Iridescent

Finally we're seeing a little sunshine. I put some fat out for the birds and uncannily a flock of Starlings appeared from nowhere. They only come when I put fat out.

They seemed to enjoy warming their shiny feathers in the early sun.

Feathery wing pits

Surprise today - I'd always assumed the female Mallard had wing feathers the same colour all over but I discovered they're bright white underneath. 

And whilst I was thinking of white I managed to snap a black-headed gull having a poo in flight. I am easily pleased.

Rolling horses

A couple of horses enjoying a symmetrical roll in the park this morning. 

Obviously great friends.

Gills

Amazing feathery gills on my tadpoles now. Purple, almost transparent. 

I'd been worried that they'd all died, luckily they've perked up again and growing apace.

The Grey Heron

Graceful in its slow flight the Grey Heron is a large bird. The long neck is folded back to make a more streamlined shape in flight. You don't often get to see the feet and sharp talons - they're usually up to their knees in pond water. 

Tadpoles and treecreepers

Quite remarkable how fast the tadpoles are developing. 

Little feathery gills have appeared in the last two days.

And I spotted another treecreeper in the park. They are small (perhaps sparrow-sized) 

and nimble. They fly to the bottom of a tree then work their way up looking for food in the 

cracks in the bark of the oaks. 

Proud parent

First signs of movement in my tadpoles. Thrilled.

Ragwort

 I know I'm antisocial. I don't much like going into the park at the weekend,

it's full of people. I skidded on a bag of dog poo as I went through the gate into the 

Millennium Wood in Bushy Park. 

That annoyed me.

I crept about amongst the saplings avoiding people's glances as I tried to photograph some blossom. It thrashed about in the gusts of wind, but I pretended I knew what I was doing, 

which I didn't.

I came across the dried sticks of ragwort, the same ragwort that I'd photographed last July. 

What an extraordinary comparison - eight months ago it was hosting a mass of orange and black cinnabar moth caterpillars, now the plant was just dried brown sticks. 

The seasonal changes are so dramatic and swift, yet we don't stop to appreciate how 

impressive they are.

Searching for lunch

From this angle the blue tit looked like a tennis ball with a face. It was very interested in what 

was under the bark of the lime tree. 

I found a treecreeper - almost at eye level - only the third time I've seen one in Bushy Park. He was clearly successful in his hunt for food.

Natural chandelier

I found some weeping willow branches that had been blown about in the wind and 

developed a coating of ice as they were repeatedly dipped in the pond. 

They looked wonderful in the sunshine. 

Winter is back

At least I managed to snap some snowflakes

Frogspawn

Despite being plunged back into winter by a bitter Easterly wind there are still signs of spring about. The pond is full of frogspawn and buds are beginning to open. 

Spring delayed...

…I really thought it was on the way. Damn. And I was so looking forward to seeing the start of the green world taking shape again, but it looks like we have to wait a short while longer. I saw a glimmer of Spring this week, the sun shone, the temperature soared and the birds took new interest in singing and collecting material for nest building.

Yet today the rain has returned, but it is not unwelcome, it had been dry for some time. The ground needs to be softened for our wonderful thrushes and blackbirds to collect worms to eat. And soon it will become colder again. But it cannot last long, the days are lengthening and any snow flurries will soon melt. 

Daffodils

Next week, I think next week spring will be here.

Wisteria seed pods

At this time of year the pods are clearly visible. The shells are very hard and woody. 

I brought a few inside and within an hour one had cracked and twisted open 

revealing a single seed. 

They have a purplish brown furry outside and are a wonderful shape and colour, very graphic. 

A friend gave me a Hoopoe feather. What a brilliant present.

Wall frieze ending

Just working up the last half panel of the Fine Feather Press ABC wall frieze. 

I"m looking forward to getting out and shooting some new material. 

I feel Spring is almost here now, next week it will all start.