Revelling in Sight(s) and Springtime Sunshine!

How nice to be back in blogland again and I would like to thank everyone who left such kind comments on my last post and particularly for the good wishes concerning my recent eye surgery. I do hope that just this once, in the circumstances, you will forgive me for not having replied to each comment individually. I would also like to thank everyone who so kindly emailed me, I was very touched by your concern and I'm happy to say that all went well and that I now have very good sight again in my right eye. Of course it does rather emphasise how poor the sight in the left eye is and makes things seem rather 'out of kilter' but hopefully it won't be too long before the next operation.

~~~

I have to admit that I could/should have been here a week ago but the weather has been so nice that I have been playing truant and taking advantage of it, getting out and enjoying the beauty of Springtime, and how very beautiful it is this year!

'The World is very old;
But year by year
It groweth new again
When buds appear.'

(Cicely Mary Barker)

All the photos on this post are an amalgam, taken in the last few weeks, when I was able to enjoy several different walks but was not permitted to use the computer for any length of time.

~~~

After the long hard Winter which we have endured this year it is wonderful to see all the lovely Spring flowers which suddenly seemed to appear from nowhere and I have to start with my all time favourite wild flower.

Primrose

'They speak of things above my verse,
Of thoughts no earthly language knows,
That loftiest Bard could ne'er rehearse,
Nor holiest prophet e'er disclose,
Which God Himself no other way,
Than by a Primrose could convey.'

(William Gay)

~~~

Of course Spring wouldn't be Spring without the delightful little Violets peeking out from below hedges and hiding in ditches.

Common Dog Violet

Another favourite is the beautiful silky

Pussy Willow

~~~

I visited several small, local lakes, enjoyed riverside walks and continued my love affair with Draycote Water. Unfortunately the last time we went to Draycote, just over a week, ago we were driven away by the swarms of black flies which came at us from all directions in huge black clouds. They looked remarkable but made our visit impossible, flying into mouths, eyes and ears. We had encountered them on a smaller scale last Autumn and found them unpleasant but this time they were exceedingly troublesome. I hope that particular experience was an exception and will visit again before long in the hope that the situation has improved.

~~~

This Moorhen was enjoying a peaceful swim in the sunshine during our visit to a nearby lake.

Moorhen

While this Coot was more energetic!

Coot

Another Springtime treat I always look forward to seeing when visiting watery locations is the lovely Kingcup or Marsh Marigold, seen here in bud.

Kingcup

'Kingcup, is it true
That Fairie Kings drink out of you,
Golden Kingcup full of dew?
"My cup is filled," the flower replies,
"For Kings and Queens and butterflies." '

(Maud Keary)

And here, in full flower.

Spring is, of course, a very busy time for the birds and we spotted this Swan nest building.

Mute Swan

This Canada Goose was perhaps only thinking about nesting.

Canada Goose

While this Greylag Goose was just enjoying posing in the glorious sunshine.

Greylag Goose

How lovely it is to see the butterflies again and one which I don't recall seeing much of last year but which seems to be everywhere at the moment is the beautifully coloured Orange Tip. The colourful orange tips on the wings of the male are a warning to predators that this butterfly is highly unpalatable!

Orange-tip Butterfly (Male)

'You are the most beautiful thing
I've ever seen
You shine just like sunlight rays
On a winter snow
I just had to tell you so'

(Lenny Kravitz)

This lovely Chaffinch was on a bush at Draycote, close to the feeders, awaiting his turn.

Chaffinch (Male)

While this Blue Tit was more interested in insects than seed.

Blue Tit

While visiting a small local lake I spotted these handsome Deer through a wire fence.

Red Deer

At the same lake in one of the surrounding trees I spotted this Goldcrest and what a very difficult bird it is to photograph, it just never stops moving in its search for insects! I managed one photo which showed the lovely yellow crest which gives it its name but unfortunately it is out of focus but as it is a bird I have never had the opportunity to photograph before I have included it anyway.

Goldcrest

'A small bird's trilling note,
That seemed, like fairy's song,
On the evening air to float,
By the breezes borne along;
I look and look, and then
With eye delighted see
A Golden-crested Wren,
Singing from a neighbouring tree.'

(Richard Tonson Evanson)

This tiny bird, which is the UK's smallest, was previously called the Gold-crested Wren which explains why I was struck by its similarity to the Wren particularly in its rather grumpy facial expression. It is also the national bird of Luxembourg.

This small lake surrounded by lovely old trees seems to be a haven for wildlife and is always alive with birdsong. While standing, looking and just enjoying the sights and sounds, this beautiful Blackcap appeared in a tree just a short distance away from us. Completely oblivious to our presence, it was a wonderful 'at one with Nature' moment.

Blackcap (Male)

'For beauty being the best of all we know
Sums up the unsearchable and secret aims
Of nature, and on joys whose earthly names

Were never told can form and sense bestow'

(Robert Bridges)

~~~

Finally, in the same location, it was lovely to see this Grey Wagtail which is on the amber list of endangered species and can be badly affected by harsh Winters.

