Frozen pond in the New Forest.
It is cold out there.
Chinook.
Chinook ZK561 Lee on Solent airport this afternoon 17th Jan 2024. Having taken the Photographs of the Starlings in a car park on the seafront at Lee on Solent and watched a Chinook heading down Southampton Water to wards the airport I decided to pop into the car park on the way home to see if I could get a closer look at the helicopter as I got out of the van it was taking off but managed to get some quick pictures.
Starlings.
Wordless Wednesday.
Not for the shops!
Well, we did not go far today a couple of hours into the City. Not for the shops but for a walk around one of Southampton Parks.
Berlin Express leaving the container port. Wishing her a safe trouble free trip. This German-flagged containership is heading for Algeciras in Spain.
Some views of Southampton Water from Mayflower Park.
City Birdlife.
Winter birding.
I always find on a winter morning when the sun is out it is good to watch small birds today was again good for Long-tailed Tits. Also, a few Duncocks were about and a well-puffed-up Blue Tit obviously feeling the cold!
Long-tailed Tit.
Magpie.
There are many variations of the Magpie rhyme, but one of the most common versions is the version that I know :-
One for Sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss,
Ten a surprise you should be careful not to miss.
Eleven for health,
Twelve for wealth,
Thirteen beware it’s the devil himself.
Never far away.
When I grow up – I will be like Dad. A young Fallow Deer buck and an adult. On most walks in the New Forest once you get away from people on mountain bikes and dog walkers – walk quietly through the enclosures and across the moorland of the National Park rarely do I not see some deer.
Storm Henk!
The edge of Storm Henk gives us a bashing, along the Solent Coast.
2024.
Into another year – doesn’t time fly? It seems only the other day it was a new century. It seemed everyone was out for a New Year’s walk this morning.
The “pink” ferry across the Hamble River was doing a good trade. Running on demand from Hamble village to Warsash the fare is £2.50 each way. Today’s walk was a regular route from Swanwick Marina to Warsash and back a 4-mile round trip. All on the flat.
All the usual bird sightings along the river.
Brent Geese.
Curlew. Being our largest wader it is only a bit smaller than a Brent Goose.
- Curlew – Wingspan80-100cm
- Brent Goose – Wingspan110-120cm
Male Wigeon followed by 2 pictures of the female.
Greenshank.
Grey Plover.
Continued Reflections from my World. 