Towards the end of yesterday afternoon Giles collected me from home and drove me to the bird hide at Milford on Sea. It is his task to lock up the accessible public facility at 5 p.m. or dusk, whichever is earlier. We spent a happy hour in each other’s company as I benefitted from my friend’s avian knowledge.
Alongside the stilted structure bird feeders hang from trees. A couple of sleek, well-fed, rats crouched poised to scoop up spillage. Note the hind toes clinging to a fallen branch for purchase while tiny hands clutch the spoils.
In the distance, against the backdrop of holiday homes, a variety of gulls and swans skimmed over the stream reflecting the bordering reeds.
Groups of swans sought rest, relaxation, and sustenance on the soggy terrain.
A pair of mallards dozed among the tufts; nearby a Brent goose investigated dining options.
I had forgotten my specs, so relied upon Giles to spot and direct me to this godwit wading amongst the teal.
I have John Knifton to thank for my being able to identify the teal from the luminous green flashes on their sunlit plumage.
When it was time for us to depart, Giles scaled a wooden fence and went Wombling to gather rubbish blown into the bird sanctuary.
It is the best part of half a century since I last photographed my friend reflected upside down in his glass chessboard while we were playing a game in 1973.
Yesterday evening Jackie produced perfect roast chicken, potatoes, and parsnips; Yorkshire pudding; sage and onion stuffing; crunchy carrots and broccoli; and rich red cabbage.
Much of today was spent on culling photographs and putting this post together.
This evening we dined at The Royal Oak. We both enjoyed crisp battered haddock; chunky chips with intact peel; garden peas that, like lemmings, were dead set on diving off the plate and rolling off the table; and onion rings containing slices of onion rather than the usual mush. We shared a carafe of most potable Pino Grigio.
Nice to spend time with old friends in a familiar surrounding of years past.
Thanks very much, Gary
What a pleasant way to spend an hour with an old friend, Derrick. You certainly got some good photos even without your specs. I love the description of both of your meals, especially the onion rings and stuffing. 😃
Thanks very much, Sylvia
Those are fabulous reflection photos of your old friend Derrick – old friends are a wonderful gift aren’t they!
They are indeed, Pauline. Thanks very much
New friends too.
Quite so
🙂
Yes – I loved the two reflection photos of Giles – and, as always, happy to understand what the title is about.
I do like to keep you guessing, Jodie 🙂
You devil.
🙂
What a beautiful bird sanctuary. It could keep anybody interested for a couple of hours or more. I can remember when I first started birdwatching,how entranced I was by that green colour on the teal’s wing. One of Nature’s great colours.
Many thanks, John
There’s nothing better than just watching waterfowl. Even napping mallards are watchable — it surely was a fine outing. Interesting that you speak of a ‘hide,’ while our term is ‘bird blind.’ Now that I’m thinking about it, our term seems curiously ambiguous.
It does, Linda. Thanks very much
Great photos! That was wonderful that your friend went to the trouble to pick up the trash. Good for him!
Thanks very much, JoAnna
Loved the photos, Derrick, esp the reflective ones and specifically, the one with just the boots but all of your friend in the reflection. Of course, the rats were magnificent.
Thank you very much, Steve. I like to have something of the setting in a reflection to give it context
Oh, yes, I love roasted chicken, but ‘perfectly’ roasted would be even better now, wouldn’t it. The wine sounds excellent. I can’t drink much alcohol but broke down and enjoyed a bottle of Pinot Grigio this past week. A Barefoot wine from California. Yummy.
The wine choice is a happy coincidence, Steve. My first since before my op. Thanks very much
Yes, ‘ops’ have a way of interfering with the business of ‘real
Life’, like eating and drinking. Doc told me ‘no more than one beer a day’. I thought, he didn’t say what size, so… 😂 Have a great day!
🙂
The photos are lovely, Derrick. You did them without your glasses? It looks like a pleasant day spent with a friend who could point out the birds. And thanks for “Wombling,” such a wonderful word.
I laughed at your lemming peas, and I guess it’s a good sign that you had wine with dinner.
(I’m craving onion rings now.) 🙂
Many thanks, Merril. First wine since 7th January. Glad you liked the pics, the peas, and the Wombles
You’re welcome–see, I was paying attention. 🙂
Always
Your photos are spectacular, Derrick! Gosh, I can’t even see my camera without my glasses!
The viewfinder is clear without specs, so Giles just had to direct me to get the camera pointed in the right place 🙂 Thanks a lot, Jill
Are swans native to southern England? They certainly seem at home. My least favourite vegetable in the whole wide world is peas. The floor can have them! Though choking them down with a tolerable Pinot Grigio might help me cope.