Grey Wagtail

Well that is all for now. I shall endeavour to visit all your great blogs over the next few days and hope to post more regularly now, although it is still difficult with good sight in only one eye. However, I will do my best and thank you again for all your good wishes and concern.

New Beginnings

Until this week it seemed Winter hadn't quite finished with us, he was still hanging on by his icy finger tips and refusing to succumb to Spring's gentle advances. For some time we had a vicious wind which bit through to the very core of one's being. There have been some sunny spells but much of the time it has been dull. Thankfully though the last few days have been milder with some really lovely sunshine.

~~~

So, despite Winter's best efforts Spring is beginning to make her mark, the Snowdrops I thought had gone for good suddenly emerged from beneath their leafy duvet instantly bringing a wonderful promise of things to come.

Snowdrops

'A light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period -
When March is scarcely here.'

(Emily Dickinson)

~~~

The Crocuses too seemed to appear almost overnight. So much must have been going on underneath that blanket of snow which covered the garden for so long.

Crocus

' THE groundflame of the crocus breaks the mould,
Fair Spring slides hither o'er the Southern sea,
Wavers on her thin stem the snowdrop cold
That trembles not to kisses of the bee.'

(Lord Alfred Tennyson)

~~~

The birds have definitely sensed that things are moving on and seem to be pairing up and I have already seen a House Sparrow gathering nesting material. The Blackbirds continue to visit in large numbers and wait expectantly in the late afternoon for me to put out apples and grated cheese. I had intended to stop putting it out when the weather got milder but at the moment I haven't the heart to disappoint them.

Blackbird

I had no idea that the Blackbird has a yellow tongue!

~~~

The Goldfinches continue to visit the Sunflower feeders, what colourful birds they are, the garden always seems brighter when they appear.

Goldfinch

The Robin seems to be around most days and I suspect will soon be nesting somewhere in the garden. There always used to be a Robin's nest in the Ivy outside our French windows but some years ago all the baby birds were destroyed by a cat early one morning, I was devastated and could hardly bear to look into the garden for days after. Oddly, there has never been a nest there since.

Robin

' My garden robin in the Spring
Was rapturous with glee,
And followed me with wistful wing
From pear to apple tree. '

(Robert William Service)

~~~

A bird often heard in the vicinity of my garden but not often seen in it is the Carrion Crow but I managed to capture this one last week.

Carrion Crow

Chaffinches are regular visitors

Chaffinch (Female)

and at this time of year the male in particular looks very colourful.

Chaffinch (Male)

'And the Chaffinch warbles to his mate.
"Sweet, will you, will you, kiss me, dear."
All hail, all hail! thou growing year. '

(The Author Of "Ahab")

~~~

For the last few years Winter, for me, has been brightened by the arrival in my garden of the very welcome Blackaps. Previously, contrary to what many bloggers have observed, the females have been much bolder and fed openly at the feeders and on the tables whilst the males have remained much shyer and more elusive but this year there has been a complete reversal and the male has been the bolder sex although easily frightened away by the ever dominant Greenfinches! I have found it difficult to capture them this year but this little chap was very cooperative a couple of days ago.

Blackcap (Male)

Practising some sort of ballet manoeuvre!

' Thy blended notes are most complete,
Yet varied all the while,
Thy symphonies display the grace,
Of nature's complex style. '

