Animals

Bluebell with peacock butterfly,

Moor Copse

I've been to Moor Copse (Pangbourne) before but not for ages.  There are lots of different walks you can do, and - if you're like us - that includes one where you get completely lost in a boggy bit of ...

Robin through the kitchen window

In the garden and at Maiden Erlegh Lake

The weather has been up and down again with some rain and high winds but also some nice sunshine.  The birds are very busy in the garden and the pond is gradually looking more interesting. I have used the compost ...

Aston Rowant

Aston Rowant and Hambledon

We didn't know where to go the other day so decided to have a look at somewhere we had passed recently en route to Otmoor.  Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve turned out to be somewhere Paul has always wanted to ...

Roe Deer

Rook’s Nest Wood and early evening at the Downs

I had a short walk round Rook's Nest Wood as I haven't been there for ages.  There was an unusual yellow object in the sky but it was still windy.  The paths were mostly dry but there were some boggy ...

Squirrel, Nerja, April 2nd

Through fields and groves – Part 3

Onward and upward and I came across this obviously very young, sleek squirrel having an early lunch. It is the first squirrel I have seen in the area for quite a while. ...

Mandarin pair

Extremely cold walk around Whiteknights Lake

It has been bitterly cold, especially in the wind.  Water levels are still high although the paths are not too bad.  There were the usual ducks and gulls on the lake and there are new signs asking people not to ...

Pygmy Marmoset

Pygmy Marmoset

The Pygmy Marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) lives in the rainforests of South America and is only 14 cm long.  It has special teeth enabling it to  feed on gum and tree sap.  They are suffering from habitat loss and are also hunted ...

Two toed Sloth

Sloth

On our first visit to the Living Rainforest we saw a sign advising people not to get too close to the Sloth as it could scratch or bite!  We looked for any sign of a Sloth but didn't see it.  ...

Nerja, March 14th 2013

Wandering with the warblers

Wherever you go in this area there is always the almost constant sound of birdies. In town, unfortunately, it is the national habit of keeping small birds in minute cages, often on balconies or affixed to walls. Outside the town ...

Meerkats

Confusing times

I would never have believed it, but the advert must be true. I was in Fuengirola and searching for the local market, hoping to compare it to ours. I asked a local for directions and ended up with these guys. ...

Gull taking off

Another walk at Dinton

A quick walk at Dinton produced a bit of activity.  There are hundreds of gulls on the lakes and these two shots show a Herring Gull and a Black-headed Gull taking off. I nearly missed this Great-crested-Grebe because it was sitting ...

Indian Flying Fox

Indian Flying Fox

It is often said that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is almost certainly....a duck. Following that train of thought, if it looks like a bat, hangs upside down like ...

Smiling Cormorant

A few more photos from recent local walks

As said in an earlier post, a lingering cold has made walks difficult for the last week but these are some recent things I have seen, all at my usual local places.  Cormorants are ten-a-penny but they can vary in ...

Salmon Pink Bird-eating Spider

The Living Rainforest – a few oddments

This last post from my visit to The Living Rainforest just has a few things not featured in the separate posts.  I am starting with the Salmon Pink Bird-eating Spider - everyone's favourite!  Despite its name, it is not pink ...

Turtle pair

The Living Rainforest – Turtles, Stingrays etc

There was a large variety of Turtles and Tortoises, many swimming around among the fish in one of the large pools.  I didn't try and identify them all as it was a particularly busy area so that will have to ...

Little Blue Tit

A few small birds

A short walk at Moor Green was pleasant but surprisingly unproductive in the way of wildlife.  There were ducks on the lake, but mostly very distant and everything seemed very quiet so  I decided to take some photos of the ...