It's been a busy few days with both dental and optician appointments for me, just check ups and flu jabs for both of us so it was nice to get some time out in the fresh air.
We took a long stroll around the lakes at Westport Lake Nature Reserve. It was very quiet around the lakes and in the cafe at the visitor centre where we stopped halfway for coffee and a toasted teacake. I expect next week will be a lot busier as it is half term for local schools and there are Halloween events planned for the children.
Our first spotting was a heron resting at the side of the smaller lake.
Above a black headed gull in its winter plumage.
Cygnets
Swan
There were lots of Cormorants, perhaps they had all convened for a meeting of the cormorant union.
It's quite a bonus to get a photo of a Grebe as they always seem to let me start up the camera and focus and then dive under the water as if to say 'Oh, no you 're not having a photo of me.'
The cormorant meeting was getting animated.
Another heron looked on with a vague interest in the proceedings.
Decisions made, conclusions reached perhaps? The swan doesn't care and glides by gracefully.
Holly covered in berries.
Fungi - again not identified
A third heron on one of the small pools at the back of the main path where we always walk in the hopes of seeing a kingfisher or a water vole.
Yet another heron - I think that's four - fewer than cormorants - we counted at least six of those.
Lesser Black-Backed Gull and below more black headed gulls and a coot.
When we got home we were sitting in the conservatory with a mug of tea when a little cat we hadn't seen before entered the garden quite hesitantly through the fox run in the hedge at the top of the garden.
How to look both inquisitive and a bit scared at the same time.
That poor cat was probably scared he would see a fox in the run!??!! Great photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you, cats and foxes use the run up through the hedge and out into the garden, I think it was perhaps his first visit to our garden and he was confused seeing us sitting watching him:)
DeleteOh to be as dignified as a swan! Lovely bird photos Rosie. Such a cute little cat in your garden. I bet you was pleased to see such a lovely furry visitor. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone, swans are very elegant aren't they? We've had two new kittens in the garden recently so we wonder if they are new to the area. Both are very cute:)
DeleteGreat photos of the variety of birds - swans are always so graceful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lorrie, the swans are very graceful in the water. There were many waterbirds gathered close to the sides of the lake perhaps because of the colder weather:)
DeleteOh hope all your appointments were "painless." -smile-
ReplyDeleteDo so dislike those times, when the calendar seems filled with health appointments. -sigh- But other times, which are free of such, are delightful. -smile-
I think cats have that inquisitive/scared look, "down pat."
🍁🍂🎃🍁🍎🍂🍁
Thank you WoW, the little cat is one of two new ones visiting the garden at the moment, it may have been cautious as there are many older cats visit too as well as the foxes. Dentist and optition just routine but my arm ached for a couple of days after the flu injection:)
DeleteGreat photos and you saw some super birds on your walk. The little cat looks so cute. I just hate it when I have a succession of medical appointments! My arm was very sore after my flu jab too - have never had that before.
ReplyDeleteThank you RR. Everything seems to come at once doesn't it? My arm was a bit swollen and also sore, Paul's was too. Still tingles a bit even now. I remember once having a tetanus injection and I had a lump like an egg on my arm!:)
DeleteI hope the cat is in at night when the fox is out and about.Great photos,as always.
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara, I hope the little cat is kept in at night too. We always kept ours in overnight as they got older they didn't want to be out after dark so it was easier to get them in. Some people still seem to think cats should be out at night and I always worry for them on the roads:)
DeleteAll those birds are welcome company, but that cat is my favourite!
ReplyDeleteThank you William, it's a very pretty cat:)
DeleteExcellent camouflage, you can hardly see the cat just like a tiger ready to pounce! The cormorants are discussing Brexit, you can tell as they are all looking the other way in the end. Lovely photos of a great walk. 😊
ReplyDeleteThank you Karen it was a lovely walk. Ha Ha yes, probably they are discussing the dreaded prospect of Brexit and what a shambles it all is. The cat had lovely markings on his back and was quite tiger like:)
DeleteCormorants always look like disputatious nineteenth century clergymen to me. It all looks very peaceful considering that there are geese present!
ReplyDeleteThe do don't they? Very much the clerical gentlemen. Also, ever since I saw a heron (not a real one) in a bookshop window dressed in gown and mortar board with a monocle at one eye I've seen them as teachers and lecturers:)
DeleteThe do like a gathering do Cormorants!! It looks like a good walk and always nice to go when it's not so crowded!
ReplyDeleteThank you Pam, we saw several cormorants flying over as well as those settled in the lake. It is nice when the walk isn't crowded especially with cycles as I can't hear them easily if they are behind me and they never seem to ring bells any more:)
DeleteWhat a fantastic walk, Rosie, so much to look at and admire. And the weather looks nice and cool. I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thank you Amalia, it was a very autumnal walk dry and cool but not cold:)
DeleteThat first photo made me smile :) :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Jessica, they were enjoying a morning stroll but also on the lookout for people with food too:)
DeletePerhaps the swans were management and were trying to eavesdrop on the cormorants' union agitation, i think the gull called a Herring Gull is in fact a Lesser Black-backed Gull.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much David. I've just look at the RSPB site and compared the two gulls and your are quite right the gull in my photos is a lesser black-backed gull, I can tell from the tail feathers being just two white markings instead of the three or four on the herring gull. I will now make the changes to the text:)
DeleteLOL the cormorants made me giggle x
ReplyDeleteGlad I made you smile, Julie:)
DeleteWhat a lovely walk and fabulous selection of wildlife you saw. That cat looks gorgeous. B x
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara, the cat was delightful and the walk was lovely:)
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