(James Lawson)

~~~

This post has been shorter than usual (for which I'm sure you are grateful) but I wanted to get something published as the first part of my eye surgery has been brought forward by a month and will take place tomorrow, Saturday the 20th. Consequently, I may not be able to post or visit blogs for a while but will resume as soon as I can. If all goes well I then hope to post more regularly. I am not looking forward to tomorrow and at this moment feel rather like the condemned man, or more correctly woman :) but I am looking forward to being able to properly enjoy the beauty of Nature again in all its glory. I hope you all have a wonderful Nature filled weekend and a great week.

One Year (and a bit) On!

As regular readers will know I am having difficulties taking photographs at the moment due to problems with my eyesight so, apart from a couple, all of the following photos were taken last year but not posted. I will start with the two which I took through glass last week.

The only time I am ever visited by a Pied Wagtail is when there is snow on the ground, it doesn't matter whether there is a considerable amount or just a dusting but without fail, in it pops to see what food it can find. The ever present Blackbirds hate it with a vengeance and do everything they can to see it off but it treats them with great contempt and just dodges out of the way!

Pied Wagtail

The Starling, despite being on the red list of endangered species is still a quite frequent visitor to the garden although I have noticed a decline in numbers in recent years which is borne out by the fact that their numbers are down by 66% in the UK since the mid '70s and have declined significantly across much of Europe since the '60s. I suspect my American blogland friends will tell me it is because they have all gone over there :)

Anyway, the fat treats always seem to bring them into the garden.

Starling

'In yonder gay-enamell'd mead,
The starling plumes his golden wings,
Then tow'ring up the azure height,
He mounts sublime, and soaring sings.'

(Nathaniel Evans)

Now, looking back to last Summer (Summer? What's that?) one of the places I most enjoyed visiting was Draycote Water and I am looking forward to going back there when I have had surgery. This Pied Wagtail was enjoying the sunshine unlike the one battling through snow in my garden.

Pied Wagtail

Each time we went there were always lots of vociferous Tufted Ducks and I looked at so many of them in a bid to try and spot the Lesser Scaup that others had seen. Unfortunately, I was never successful but it was fun trying.

Tufted Duck

By far the most common gull to be seen at Draycote last year was the Black-headed Gull so I was surprised to learn it is on the amber list of endangered species. This one, photographed in late Summer is in its Winter plumage so lacks the black, or more accurately chocolate brown head of the Summer plumage.

Black-headed Gull

'Light floats the sea-gull on the tide.
The wearied fisher sinks to rest;
And not a cloud is seen to glide,
Reflected on the Ocean's breast'

(Mrs Henry Rolls)

Although the commonest small wader to be found along the coast, the Dunlin is another bird to be found on the red list of endangered species. I think this one may have been a juvenile.

Dunlin

There were also lots of Great Crested Grebes, a really elegant bird which frequently dives and comes up again much further away than you would expect.

Great Crested Grebe

This rather smart looking Great Tit was also photographed during one of our visits to Draycote, it was in a tree waiting to fly onto the feeders next to the hide.

Great Tit

Each time we went the feeders were always popular, particularly with Blue and Great Tits, Chaffinches and Greenfinches.

It was also popular with this Squirrel which was there for the peanuts

Grey Squirrel

'I love to see at early morn,
The Squirrel sit before my door;
There crack his nuts and hide his shells,
And skip away to seek for more'

(William Roscoe)

and it was amusing to see the ducks constantly on patrol under the feeders hoping to mop up any spilt food, they looked so funny when they suddenly appeared through the long grass.

Of course I couldn't show photos from Draycote without featuring one of my favourite birds, the solitary and beautiful Grey Heron.

Grey Heron

When we visit one of the small local lakes I can usually be sure of seeing some Mute Swans. I really do think they are magnificent creatures and although they are such a common sight I never cease to admire their beauty.

Mute Swan

'In stately majesty was seen to glide,
Over the bosom of the tide,
A graceful swan, in fairest plumage dresst;
It seem'd its elegance to view,
As conscious of superior hue,
For never swan more beauty yet possest.'

(Rosary)

These Mallards were getting in a tizzy about something!

Mallards

As was this Greylag Goose!

Greylag Goose

On a local walk another of my favourite birds, the lovely Song Thrush, was tucking into something tasty, a berry I think

Song Thrush

'How void of care yon merry thrush,
That tunes melodious on the bush,
That has no stores of wealth to keep,
No lands to plow, no corn to reap!

He never frets for worthless things,
But lives in peace, and sweetly sings;
Enjoys the present with his mate,
Unmindful of to-morrow's fate.'

(Williams)

and so was this Blackbird.

Blackbird

Finally this Greenfinch was perched high in a tree in our garden.

Greenfinch

Before I finish I would like to say that just over one year after starting this blog on the 13th of February 2009 it has been an absolute pleasure getting to know and making friends with so many people from all over the world. I have been privileged to share your lives, homes, families, joys, sadnesses, illnesses and ultimately a mutual interest in Nature and wildlife. You have all been so kind and welcoming and I hope to share your lives via blogland for many years to come. Thank you.

I hope you all have a wonderful week watching the wildlife where you are.