Portavoe Reservoir Walk - VIDEO

Yesterday I decided to go on a walk around Portavoe Resservoir to see what birds were around and also to see if I could video it.  Portavoe Reservoir is now a disused reservoir (stocked with rainbow trout) and surrounding grounds originally built by the old Donaghadee Urban District Council.  Below is the view I was met with as I started my walk.

The next few photos I have experimented with.  It would be interesting from my point of view to hear from anyone as to what you think of them.  I will not be hurt if you think they are rubbish however I know with constructive criticism I will be able to learn more about this craft.

Mallard Sleeping

Greater Stitchwort - Stellaria holostea

Song Thrush

Common Tern

Joined Together

Hawthorn Blossom

Mallard - female

Those were a few stills I took however I took 30 clips of video and have tried (as best as I can at present) to join some of them together so sit back and enjoy.  If I did video again, I would not make it as long as this took 1 1/2 days to process!   In fact in the end I had to do it again!!!  don't even ask why!!!

I would be very grateful for your comments, particularly on the video.

PS Where I mention a noisy Coot, I really meant to say, Moorhen and there were also Lesser Black backed Gulls amongst the Gulls on the water.

Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you will visit again.

A Walk In The Park

These are my final photos from walking in my nearest parks.  Below is in Ward Park and is in the heart of my town of Bangor, County Down.  I have just noticed when completing this post that blogger has the incorrect date on it.  It should be THURSDAY 30 MAY.

Mainly the only ducks we have in this park are Mallard but this little fellow looks different.

We also have quite a number of Greylag Geese however this one has a deformed leg but seems to manage well enough although he has to hop rather than walk.

The Alchemilla Mollis leaves all had raindrops on them and I took quite a few photographs of them as I thought the raindrops looked like diamonds sparkling in the sunlight.

 The trees in Castle Park are fantastic and a lot of them are quite old. I just liked this one when the sun was streaming through it.

I loved the bright greens of the Ferns and this wonderful Acer.  This Acer is the same variety as I have in my garden and showed you a close up of a few days ago.

I took a small video was I was walking through the park.  I am just learning how to do this and also how to edit and join it all together so it is not wonderful so be patient with me until I can improve.

I hope you all have a wonderful day and thank you for visiting my blog

Flower Power Extra

I am showing you the rest of my flower photos that I took yesterday at the Walled Garden.

These Apricots were in the greenhouse

Artichoke

Rhubarb

Gunnera

Above and below flowers are in the Primula Candlelabra family

Rose

Raindrops on an Alchemilla Leaf

Thanking you for visiting my blog and I hope you will look in again.

Flower Power

This morning I was playing badminton and walked to and from the Leisure Centre through both Castle and Ward Park as well as the Walled Garden taking photos as I went.  I did take a few birds and video and I will show those aonther day as I don't have the time to up load the video.  So today again it is mainly flowers and I have experimented a bit with some of the shots.

Above is the entrance to the Walled Garden and is just opposite the car park for the new Lesisure Centre and the groundsmen are still plaing turf and flower beds.  These are 2 different photos of the turf they were laying today.

London Pride - Saxiphrage umbrosa

Alchemilla Mollis covered in diamond dewdrops.

Old Fashioned Rose

 



Dicentra -Lady in the Bath/ Bleeding Heart

 
 

Iris

 Thanking you for visiting today.  I would love you to look in again.

 

Final Starling chicks left today- Day 22

Despite the rain this morning, Ruth went out to see what was happening with the chicks.  There were still 3 chicks in the letter box.

Last remaining Starling chicks

However, she watched from inside the house and with her iphone managed to video the forth chick leaving.

Watch very carefully.

This next video is of the sixth and final Starling chick fledging.  You can see the parent trying  to encouage the chick out of the letter box.




It was wonderful to be able to follow all 6 chicks in their letter box nest and finally see them feldge successfully. These Starlings parents worked very hard to bring up an entire brood however, on behalf of all those people that have been watching the chicks on my post, I would like to thanks Ruth for all the hard work in photographing the procedure over the past few weeks.

                                                                    The empty nest

Ruth was telling me that Starlings have nested in her letter box for the past 15 years and sometimes have 2 broods.  She will now clean out the letter box and I hope the Starling will have another brood this year.  The photo below is the view the Statling chicks would have had from the letter box.

Many thanks to all who have followed the Starling chicks' growth.   Call again soon.

Wooded Wonders PLUS video

Walk with me through the wood at Strangford and savour 

the wonderful delights I found along the way.

New Sycamore Leaves

From the wood Istill could peep over the wall and look at the sea

Buttercup - Ranunculus acrus

Bluebells with Wild Garlic

Green Veined White Butterfly

"Look Bluebell, I told you we were beautiful"

As I finish my walk I see the ferry waiting to take us across again to Portaferry

As promised, below is a short video as I travelled on the ferry from Portaferry to Strangford.  Notice the fast flowing tide and many currents and when we pass a small island, there are Common Terns and Black headed Gulls nesting there.

Thanking you for visiting my blog and joining me on my walk and ferry journey.