This afternoon Jackie drove me to Eyeworth Pond and back to watch the birds.
Golden gorse glowed in the sunshine on Hinchelsea Moor and many others.
The deciduous trees, like this oak, are all filling with foliage.
Walkers along the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive
gave scale to the giant redwoods.
Mandarin ducks are not native to UK, but we now have a feral population which originates from escapees from collections. These two males brightened an otherwise dull Eyeworth Pond.
Birders tend to place nuts and other food on the posts of the gate to the woodland footpath. A moss-covered log has recently been added. The blue tits, a coal tit, a nuthatch, chaffinches and sparrows were extremely busy today swooping to pick up and dart off with nutriment for the babies in their nearby nests.
A pair of sparrows left a tardy chaffinch on the ground beneath the post upon which they filled their beaks, debating who should set off first. Although not up to his flying bird sequence the last of these pictures is a nod to Tootlepedal.
Alongside Cadnam Lane a couple of pigs have joined
the grazing ponies and recumbent cattle now fertilising the greens alongside Cadnam Lane
One pony demonstrated its ungainly rise from the ground;
a small Shetland was definitely having a bad hair day.
This evening we dined on succulent chicken Kiev; Lyonnaise potatoes with lashings of onions; red cabbage cooked with butter and red wine; and crunchy carrots and cauliflower. Jackie finished the Sauvignion Blanc, while I drank the last of the Carménere.
your pictures are stunning, I especially love the pigs and horses……..to have such hair flowing in the wind would be amazing. 🙂
Thank you very much, Wendi
My pleasure. May your day bring you smiles. 🙂
Love your photos, particularly those of the birds and animals. Adore the porkers!
Thanks very much, Sheree
I was thinking recently that I rarely if ever see a pig around here. My suspicion is that it might be too hot to raise them successfully, although the feral hogs and javelinas do a marvelous job of multiplying and, by the way, tearing up the landscape. Your bad hair day pony is delightful. My bad hair days should look so good.
Thank you very much, Linda
quality post
Many thanks, Obaid
pleasure
I love the “golden gorse,” and the Mandarin Ducks are definitely eye-catching. Somehow I didn’t notice the top photo, and I wondered who was having the bad day. I’m glad it wasn’t you or Jackie. 😉
🙂 Thanks very much, Merril
The golden gorse is gorgeous…wonderful shots, Derrick. I’ve never seen a Mandarin duck. I love their markings. I’m laughing at the photo of the first pig…he’s huge!
I’m guessing that huge pig is a “she.” lol
🙂
I think so! 🙂
Thanks a lot, Jill. I’d never seen such a duck before, either
Those Mandarin ducks are stunning. And it’s sweet that the birders put out food – just like people put out food for the ponies. Are you guys nicer than we are ? Or maybe more connected to nature? You certainly live with a lot of nature wandering about. Just thinking out loud a bit.
I’m not sure why that bad hair pony reminds me of Tina Turner – but there you have it.
🙂 Very many thanks, Jodie. Had to Google the ducks to find out what they were. I’m sure we are not nicer than you.
Well, no one is nicer than ME . . .
🙂
I can relate to the tousled pony! 😀
🙂 Thanks very much, Pauline
What a marvelous collection of creatures. The pigs look enormous. Love the pony’s bad hair day. I’m going out for dinner tonight and it’s very windy here, so mine will most probably look a bit like that but not nearly as cute. 😅
Thanks very much, Sylvia.
Fantastic pony shot. I like her hair – wild and free! I learned something again from one of your posts, that Giant Redwoods grow in England. I had thought them native only to California.
They were imported. The only other ones I know are at Kew – there may, of course, be more. And there is Gladstone’s sequoia: https://derrickjknight.com/2013/12/09/gladstones-landmark/
The shetland pony is adorable, the meal sounds divine, and the gorse can’t help but remind me of Sylvia Plath.
Thanks very much, Luanne
Nice to see the nuthatch, Derrick.
I was pleased at that, too, Clare. Thanks very much
A beautiful post – so full of life and the grandeur of the trees. I like the pony’s wild hair and that ponies don’t care what their hair looks like. 🙂
Thank you very much for your close reading and careful comments, JoAnna
That is a gorgeous outing, Derrick, and your photographs attest the fact. The walkers have truly given a scale to the giant redwoods. The immigrant ducks appear to be as content and home as the ponies and pigs in the greens.
They you very much for your close perusal and generous comments, Uma
You’ve excelled your usual high standard with these photographs Derrick. Aren’t those redwoods amazing trees!
Many thanks, Gwen. They are indeed
Excellent bird photographs, Derrick, and the bonus of those gaudy Mandarin ducks.
Thanks a lot, John. Jackie spotted them while I was focussing on the small birds
HA! 😀 Bad hair day, indeed! I snort-laughed! Then I frowned because my hair might look exactly like that when I get out of bed in the morning! 😮 😉 HA! 😛
Lovely photos, Derrick! A joy to look at each one of them.
Oh, I love the redwood trees. We lived among them in northern California. I never grew tired of seeing them. I even hugged a few of them.
You always capture the details and colors of the birdies so beautifully!
Thank you for taking us out and about with you!
HUGS for you and Jackie!!! 🙂
Very many thanks, Carolyn. Jackie says that had she known I was going to use this title she would have photographed me 🙂
HA! Tell Jackie what she said made me snort-laugh! 😀 Well, I think, having lots of hair that likes to do it’s own wild-n-crazy thing is fun! 🙂
🙂
Absolutely beautiful bird photos today Derrick! The Mandarins are spectacular aren’t they?
I think the pigs are looking decidedly boared! 😉
OK – i know when i’ve over-stayed my welcome! 🙂
Hope your Sunday is serene!
Thanks a lot Bob. Your puns get rasher and rasher
Oh – you didn’t? You did, didn’t you?
Ham just going to ignore that!
🙂
Oh… by the way, the brown Shetland reminds me of someone…? If i could just put my finger on it…….
Well, I’m certainly not putting my finger on it
😉
A bad hair day is adorable…..good morning Derrick, another fine round of images😊
Thanks very much, Kim
Wonderful clicks Derricks.
And the small Shetland looks super cute in those hair 🙂
Thank you very much, Rupali
I been having bad hair days since January. First it was because of the hats to keep me warm. Now it’s because of the wind. Wrangler asked when I was going to start wearing my hair down again. When the wind is normal again
I hope the wind subsides – I’m with Wrangler 🙂
It will about the time the summer heat hits
I love the birds! Your pictures are always wonderful.
Thank you very much, Cheryl
The photo of the sparrow in flight is beautiful. The pony’s hairstyle reminds one of Trump!
Many thanks, LL/PS. You are not alone in recognising the likeness to Trump
What a beautiful series of photos. I felt as though I were right there with you. That pony’s bad hair was mighty cute.
Very many thanks, Laurie
Lovely photographs. Many thanks 🙂
Thank you very much, Micheline
Oh, birds! Great captures, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Inese
Those ducks are as pretty as a picture;
The giant redwoods that you picture ; are they the same as the giant sequoia’s in California or a different species?The ones in Yosemite are truly magnificent
I’m not sure about the trees, Brian. Thanks very much