Getting back to what matters

Hi Folkes, I'm back again, yes between the rain yesterday, I managed to get out for half an hour and not get wet lol

I decided to head towards Daphne's pool, I didn't manage to get there, because I had some more surprises to photograph

First on to Vadar and Skipper, Exmoor ponies again brought in the keep the grass down, so all together we have six Exmoor Ponies woo hoo  and here they are

Not sure which is Vadar or which one was Skipper, but hey beautiful looking horses and doing a sterling job too.

Next I saw Geese a male and female sitting just behind the fence of the horses area, which looks onto the canal and there it was, another little one, boy did the dad let me have it, for maybe, being a little too close, he spat for England, so here is another nest site along the canal 

 Get away from me and my kid, you have been warned lol 

 Had enough of my picture been taken, heading back to you mom 

Well also I was told by another dog walker on the other side of the canal, some more Geese had some more babies three in total and there was also Moorhens with their chicks too, but the weather was closing in, so I didn't manage to go any further along, so I went back to the two bridges at the bottom of Netherton Hill and with happiness, I saw the first family of Geese I spotted on their nest site, woo hoo, all the little ones was sleeping while mom and dad was cleaning themselves and keeping a watch out, here they are

All five babies intact and had grown a lot since I last saw them about three or four days ago, I feared the worst at one point because I had not seen them, so I was over the moon when I walked onto that bridge.

So to recap, on Dudley's Canal number 2 with the area I walk, we have three geese nest sites with babies and 1 Moorhen nest site with their babies and a coots nest.

Across the Reservoir we have five Coots nests with eggs in, and 1 Grebe nest, at the moment no eggs, and about 30 swallows flying around, so that's me and you guys up to date. 

I'll blog soon, weather permitting, me to get out with the camera 

See ya for now  

The Good the bad and the down right Ugly

Hi folke's as you are aware, I have been keeping an eye on the the nest and things happening around the Reservoir and Canal and Netherton Hill for some time and again with camera in hand I went down again today but the weather wasn't playing ball today and it started to rain, but I can report I saw about 30 swallows all flying over the Reservoir in zigzag patterns, obviously feeding, and what a sight it was indeed and I turned to my left and saw the One set of grebes mating I think and the other set adding to their nest but no eggs as of yet, the coots nests sites are now five instead of three and a coot nest was spotted by myself over the canal, I haven't seen the geese and their babies nor the ducks and their ducklings, but Dudley's canal number two is very long so they could be anywhere, the Cows and the Horses are doing fine over by Netherton Hill, but again no sign of the Heron, Ill now show you the shots, I have taken over previous days of the Grebes building their nest, they are not the best shot as I stand where they cant see me as not to disturb them, so they are taken through a tree lol, so here they are,

 Grebe building its nest

 as you can Grebes don't build the biggest nests in the world

 Grebe on its nest, while the other grebe is close by 

As with anything in life, there is always signs of the bad things this world has to offer, so it is with regret, I have to show you these photos and it is with regret, I even have to write this and I have debated with myself as to even mention it on this blog, but I feel I must.

It was my best friend who got my into photography, to get away from things going on in my life and ppl who maybe selfish at times and to get my fitness back, and I have to admit for a long while, I forgot what I had around, because, as with, us all, we all lead busy lives, I cant make ppl, like or appreciate what's around or enjoy what I do, but I can protest to mindless vandalism, mindless selfishness and anything else you can think of that's bad, all in the name of fishing, now I'm not saying all fishermen are bad because they are not, I have spoken to them on many occasion and used their knowledge to know what's unusual and whats normal, where to look and where not to look, but for all  the nicer ones out there, there are a few that will give the Fisherman bad names.

For weeks now, I have notice something quite strange and just couldn't get why it had been done, as I have been walking around the reservoir over the pass few weeks, I have notice racing pigeons not wood pigeon's being strung up by their necks and tied on to various areas around the reservoir, first of all its not a nice sight, but the question was WHY??

As you can see the Pigeon is hanging up in the top left corner of the shot, at first I thought it was to protect the nests as they seemed to be hanging every where a nest was, but some wasn't, yes my friends there is more than one place, this has happened, so the one morning I asked a couple of fishermen why this was happening, they at first came up with, what I thought, to protect the nests, then the one said unless they are hanging them to rot and then the maggots drop into the water, now this made more sense has most of the fishermen, fish over this side of the reservoir, the following morning I return to the reservoir again to check on the nests, at this same spot there was two fishermen all ready down by this nest, first I smelt smoke and next i heard someone digging I carried on down to check on this nest, I could see they was up to no good and left, as I was on my own and it was early in the morning.

I didn't return to the Reservoir for a few days but when I did, I was sickened at the sight those two fishermen had left behind, two holes had been cut into the clay so they could have a bbq, then all these trees hacked down, but they did leave something behind for me, to prove who these guys are.

So here's what they did, maybe you don't find it too bad, maybe these fishermen have rights to do it, I'm really not sure, but I'm doing all I can to find out and protect those nests, I might be one little fish in a big reservoir, but I can make ripples, if need be.

 The above picture, is the supposed bbq they made, has you can see they dug into the bottom of the clay and at the top, all up above is now burnt, they stuffed it with the branches they hack off

again the above picture shows how trees have be callously cut to clear the area to the fishing perch area 

 a close up of the bbq where they dug at the top 

 Another tree cut and hacked at and just dumped 

 branches just dumped

they have hacked off branches on this tree, so now you can see the coots nest from up above, the coots nest was hidden but now its not

 thanks guys, for leaving your high visibility coat, if this is your workmanship, i would advise ppl to not hire you 

 another tree hacked 

this is how the fishing perch should look natural no bbq's or tree's hacked or dead pigeons being hung up in the name of fishing, sorry to report this folke's, but this is bird nesting season, and to me this is all mindless destruction of a beautiful area, for what, so fishermen can have home from home, and unfortunately its not the only one spot that i can see, that's been messed with and all by nests, it has to stop. 

