Another day in Lockdown, Tier 3. 30.10.20.

 Had another good day today, despite the fact we are in the highest level of lockdown here.

We are keeping ourselves busy with our hobbies, I can't say I've found Jesus in lockdown but I have found Lego Technics, to be right it was my son John who introduced me to it.

So what with Lego and my Camera's I'm quite happily in these trying times. 

This is my latest Lego project a Liebherr Excavator, it's biggg, goodness knows how big the real thing is, 4,200 pieces.

That square part in the middle of the picture is the drivers cab so you can imagine the size of the rest of it.

We went to Pear mill for lunch today with a friend who is another widower with a doggie friend, surprising how many people have got new puppies during lockdown, just hope they aren't going to be left on their own when all this trouble is over.

Its nice to have lunch with friends even though we have to sit at opposite ends of a long table, and my hearing aids don't have volume controls, it's hard lip reading with mask too.

More nice table arrangements today, so a nice chat putting the world to rights and on the way out checking if there are any bargains, can't be bad.

After lunch we went round the back of the mill to see if we could see the Peregrine Falcons and we were luck today as there was one on a vent all fluffed up with the cool weather.

This one on the large chimney out of the wind.

Got myself a Poppy yesterday for my hat, with my regiment on it too.

Royal Corps of Signals.

So another good day, got to make the best of what you have.

Keep up with your hobbies, if you haven't one get one!.

..........................................................................

Stay Safe.

.......................................................................

Nice day down at Reddish Vale, 28.10.20.

 Even though I knew there would be a lot of people down the Vale today and usually that means not much in the way of wildlife.

But I had promised to take a DVD and book to Daryll the warden and a promise is a promise isn't it.

I am so glad I did go, even though it was difficult to find a parking space, there was so many people there, Schools out for the next two weeks!.

Looks cold doesn't it.

I decided to go to Sunnyside pond where its usually a bit quieter, and though there were a few family groups passing though it was quiet in between them.

This is Dave a friend who had given the idea of a hide to the warden and the warden with his volunteers jumped to the challenge and came up with this, complete with bird identification posters!. 

Who you looking at!

This crow taken though the hide.

A little Grebe, you don't usually see them out of the water.

Cute little things.

Here he is have a flap.

I then decided to go and have a sit down on one of the two benches and low and behold if the kingfisher didn't come and sit on the bank about 30 feet away.

Gives you an idea of the size if you have never seen one in the feather, so to speak!.

17 cm long and a wing span of 25 cm and just like little jewels and in flight look like little police cars flashing along!, quite fast and you have to try and see where they land.

This one with a bit more Zoom.

Sorry to have gone on about them so much in this post and added so many pictures but couldn't decide which was best, they are beautiful though aren't they.

Autumn Colours.

 ...........................................................

I went to the shops the other day and treated myself to a toilet brush. Its no good though, I'm going to have to go back to paper!.

People laughed at me when I said I wanted to be a comedian, Well they're not laughing now!. 

...........................................................................................

Back at Reddish Vale today, 14.10.2020.

 Today went back to Reddish Vale for the first time for ages!.

I'd had an email from a friend telling me about the new Bird Hide that's been put up by Warden Daryll and his hard working volunteers.

As most of the Reddish Vale photographers will recognize it's at the Sunnyside Pond  and today it was being well used and there was one of my friends David Sealey that had emailed me to tell me about it.

He was showing me some brilliant pictures he had taken there of the Kingfishers, though I didn't have any luck today, I will be going back to take advantage of this new venture in the park.

There is even a shelf for your brew and sandwiches!.

Some cyclists came whilst we were there, and this lady was enjoying feeding the duck by hand. All ages seem to like feeding the ducks don't they.

This Little Grebe has just caught a fish for it's dinner, not a good picture as it was taken into the sun.

That's why the hide is in a good position where it is. 

This Coal Tit was taken in the community Garden which I've missed going to, it's a nice quiet haven of peace even when the park is quite full at times.

Plenty of these nice Nuthatches about today

Pepe's back with his servant in the Hat, and they've brought some seed again, hope they start coming back regularly again.  

This little Sparrow is a Dunnock (Hedge Sparrow) which is quite different from the tree sparrow that's in the picture above when you look at their beaks, the Dunnock is quite thin and pointed and the hedge sparrow is thicker.

So a tree sparrow.

