The first couple of hours this morning were bright and breezy. After that the skies clouded over and the atmosphere gained weight. Later in the afternoon rain resumed its descent.
We therefore drove out to the forest soon after 10 a.m., First visiting
the pony, Gimlet who left off chewing his breakfast hay to crunch the carrot I offered.
She was quite impressed that I had successfully employed the Sue W. flat hand technique.
Before leaving home I had printed a couple of large copies of the photographs of Anne and her steed taken a few days ago. We delivered these to her place of work at Kitchen Makers. She was very pleased.
We continued on to Pilley Hill, the verges of which were awash with several varieties of daffodil.
The 11th century pub Fleur de Lys is in the background of this image.
The owners of a recently sold house at Norley Wood had engaged a group of asinine hedge clippers.
Richard Adams, in ‘Watership Down’ describes how rabbits become road kill when they freeze in the glare of car headlights.
Fortunately for this creature cutting the grass it was daytime and our headlights were extinguished.
Other examples of small creatures meeting their death on the country roads are pheasants who seem to wait for vehicles to arrive then dash across in a game of chicken.
Young squirrels, who can’t possibly reach maturity will leg it in front of the car in an effort to outrun it.
Ponies and donkeys, not usually the most energetic animals, normally just stand stolidly in the road. Today we met a group attempting to emulate the squirrel.
As we turned from Norley Wood Road down the hill towards East End, a trio of ponies ambled out of Broomhill and trotted off towards a drove of donkeys already in occupation.
After taking a slight diversion to see how the neighbouring alpacas were doing
these animals picked up their heels and set a pace which had their smaller cousins racing on ahead.
A pair of more nonchalant donkeys emerged from the field on the left. They simply stepped aside for us.
Others kept up the pace
despite oncoming traffic. Eventually we managed to pass them without a collision.
This afternoon, while photographing Nugget at his trough,
Jackie became concerned about an apparently ailing blue tit curled up,
gasping, clinging to a feeder for upwards of half an hour.
Eventually it raised its head and seized a suet pellet.
Soon it decanted to the wisteria, from which it subsequently disappeared.
This evening we dined on succulent roast duck breasts, boiled potatoes, crisp Yorkshire pudding, crunchy carrots, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, with tender runner beans. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Lacaze Cabernet-Carmenere 2017.
Love the equine photos and those of daffodils which surely herald spring.
Thanks very much, Sheree.
Wonderful sightings, Derrick. The host of golden daffodils are delightful. Your dinner sounds like a real feast. Nice to see dear Nugget again. 😍
Thank you very much, Sylvia
I see your trip to the forest today was full of horses’ and donkeys’ tails, Derrick.
That is a swish comment, Dolly. Thank you very much.
Thank you for the chuckle, Derrick. You are very welcome.
🙂
Sadly, I can’t really help you about the blue tit. Perhaps he had something stuck in his throat or he may have just flown into one of your windows ( that would leave a mark on the glass, perhaps, looking like pollen or flour). Perhaps he was in shock after being seized by a cat or a sparrowhawk.
My best guess would be the window!
Ours, too, John. Thanks very much.
Stunning captures!
Thanks very much, Sumith
Maybe the little blue tit had knocked into a window. Sometimes they’ll sit for a while to get their bearings. Nugget is looking quiet demure. Spring has sprung!
That’s what we thought, Jill. Thanks very much.
The photos of the birdies at the trough are brilliant. Absolutely stunning.
Thanks very much, Drew. From me and from Jackie who photographed that sequence.
I must ask, is it free and open range for the horses and asses? Do they of an evening return to their rightful farms for supplemental feeding? I also wonder if the equines enjoy munching on daffodils. Wonder montage of photos.
They spend all their time roaming free. They are owned by commoners who have rights of pasturage. As far as we know they are not partial to daffodils. You may like this earlier post: https://derrickjknight.com/2016/08/30/the-drift/
Thanks very much, Maj and Sher.
The bird photos are just so wonderful.
They are Jackie’s, of course, Gary – so thanks very much from us both.
I suspect that that blue tit is not long for this world.
We suspect you are right, Tootlepedal. Thanks very much.
Thank you for sharing more of those wonderful daffodils. Today I was emailing with a colleague who also works remotely, and when she remarked that she was watching three donkeys near her house, I immediately thought of you.
I’ll take the three donkeys as a complimentary connection. 🙂 That’s very much, Liz.
Yes! 🙂
One of the most realistic and hilarious cartoons I’ve seen involved a mother squirrel instructing her babies on how to deal with traffic. “Remember,” she said. “When you see a car coming, be sure to run both ways.”
