Category Archives: Flora/Fauna

Swan, cleaning itself

Thursday 29th May 2014, 2.25pm (day 1,008)

Swan, cleaning, 29/5/14

Oh, more waterfowl. Don’t care though — I’m very proud of this shot. The leg looks amazing. And if I had a neck that flexible I am sure that lots of opportunities would become available.

 

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The Muscovy duck finds a companion

Wednesday 28th May 2014, 4.10pm (day 1,007)

Muscovy duck, 28/5/14

It is over two years since this creature set up home in Hebden Bridge marina, first appearing on the blog in February 2012. As I have observed before, it is a long way from its natural home. I saw it standing outside the entrance to the tourist information office this afternoon, and thought at first that it was after food or something, but looking at this shot I wonder whether it might not just have been finding company in its reflection. This is the Muscovy duck’s fourth appearance on the blog (the remaining unlinked one is here) — few people have been on it as often.

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On the canal, Manchester city centre

Wednesday 21st May 2014, 9.35am (Day 1,000)

Geese and goslings, 21/5/14

So here we are. It would have been nice to get a shot of something highly significant, or a brilliant capture, to mark day 1,000 of this blog, but while a family of Canada geese is maybe not something one would expect to see in Manchester city centre, like this blog’s previous 999 pictures it’s just a scene from a life.

I don’t go out of the way to get these, anything you see on this blog is just something I have passed in the course of my day. And that’s why I’m still doing it — it’s the same impulse that has kept me writing a personal diary for thirty years, it’s the recording that is the point. Thank you for making it to day 1,000 with me — as far as I can predict, I will be back tomorrow.

As it is a nice round number, I have also updated the ‘Best of the Rest‘ and Stats pages.

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Elves in the wood

Tuesday 20th May 2014, 4.25pm (day 999)

Elves, 20/5/14

Or maybe kids jumping on a trampoline, viewed through the garden foliage. I am not saying…

Well, it’s day 999. Which I can say for sure amounts to two years, eight months and twenty-five days since I started this blog on 26/8/11. I haven’t blown it — no cheating, all 999 photos to appear on here have been taken on the day specified, and by me.  Assuming no total disaster tomorrow I’ll make the four-figure mark. I did think a while back of whether I would continue past this point, and have decided to do so, so followers of this blog, don’t give up on me yet, and I won’t give up on you.

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Cheap cat shot (tortoiseshell)

Sunday 18th May 2014, 3.05pm (day 997)

Tortoiseshell, 18/5/14

“…what the **** are you looking at?”

Another beautiful day. Three days to go until a major milestone.

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Rhododendron flowers

Saturday 17th May 2014, 2.05pm (day 996)

Rhododendron, 17/5/14

An absolutely glorious day today, a perfect summer’s day. These flowers were pictured up in Midgehole, near the entrance to Hardcastle Crags, where we were gathering wild garlic to cook and eat with dinner. I love this time of year.

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Just oozin’ around

Thursday 8th May 2014, 9.00am (day 987)

Snail, 8/5/14

It’s been a good few days for wildlife shots. Believe it or not, this photo was taken at Hebden Bridge railway station — the moss here being located at the top of the wall near the place where I always stand at platform 1. No crawling around required. I love the languid way it has draped itself over the sprig of moss.

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Goldfinch

Tuesday 6th May 2014, 4.25pm (day 985)

Goldfinch, 6/5/14

This is the shot I meant to take, but it was still luck — I didn’t even think I’d focused it properly and a microsecond after I pushed the shutter the bird was gone. Was torn between posting this one and one of a butterfly I also got today (also something of a fluke) — had I posted last night you’d have got the butterfly but this one wins this morning, so it’s in. Yes, I’d rather the sticks weren’t there — but so be it.

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Blackbird and blossom

Friday 2nd May 2014, 4.45pm (day 981)

Blackbird and blossom, 2/5/14

More avifauna. And a pic that shows we are at least a couple of weeks ahead with various signs of the seasons this year, to compare with last (see 29/5/13).

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Wildfowl wanderings

Thursday 1st May 2014, 10.45pm (day 980)

Wildfowl wandering, 1/5/14

Why did the ducks and Canada goose cross the road? To get to the other side, of course.

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