April thirtieth 2020
'Our' muscovy
One of the oldest domesticated fowl species in the world, the muscovy duck was already being kept by native people in Peru and Paraguay when the early Spanish explorers arrived. The word “Muscovy” may refer to the Muscovy Company (incorporated in London in 1555), which transported these ducks to England and France.
Aztec rulers wore cloaks made from the feathers of the muscovy duck, which was considered the totem animal of the Wind God, Ehecatl.
Wild muscovy ducks are dark-plumaged, wary birds of forested areas. Domestic varieties—heavier, less agile birds with variable plumage—live on farms and in parks in warm climates around the world, where they can be confusing to bird watchers. Complicating the issue, male muscovy ducks frequently mate with other species and often produce sterile hybrid offspring.
Equipped with strong claws, muscovy ducks spend a lot of time perching in tall trees. They make their nests in large cavities of mature trees, but will also use artificial nest boxes.
Dunno whether these wee brids are swallows or martins or whatever but this is the first that I've managed to photograph this year.
Male great tit feeding on peanuts
Pondorama
Caught this crow departing but didn't realise that there was a rabbit in the grass until I looked at the picture.
Ash leaves
Like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Like a worm on a hook
Like a knight from some old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee
(Leonard Cohen)
Cootlet or cootling?
Eleventh of November 2020
Panorama from the footpath high above the West end of the pond.
Heron strolling about in the rugby field
Hanging without visible means of support over the rugby field
Everyone's favourite wee bird.
Twelfth of November 2019
Sloes
Two panoramas from the same place with different methods
first: using a Nikon Coolpix A900 in one go
and
second: eleven pics with a Nikon D5300 combined using Hugin.
Compulsory long tailed tit pic.
Rugby field Heron
Moggy
Wednesday the Thirteenth of November
Early morning (six o'clock) Moon
Starling jumping
Panorama from twenty pics
Rugby field heron (again)
Dept of Environment weir is almost flat
The drain is almost down to its normal level
Alder catkins look almost solid.
Heron changes position
Seagulls mobbing a goosander
Sloes
Grebe in the sunlight
Signs of autumn
Ruby
A couple of skies
(I like skies)
Sunlit autumn oak
One of my favourite trees
Silhouetted against the sky
Across the canal
Looking over the pond
Moon at half past eleven
