Scozmo's Photery

June 4th, I headed out for a walk around the patch, the area around our home that I can walk and explore without the need of the car. It’s probably a few square miles of fields, woodlands, reed beds and ponds, what more does a chap need?

It was a mixed day, weather wise, as so many days are now, the sky was cloudy with patches of blue but, there was a stiff Easterly breeze that chilled me when I was fully exposed to it. I hadn’t dressed for that chill but, once out of the wind, I was warm enough. I’m finding that to be the case more often this last few weeks; I dressed for the chill and end up sweating or, I dress down a bit and feel the cold. Not complaining though, I’d rather have variety than the same old thing every day.

I actually walked all the way down the lane without taking one photograph, maybe that chill wind was keeping all the creatures under cover? (The lane is almost exactly 1 mile long.) A Red Kite did cruise over me as I walked but I wasn’t quick enough.

It was only as I started the return leg that I saw some activity.

As I cleared the trees, I spotted the Shelduck pair next to the first pond, they were there last year at least but, I’ve never seen a hint of a nest or young, maybe this year?

I was surprised they stayed in place as I walked closer, they tend to be very shy birds.

I tried creeping slowly forward and not looking directly at them, just checking they were still around …

See! Up and away. They flew off over the hill but I know they won’t go far and they usually come back. This is a fairly popular walk in this area.

I was surrounded by House & Sand Martins whizzing by, dipping down to the pond along with a few Swallows but I wasn’t going to catch many shots of them, way too fast for me but, I did spot a few Swifts and managed to catch one of them.

Not the best shot ever but I was happy enough just to catch one, for now, I’ll work on it 🙂

UP at the second and third ponds, I searched around for butterflies and interesting bugs, for a short while but the third pond had a few Damselflies hanging around.

There was still quite a good breeze blowing so it took me a while to get these shots of a Large Red Damselfly.

This pond is surrounded by orchids, mostly Marsh Orchids, I think.

I spotted that bug once I was back here at the Mac and submitted it to iNaturalist for ID. I spotted another Damselfly by the water.

A Blue-tailed Damselfly this time.

From this point I have a couple of choices for the walk back up the hill, this time I chose to take the lower slope, which takes me back to the lane with a climb up that left to do, just because I could 🙂

A Buzzard scared the bejeezus out of me as I walked through the woods, taking off from a low branch just in front of me but that was about all I saw, all the way back to the old Oak, where I spotted this wee beauty,

Ever since I spotted Nuthatches in this area, I’ve been coming up as often as possible to drop some food on two fence posts, a bird mix on one and a squirrel mix on the other. Quite often the squirrels go for the bird mix and the peanuts in it.

This one saw me and disappeared up the Oak tree so I’m assuming not one of my regulars. I hung around for a good while, watching Coal Tits, Great Tits, Chaffinch drop in to eat and a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers checking it out but staying away, was too close for them ….. this time 🙂

So, I was about to turn and head for home when ……

I’ll finish editing the photos and share them on the next post 😉

patch photos