at this time of year but fortunately they were a few days ago, on the furthest part of the paddock:

Keeping Warm

One sunny but cold afternoon about a week ago we went walkabout past the paddock to see whether any horses were out and about.

Down a narrow path to the back of the village church:



Across the back of the graveyard:



Along another narrow track:



Finally a view of the horses well wrapped up enjoying fresh air and sunshine on the far side of the paddock:










On our way back home we were being closely watched by the occasional goat:

A Walk Round the Back of the Church

Another day of glorious Sunshine yesterday so I decided we would take a different route for our mid-day walk. I don't use the route round the back of the village church much at this time of year. A lot of the footpath is below field level and soon gets waterlogged, muddy and very slippery. Fortunately it wasn't too bad. The idea was to take another batch of monochrome photos but this time many of the results were disappointing. Walking in shade with bright light showing through leafless trees was too much contrast for the Nikon. Also shutter speeds in the gloom were really too slow for sharp results. Fortunately I also took a few colour snaps.

Looking back to the start of the footpath:


Penny looking forward to see where we were going. It was only the second time she had walked this way so everything was new, strange and very interesting:


Looking back across the end of the churchyard ....


.... and forward to the next part of the footpath:


Once we had reached the next lane we had a look to see if there were any horses in the meadow - yes, three. It may be sunny but they still need their winter coats on:




I am sure the one on the right is Angel. She was the mother of the foal, Fred, we watched a couple of years ago.  Photos and video of Fred can be seen HERE.


Looking back down the lane:


Finally we reached the main street and the lych gates at the entrance to the church:


With all the stops for me to take photos and for Penny to investigate it took nearly three quarters of an hour to cover a twenty minute walk but we were both enjoying the Winter Sun while it lasted.

Angel and her Foal

As we walked down one lane I could see the mare and her foal right across the field so I decided we would go round to the other lane and try for some video. As last time, by the time we reached the far side of the field there was not a thing in sight. Part of the field goes behind a house and they were in that section. We stood there for ages waiting patiently for a sighting. Nothing.

Our luck was in though. Trundling past us was Stan who turned out to be the owner of the horses and he lived in that very house. Stan invited us to go in his back garden to get a close look and then I could see the reason why the horses had not come in to sight. The foal was having a rest and Ma was staying close by.



It turned out that the mare's name is Angel but the foal has not been named yet. It was an ideal spot for photography as the horses were only a few feet away. Stan went in the field and the foal got to his feet.



You can hear voices on the video as there was another visitor having a close look.



The foal was very cautious and stayed close to mum but having got used to visitors after a short while he decided the best thing to do on a hot afternoon was to relax and soak up the sun. It had been really great to get a close look at the youngster and manage to capture a bit of video as well as some closer shots.



Afterwards Stan invited me to stay for a cuppa and we had a long chat before wending our way home.

All photos and video were captured with the Lumix TZ7.

Mare and Foal Revisited

On our afternoon walk a couple of days ago I lugged the 50D and the 100-400mm lens with us on our afternoon walk. The intention being to get some better photos of the mare and her foal. The field can be seen from two different lanes. Of course when we went down the nearest lane there they were, right across the other side. We slowly ambled round to the other lane and there they were - gone. Nothing in sight. Fortunately they had just walked to a corner which was out of view and soon came back where they could be seen.






Where are you going Ma? I hadn't finished.



Heron Fights Back
Yesterday evening as I was topping up the seed feeders I could hear a lot of cawing. Looking up I could see a heron being chased by three crows or rooks. The corvids mobbed the heron for quite a while until they disappeared out of sight. Unfortunately I didn't think to fetch a camera as what happened next would have been worth videoing. When they came back into view there was just one corvid and the heron. Next thing I knew the heron had turned round and was facing the corvid. Amazingly they both hung in the same place in the sky, only their wings flapping. I didn't realise that they were able to hover. They must have stayed like that for well over a minute before the corvid beat a hasty retreat,

Nature playing Catchup

Things are certainly moving on a pace now the weather has turned warmer. Last time I looked a week or so ago I couldn't see any of my miniature narcissus now they are all in flower.



The corkscrew hazel produced its catkins long before the cold weather but they remained tightly closed. Now within a few days they have elongated and opened up to show all the yellow pollen and the tiny red flowers are open and ready to be fertilised.



At last there was some frog spawn in the garden pond. This year it looks as though most of it is viable. Last year it was all white and not one tadpole appeared. I have moved some to the safety of my 'nursery' pond where there are no fish to give any tadpoles a safe start in life.



Last week when I was experimenting with the new lens I forgot to post this photo of a House Sparrow.



Some mornings there can be up to a dozen corvids massing on the law. The Rooks seem to favour the fat balls which they attack so vigorously that it rains pieces on the birds below, much to their delight at not having to work so hard to find food.



There is a much more varied dawn chorus now. Yesterday I was able to stand and listen to a Dunnock singing not ten feed away.

A Mild February Day

I spent the morning tidying up in the fruit cage. I might feed the birds and encourage them to visit the garden but they are not really welcome to help themselves to my blueberries and blackcurrants so I have those in a large walk-in caged area. While I was pottering about the garden I saw a Bumble Bee visiting a crocus flower. I think that was only the second one I have seen so far this year.

This afternoon as the Sun was shining for a change and the temperature had reached 11C I took the camera with me on our afternoon visit to the cricket field. In one distant field there were several horses; most standing so the cold wind was behind them.



In another field were a few sheep. Only one of the lambs was in view.



All the time Bobby and I were on the cricket field we saw little wild life. Just a couple of Rooks and the odd Rabbit.



I've always been fascinated by the contrast between these trees. The poplar being more pliable is able to bend with strong winds. The older tree has lost one of its twin trunks and the other has been shaped by the prevailing winds.



As we left the one thing which reminded me that Summer is a long way off yet was the sight of a magnificent Weeping Willow seen here as it is today and compared with last Summer.



Returning to the front garden I saw that there were more catkins and that the Mahonia was giving a good display of yellow flowers as were some crocuses.





Finally, just as we about to go back in the warmth, I spotted another Bumble Bee, well maybe the same one I saw this morning, visiting a heather plant.



So at least there are signs of Spring awakening even if I do have to wait a few months for Summer.