The mute swan, which I have featured is. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mute_swan
I like peas, but they are difficult to control. Thanks very much, Susanne
‘I eats my peas with honey,
I’ve done it all my life,
It makes the peas taste funny,
But it sticks them to my knife!
🙂
Jackie makes me laugh.
🙂
A very rewarding amount of birds to watch from your hide.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal. I tried to get a few flying for you 🙂
What better way to spend time than with an old friend out in nature where there are birds to watch. And your meals! I may have to buy a chicken this week.
Thanks very much, Lisa
And the rat was cute as a button. Forgot to mention that on the first comment. Very sleek on that birdseed diet.
Thanks again, Lisa
Lisa, my thoughts exactly!
🙂
You sure see some pretty sights.
They are all around us, Mrs W. Thanks very much
Your welcome
Those are beautiful photos, Derrick. I especially love the little rat. He is quite sweet-looking. Looks like you had a fun day out!
Thank you very much. Lavinia. It was a good trip. Giles spotted the rats
How wonderful to spend that precious time with your friend Giles! 🙂 I love the shots of him…especially the reflection photos! And how lovely of him to gather the rubbish! I wish I could give him a hug of thanks! 🙂
I shall click on the Wombling link because I do not know what it is!
I was so looking forward your seabird photos and they did NOT disappoint! Beautiful captures, Derrick, of the birds!
HA! (I snorted 😀 ) on diving, rolling peas! And YAY for real onions in the onion rings! 🙂
HUGS!!! 🙂
Very many thanks, Carolyn, for such close observation and careful comments – as always. X
Many wonderful reflections today Derrick, the male Teal in particular!
Nicely done – even if it took a ‘while’ to produce! 😉
Thanks a lot, Bob. That is why I didn’t post it the night before 🙂
I was thinking more of the 46 year period it covers for the ‘production’. 😉
🙂
That is why I always have mushy peas!
🙂 Good thinking, Andrew. Thanks a lot
Beautiful gallery Derrick.
Thanks very much, Rupali
You do good work whether you have your glasses on or not!
Thanks very much, GP
Nice birdy day. Right up my alley.
Thanks very much, Sherry
Ahhh, he hasn’t changed a bit. What a cool idea–your ability to recreate the upside down shot. Sounds like a pleasant afternoon.
Thanks very much, Cindy
Many things to see! Believe it or not, I was especially taken with your photos of the rat. Somehow, rather than looking creepy or menacing, the rat looked like any other creature foraging for a meal. A generous photo, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Laurie. Our children all had pet rats
My goodness! No wonder you took that lovely picture.
Matthew had one that spent the night in its open cage then went upstairs and waited outside his door until he emerged
Oh, my! Rats have a lot more to them than most people know. They are creatures with an emotional life.
Good job you had Giles as a human form of specs or you’d have missed out on so much (or rather, we all would have). The chessboard picture of him is very Salvador Dali. Guinea pigs are my rodents of choice, but sleek rats make a good substitute.
Thank you very much, Susan
Looks brilliant, what a lovely place and great photographs.
Colonel Hawker used to hunt in the Milford area in the mid 1800, if I had known you were going there I could have lent you my Punt Gun!!!
🙂 My lens is nearly as long as the gun. Thanks a lot, Rob
A most pleasant place. This world would be much less colorful without the birds.
Thanks a lot, Pleasant. Agreed
When I read “godwit wading amongst the teal,” I thought teal was some sort of vegetation. I had to look it up to realize it was another kind of duck. They are lovely. We have the mallards and the swans, but both the goodwit and the teal are new to me. Bravo to Giles for picking up trash. As I was running along my road today I thought I might have to do a blog post on littering.
Thanks very much, Jodie. I have only recently learned of both these birds.
LOVE learning!
Esca-peas!!! 🙂 … I see what you mean about that teal flash, rather stunning. 🙂
Your comment set my pulses racing, Widders. Many thanks
Heh, heh, heh 😀
🙂
The green in the teal is beautiful and also the other birds. The photos bring the place alive. Yorkshire pudding brings to mind James Herriot 🙂
Very many thanks, Lakshmi
I love seeing all the different birds,especially the teal. You are so good at capturing reflections!
Thanks very much, Clare
These photos are especially nice. My favourite is the reflection of rubber boots, and I love that you were able to capture the godwit.
Thanks very much, Crystal
We just had Pinot Grigio with dinner – how about that! I like the chessboard reflection photo, Derrick; do you still have the one you had taken years ago?
I do still have the colour slide, Dolly. A nice wine coincidence. Thanks very much
I am sure you have the colour slide, whatever that is… I am not much of a photographer, Derrick, and all my photos are taken by my little old phone which is not even a Smartphone, but rather a Dumbphone.
🙂