Summer Views No.2

River Side

Hover Fly

Fishing Fun

Paddling Paws

June Views

July is turning out to be wet.. so to make up for the rain and drk cloudy skies I show 3 favourites held back from June.

Ugly Ducklings?

No way. these look great.. the only way these could look better was if the were served on a bed of seasonal vegetables, with roast potatoes, and a sweet port and blackberry sauce. ha!

Water on Blade of Grass

This is a really small insect having a drink

Embden Geese

These are what I think are Embden Geese, also known as the Bremen. Although it as a German name, this is I think a northern Dutch breed that migrated throughout Europe to Italy where it was imported from to cross-breed with our native white geese. Also known as L'oie d'Emden in France/Belgium. The reason I think it's a Embden, is it's size. these were quite a big goose with plenty of meat on them. I have eat a few of these in the past.. one of the best birds for the table. They are normally kept from Egg production and meat.

Giant Gulls

These gulls seem as big as the people behind them.. I would like to tell you these are rare Giant Gulls only found in Wales but alas it's a trick of the eye.

Oyster Catcher

OYSTER CATCHER

Haematopus ostralegus

The oystercatcher is a large, stocky, black and white wading bird. It has a long, orange-red bill and reddish-pink legs. In flight, it shows a wide white wing-stripe, a black tail, and a white rump that extends as a 'V' between the wings. Because it eats cockles, the population is vulnerable if cockle beds are overexploited. Breeds on almost all UK coasts; over the last 50 years, more birds have started breeding inland. Most UK birds spend the winter on the coast; where they are joined on the east coast by birds from Norway.

I now see these birds around Hyde and the surrounding area... Old Womtig saw one flying over the main street in Ashton Under Lyne two weeks ago.

A Gaggle Of ...........

Geese

A large goose, with distinctive black head and neck and large white throat patch. Introduced from N. America, and has spread to most of the UK. It forms noisy flocks and is sometimes regarded as a pest in areas where large numbers occur on grassland and parks.

It is estimated that there is as many as 82,550 breeding adults in the U.K. at this time of year. The canal where these pictures are taken as many breeding pairs, but it seems that one dominant pair take over the rearing of the young while others help out.

Safety in numbers perhaps

Trees & Shadows

Meet Tiny

I call him Tiny

Because he's 'my Newt'

The Newt is an amphibian of the Salamandridae family, found in North America, Europe, and Asia. Their eggs are laid singly in ponds or slow-moving streams, attached to aquatic plants. This distinguishes them from the free-floating eggs of frogs, that are laid in clumps, or toads, that are laid in strings. The larvae leave the water as a terrestrial form called an eft, returning to the water when mature to live or to breed. The adult form has a lizard-like body and is either aquatic or semi-aquatic.

From Wikipedia

I came across this and many more in a local pond, the pond is stocked for fishing, as a resident turtle that someone as released into the wild as we do not have native ones.. the pond also supports Herons and ducks. I'll post the turtle tomorrow.

Towpath Views

Walking The Towpaths

Waterside Views

Relaxing by the Water

Canal Views

Reflections

Sky Watch Fish Supper

Rainbow Trout For Supper

It tasted beautiful.. well they both did