A car boot sale bargain

We went to York Race course car boot sale yesterday, Tony picked up a small camera he thought I might be interested in. Today I had a play with it. 

I took it down to the garden and tried a few Macro shots with it. I was pleased with the results so I decided it really was a car boot bargain.

I thought I would take one or two more shots before I went back upstairs, there was some blossom so I decided on that, I had just focused when a bee very kindly sat on the blossom. I was even more impressed when I so the result of that shot.

Todays photo's of the day

Not bad for an unexpected bee landing.

The camera is a "RICOH Caplio R2" I think it will be spending a lot of time in my pocket for when I am out and about.

Until tomorrow...

The baited fence works every time

I baited the fence with peanut butter and just sat back and waited. I knew one or more of the squirrels would not be able to resist. I didn't have to wait long, I glanced up and there was a squirrel sniffing away along the fence. The squirrel reached the peanut butter took a lick and his/her eyes closed in pleasure. I could see a flick of the tongue and a mouthful of peanut butter went into his/her mouth. When the squirrels eyes opened it was looking straight at me, the squirrel turned and ran a few steps down the fence, then stopped. I could see the squirrels mouth chewing on it's tongue, sucking it's teeth, I could imagine it deciding what to do! Was the peanut butter worth staying for or was I too scary? The peanut butter won. The squirrel turned round looked me in the eye and came back to eat more peanut butter.

Todays photo of the day

Peanut butter works like a dream.

I took a few pictures then left the squirrel to enjoy his/her treat without having to keep one eye on me.

Until tomorrow...

Too late for suet.

The Thrush called today but I think it was disappointed there was no suet left the greedy Blackbirds had already eaten it all. The Thrush turned towards me in the shed and gave me such a look as if I should have saved her some. Maybe she/he will call earlier next time.

The Mistle Thrush.

Looking at me in the shed.

Until tomorrow...

Where do they put it all?

As soon as I put any suet out in the garden it goes! The birds all seem to make a beeline for it, the big Thrush always appears to take a share, the Blue Tits, the Robin and the Sparrows all get some. I think however that the Blackbird maybe take a bit more than all the rest.

Todays photo of the day

Mrs Blackbird with a suspicious looking smile.

Until tomorrow...

Starlings multiplying daily

The starlings still seem to be multiplying on a daily basis. There are groups of different age groups in all corners of the garden. The elder ones fighting over food and the youngest shouting for the parents to feed them. The quietest ones are the ones that have just had baths, I am not sure wether they like them or not.

Todays photo of the day

A starling fresh from the bath

Until tomorrow...

Sparrows learning to fly

A newly fledged sparrow learning to fly found the hardest part was the landing.

Todays photo of the day

He only just made it!

Until tomorrow...

Fledglings everywhere

We are getting more fledgling in the garden every day.

Todays photo of the day

Collar Doves

2 Fledglings and a parent

Until tomorrow...

A scary time for adolescent magpies

The garden was filled with the sound of a magpie cackling and crying out. The young magpie was calling out to it's parents, they did not reply. It was time for the youngster to survive by itself. The young magpie did not like the idea and made sure everything in the garden and surrounding neighbourhood knew it!

Todays photo of the day

The lonely magpie.

The young magpie found water to drink on top of the wheelie bin, the bird bath in the garden was too scary it was in the open, where was the youngster going to find food? I knew he/she would find it somewhere, magpies are resilient birds, they can look after themselves he/she will cope.

Until tomorrow...

A storm brewing

Todays photo of the day

A stormy sky

This photo was provided by Tony.

Until tomorrow...

The birds and bees

The garden is full of birds and bees going about their business. 

Todays photo of the day.

Collecting pollen.

The bees are busy collecting pollen from the foxgloves in the garden, they come out of the flower with legs full of yellow pollen then fly off to the hive.

Until tomorrow...

Another newbie

The newest member...

Todays photo of the day

Mrs Collar Dove and her chick

This is one of the collar doves that has nested in the large fir tree outside the bedroom window.

They appeared in the garden for a walk round and to meet the other garden inhabitants this afternoon. It didn't take long for the young dove to settle in and help itself to seed and water although never straying far from mothers side.

We are getting a variety of young in the garden now, still no sign of that robin chick yet. They always seem to be the last one in the garden to appear, but always worth the wait.

Until tomorrow...

Something a little different

Today I thought I would try something a little different.

Todays photo of the day

A yacht in an eye.

Today I have been playing with a fisheye lens, I have taken a few photo's but this is the one I liked the best.

