Wednesday, 1.5.2024

 Today it was off to Reddish Vale Country Park, been a week since my last visit as I stay away at weekends as it's too busy.  I was told today by Daryl who used to be the warden there that they had tried to contact me to go down last Sunday as it was the last day that the volunteers were manning the info centre, it was nice to be thought off and sorry I missed the event.

Daryl said today that no other provision's made yet to solve the situation, but that there would be a coffee van in attendance for the foreseeable future, so that will be good.

The first stop today was the area just outside the gates to the butterfly field.

A woodpigeon.

Squirrel Nutkins.

Slim Robin.

Shy Nuthatch.

Female Chaffinch

A nice colourful Male Chaffinch.   

Then it was though the gate and round to Sunnyside Pond, still no takers for the duck house, the Coot there had a nest on the other side of the pond with a couple of youngsters.

Soon got to that size!.

Then off to the back of the pond to check if there were any Bullfinches about, and I was lucky as there were quite a few there and soon came out when I seeded the feeders.

A couple of males.

Females.

There were plenty of male Mandarin ducks about.

 These in the trees, looks like the one in the foreground is the one I mentioned in the last post that was on the change.

After a walk round the butterfly field, (just for the exercise!), I got some more seed from the car and  good job I carry it as the Info Centre usually sell it, so that's another loss for the birds.

On the lower mill pond the resident swans looks to have moved their nest to the small island just has you go though the gate.

The terrapins were out sunning themselves.

This bigger one on the far side of the top mill pond.

High in the trees this Heron as well.

Save some for me Mr Crow.

You Chaffinches don't eat Bourbon Biscuits.

"Jimmy Crow saved me some seed" says this female Chaffinch.

So after pointing out the heron and terrapins to a couple of Asian families and showing them the pictures on my camera as they couldn't see them as they were too far away, it was back to the car and off to Morrison's for a drink and something to eat, No! not fish & chips today, it was a bacon muffin or as some might say a bacon buttie!.

Came home and did a small jigsaw, done this one before but it was only a £1 and I can pass it on with another one to the Bridge View café tomorrow.

What's in the box, the puzzle and a pen with rubber for the Sudo- cube, but I did the puzzle printed snapped it, printed it off and did the puzzle that way to save it for the next person

So another good day, long walk so should sleep well tonight, the night before wasn't too good after the Covid jab, kept turning over on that arm!.

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Weekend, 26th-29th.4.2024.

 Friday just had to go over to the reservoirs to see how the grebes and their babies were getting on, and of course the Heart_ Mural, but no change there.

The weather hadn't got any better though it was slightly warmer.

The youngsters were enjoying themselves on the water, just wish they would stay away from the banks where the birds nests were.

The grebe babies were playing out on the water.

You had better get off fishing again dear, the babies will be wanting dinner soon.

I saw the dad giving a baby a small fluffy feather and had wondered about that, but a while back on TV it mentioned that it helped the babies digestion, so there you are.  

These guys are a bit of a pest, but they have to eat too don't they, stop feeding they with free handouts and they go somewhere else, hint for Rishi!!.

These magpies love the peanuts, dashing back and forth hiding them and back to see if there are any left. 

Stayed in on Sunday and did some overdue housework.

Monday it was off to get my Spring Covid jab that had been requested by the surgery for the over 75s

Got there early as my shopping at Lidl didn't take as long as I'd thought, but they let me in at the Festival hall in Denton as they weren't too busy and had a chat with the young lady who was going to jab me, turns out she was an ex-paramedic of 17years experience so the jab was ok and no problems, problems will be tonight sleeping on that side, still it's better than the alternative isn't it!.

After a chat with my mate Bob outside with his daughter who had brought him for his jab, he kept slapping me on my arm while he was talking and his daughter said, I hope that's not the arm he's had his jab in?, it was actually!.

So it was off to Gorton Reservoirs again to see the Grebes, and got some nice pictures of dad feeding them.

Weather no better!.

 When's dad bringing dinner mum?.

 Have a nap he will be here soon.

Here he comes with your dinner.

Here he comes with dinner.

Who's first?.

Baby has got it!.

Don't just sit there! go and get some more.

If any one is wondering where their young Swans have got to maybe here at Gorton, where the two residents are wondering why here, eight on the lake today.

So then it was off to Morrison's for fish and chips, there wasn't many in today so I was given a large helping which was nice but a bit over facing for me, still the thought was there!.

On the way home I called at the charity shop to see if I could get to any jigsaws in the packed back room, but the lady in charge had sorted me some out and put them in the front of the room, so I got five 1,000 piece ones, think they are tired of sorting the back room and had lowered the price!, so I got these, all for £5!!.

      Good job has I'd just finished this one today.

Typical charity shop, packed out and can't move round.

So it's been a good day even with the jab, arm is getting like a second hand dart board now!.

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An estate agent is trying to sell a very old man a new home.

It would be a marvellous investment say's the agent.

At my age you've got to be joking say's the old man, at my age I don't even buy green bananas!.  

The older you get, the longer it takes to get over a good time!.

There's a fine line between marketing and grand theft.

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