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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Second week of December 2023.

 Been a good week this second week of December

Monday it was a trip to Pear Mill for the gangs meet, then on Tuesday it was off to Reddish Vale but the rain came on the way there so it was a divert to Morrisons for lunch.

Saw this offer while I was there and noted it for a later visit as that seems a good offer.

But it had cleared up slightly on the way home so decided a visit to the ressers at Debdale was on the cards. 

Looks nice but glad my new coat lived up to its advert and kept me nice and warm.

So glad I did as the birds were starving by the way they were acting.

A lady dropped half a big bag of seed for this lot!.

Resident Swans

Enough for everyone.

Need a lot of poo bags for that lot.

Cormorants 

Must be fed up of fish and chips at the seaside.

Look at the size of those feet, no wonder they can run on water.

Female and male Tufted ducks.

OAP enjoying the good life.

Checked out the new car battery charging station behind McDonalds as well, no wonder its taking so long to finish, they were locking up when I was there and it was only 2.15!, I must have been in the wrong jobs all my working life!.  

Wednesday, went with my mate from next door to show him the way to Portland Basin and the Bridge View Café there, as he was going to sing there, plenty of Christmas parties going on but I managed to get a table that wasn't reserved!.

This is Chris with a lady customer fancying herself as another Cher.

Her dog very patiently waiting for her.

This party enjoyed the extra entertainment whilst enjoying the wonderful food laid on for them. 

This is the Christmas Menu during December well worth a visit, can recommend it.

At home, you must think I always have my badged hats on, but you would be mistaken as I wear a beanie at home, you lose 17% of your body heat though your head you know.

My tortoise's menu today, he's never had it so good. 

Saturday it was another visit to the Bridge View café where the parties were in full swing again.

Sunday it was a day in and some long overdue jobs done!.

Another coat of Red Oxide on the gate and fittings.

So all in all another good week!.

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The good old days.

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First weekend of December 2023.

 Friday

I braved the elements and went down to the Vale and though it was so cold the ponds were 90% frozen over I'm glad I went, chatted with a  lady stood there on her own, I might have been the only one to speak to her that day hey.

I had my padded Camo coat on so I was well wrapped up except for my hands, can't do justice to my camera with gloves on. I do have a pair of driving gloves with the right index finger cut off but they aren't very warm, will have to get the scissors on a padded pair.

It was funny watching the geese come flying in and landing on the ice feet first and skidding along on their bums.

Just a few open patches for the birds to swim and feed.

Canada goose not quite got it's plumage right.

The robins were still plentiful, and I met an acquaintance who is very knowledgeable and said "I thought they were territorial", and he said "Food in short supply comes before territory" so now we know. 

Crow enjoyed the monkey nuts.

This is how you get into them guys, stand on them.

These guys have no trouble getting into them.

I'd not seen any Chaffinches during my visits to the Vale lately (That's not to say they weren't there, just that I'd missed them) but on the day there were plenty there, perhaps the lack of food brought them out.

The only problem is they all seemed to have Bumblefoot, an infection of their feet common in Chaffinches 

A shame as they are beautiful coloured birds.

Saw one in my Garden too this week.

Plenty of nuthatches about too.

A male Wigeon on the top mill pond.

A Female Wigeon on the top mill pond.

Then last but not least there were still a few Mandarin ducks on the lower mill pond.

Not been around for a while but hopefully found a nice home for themselves and will stay around for a while now.

So even with the cold it was a good visit on the day, then it was off to Morrisons for lunch, but ohhh No, no fish and chips left, suppose I should have got there earlier on a Friday!. 

So it was a SMALL all day breakfast, can't be bad, all that and a Latté for £6.50!

Saturday 

It was off to The Bridge View Café to met friends and have a nice meal as usual.

On the way home stopped off at an Asian shop and got some batteries and cheap paint brushes for my front gate. 

All for £5.00 

Can throw the brushes away afterwards, not worth saving cheap brushes.

Sunday 

Not out today Sunday as it snowed during the night, gone now but still quite cold, so just topped up the bird feeders and wrapped up some Christmas presents.

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The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending and have the two as close as possible.

I don't suffer from stress he said, I'm a carrier!.

Why don't Mexico have an Olympic team?,

All the Mexicans who can run, jump or swim are already in the USA.

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