Just so, everyone knows, I'm not an environmentalist nut, just someone who likes her area and see's no need for what these guys did.I blog soon hopefully with something nice to talk about 

bye for now 

Netherton's babies and nests

Oh yes its been a busy week around the Reservoir and the Canal, and I even got myself out early in the morning, YES ME UP and OUT early, and might I add my best mate was right, the early morning Sun, is a lot better to take photo's in, so here's a few photo's of where I walk early in the morning, a view from the

                                                        Reservoir bank of the Reservoir

 A view looking up the Canal 

 A view of the Reservoir path connecting below to the Canal path, so you can see how easy it is to get from one to another 

but moving onto the good stuff, yes the nest sites and babies that are popping up, all around the place, first to the Reservoir, three coot nest sites, with clutches of eggs in them wooo hooo, as you saw in the previous blog, and still waiting their arrival, but I carried down onto the canal to something special, yes babies, baby ducklings to be exact, it made all the rushing around I do some days really worth it, and here they are 

but alas with every good tale, there is sometimes, some unfortunate news, and it is, with sadness, I must inform you guys there was 12 ducklings, but they are now down to seven, I haven't seen them, but I was informed by one of the regular dog walkers who know myself through knowing my dad, he stopped me today and told me , he said he thought its was the pike who live in the canal that was eating them, hopefully I will get to see them again bigger and stronger and still as seven, I will keep you posted, 

Well on wards with my journey up the canal, and yes another welcomed sight to behold, baby Geese, woo hoo I was jumping with joy, so here are some of the shots I took for you all to see, first one, with what looked a very proud and attentive mom and dad 

this next one, the little ones are getting very brave and straying away from the parents, but as you can see the parents again, keeping a watchfully eye on them.

Mom saying enough, time to get back here with me

here they are all together, all five looking healthy and strong

ha, now this one, is my favorite, the bold one, I feel like giving him or her a name, but I'm no good at names so maybe someone could suggest one 

 

So now I lead you back to the Reservoir, yes you thought I was done there, reporting on the coots nests, well I was all most, untill the coots decided to put up a fine display of either guarding their own terriory or they was mating, I still cant decide which one, so here some action shots of them, I do hope you enjoy them I sure enjoyed taking them 

Maybe not such a dull bird after all, from coots nest, to coots fighting or mating, its been, the coots week fore sure and very entertaining I must say lol 

Where to next, you might ask, well, to my favourite, Netherton Hill, The Murry cows was there and the Horses all looking healthy, the Murry cows seemed to have shed their winter coats and looked a much shorter and whiter colour, but the question was, would that Heron be there, the answer was no, but I have to admitted I have been going at different times, so you never know, so hopefully I will catch sight of him/her again soon.

So to some final shots, to finish off, woo hoo finally I think I have caught a shot of a blue bell, maybe not in the place I expected it, but at the bottom steps leading to the canal, another route down there.

couldn't resist adding a grebe picture 

Well that's it for now, I hope you have enjoyed it, as I have, seeing the new arrivals, and ones still to come, I'll blog soon, hopefully when the coots little ones have made their appearances, bye for now 

   

Around Netherton Reservoir

Netherton Reservoir

What a morning, after dashing around, doing normal everyday tasks, I got my mother to stop off at the Reservoir, I trundled off, with camera in hand, not intending to stay too long, while my mother read the paper in the car, well what a treat was in store for me, three little treasures, and here they are for you all to see.

Swallow or Swift, I have looked and looked and with the help of my bestie, we have decided its a Swallow, I was very excited watching the pair, ( yes there was two of them) swooping diving chasing one another across the Reservoir. If anyone had been around, I would have kissed them, lol the picture Isn't great, they was so fast and was never still, so this was the best I could get.

Then on to my next surprise, wooo hooo, I love this place sometimes, well anyway, I was walking along the Reservoir bank and noticed what I thought was a empty nest, so I climbed down and to my surprise, it was not so empty

Then I thought oh dear, its been abandoned, not so, has I got closer, up popped the mother, and quickly repositioned herself, has if to say "BACK OFF" lol so after a few snaps, I retreated and left her in peace.

Yes the mother in question was a coot, maybe not the most interesting bird to most, but never the less, a welcome sight of eggs in the nest and being looked after by the mother, what ever the bird maybe.

Then after seeing that, I had one more pit stop to make around the Reservoir and quickly got there and to my surprise another coot sitting on her nest, with the Grebes seeming to be around maybe guarding their nest too and a pair of ducks, you can only see the coots nest but I have a strong feeling the Grebes have mated and they have a nest there too, First picture is of the Coots nest and Duck and the second, is of the coots nest and Grebe

Just a couple of pictures left, one of a little furry friend, that maybe some ppl would say not so friendly, I always see these little guys as the cleaners of the reservoir, He is my Ratty who lives a long my riverbank, well maybe the Reservoir is not a river bank, but when ever I see him, I always think, I hope there's a Toady and a Badger some where and the rest of the gang of those books, lol. Heres my Ratty, cute isn't he??

 All though, I'm usually all for the birds and anything that moves, now and again I do take shots of the flowers  trees and what ever is showing its colours around the Reservoir, so here they are, don't ask me what they are, I have not got a clue, never been a big flower girl

 Well I hope you have enjoyed my trip around the Reservoir and my treasures I came across, cause I did this morning, so see ya for now, and no doubt, I will blog soon, maybe with some babies to show you.