Having photographed the occasional gargoyle on the village church in the past I took the opportunity on today's afternoon walk to capture all that I could see. Halloween is not an occasion that my family has ever celebrated but these certainly brought it to mind.
Music is ' Funeral March of a Marionette', by Charles Gounod and often associated with Alfred Hitchcock.
Saturday, 30 October 2010
Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Goldfinches
With the Sun shining on part of the garden it was a treat to watch the various visitors from the kitchen window today.
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Goldfinches
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Goldfinches
Friday, 29 October 2010
Friday at the Flicks - Garden Bird Visitors, A Modern Scarecrow
A bit of a dearth of new video at the moment as the birds are eating less from the feeders during this mild spell and the dull grey skies are not conducive to clear photography. Anyway here are some of the birds which came to eat this week.
Starling
Goldfinch
Coal Tit
Great Tit, Tree Sparrow, Male Chaffinch, more Tree Sparrows
Something I have been meaning to video for quite a while is a bird scarer / modern scarecrow which seems to do a decent job on a local vegetable patch. It doesn't really show well on the clip but the 'head' is made up of different sections some of which are holograms which really glitter as it turns round in the wind.
Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.
Starling
Goldfinch
Coal Tit
Great Tit, Tree Sparrow, Male Chaffinch, more Tree Sparrows
Something I have been meaning to video for quite a while is a bird scarer / modern scarecrow which seems to do a decent job on a local vegetable patch. It doesn't really show well on the clip but the 'head' is made up of different sections some of which are holograms which really glitter as it turns round in the wind.
Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you.
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Aracnophobia
If spiders give you the heebie jeebies then this post is not for you.
Over the past year I have been surprised not only at the numbers of spiders around the garden but also their variety. Look closely at the gravelled area of the garden and one can be seen every few centimetres. Another favoured place is near the corners of windows. Here are a few, as yet unidentified.
One of the largest seen at about 40mm though much bigger if the legs were straightened out!
This small one ( about 14mm) was disturbed in the gravel in the fruit cage.
All these seem to prefer windows.
It is only recently I have come to appreciate the variety of patterns on spiders. They can be quite beautiful in their own way. All the photographs were taken with the Lumix TZ7 with the lens about 60mm away from each subject.
Over the past year I have been surprised not only at the numbers of spiders around the garden but also their variety. Look closely at the gravelled area of the garden and one can be seen every few centimetres. Another favoured place is near the corners of windows. Here are a few, as yet unidentified.
One of the largest seen at about 40mm though much bigger if the legs were straightened out!
This small one ( about 14mm) was disturbed in the gravel in the fruit cage.
All these seem to prefer windows.
It is only recently I have come to appreciate the variety of patterns on spiders. They can be quite beautiful in their own way. All the photographs were taken with the Lumix TZ7 with the lens about 60mm away from each subject.
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
Red is the Colour
Red
Red as the breast of a Robin
Red as the petals of a rose
Red as the rays of the evening sun
Red as a firelight glows
Red as your lips raised to mine
Red as a glass of red rich wine
Red as the dress you wore
When you promised to be mine
Thelma S. Pierce McBurney
The above poem was found on the Poem Hunter site
When I was looking round the garden while catching up on some Autumn pruning and weeding yesterday I saw just how much red was in evidence.
A somewhat fuzzy picture of a Robin Redbreast who wouldn't stay still.
My dwarf standard rose has decided it is time for a new flush of flowers.
It was not the only plant to decide that, in spite of the weather, it must be Spring.
Although some leaves on the Strawberry plants in the greenhouse are turning red...
... they are also producing new flowers and fruit.
As are some of the Raspberries in the fruit cage.
Who am I to argue that they have got their seasons all muddled up. At least it means I still have some fresh fruit to enjoy.
Just occasionally we get a bit of colour in the sky at Sunset. If only someone would demolish the telephone pole - but then I would lose my internet connection. Ah well, you can't win them all.
Yesterday was cool but gloriously sunny. Today we are back to normal though the rain did hold off until we had returned from our early morning walk.
Red as the breast of a Robin
Red as the petals of a rose
Red as the rays of the evening sun
Red as a firelight glows
Red as your lips raised to mine
Red as a glass of red rich wine
Red as the dress you wore
When you promised to be mine
Thelma S. Pierce McBurney
The above poem was found on the Poem Hunter site
When I was looking round the garden while catching up on some Autumn pruning and weeding yesterday I saw just how much red was in evidence.
A somewhat fuzzy picture of a Robin Redbreast who wouldn't stay still.
My dwarf standard rose has decided it is time for a new flush of flowers.
It was not the only plant to decide that, in spite of the weather, it must be Spring.
Although some leaves on the Strawberry plants in the greenhouse are turning red...
... they are also producing new flowers and fruit.
As are some of the Raspberries in the fruit cage.
Who am I to argue that they have got their seasons all muddled up. At least it means I still have some fresh fruit to enjoy.
Just occasionally we get a bit of colour in the sky at Sunset. If only someone would demolish the telephone pole - but then I would lose my internet connection. Ah well, you can't win them all.
Yesterday was cool but gloriously sunny. Today we are back to normal though the rain did hold off until we had returned from our early morning walk.
Monday, 25 October 2010
Macro on Monday - Guess What
As always I will start with last week's puzzle.
Yes. It was a spotty banana.
Gold stars to Jan and Adrian.
Sorry Glo, your first instinct was correct. Have a consolation Silver star.
This week is probably much more difficult, but we will see.
Taken through the microscope at about 600x magnification.
Clue: a man made object you will need to think digitally about.
No prizes - just a bit of fun.
All will be revealed next Monday.
For those following the antics of the Great Tit, it is still visiting the nestbox several times a day.
Yes. It was a spotty banana.
Gold stars to Jan and Adrian.
Sorry Glo, your first instinct was correct. Have a consolation Silver star.
This week is probably much more difficult, but we will see.
Taken through the microscope at about 600x magnification.
Clue: a man made object you will need to think digitally about.
No prizes - just a bit of fun.
All will be revealed next Monday.
For those following the antics of the Great Tit, it is still visiting the nestbox several times a day.
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Rove Beetle
After a wet morning and evening I was almost certain to meet something on the path when Bobby went out for his last wander round the garden before bedtime. Sure enough there it was - a black beetle scurrying along. It froze as soon as it felt my footsteps and luckily for me, and for you, it stayed in the same place long enough for me to fetch the Lumix and take a few photos.
Rove Beetle:
There are many different types of Rove Beetle. This one was about 20mm long. One thing which distinguishes them from other beetles is the short elytra - the hard covering over the wings. It is so short that they are able to curve their bodies up like a scorpion when threatened. They don't sting but can give a painful bite. Unlike many other beetles I have found in my garden they belong to the good guys as they feed on smaller insects, some of which are pests on crops.
More details of this successful (having been around for a good 200 million years) beetle can be found on the Just Green web site HERE.
Rove Beetle:
There are many different types of Rove Beetle. This one was about 20mm long. One thing which distinguishes them from other beetles is the short elytra - the hard covering over the wings. It is so short that they are able to curve their bodies up like a scorpion when threatened. They don't sting but can give a painful bite. Unlike many other beetles I have found in my garden they belong to the good guys as they feed on smaller insects, some of which are pests on crops.
More details of this successful (having been around for a good 200 million years) beetle can be found on the Just Green web site HERE.
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