A Little Autumn Colour

For the last couple of days marauding rooks have raided Nugget’s robin feeder, ripped it off the Japanese maple, and robbed him of his food.

Jackie has baffled the thieves with a pair of hanging basket frames.

In contrast to yesterday’s dismal weather, today was clear, bright, and cold, taking every opportunity to display a little autumn colour.

Here is Margery’s Bed seen from the Cryptomeria Bed,

and sculpture Florence’s view of the house.

Weeping Birch leaves still linger

and the white solanum goes on forever.

 

Some Japanese maples have retained their leaves,

others have carpeted the lawn and paths with them.

The last scene above can be seen from the Fiveways end of the Phantom Path.

Jackie focussed on the grasses in the Palm Bed named for

the Cordeline Australis which is in fact evergreen.

Mrs Popple is one of the hardier fuchsias,

another of which, Delta’s Sarah, still attracts no doubt confused bees.

A number of pelargoniums still look down from hanging baskets, like this overlooking the Dragon bed in which

Ivy twines herself around one of the eponymous mythological figures.

Jackie spent much of the morning trying not to tread on Nugget while they were cobbling together a winter cold frame.

“Where’s Nugget?” (44a and 44b)

Wherever she moved to another location he was there first. Fortunately she took her camera.

“Where’s Nugget?” (44c and 44d)

Jackie also focussed on a sparrow with,

a pied wagtail,

and a white wagtail on the rooftop. I trust one of our birder readers will correct any errors in identification.

Late this afternoon Elizabeth visited to gather up bags of files that had remained in our single spare room since she moved out last year. She stayed for dinner which consisted of chicken marinaded in mango and chilli sauce; savoury rice topped with an omelette; and tender runner beans. My sister finished the Cotes du Rhone and I drank Chateau Berdillot Cotes de  Bourg 2018, while Jackie abstained.

 

 

 

 

72 comments

  2. Young Nugget has a taste for living dangerously – it reminds me of when Siddy was a tiny pup and was constantly getting trod on due to his need to be right there. Little Nugget wouldn’t have survived life with me 😀 Jackie’s rook deterrent is brilliant!

    Reply

  6. Excellent wagtail pictures from Jackie. They are very hard to photograph well because of the strong black and white contrast. It was good to see fuchsia still out, ours are long gone.

    Reply

  9. Your autumn colors are beautiful, Derrick and Jackie. We had a long drought at the end of the summer and then a couple weeks of rain and then it got cold (19 degrees two nights ago). Many of our leaves turned brown and fell during the drought, and now the rest are falling off still green.

    Wonderful pictures of the birds, Jackie. We have no wagtails here, but we do have sparrows.

    It’s amazing how easy it is to spot Nugget from the front and how hard it is to spot him from the back. But I found all 4 of the little fellow. I still can’t believe he’s stuck around like this. What a story!

    Reply

  13. Framing and play of light in many photos are marvellous. Suspended stalks and flowers have been supremely captured. Mr Nugget is perched on the thin ledge poring on the flower pots.

    Reply

  18. I think photographing Nugget is a ‘must’ every day for he is very photogenic, even when trying to blend in with the foliage.

    Reply

  21. That is a wonderful array of colours you have there, Derrick! I think your wagtail identification is fine. White and pied are difficult to separate, much more so than the books would have you believe. Those rooks must have been a right bunch of Vikings. I’ve never seen a bird feeder left like that!

    Reply

  22. Poor Nugget! Life is tough even for a robin. Other birds can be pesty. 🙁
    So glad Jackie has his back and is watching out for him in all the areas of his life. 🙂
    Good to see Nugget! And he’s a good hider when his backside is to the camera. HA! 🙂
    You are capturing the beauty of autumn, Derrick! 🙂
    HUGS!!! 🙂

    Reply

  25. Lots of beautiful color–including Nugget himself. I was telling my husband about Nugget yesterday and how your robins are different from ours–so just showed him photos. 🙂
    Jackie is so clever and handy!

    Reply

Leave a Reply