New years Eve 2023.

 Well that's another year done, if I'd known I was going to last this long I'd have looked after myself a bit better, the weekdays haven't been too bad it's the weekends that's done the damage!😅.

Managed to get down to the Vale again on Friday 29th before the rain came again, it absolutely hammered it down while I was having my dinner in Morrisons.

How's that for a Mini fish and Chips, couldn't eat all that.

But I'm getting in front of myself, down the Vale I helped the children feed the birds with some seed, the girl was brave but her brother was a bit of a wimp!, think it made her day and their granny got some nice pictures with her mobile. 

That's Beaky on her sleeve.

Further down the lower mill pond I did a bit of vertical snapping to get used to it.

The two Youngsters.

 Big Daddy.

I was so busy with my vertical shots that when I looked down there was the huge Cob swan about 6 inches from my groin!, I didn't fancy feeding him by hand but steeled myself  and offered him some seed from my hand and surprise, surprise, he took it quite gentle.

There was a mother and  daughter there watching, that I've meet and spoken to before, I think they were showing friends or relatives the pleasures of the vale. 

There were plenty of Robins about.

The Dunnocks are not given enough coverage are they, as they are usually hopping about in the undergrowth and not seen.

Also mandarins.

A beautiful Female too.

Squirrel Nutkin enjoying some seed before cadging some monkey nuts off me.

Couple of Cormorants on the top mill pond.

So I've been lucky this week really, down the Vale 3 times this week and missed the rain each time, can't be bad.

Whilst at Morrisons bought Alfie some of this, it's usually for kids lunch boxes but just the right size for tortoises too.

They have different type's too. 

Think I'll have to cut his testosterone down, he's fancying this model one I think, he has put on 13 grams this week so I must be doing something right.

Males are smaller than females.             

This weeks bargains from Amazon were these cable labels, you know when you've got loads of cables in a tower system they are real easy to mark them!.

You get 30 for £3.99 well worth the money to me, sorting out all my cables.

I also bought this Cordless glue gun, don't need it at the moment but you never know when it will come in useful, and it was 60% off, I do love a bargain!.

So a good week to round off the year for me.

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Definitions

Fortune; A singing quartet.

Home; the place you stay whilst your car is being serviced.

Shin; a device for finding furniture in the dark.

Parachute; A double barrelled shot gun.

Out of bounds; an exhausted kangaroo.

 Margin; Mothers ruin.

Maintenance; A mans cash surrender value.

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Happy New Year to all my readers!

Between Christmas and New Year, 28th 12.23.

 Those weather people with all their fancy equipment had said that the best day this week would be Wednesday!.

It was rain on Monday and I was off to Springhead in Oldham for Christmas dinner with the family, though it was a bit reduced this year with some of the Grandchildren having dinner with their spouses family, and some live in Scotland and will be coming here at New Year to get away from the Scots on their special day.

 On Tuesday it was a nice sunny day so it was off to Reddish vale for me.

It was blue skies but still quite cool and muddy underfoot, which was understandable seeing all the rain we have had lately, so didn't stay long.

This nice bush was in full flower just near the gateway to the lower pond, don't ask me what it is as I've no idea, but it had nice yellow flowers that stood out.

The Squirrels were glad to see me and followed me round the ponds.

I enjoyed giving monkey nuts to the children then watched them trying to  entice the squirrels to visit them.

I also meet quite a few acquaintances who were walking off their Christmas dinners I think. 

There were three Cormorants on the top mill pond.

The Robins were out in numbers too.

A blue tit.

Then on the way back to the car park spotted the Mandarin ducks standing on the low branches over the water.

The Male

The Female.

Out of breeding season the males usually lose their bright colours, but this weather must be upsetting them as much as us.

When times are normal and the males are out of breeding season, one can still tell them apart as the male still retain their bright orange beaks!.

The Wednesday the weather people said was going to be the best day was abysmal and today Thursday I'd only been to Morrisons for lunch and was glad it wasn't any further as it was a torrential downpour on the way home!.  

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What did the elephant say to the nude man?

It's cute but can it pick up peanuts?.

 A rooster sits on a roof,

if it lays an egg, on which side will it roll off?.

Neither, think about it, roosters don't lay eggs.

What was the name of the Scottish dentist?,

Phil McCavity 

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Christmas Eve, 2023

 Its not been very nice weather since my last post so no bird pictures, the birds in my garden are still doing well and eating me out of house and home though.

So here we are Christmas Eve 2023., wouldn't be the same without a Robin would it!.

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Friday, 15.12.23.

 Been a good week this week, we had our gangs Christmas dinner at the Windmill on Wednesday afternoon and the food was good as usual but there seemed to be a lack of staff, perhaps with the minimum wage going up, the only way to save is to cut down on staff perhaps. 

Thursday evening had a surprise visit from my son and whilst he was here he did the upgrade on my Nixon P950 for me, seemed quite complicated to me but son did it no problem, I wouldn't have known where to start!.

Today I went to Reddish Vale and took my Nixon P1000 for an outing and here are my results.

There were six pairs of mandarins, with the males in full colour, usually lose their colour out of breeding season, but perhaps the weather is puzzling them too.

Ain't love grand!

Cormorants on the upper mill pond.

Plenty of male Tufted ducks.

The Swan family still together, parents must have given up trying to get the kids to leave, will probably try harder in the Spring!.

Gadwalls on the lower mill pond

Grab two while you can!

Bliss with a monkey nut!.

So it was a good visit for me, had a chat with another photographer from Hazel Grove, who was the same as me getting a bit of exercise whilst the rain had stopped.

It was dry but it was so cold I banged my hand on my camera and my finger burst open, first I knew was when I noticed my camera was covered in blood!. Good job I carry a first aid box in my car and was able to clean up and get a plaster on to stop it bleeding, all those years in the ambulance service weren't wasted hey. I was quite warm in my new jacket, but you can't wear gloves when using a camera, you can but it's awkward!.

Had a nice fish and chips in Morrisons and a warm up, will have the festive menu a bit nearer the time!.

They look nice and the price looks right too.

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