Autumn Light

There are several butterflies in this blog that are the same species. With this one, is not so much the butterfly but the light that it was captured in. Lovely typical autumn sunshine.

Autumn Colours

Autumn can be the time for some lovely vibrant colours. Not only with the ripened fruit but also leaves. The fern caught my eye as it was being bathed in the autumn sun. Very surprisingly there are still blackberries to be had in the hedgerows.

Prime Beef

Came across these cattle toward the latter stages of my walk. Looked in very fine condition, feeding on the Devon grass.

Southern Hawker

I was very well pleased to get a photo of this one. Dragonflies are such wonderful creatures. Basking in the sun, this one a Southern Hawker very much obliged.

Butterflies

These two were lazing in the sun. One on the left had quite tatty wings. While the roght was in quite good condition. Am still surprised at the amount of butterflies still around. After stalking several, i still never managed to get a photo of a Red Admiral.

Comma

Looking for butterflies around the lanes today, and came across this lovely one. Identified it later as a comma. Basking in the morning sunshine. Not easy to sneak up on and get a photo. Patience being the operative word.

Wall Brown

Took the camera up around the lanes today as it was quite sunny. My aim was to try and spot, then photograph some butterfy`s. Spotting was the easy part. Taking a photo was not without a large helping of patience. This one to the right, after trying to identify it looks like it could be a Wall Brown. It was actually above my head and had to hold an slr camera with one hand at arms length. Not a bad try.

Speckled Wood.

The quiet country lane was all of a flutter today. There were several of these butterflies dancing about in the dappled autumn sun.

Had to look it up when i got home. Seems that it is a Speckled Wood. Very nice looking butterfly.

This is the second butterfly that i came across. Same as the first one. It looked quite majestic fluttering around in the autumn sun.

Waiting Collection

The farmer has been very busy this last couple of weeks or so. No doubt in due course the two fields with these type of bales will soon be collected and put in a dry place.

The Last Straw

It has been a busy week for the farmer. Taking advantage of the good weather, has managed to get in the corn harvest. Cut and baled a field of hay. Today i found that he has baled the straw.

Will start all over again with the ploughing up of the fields that were planted.

Hedgerow Fruits

This is a lovely time of year to be walking through the country lanes. The fruits of autumn is getting into full swing.

Elderberries are a plenty, hazlenuts strewn over the pathways. I did crack a few and they were bursting with nuts inside. In fact the ones i had cracked had shell to shell nuts inside. Completely full.

However i came across this fruit that i had not seen before. They are not slothes, and are the size of a large cherry. A search on the internet gave me "Wild Damsons". They are plum like and the smell is simular. Would like to hear from anybody who might shed some light.

Making Hay While The Sun Shines

Taking my usuall walk through the lanes a few days ago, heard a tractor in a field. The farmer was cutting grass to make hay. Managed to get a quite nice photo before he had finished.

Quite like the pattern the cut grass made and quite a nice countryside backdrop.

Common Frog

Was going through the lanes and something caught my eye in front of me. Was when i got up close that i could see what it was. A quick search on the internet revealed it was a common frog.

Did not think it was a toad as it was too smooth. Did not realize according to what i had read it was our only native frog. At least it was the only one listed. Taken with a compact camera not the greatest of shots.

started the harvest

Wandering through the lanes, see that the farmer has made a start in getting the crop in. Straw has been there for several days now, guess with the unseasonal weather life is hard down on the farm.

Took another walk through the lanes to have a look at the cornfields. The farmer did make an attempt at cutting last week. Unfortunately the weather was against him.

This very atmospheric photo shows what the farmer is up against.

Walking through the lanes i came across an open farm gate. Gently walking inside just a few yards and came across these birds by the hay bales.

First time i have seen these birds up close. I knew they were in the general area. I believe that they are French Partridge. But alas for them their time here will be not in the long term. They are raised for shoots. No doubt some will survive and go on to raise offspring.

June is a nice month for orchids. So i set out with camera to get some pics. I was not disappointed with what i found. These flower up the playing fields every year. Credit to the council who let the perimeter of the fields grow wild. Thus encouraging wild life and flowers.

Although this one has a nice tilt to it, i liked the fact that the buttercup was nestled beneath it. Gave it a nice combination.

This lovely flower i came across where the orchids are flowering. Dont think it is a wild one, more an escapee. Still very nice and doing very well.

Came across this butterfly fluttering around the long grass. Took what seemed ages to get a photo as it was not very approachable. Believe it is one of those Painted Ladies we are hearing a lot about this summer.

Collared Dove

As the weather was very good i decided to go out with camera on the usuall route through the lanes. Actually thought i may see something. Was not until the last part of the walk that i actually did. A young collared dove must have fallen out of the nest and was under a big fir tree.

Could hear a lot of cooing, so mum must have been in the vicinity keeping an eye on it, and no doubt feeding it as well. The area is quite remote and the young bird would be quite safe. I dont think any intervention from me, although with very good intentions would have been appropriate.

Collared Dove

As the bird was not frightened of my presence, decided to get a more close up of its head. As i had a tele lens on the camera was able to zoom in rather than move closer. Better for the bird all round.