I have not been out today I had the pleasure of my grandsons company for the day, he was away from school with a temperature and pains in his tummy. He was quite happy sitting with his nana watching "Star Wars" films and chatting, as they say from the mouths of babes! He is no babe but he can tell a tale.

Until tomorrow...

Noisy visitors

The garden is getting a little noisy we have some very noisy visitors. We have a young Jay that has begun to visit semi- regular, the Magpies are always around but the latest pair are by far the noisiest when around.

Todays photo of the day

The Crows are here again

There are a pair of crows that have started to visit the garden early on an evening. They appear most evenings about 5:30pm - 6:00pm they nested in a tree across from the bedroom window and I think the chicks must be ready for fledging. I keep watching out for the chicks in the garden but I have not spotted them yet. I suppose it will happen when I am out.

Oh well we will see.

Until tomorrow...

Squirrels in the garden

It was a fairly quiet day in the garden today except for the squirrels.

Todays photo of the day

Button playing at Meerkats.

The squirrels have been in the garden most of the afternoon playing, this was the pose that Button seemed to like best today. I think part of the reason was it meant she could see over the grass.

Until tomorrow...

Acrobatics in the garden

There was a Blue Tit in the garden today doing some daring acrobatics,

Why was he doing this?

Todays photo of the day

So he could feed the newest member of the garden

Until tomorrow...

The garden menace, or one of them.

Today's photo of the day

The Magpie

We hear the cackle and call of the Magpie every day, it is a menace. There are always two of them together, one seems to act as look out while one raids the nests taking either the eggs or the chicks.

The one in the photo was the look out. At the moment they are bringing their fledglings along with them teaching them all the tricks.

Until tomorrow...

So many visitors

Today there was so many visitors in the garden I was not sure what to use for the picture, so I will show you a few others while I decide.

A young Collar Dove.

A small squirrel enjoying a white chocolate button.

A young sparrow dancing in the bath.

Two young starlings fighting in the rain.

Not just one

But two thrushes

A very soggy robin

However I think I have to choose,

Today's photo of the day

Four very wet, but patient pigeons.

They sat on the roof no matter how hard it rained waiting for me to leave the shed so they could go into the garden and eat the food. They know when I am in the shed I stop them or they eat everything and the other birds do not get anything.

Until tomorrow...

Just to get out

Today we had a ride to Leeds just for something to do really, to get out of the house.

We always see some strange things in Leeds and some different ways of dressing (although some people would say my sense of dress is strange) I took a few pictures

I thought about using this one for the days picture but decided not to, even though I like it.

I decided to use one that might not be as good a photo as the one above but I liked the content more.

It made me smile, it is eye catching, it is colourful, it brought a little bit of sunshine into the day.

Today's photo of the day

A touch of the Caribbean in Leeds.

Until tomorrow...

There is always one!

The squirrels had their nut boxes filled but this one decided the few sunflower seed left in the ball feeder were more appealing!

Today's photo of the day

They stay like like for so long when they get up they are dizzy. We watch them standing on the shed roof waiting for everything to stop spinning.

Until tomorrow...

It doesn't take much!

The squirrels were not happy today I did not fill the nut boxes.

Today's photo of the day

Sulking because the nutbox was empty!

Until tomorrow...

Robin and Blue Tits

The garden has been very quiet again just lately, the birds are busy feeding chicks in nests, the fledglings are hiding from the cats and sparrowhawk. The squirrels are not visiting very often.

I did however manage to coax Robin to the shed window ledge for some live mealworms.

He posed for me on the fence after taking a couple of worms from his blue dish, so I took advantage of this and here is...

Today's photo of the day

Robin with live mealworms.

Soon after the Blue Tits returned to the garden, the coconut half was empty so they had to make do with the other coconut which had shredded suet in it instead. They seemed happy with this and took it in turns to take beaks full of suet. I am guessing they are still feeding in the nest so hopefully we should be seeing some new Blue Tits soon. I took some photo's of the Blue Tits on the coconut, one of them has a sore patch on it's head.

I don't know what he/she did to his/her head but it looks sore!

Until tomorrow...

Say hello to "Alfie"

Today's photo of the day

Meet "Alfie"

This is "Alfie". He belongs to Tony's daughter-in-laws sister. He is absolutely crazy, but so loveable too. He is a "Cockerpoo" which is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle.

 I am  going to leave you with some more photo's of "Alfie" doing what he seem's to do best!

I was tired out just watching him, he really was a ball of energy.

He is so cute when he sits down but even then the mischief doesn't stop, the small black object on the floor in front of him is a piece of lego he spat out after a quick chew when he thought no body was looking.

Until tomorrow...