Cute, but destructive

Plenty of these about, love em or hate em, they are cute.

Blue Tit in the bushes.

Favourite place for the kids is this pile of tree trunks to climb on, but today just a picture to show that Autumn is upon us!.

The Goldfinches are still eating me out of house and home in my garden, but they are so beautiful I don't begrudge them the Sunflower seeds they like so much.

................................................................................

I wouldn't say she was thin, but when she goes to the park the ducks throw her bread!.

The Cardiologists diet; if it tastes good spit it out!.

I saw a Cafe on the way home serving an all day breakfast but I didn't really have that much time!.

........................................................................... 

Monday, 12.10.2020.

 Monday the 12th October went to Pear Mill for lunch and as soon as we arrived saw one of the Peregrine Falcons flying and landed on one of the rings on the tall chimney, so it was out with the camera in case it wasn't there when we came out!!.

It's on the top ring at the top of the 200 foot chimney. one of the one's that Fred Dibner missed!. 

When we came out of the Cafe it was so nice we went to Debdale reservoir to see if there was anything new, and we weren't disappointed as there was a nice cormorant just near the sailing club sat there drying out its wings.

The weather was still changeable though and cool out in the open.   

Just at the side of the water there is the Fallowfield Way path which has just been re-opened after being diverted for the Hyde Road widening system which required a new bridge which was part of the Fallowfield path.

I'd said in a few earlier posts that the seven Swans here were all getting on well and no fighting, as perhaps they were all juveniles but I spoke too soon, you might think they are beautiful, peaceful creatures but they can but very viscous as we saw at Reddish Vale last year when the present male killed the female of the resident pair and nearly killed the male as well that had to be moved for his own protection.

This Monday I saw one of the male swans chasing all the others round the lake in a very aggressive manner.

Here he is in full chase mode, all fluffed up and neck down!.

This one seems to be a target, chased it all over the lake until it had had enough and took off.   

Blow this I'm off!!

This beautiful Starling snapped at home. 

As was this Goldfinch.

Check out the tabs at the top for the latest Lego projects.

 Finished a nice yellow mobile crane, all systems work but only manually and started another Which is all singing and dancing and everything works off my mobile phone, ain't technology grand!, as long as it doesn't crash out.

Checked out the motors on the one today to check before I progressed further and every thing works fine!.

Very addictive and can be expensive but it pass's the time very well and with the virus still out there its better to be safe than sorry isn't it. 

.......................................................................

Did you hear about the constipated accountant who couldn't budget!.

Or 

The constipated composer that got stuck on his last movement!.

................................................................................................

A hour in Debdale today. 7.10.2020.

 Today at the reservoirs and Debdale park it was sunny one minute and dull the next, but we had a nice walk and saw a few people and a bit of wildlife so not a bad day!.

Looking across the old football fields, those stakes for new trees are a new project at the end of the park backing onto Friendship avenue, more about that in an other post, but its all about the history of Gorton during the Great war to end all wars!!.

Quite breezy as this Magpie is finding out.

On the Resser's these young coots are looking for seeds that have fell down the cracks.

"No coins down here Bob"!.

Reminds one of Christmas Plum Duff ?.

As you can see by the clouds on this picture, showers aren't far away.

Always seems to brighten up when you'r on your way home doesn't it!.

Pair of nice dogs playing ball, Pepe doesn't see the point, there again he is a lap dog not a runner.

The changing colours of Autumn.

"I was only cocking my leg up for a quick wee, honestly Dad"

Got my coat on here as Dad said it was cool today.

Got my eye on this dog coming up not on its lead, don't trust them without a lead on.

Some nice Great Crested Grebes on the reservoir today, one with a baby on the far side fishing but too far away even with my super zoom. 

Think this is a young Coot.

"Duckie's brought some seed again!".

Think they recognize me and Pepe now.

The cyclists in the background don't seem to be bothered with masks though they are most probably from different households.

Love em or hate em they still need to eat don't they.

Still can't make out this duck/goose, body of a Muscovy duck but without the red face, unless they are like Goldfinches and don't get the red faces until the first moult.

Some nice swans that seem to be getting on together alright.  

A juvenile that's soon to become a very fine Swan in.deed!.

How can you say they are ugly ducklings!.

...............................................................................................

How do you get down off an elephant?

You don't you get down off a duck!.

How do you make an elephant fly?.

With a large zip.

................................................................................