Quick trip to a lake, 23.5.2109.

Due to British Gas only giving me a 6 hour slot, 12-00 to 1800hrs  (is that a service?) I couldn't go far so nipped up to the Snipe Retail Park where behind Notcutts Garden centre there is a small lake where I'd heard the resident swans there had some babies.

Sure enough there they were but feeding in really dirty water near the edge.

So after a while the parents took them further out into the lake to have a bath. 

Do we have to have a bath?, Aah well here we go then.

Great how they learn to have a bath so early in life isn't it.

Let's slip away whilst their busy!.

Huey.

Louie.

Dewey.

Not really their names, the're the names of Donald Duck's nephews aren't they.

All clean again.

Tiring work this bathing lark!.

So back on dry land again, all fluffy and clean.

The Coots didn't seem to have any babies.

The usual predator was in attendance.

Perhaps not noticed by many, but Roland and Mrs TiddleRat was cleaning up the leftovers.

So not a totally wasted day.

Gas man came at 4-15 and was gone at 5-00!, all's well there at least.

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Debdale Lower Reservoir, Yesterday, 20,5,2019.

Had a walk round Debdale Reservoir yesterday, first time for a long time, but enjoyed it, the weather makes all the difference though doesn't it!.

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There was a Greater Crested Grebe with two babies

This one kept shooing the other one away, wanted all the food available no doubt

The babies are quite big, the Grebes at Reddish Vale haven't got any yet!.

Babies have unusual markings when they are young, perhaps as camouflage from predators. 

The Canada Geese Goslings were very cute too

Got to eat your Greens

Coot having a stretch in the sun. 

Magpies courting in the grass.

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Today we went to Reddish Vale and had lunch at the tearooms and watched the Swallows again in and out of the stables.

Very streamlined.

Managed to get a poor picture of one of the Swallows and its nest inside the stables, quite hard with it being in the shade and quite sunny outside!

The sparrows having a ball collecting the Fibre linings from the hanging baskets on the stable walls 

The bee's were busy on the flowers in the Community Garden too

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Got a picture from my mate Bob today from our visit to the Model Boat Show on Sunday!.

The venue is still in the process of being done up.

This chap has been modelling this model Bismark for 3 years now and still got a few years work to go yet but what a project, indefinitely a labour of love!.

Everything from the deck up is made of metal. 

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That's it for another day folks!.

The past week, 12-19.5.2019.

Had a good week this past week with a couple of first's in the bird photography, but had to go to Mate Bob's garden to get them. why bother going to parks and all the trouble parking when you can go to his garden and see plenty of bird life and coffee thrown in!

My first Woodpecker.

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My first Thrush.

And another one

Whilst down the Vale with friends for lunch on Wednesday at the Tearooms these Swallows were swooping in and out of the stables, another first for me  

I'd tried to snap them the day before but only had my phone camera, whilst they are very good there isn't much zoom on them, as you can see the zoom on my camera caught them alright!.

This female Blackbird was loving the Blue Berries on the plant behind it.

I was told it is a Mahonia plant and makes the birds poo blue as well!.

The next plant a Cotoneaster was swarming with bees 

With out them we would be in trouble as they pollinate all the plants on the planet. 

Just trying out the Macro setting on my camera.

Looks a good idea to keep the herons away from the baby duckling, though the chain would be a bit on the heavy side hey!.

Only kidding folks it's not really hobbled!.

In Daisy Nook Cafe this week, saw this little Chihuahua, smaller than Pepe and had one of those Julius K9 harnesses usually on big stronger brute's, looked a really cute little tough guy!.

Same day saw this Robin with his crew cut hair style, he liked the suet pellets I'd taken for them.

Today Sunday I went with Mate Bob to the Ellesmere Model Boat Show on the Wirral at their new venue at the Hooton Racecourse site where there was a man-made lake for the boats to sail on but also in other hangers there were first and second world war planes that had been restored , also old trucks including army vehicles which took me back to my army days, ah the good old days!!.

It was a park and ride there, so we had a ride on this old bone shaker, we both enjoyed it really.

Bob the Abell.

Here is a taste of the things at the show, as you can see there are all sorts of plane sections in the background of the club stands.

 

Look at the workmanship on that.

Outside 

Met some old friends too.

Something for everyone !

Then a nice ride home before the sea-siders came dashing home.

Pepe had a day out as well with Bob's wife Joyce, which they both enjoyed as well.

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