Tuesday at the Vale, 25th Sept 2018.

Nice day at the Vale after we were promised bad weather by the weather people, nice that they got it wrong again!.

Got some good pictures of the young Great crested Grebe, its parents seem to have left it to its own devises, still it seems to have got the idea of diving for its fish now.

A lot of pictures of it but there again it is a rather handsome bird isn't it. 

Room for one more?.

A couple of Cormorants there on the day.

The tufted ducks are back, this is a juvenile or a female one.

A colourful Moorhen in full sail.

Who's a pretty boy them?.

Young Chaffinch getting stuck into the food before the big guys come.

The leaves are beginning to fall now, still plenty of greenery about though.

Don't mind the falling leaves it's what they hid though, due to the unsociable dog owners letting there dogs off the lead and not bothering or not seeing where their little darling are dropping their calling cards!.

If train spotting is your thing plenty of that at the Vale as well.

Would have been better for me if it was a road and I could do a bit of Eddie Stobart spotting, takes all kinds doesn't it!.

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Reddish Vale today, 22nd Sept 2018.

We were at Reddish Vale today and we were lucky that the rain forecast didn't materialise.

After Pepe's bad knee last week as you can  see he's a lot better and raring to go, his mate there isn't too keen though.

The young Grebe seems to have got the idea of diving now 

Can't see anything down here!

 

I'll bet is those Kingfishers pinching all the small fish!

Not a good picture from the other side of the lake, still I got it!

Another first for me today was these three juvenile Shovelers, wasn't sure if I'd got them right but Daryll the warden very kindly posted me to confirm them after I mentioned them in the info centre whilst having a drink.

That's a good Appt in the Appt store, Pocket Birds and only a couple of quid!.

What a bill,!, like your electric one did I hear you say Bigg!.

Seem to do everything synchronised ie swimming and diving, seems it a thing with them.

Warden siad if you see shovelers its going to be a bad winter, hope he's wrong there!.

Just testing my zoom here, one end of the lake to the other!.

Plenty of these about, all hungry as not many people about today. 

Doing the Ostrich impression.

Baby Moorhen.

Spotted this moorhen nesting in the bushes, seems a bit late for another brood doesn't it, they seem to know the weather better than us though don't they.

Putting Pepe back in the car, noticed this minute Butterfly or is it a Moth sat on my car door, this is actually bigger than life size, but wanted to get the pattern and colours to you!.

Don't know how far it hitched a lift, thought if I touched it I might have damaged it, so let it fly off when it wanted to.

Called at Morrison's for Fish and Chips on the way home, what good value they are £5.50 and tastes as good as they look

Got this picture this week from my Brother-in-law Bryan in Oz, so Pepe's fame as gone a long way hey!!.

Drive carefully, its not only cars that can be called back to the maker!.

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Visit to Reddish Vale again. 18.9.2018.

Pepe has had a poorly back offside knee this past week but after a visit to the vets and a few injections he seems to be on the mend now.

We had a trip to the Vale on Tuesday, meeting with fiend David with his foster baby Pug Geoff!.

We had a cheap cuppa in the info centre and then a walk round the lake with Geoff galloping ahead puppy like, exploring all the smalls and watching the ducks and swans!.

I carried Pepe and stopped at each bench to take photographs and then on to the next bench, I don't know about his knee mine was giving out by the time we got back to the Info centre, he's going on a diet this week!!.

Lady Mandarin.

Paired for life I believe, this pair have been together a few years.

Very regal 

Looking at all the different shells,colours and markings on the Terror-pins round the lakes ,they must be different types that have been dumped there!.

BOGOF.

Not close enough with this one.

That's better hey!.

Talking about pairing, think Loveee is in the air.

You can run but you can't hide Heron specially with legs like those.

Alright I'll come out for a photo shoot.

Is this my best side?.

Think I'd like to try that bungee jumping!.

Ooooh perhaps not!!.

A few of the little guys.

Fluffy.

Today Pepe looking and I'm sure feeling a lot better!, had a wash and trim on Friday that the vet had said was OK. He looks and smells lovely now.

Not quite the Lion King but he thinks he is!.

Been re potting some of my Mother-in- law's tongues and Ponytail Palms today, bought the Ponytail Palms after reading they store water in the ball trunk at the base and over watering is the worse thing you can do, they were placed on a wet tray at the garden centre, still I suppose they water everything the same and hope they sell before they die!.

I've re potted mine in Cactus compost and hope for the best that they will dry out before the roots rot!.

I like cactus type plants as they survive better if you forget to water them.

Well that's it for another day folk's.

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