Canada Goose.

A distinctive black head and neck with large white throat patch, the Canada Goose is a large introduced species to the UK from North America, it has spread to cover most of the UK.

Herring Gull

The Herring gull is a large, noisy sea gull found throughout the year around the UK coasts & inland around rubbish tips, fields, lakes. Pictures posted today show a juvenile gull.

missed

Sometimes it is the pictures that do not go as planned that makes me smile. I guess you can’t get them all.

Common tern flying out of one shot and a Spitfire in the other

Spitfire over Southampton Water

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth,And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. hovering there, I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless falls of air… Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, nor eagle flew – And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod The high, untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

High Flight by John Gillespie Magee, R.C.A.F. (Magee was killed at the age of 19, (Dec 1941)while flying a Spitfire 2 two aircraft collided just below the cloud base at about 1,400 feet  over Roxholme Lincanshire).

While at Titchfield haven this afternoon the sound of a Rolls Royce Merlin Engine encouraged me to look skyward as a Spitfire passed across the water and overhead.

Footnote re Black & White colours.

From 1938 until June 1940, half white half black; undersides colours on British fighters were for observation of friendly aircraft from the ground. There was no countrywide ground control radar. Radar only worked looking out to sea, or at higher altitudes. Tracking over the land, friendly or enemy, was undertaken by the Observer Air Corps. 

 

Nature Observations.

Wash & brush up.

The birds get ready for the day just like us or do we get ready for the day just like the birds.

 

Common Redshank

 

The  Redshank is a common UK wader and found all year around our coast and further inland during the breeding season. As its name suggests the Redshanks’ most striking features is their bright orange/red legs. They also have a medium-length bill with an orange base.

More than just wood.

Are tree’s more than just wood?

My view is yes.

Peewit

The Lapwing is one of the UK’s largest waders, about the size of a pigeon (It is also known as the Peewit or Green Plover). Although you can not tell from my photo’s as the bird was in shadow the upper parts are a beautiful iridescent dark green and purple. The breast and cheeks are white and under-tail coverts are orange-brown. The legs are pink.

dog walkers

Dog walkers taking advantage of the early evening sunshine on Meon Shore near Titchfield Haven Hampshire.

 

wood for the tree’s

The New Forest is a former royal hunting park in the south of England It was created in 1079 by William the Conqueror, principally for deer. It became a National Park around 2005.