The loss of a dove

Only three days ago I was telling of the Collar Doves and how well they were doing. I am afraid today I have sad news. This Collar Dove was spotted not looking very well

Then it moved to the table and tried to eat something

The Dove could not manage although it tried .

The next time I saw it which was maybe 10 - 15 minutes later it lay on the floor beneath the sparrow bush. The Collar Dove was dead. All I can say is it didn't seem to suffer it died quickly and I hope painlessly. I removed the body and threw away the food on the table cleaned it well and refilled it with food.

So September had a sad ending to it.

I stayed in the shed a while longer but my heart was not in it, I only took a couple more photos so I have nothing much to offer for photo of the day but I have something

Todays photo of the day

A shy Sparrow taking in the sun.

Until tomorrow...

The Laurel Bush is home to the beasties.

Todays photo of the day

Harlequin Ladybird and Larva.

The larva are a distinct larva to the Harlequin Ladybird, this Ladybird is often confused with the Seven Spot Ladybird, however this is definitely not a Seven Spot.

Until tomorrow...

A bit of alsorts

This is a member of the Shield Bug family.

Acanthosoma Haemorrhoidale 

Another beasty found in the Laurel bush.

Spiders living in the cupboard in the shed, at least they will keep the flies out. The body on the Black Spider is bigger than a penny.

It's a large jump for Miss Squirrel to the feeding station. But worth the jump to get there.

and finally 

Todays photo of the day

Just chillin'

Until tomorrow...

Collar doves in the garden.

Todays photo of the day

Collar Dove

The garden has had a large number of collar doves this year, quite a few nested in the big fir tree outside the bedroom window. They gather in the garden first thing on a morning and about tea time (5 - 6pm) We have lost a couple to the Sparrowhawk and we think the cat next door might have one of them, however there are still a large number I think we had 17 in the garden one evening.

Until tomorrow...

Beasties in the bushes.

Todays photo of the day

A beasty in the bush

I spotted this in the Laurel bush in the bottom of the garden, when I looked properly there were dozens! I had no idea what they were so I looked in my trusty book, Wildlife of Britain. A unique photographic guide to British animals and plants.  It says on the front DK pocket nature and has the RSPB logo on it all I can say is you need big pockets. 

After looking in my book I discovered they were Harlequin Ladybird larva. There was also the pupae and the Ladybirds.

Until tomorrow...

The return of the birds

Todays photo of the day

A Great Tit.

Until tomorrow...

Parrot bar problems

Miss Squirrel is very perplexed, someone has been eating her parrot bar! She is going to sit guard on the nutbox until she finds out who it can be.

She already has to put up with the Hedgehogs stealing the nuts from the nutboxes during the night, thats why she has to bury so many. 

Then the greedy pigeons come and take the seed from the table, Miss Squirrel is not happy , don't they know this is her garden? 

Well when she catches the parrot bar thief she will show them who's garden it is!

Just a minute there is someone on the parrot bar now, oh no! it would have to be him, I can't fight with him that beak is much too sharp it could take my eye out.

Miss Squirrel crept quietly away until the Great Spotted Woodpecker finished then she would go back and eat what he had left. She knew that another parrot bar would always be put out, Soo would make sure Miss Squirrel never went without.

Todays photo of the day

Miss Squirrel with a new parrot bar.

Until tomorrow...

Brainless or just stupid?

Miss Squirrels game of hide and seek

Now you see me...

Now you don't.

Either that or she was pretending to be a branch!

Now then I have said it before but I will say it again, some people are born with no brains or just choose not to use them. The person in the next photo is one of these people.

Todays photo of the day

The idiot on a pushbike.

He has no control over that bike what so ever, He is not looking where he is going, and he is talking on his mobile phone.

Totally brainless.

I hope Christopher has more sense when he is riding his bike.

Until tomorrow...

Shepherds delight.

Todays photo of the day

Sky at night over Wrenthorpe.

Taken from the steps at the door of our flat.

Until tomorrow...

Saturday car boot sale at York

We went to the car boot sale at York today our usual saturday morning venture. Elvira took us in her car, it was a split minute decision as she had told us she wasn't going then changed her mind last night, I am glad she did I always enjoy her company she always manages to make me laugh and feel better.

There were lots of hot air balloons in the sky above the boot sale today, I think they take off from an old air field in Rufforth a few miles away. I had a small camera with me so it wasn't long before I was snapping away,

The people on the boot sale seemed oblivious to the balloons and carried on looking around as if they were not there, or maybe it is just a regular sight to them.

The balloons stood out really well against the morning sky, Tony would love a ride in one but I am not so sure, I am a bit of a wuss when it comes to heights, in a plane I am ok but a basket under a balloon I don't think so!


The next photo is my favourite so here is

Todays photo of the day

Balloon silhouettes  over York

Now Christopher is in need of a bike to get to work, I saw this and thought of him, it was half way there!

Until tomorrow...

Another eBay bargain

We had a ride to Sheffield today to collect a bargain from eBay, Tony was very happy with his purchase even more when he saw it. He will be spending a few days playing with it.

Todays photo of the day

Tony in Pencil sketch.

This photo was taken in the car unknown to me I must of had a twitch and pressed the shutter button.

I played about a bit and decided I like this result, it is something different I had never tried before.

Until tomorrow...

Is it art?

