A mix for WBW

Like the title says, a mix for WBW, hosted by Dave, at the Pine River Review.


I'll start with a bird that's caused a bit of excitement where I live.

A juvenile Great Northern Diver; or Loon, as they are known over the pond. A fabulous bird, that has been here at my local lake for a week now. Usually seen around our coast at this time of year, and very occasionally inland. A great visitor, and a lifer for me.


Another great 'fisher', and a bit more common, is the Grey Heron.

Always good to see this large bird, but not always easy to capture with the camera.

He thought I couldn't see him here.

The Cormorant is another fish eating bird, that a lot of fishermen could do without, at their fishing grounds.

Probably because they can catch fish better than them.

The Black-headed Gull, will also eat fish.

In fact, he'll eat almost anything. A real chancer. When people throw bread for the ducks, chances are, they'll be there too; trying to steal it from the Mallards.

I'll finish with a pair of birds that were so common at one time, people wouldn't give them a second glance.

Now, however, in this country they are in serious decline, despite their inroads into most countries of the world.

Passer domesticus, or the House Sparrow.

See more birds from around the world at WBW

Great Northern Diver; Saturday Special

A Great Northern Diver turned up at my local, Caldecotte Lake, on Wednesday afternoon, and has caused great excitement amongst the local birders, and some from a little further afield too.

 A juvenile, that has decided to spend a few days here, in Milton Keynes.

They eat fish, naturally, which they dive for, usually in deep water.

The weird thing is, the water level of the lake had dropped considerably; strangely enough the night before he arrived.

A good two feet of the overall water level had drained away into the River Ouzel.

Considering the overall distance around the lake, is 4.2 km, that's a lot of water.

The official reason, from Anglia Water, I was told by a  third party, was that the computerised sluice gate, that controls the flow in times of need, (after all, Caldecotte is one of 11 balancing lakes here), had stuck open Tuesday night, allowing the water to flow away.

Coincidently, (some might think), it was reported on the Wednesday, that Anglia Water had applied to the Environment Agency to be allowed to drain water from some rivers, into its reservoirs, because they are low.

I'm so cynical at times.

But back to this fabulous bird.

 It's a bird that usually winters around our coast, and occasionally inland.

 How long it will stay, is anyone's guess.

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Enjoy your weekend

Friday Flowers

An archive shot, to try and make the sun shine today

Hope your day is sunny.

Some recent pictures

For WBW, which is 1 year old.

Greylag Goose

Carrion Crow

 Dunnock

 Blue Tit

 Robin

Great Tit

More great birds from around the world, over at Dave's, at WBW

This day last year

I was curious to know what I'd taken pictures of, on this day last year. 

Here's a few.

If you've seen them before, sorry.

If not, hope you enjoy them.

Either way, have a good day.

Monday Macro

From the archives........a Common Blue Damselfly, female.

Enjoy your day.

I've got a busy one ahead, and a car service.

Single Sunday

Enjoy your day

Staring Saturday

As much as I dislike these Grey Squirrels, for destroying my feeders at my local lake, even I have to admit they can turn the cuteness on at times.

Have a good weekend

Friday Flowers

Today is the 11th of November, Remembrance Day, in the UK, and it will be observed on Sunday 13th.

Today, from the archives; Poppies.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Long Tailed Tits

I had a visit a few weeks ago from these delightful little birds. A few minutes in the garden, and then they were gone.

For more wonderful birds from around the world, visit WBW.

Single Sunday

Wheatear

Enjoy your Sunday

A few out of the archives

...before these get lost on the hard drive.

Long Tailed Tit

Canada Goose

Grey Wagtail

Robin

Crow

Have a great weekend

Friday Flowers

Yarrow, Achillea millefoliam

Yarrow is a perennial herb native to Europe and Asia, and naturalised in North America and most other countries throughout the world.

Its botanical name is derived from Achilles, the Greek hero.

It flowers from June to September; the flowers are white or pale lilac, being like minute daisies, in flattened, terminal, loose heads, or cymes.

The plant is rich in magnesium, calcium and phosphate. Sheep eat the plant when it is young, and for this reason it is sometimes included in grass seed mixtures. It is said to control diarrhoea in sheep. Yarrow has many herbal uses, but can cause skin irritation and rashes.

Yarrow is a very valuable medicinal herb, with much scientific evidence of use in alternative medicine as an antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, stimulant, and tonics, vasodilator, and vulnerary. 

Yarrow is used against colds, cramps, fevers, kidney disorders, toothaches, skin irritations, and haemorrhages, and to regulate menses, stimulate the flow of bile, and purify the blood. 

Medicinal tea is a good remedy for severe colds and flu, for stomach ulcers, amenorrhoea, abdominal cramps, abscesses, trauma and bleeding, and to reduce inflammation.

It was one of the herbs dedicated to the Evil One, in earlier days, being sometimes known as Devils Nettle, 

Devil's Plaything, Bad Man's Plaything, and was used for divination in spells.

Other names include, Milfoil, Old Man's Pepper, Soldier's Woundwort, Knight's Milfoil, Thousand Weed, Nose Bleed, Carpenter's Weed, Bloodwort, and Staunchweed.

Enjoy your day

Jim and his new friends

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Jim would like to introduce his new friends.

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Here's Bud, a bundle of energy, who can squeeze through the smallest gap, and loves to have fun all day.

Jim tries to keep up with him.

Bud likes to sleep in in the mornings; a shame Jim doesn't copy him there.

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And this is Poppy. She's more of Jim's age, and a little slower than Bud. A lady that constantly wags her tail.

They all wish you a great day