This was one of those where I worried about whether the focus would be on the bird or on the foliage. But it worked out alright in the end. As a big fan of The Silence of the Lambs I cannot help but call this starling “Clarice”: love the winter plumage, all the same. Nor would I mess with that beak.
While out in the countryside today I was very surprised to encounter this fox at such close quarters — and even more surprised when, on seeing me, it didn’t run away, but simply sat down and looked at me, as if it were a pet dog awaiting a treat. It did then amble round a little, clearly well aware of my presence but seemingly unbothered by it. On the other hand, cute and cuddly though it appeared, I suspect this was a vixen, with cubs nearby, hence its interest in keeping an eye on me — and so I kept my distance until we’d got its photographic model duties out of the way.
Mathilda makes it on here for the sixth time, and there are only four people who’ve been on more often (and one of them is me). I just pass through her territory quite often. As she is clearly getting rather old, it’s actually nice to confirm she’s still around. The sad thing is that no one will think to tell me when she finally passes on.
Glorious day in Bucharest, sunny and around 17ºC. Surely the warmest 1st February I have experienced anywhere except Brisbane in 2013, and that doesn’t count. I was not the only one taking this opportunity to relax.
If this fake owl sitting at the top of a building on Bridge Gate ever did deter the local pigeon troops from settling there, it’s long since stopped working. In fact, this photo was supposed to be of a whole bunch of them sat around and on it. But a second before I clicked the shutter, one of those intangible signals went through them all and off they flew, leaving me just with these last two in take-off mode. But I like it, as it makes it appear as if they have in fact decided to abort a landing — maybe, just maybe, because of the ‘owl’.
The extreme close-up may make this slug look bigger than it was — it was only about half the length of my little finger. A mere baby. I wonder what a slug’s family life is like; probably not very extensive. They get to explore the world in their solitary way from a very early age.
Well, early enough. Discounting the special case of the shot taken at the airport on arriving home from Indonesia, the earliest morning shot, in Manchester or anywhere else, since the end of October. I do wish the mornings would hurry up and get lighter, which they never do until well after the evenings have lengthened. I know it’s the same every year, but we should put in a complaint to the Universe, or something. The Solar System Organising Commitee (Axial Tilt Division), at least.
Marley is the latest candidate for ‘honorary pub dog’ at the Railway, and here takes a brief rest while eyeing up the humans, making his strategic decisions as to which might be amenable to the offering of treats and affection.
This duck looks contented enough to me. I swear that is a smile at the corner of its bill. Mind you, one thing to not complain about in 2020 thus far is the weather, and today was another very pleasant day. I like this picture because of the very limited pallette — it’s strictly brown, maybe a bit of grey — but still interesting.
Welcome to 2020. As with 1/1/19, the weather on the first day of this new year was glorious, and may the rest be the same (it won’t happen). I can’t imagine that life as a small bird is easy in the winter but this robin (like others of its species) seems to have humanity sussed: I was digging over part of the garden when he turned up, clearly waiting for me to finish so it could get at the worms with that dagger-like beak and fill its belly before the frosts come (if they ever do).
Being 42 