When we were children we were told not to play with our food! The food put on our plates was always good wholesome food that babies in Africa would be thankful for, or so my dad and his second wife (Mortisha) told us. I remember my elder sister sitting at the dining table one day with a plate in front of her that had a handful of sprouts on it, she hated sprouts, but she had to sit there till she ate them because think of the babies in Africa they could be fed for a week on those. I wished they would just send them then I thought. My sister nearly in tears tried to eat the sprouts, but they just made her feel sick. My evil step-mother said"right if you haven't eaten them in 5 minutes you will get them for breakfast" I really believed she would do this, I waited till no body was looking snatched all but one sprout told my sister to put it on her fork I ate the sprouts in my hand when my dad came into the room the fork went into my sisters mouth she pulled a face and swallowed. My dad ruffled her hair smiled at her and said "see that wasn't so bad" It had taken over 1 1/2 hours for the sprouts to be eaten, but at least she wouldn't get them for breakfast.

Now to get back to where I was, being told not to play with our food. I am sure most children were told the same thing. Tony was probably told by his mum she was the kind of woman that would not want to waste food especially since a lot of her shopping was done during the years of rationing.

Tony however still plays with his food, according to him it is not playing it is art! 

I will leave the decision to you

Todays photo of the day 

( Provided by Tony )

He really should get out more.

Until tomorrow...

A busy garden

The young male squirrel trapped his nose in the nutbox

However he soon recovered and looked round the garden to see what mischief he could get into

Mr Robin is beginning to look smart again now his moult is over.

The Great Tit was happy to find peanuts as well as sunflower seeds in the feeder.

Photo of the day

The Dunnock 

He heard the noise of the shutter of the camera, he looked for it but could not see it.

It has been a busy day in the garden today, 

Until tomorrow...

Greedy Miss Squirrel

Miss Squirrel went round every dish and feeder today eating all the sunflower seeds she could find.

Todays photo of the day

Miss Squirrel eating all the sunflower seeds.

I am guessing that she needs something in the seeds to build her up, she is not looking her best at the moment.

Until tomorrow...

Motorway madness

The traffic on the M1(?) stood nose to tail, I am so glad we had no need to be on there today.

Todays photo of the day

Nose to tail on the motorway.

Until tomorrow...

Scarecrows in Kirkhamgate

Today in in Kirkhamgate it was the annual "Scarecrow Festival" 

There was a lot of entries this year, the theme was  musical all the entries were of a very high standard.

A few of my favourites were

Crash test dummies

WillIam

Jedward

(not sure about musical)

However the winner for me has to be

Todays photo of the day

Michael Jackson & Blanket.

Until tomorrow...

Two Little boys

Just recently I have not been able to keep track of the squirrels apart from Miss Squirrel. They are all beginning to look alike their markings are not as visible as they were. There is a couple of little males that visit most days but I really don't know which is which! When they come together they chase each other round the garden like two young boys playing a game of tag.

The picture below is of one of them,

Todays photo of the day

A young male squirrel

He is very quite and calm when he is eating but like a thunderbolt when he isn't.

Until tomorrow...

A hungry Miss Squirrel

Today Miss Squirrel spent quite a long time in the garden, she ate lots of sunflower seeds, nuts and suet bits. Then she drank her fill of water. I don't think she had seen me she must have been really hungry. She returned to the nutbox thats when she spotted me, and she looked quite surprised to see me. 

Todays photo of the day

Miss Squirrel

I threw a small piece of white chocolate to her and she jumped straight down from the nutbox picked up the chocolate and disappeared up into the sycamore tree with it. I knew she would enjoy it she always does.

Until tomorrow...

People watching

I like to people watch, there is a cafe in Wakefield called "The Grind" it is on the Bullring not far from the bus station. We often go there for coffee and it is an ideal people watching spot.

Todays photos of the day

The Thinker

We Like to be together

I look so good today

It's amazing what people watching does, I can spend hours doing it I wonder what people think when they watch Tony and I walking down the street, I am not sure I really want to know

Until tomorrow...

Here it comes another rant,

Todays rant is about stupid drivers who park in the most inappropriate places.

Todays photo of the day

What a stupid place to park!

He had parked his lorry right on the brow of the hill, no hazard lights to warn other drivers that he had stopped there. It was impossible to see if there was any traffic coming the other way so you just had to take the chance that there wasn't. The driver of the lorry wasn't delivering or collecting the skip, he was on his phone. Ok he had stopped to use it but couldn't he have used his brain and stopped in a safer place?

There rant over.

Until tomorrow...

Miss Squirrel alert to a call

Miss Squirrel is making daily visits to the garden, she is looking very tired and sore. I think those babies must be getting too old to be feeding from her. It must be nearly time for them to leave the drey and venture into the big wild world. I hope that mother will bring them to the garden she usually does when they are old enough.

While she was in the garden today she suddenly looked all alert as if something was happening, she swung her tail round a couple of times then shot off as if she had the wind behind her.

Todays photo of the day

Miss Squirrel looking alert.

Miss Squirrel did not return to the garden today so I don't know what happened, maybe it was the call of her babies.

Until tomorrow...

Todays lesson is...

Todays photo of the day

A large Rowen Tree.

The birds love the berries of this tree, it is rich in vitamin C and can be made into jelly.

It is a deciduous tree, that can grow up to 20m in height. It flowers in may - june and bears fruit august - september.

That is todays lesson over, bet you can't wait for tomorrows!

Until tomorrow...