Friday ,23.6.2017.

A big change in the weather today, dull and drizzly, consequently no one I knew at the lake, in fact visitors few and far between.

Had a drink in the Garden  Centre cafe and after a chat with Maggi the owner it was off on a short walk round the lake!.

Here are a few pictures taken on an earlier visit to Reddish Vale this week.

Just not good enough, but getting there.

A moorhen with her baby

Large feet but not as webbed as the a coot. 

Excuse me if you think I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs as they say, but like you maybe, I'm in a learning situation as well and just passing on the information.

Majestic.

Hiding.

Baby Mallards

Juvenile Coot just starting to get his/her White forehead marking. 

A couple of Baby Coots from Etherow, Red heads in the early stages, but then as above

And the odd chaffinch!.

Synchronised Swimming!

Well, that's it for today, at least it was a bit cooler, we are never satisfied are we!, one day its too hot and the next it's too dull and showery, still that's what we Brit's do isn't it, complain about the weather, we are lucky that's all we have to worry about I suppose!.

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I'm saving for a rainy day,

So far I've got a sou'wester, two mackintoshes and a Canoe!.

A vasectomy is never having to say you're sorry!.

Always keep your words soft and sweet in case you have to eat them.

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Birds in the garden.14.6.17.

Been feeding the birds in the garden lately but only seem to be getting Woodie's and sparrows at the moment, still there are lots of cat's everywhere and though Pepe stops them coming down into the garden he's a bit hampered with his size!.

Been putting out those suet blocks which they seem to like and it doesn't get all over the place and not much falls into the garden so Pepe can get it.

Queuing up in nice orderly lines. 

The sparrows seem to like the pellets better, or else can't get to the suet!.

The new camera seems to be doing like it say's on the box.

Another example of the great zoom on this camera are these pictures of a Kestrel, high up under the railway arches  at Reddish Vale Park.

That's his nest box behind him/her?.

 

Might have been a bit clearer with a tripod, that's if I could remember to take it with me, always forget, what a gorpp!.

Did get another attachment for the camera the other day, John ordered it for me, as you can see it attaches to your car window and has three different directional adjustments.

There is the obvious drawbacks of course, the position of the car but you can't have everything in this life can you, and if that's all you have to worry about you are quite lucky aren't you!.

 

This taken with it on the car park.

That's it for now, see you soon.

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Hollywood movies would be improved if they shot less film and more producers!

Never judge a book by it's movie!.

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New Camera 4.6.2017.

Due to the very wet weather we are having at the moment, we haven't been out shooting with the new camera very much.

Sunday

Still on Sunday, managed a couple of hours at Reddish Vale before going to John's for Sunday dinner, but the Swan's with 3 new babies were nowhere to be seen.

At first from a distance thought these were they, but on zooming to them found out they were White Geese!.

Sister Bab's was asking in the comments on the last post how I liked the new camera?, well showed this picture of a squirrel to friend Bob and he said 'It doesn't get much better than this!'.

Praise indeed from the master, who is a far better photographer than I, and I was quite proud of this comment.

Squirrel chewing his nuts!.

This one even has a flying bug in it!.

Isn't it a lot better way to shoot animals and birds this way, the next person who comes along can do the same can't they!!. 

The young Great Crested Grebes  are doing well and are diving for their own food now

Though it must be tiring because these two seem to be having an after dinner snooze.

While dad stands guard!.

I  think this Moorhen is doing the Hokey Cokey

Put your left leg out and shake it all about!.

Then put your right leg out, say's the white dove.

Young Coots are getting independent too.

As you can see the feet on these are a lot more webbed than the Moorhens in the earlier picture.

The Heron on the smaller of the lakes.

Got to keep the feathers clean and tidy or they are in trouble.

A bit more zoom added 

Are we going yet!!.

Last but not least we think this is a young Song Thrush.

So there you go, hope the pictures are a bit better for you!.

Monday

It was the cinema on Monday has the rain was still pouring down, went to see 'Wonder Woman', not as good as the original I thought but everyone to their own taste hey.

There again saw 'Bay Watch' last week and thought 'The Rock' was better than the original!, but it takes all kind's doesn't it.

What a strange world it would be if we were all the same!.

Tuesday 

Still heavy rain!, so it was a text to Bob and Joyce to see if they fancied dinner at the 'Windmill' our local watering hole,!, Bob said yes!, and Joyce had already made arrangements with her female family relatives for their monthly get together there, so it worked out well for us all.

Bob and I in one room and Joyce and family in another!, women don't want to talk about boats,  planes and other means of transport!.

Well there you have it, getting withdrawal symptoms for Etherow soon!.

The picture of Velda's truck that the driver sent me was very good of him, then Bob did these two pictures for me the other day adding Velda and myself and Pepe, many thanks to all involved.

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The good news about being middle-aged is that the glass is still half full!,

The bad news is that pretty soon your teeth will be floating in it!.

The thing about being a middle-aged woman is that when you go for a mammogram, you realise its the only time someones ever going to ask you to appear topless in a film.

Once over the hill you pick up speed!

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Saturday,13th.May 2017.

What started out as a dull drizzly day turned out not too bad after all!.

After a chat at the Lake Cafe at Etherow with friends heard than a pair of the Canadian Geese had some babies, so it was off round the lake with camera and Pepe in tow.

Came across the happy family on the canal side up passed the garden centre.

Also seen on the big lake this Great crested grebe!, still without a mate unfortunately. 

Seen earlier in the week was a few more wild life Stars!

A couple of Herons.

A squirrel. 

Robin.

A goosander, (Female)

Did a bit of gardening this week as well!, on the way home from the cinema on Friday called at Mockridge nursery, got some compost cheaper than most places I know.

A nice Standard Acer and a bulldog, not a real one I quickly add!, Pepe would kill it if he got stuck in its throat wouldn't he!.

Might get to paint it when I have an idle moment!, watch this space!

There on the right is the new Acer planted up.

My Clematis, "Josephine" is doing well this year, not seen another Clematis to match it. 

Keeps opening up and looking better than ever.

And there is good old Pepe doing his best to help me do the watering, no need to really Pepe, it rained yesterday and the new water butt is doing a great job collecting water which I've already used with a watering can.

Today's buy was this nice Red Cordyline  'Red Star' to go in the raised tub, fancied one in the past, but always worried about Pepe walking into it and getting poked in the eye!, so he should be alright with this one up high!

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Looks like my mate Bob, will have to have a look next time I see him!.

Did you hear about the cannibal who passed his mother in the woods.

Or the cannibal who went on a diet and only ate midgets!.

Two cannibals are having dinner, "Your wive makes a great roast" says one.

"I know" said the other "but I'm going to miss her"".

Its the way I tell em!!.

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