Bank holiday weekend, 26-28 8 23.

 As is usually the case, it was a dull and showery here in Manchester, there again they didn't call it the Rainy City for nothing, may have been an asset in the old days of cotton weaving but we don't need it now thank you!. 

Today it was a ride down to Reddish Vale, if you've not been before or for a long time, here is the opening times of the info centre for drinks and snacks, as there are always people asking why it's not open.

The Tearoom Café at the farm zoo doesn't seem to be opening since the pandemic, perhaps staff problems or making enough in the farm. 

As I got there it started to rain again!, wouldn't you know it, so this photo of the heron on Sunnyside pond isn't too bad considering it's taken though the rain.

There was a chap sat there with his camera on a tripod, think he was hoping for a picture of a Kingfisher, but had no luck and moved off without a word!.

He should have been more patient has 10 minutes later my friend and his wife spotted one, as if flew to the branches no more that 12 feet from where the chap had been set up!.

  Then it flew to the other side of the pond and other joined it in the bushes but I couldn't get a picture of that, hopefully its a female  for the male pictured.

The heron was changing its position every now and then, but didn't seem to have any luck fishing today.

The usual Squirrels were in abundance.

 This one was following me round the park, with a monkey nut in its mouth.

The duck house still not got any residents yet.

A young Great tit on the feeders.

A juvenile Blue tit waiting it's turn!.

Didn't stay too long today, learned from my last visit when I stayed too long and got wet though. 

So off to Morrisons for the usual Fish and chips, it was a disaster on Friday, as the freezers were broke down so no Fish and Chips!. 

So another wet Bank Holiday weekend, feel sorry for the workers don't you, though Pear Mill Café was open on the Monday and doing a roaring trade with the weather outside, so it's swings and roundabouts isn't it.

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Monday, 21.8.23.

 After a trip to Pear Mill café today, where I left earlier than usual as there didn't seem much air in there and the fans weren't  doing much good.

I came home and sat in my garage which I use as a hide to take the bird photos on the feeders.

Another from an earlier brood.

The parents are a bit selective with the sunflower heart seeds and spit some out but the pigeons don't mind.

 A baby Goldfinch.

Then I thought what am I doing sat here when the log rolls I bought earlier in the year have not been put in.

These old ones were rotten

So I'd bought this tool earlier to break the old ones out

But it was too broad to dig out the old stumps below ground, but this next tool, a mini pickaxe was just the job.

And there you have it! new ones in and screwed to the metal supports at the back that were still in there.

 All the old pebbles back in place, if you have the right tools it makes the job a whole lot easier doesn't it.

Got a smaller roll over therr on the right, but will use it for a pen for Alfie.

These bushes were in the way really, but I'm loath to trim them back as they are full of berries and the blackbirds love them in the autumn.

That's a new peanut feeder I got from Amazon, birds aren't too sure of it yet.

But this new one is getting plenty of attention 

I think Alfie will make short work out of that grass when I let him out in the garden, I will have to watch him very closely though as this was him when I went back indoors to see how he was.

I'd put in some washing and that was all done, so only had to hang that up.

Had a nice surprise yesterday when a website I put photos on now and then put a picture on and I thought who's copying my pictures!, then realised it was mine and used as the banner picture, I'd forgot I'd sent it for that.

Then again today on Facebook there was a memory of mine from 2019 with one of my pictures of a baby Wren as the banner for Reddish Vale website.

It's not National Geographer I know, but it's still nice to get these so you know you are progressing and doing something right!.

So what started out as a cloudy day had a silver lining after all!.

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This is very apt today!.

Why do seagulls fly over the sea?,

because if they flew over the bay, they would be bagels!.

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Friday, 18.8.23.

 The weather was a bit iffy again today, so I stayed in this morning and only went out to do some shopping  and lunch at Sainsburys.

An all day breakfast, David!.

So no birding today, but it gives me time to tell you about Alfie my tortoise!. I was on my way to Reddish Vale Park a few weeks ago and called in to the local pet shop for some monkey nuts, whilst there I asked the young lady in charge what pets they had for me, she said we only have a few finches in at the moment, "I've got plenty of those in my garden at the moment, with babies too".

"Have you any Tortoises in or coming in", "no she said but I've got a note off a lady who is looking for a good home for one"!. "I can give one a good home" said I.

So I got the phone number off her and rang and left a message.

That evening I got a reply from a lady Jayne, who arranged to bring Bob complete with box, lighting, extra bulbs and food the next day as she said it would be easier to carry the box into my house, I think she wanted to see where Bob was going really, can't blame her for that can you.

So here is Bob, but as there are a couple of Bob's in our circle I've named him Alfie!. don't think Tortoises are bothered about human company as a chap on YouTube said they aren't like cats and dogs that crave human company, which is ok with me!, means I can go out and not worry about him.

 The next day I realised the box on the floor wasn't the best place for him or me and was thinking what I could make and with what, when I had a fall of soot and realised I had a nice small folding table in the hall which I'd bought to have my dinner on but it hadn't worked out, so that was put into use. 

As you can see makes the box level with the south facing window, so plenty of daylight.

So this is Alfie, a Hermann's Tortoise 

 By looking at his underneath, he is an Eastern male and Jayne his previous owner had got him at 3 years old and had him for another 3 years, so by even by my bad maths he is about 6 years old that we know of.

The dark markings underneath the tortoise are unbroken in Western Tortoises, learn something every day don't you! 

There was some arrangement on the left side of his box which I think was for cables but it was only an after thought I think and I didn't need it, so  it was taken off, and some greenery added so it looked a bit better in the living room. 

The most observant of you will all so notice that his glass water bowl has been change for a better one, was Pepe's puppy dog bowl and lower for Alfie to get to.

 As you can see bought a nice little spray gun, for him and the plant's

Then I bought a new lighting system from Amazon and replaced that terrible plastic plant with a begonia.

Then thought that bare wood needed something to brighten it up, so it was a trip to Homebase where I knew they did Fablon and to make it look more zoo like bought this Zebra print!, well they have that on the trucks in Safari parks don't they!.

Then I bought another plant, a spider plant which are trailers.

Just out of the way of the telly, Maggie Cooper on there, who we met at Pear Mill when she was making that programme there. 

Alfie does like his cauliflower, but in the mornings I just go out into the garden and cut a bunch of dandelion leaves, he likes shredded carrot, Kale and tomato, hoping to get him out into the garden soon as I've finished the log rolls edging, a job in progress!. 

Expensive to keep?, this was Pepe's biscuit box, now Alfie's dinner box, saw a nice big cauliflower in Sainsburys today 95p!. 

The lady "Jayne " gave me "Alfie" for free to a good home and even though I say so myself he's got one, and spends the evenings walking all over the living room and my feet whilst I'm posting this!.

So there you have the "Alfie" story, don't think you will be getting many growing up pictures though, as I don't think they grow that fast,  this species only grow to about 10inches and live for roughly 20 years.

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