🙂 Thanks very much, Linda.
So glad top see the fuzzy faces again and the bright yellows. And what herds you have there–quite the sight! Always a pleasure to visit your places, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Cynthia.
Sharing your space with so many animals might be a challenge for some, but a slower pace would be good for many of us. The daffodils are lovely.
The pace suits us at our stage of life, JoAnna. Many thanks.
Looks like a lovely day.
We enjoyed it, Mrs W. Thank you very much.
Your welcome.
Beautiful photos from your day, Derrick and Jackie, especially the forest drive and its cast of characters, including Gimlet.
Good to see Nugget at his trough. I hope that poor blue tit at the suet feeder was not sick.
I guess we’ll never know about the blue tit. We wondered whether it had flown into a window. Thanks very much, Lavinia.
cheers to nugget and daffodils and the beauty here.
🙂
Thanks very much, Yvette
😊🐝
and just for fun:
https://wp.me/a1VBv6-4VC
I’ll take that, Yvette. Thanks very much 🙂
Hahah
Gorgeous pics Derrick. Love the daffodils. As for the road blocks I’d prefer that sort of traffic any day!
We don’t mind it at all, Miriam. Thanks very much.
Those are outstanding landscape photographs. What you have said about the squirrels is sadly so true! Out here, we have stray cattle emulating the squirrels to a deadly effect.
Thanks very much, Uma. I thought the cattle couldn’t be killed?
The idea has compounded the problem, especially in the rains. The cattle find the highways dry and tractable and flock to occupy patches. The isolated members get jittery and pose existential questions to the motorists.
Ah
It is so annoying when the animals in front start running away in front of you. All you want is for them to give way.
As a New York cabbie once said, when it was pointed out that he had ‘right-of-way’, Right of way is not something you’ve got it’s something that’s given to you. And if it’s not given to you, you ain’t got it.
We certainly ain’t, John 🙂 Thanks a lot.
You two bring such joy to so many! Joy to human-beans, to feathered-friends, to furry-friends, etc! Thank you, Jackie and Derrick! 🙂
So good to see Mr. Nugget looking fit and happy! 🙂
Glad Gimlet got a carrot! 🙂
It is very sad when creatures are just doing their thing and end up hurt or dead after encountering a vehicle. 🙁
(((HUGS)))
And thank you very much for these lovely comments, Carolyn X
I can’t help but smile at all the animals on the road yesterday! Thank you for remembering a carrot for Gimlet – you’ve got a new friend there!!
🙂 Thanks very much, GP
I think it’s so amazing that all those animals walk freely on the roads.
This is unthinkable in Belgium, perhaps maybe in a remote little village in the ardennes.
Would love to explore your region.
Greetings from Lieve in Flanders
Thanks very much, Lieve.
Such a wonderful set of photos. I love daffodils, and it always brightens my spirits to see them.
The series of photos with more and more animals joining the journey–adventure? Pilgrimage?
Jackie’s series of bird photos are wonderful–I like the framing through the branches and parts of the trough.
Thank you very much, Merril. Jackie’s pics were all taken through the window.
Excellent! 🙂
What lovely photography! I enjoyed specially the daffodils, the horses, the bunny and the bird photos.
Thank you very much from us both, Geetha.
Most welcome and thank you really for sharing with us your wonderful days
You captured nature in all its beauty and alarm. Nature sustains us, and it breaks our hearts.
Thank you so much, Laurie
Lovely, lovely photos. I really must get over to the New Forest again! What a splendid place you live in! ….. and this time of year is so prettily rural. A world away from the old days in Wimbledon. Sheila.
Very many thanks, Sheila. Good to hear from you.
Asinine hedge trimmers. 😉 Loved seeing Nugget.
Thanks very much, Leslie 🙂
Love the ‘Running of the Donkeys … and the Ponies … and the Alpacas’! 😀
Thanks very much, Widders.
Spring is coming! That daffodils are so beautiful! Gimlet now got used to a better breakfast 🥕 😉
🙂 Thank you very much, Ribana
I saw a post on Facebook this week. It said we put the clocks forward this month so that means one hour less of rain!
🙂 Thanks for that, Andrew
Another impressive photo-tour of your beautiful Forest. Thank you, Derrick.
And thank you, Roland. Much appreciated.
We had a hobby hawk hit our balcony glass and look decidedly unwell. We put it in a big cardboard box overnight, wrapped in rags. Didn’t look hopeful. In the morning, we took it to a nearby woody patch and turned the box on its side. After a time of getting its bearings, it emerged, blinked about, and took off. Fingers crossed for your blue tit.
We haven’t found a body 🙂 Thanks very much, Gwen