The Old Railtrack

These lovely daffodils were in full bloom, and added a lovely splash of colour along the old railtrack. Will be intersting to see what else grows along there through the seasons.

The Old Railtrack

This casting can bee seen about half way along the railtrack. It is very intracate when looked at closeup. And is also a signpost.

The Old Railtrack

This is an old railtrack that has been turned into a public footpath. A large section of it is an embankment. One side a valley and the other looking into fields. When it rains a lot there is a marshy area that gets a bit more flooded, and ducks can be seen.

The Old Railtrack

On the way back home i noticed this tree in a front garden. What surprised me was the amount of birds that were flying in to it to use the feeders that hang from it. From the very short time was there, noticed sparrows, great and blue tit, chaffinch, and goldfinch. just goes to show, even though very near a road the tree provides the birds with somewhere safe.

A walk To The Creek

This bird looked well hidden in the brambles. From a distance i thought there may be a bird there. Was not until i extended the tele lens and had a look that it comfirmed this.

Had a look to try to identify it, but was not an easy task. So no positive id for this lovely little bird.

A walk To The Creek

This little fella was certainly singing its heart out, and just had to get a pic. Did notice after loading pics onto computer that they do vary in shapes and sizes. This one looks plump compared to the next one.

One thing that i have noticed while out on these walks. One is never to far away from a robin. Always manage to see them wherever i am along the lanes. This one was looking very prim and proper.

A walk To The Creek

walking the lane to the creek i noticed this daffodil sunning itself in the bank. Looks like the locals have planted bulbs in this bank. Certainly added a lovely touch of spring colour.

A walk To The Creek

Got down to the creek and startled these ducks. They immediataly started swimming downstream, so took a photo as fast as i could.

Pity that i was shooting into the sun. As the creek is tidal would not have got far enough in front of them, to have the sun behind me.

Landscape And Buildings

Here is a view just up the road from where i live. Call it "my back yard". Pass this view whenever i go to the lanes for a walk.

Is lovely as one goes through the seasons. This year the distant hills were covered in snow.

Landscape And Buildings

This building, although now abandoned must have been very nice in its day. The granite frames around the windows and doors, make it a very unique building indeed. The granite being finely carved, no doubt with hammer and chisels. Very hard work, but the finnished product lovely.

Landscape And Buildings

This is a lovely cottage along a quite remote lane. I believe the owner if not the present, used to be a local disc jockey on a local station.

Has an assortment of bird feeders in the garden.

Landscape And Buildings

This farmer has recently ploughed the field. Although it is a very large one, and crops equal money, was a shame to see that he had ploughed right up to the hedge. Hardly any room even to walk down through. Not very wildlife friendly.

Neighbouring farm leaves plenty of room. Having chatted with him, has also put up owl boxes in his barns. Now theres a result.

Spring is in the air.

Intended today to head for the pond to see if there was any frogs there spawning.

Looking for interesting things to photograph along the way. There was a profusion of snowdrops on the bank. As i had posted earlier a lot of them, decided this time just the one.

Spring is in the air.

Got to the pond where the frogs go to spawn, and noticed that there was some very fresh spawn. Unfortunately there were no frogs around while i was there. Bit of a shame that i had never seen any.

Also while i was there a dog was wading through the pond, which was a shame. The person was not aware that there was frog spawn in the pond.

Spring is in the air.

This is the first wild primroses that i have seen so far this year. Just the two flowers. Did notice a couple more flowering along the bank.

Along The Lanes

Last years oak apples caught my eye as they were in a semi circle.

Once this years growth comes through the cycle will begin all over again. Nature dont stand still, is going on all of the time, no matter the season.

Along The Lanes

Walking country lanes can throw up all sorts of surprises. This ram had his little harem of ewes with him. By the look of them, and how clean they are, would suggest they are either show or special breeding stock. Lovely looking animals i must say.

They took off up the field after the first photo, but luckily still stayed in view. Which in turn gave me a second opportunity to get a photo. The sky gives a pleasant backdrop to this photo.

Along The Lanes

Had a period of sunshine today, so made the most of it to walk the lanes.

On the bird front was not a lot to be seen, but other things to see.

This moss caught my eye, as it was very lush. The wet weather certainly did some good here.

Down to a small country lane, is a lovely walk at the best of times. Down the bottom i came across these little gems. Snowdrops in the winter sun. Sure was a sight to behold. They covered the bank up to the hedge. It was lovely to see.

Despite the cold weather

Have added this photo that i took a couple of days after the original despite the cold weather post. Shot against the light with only the camera built in flash for fill light. But i kind of like it. The softness of the photo seems to work.

Have added yet another of the blue flowers. Mainly because it is so pretty and of the way i managed to process the image. The flower is just wanting to stand out and be noticed.

Despite the cold weather

Came across this owl in the wall of an old building. Despite being run down and having no roof. No doubt the building has a lot of history.

I noticed that the windows took on a gothic appearance with granite frames. Even in its present state no doubt there is a hive of activity in the walls. with all kinds on animals.