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Feed the birds.
£2 a box
There’s a song there somewhere? One of our things we do when we walked round Westport lake. The birds were all round us, pecking our toes. Trying to get the food out of my hand. Even in this weather they want feeding. Ducks, Geese, Goslings, Coots and Moorhens and a solitary Swan.
The birds still have babies, a bit bigger than yesterday, they haven’t all flown the nest yet. It was lovely to see them.
Walking in the almost 30°C heat, in full sunshine is uncomfortable and tiring. I’m not used to those temperatures here in the UK. We are basically lucky to get a few days of tepid sunshine in the summer and it generally heats up more in August.
So anyway, I have a small challenge with myself to do 5000 steps a day or hopefully more, and to get up to 20 heart points by walking faster than usual. But by the time we had walked round the lake I’d done around 4000 steps and 8 heart points, but I guess the heat slowed me down.
Tell me not to obsess about exercise, but I can’t help it, I wasn’t doing any really two years ago….
At least I think it’s a Coot dabbling away at the water. I always get Coots and Moorhens mixed up. One sort has a white patch on its head, the other a red patch. They look very similar except that Moorhens are slightly smaller? The weird thing about the chicks is that the have a slightly red patch of feathers above their beaks. The parent (not sure if it’s male of female) certainly seems to be keeping an eye on the chick.
Photo taken at Westport lake a couple of weeks ago during a walk round the nature reserve.
Walking with geese
Seeing their goslings,
Round Westport lake
And various puddles.
Soft and fluffy
Yellow and brown.
Fuzzy and pretty
Not like their parents.
When do they transform?
When they grow full feathers
Then full plumage appears
Smart black necks
Brown and white patches.
Growing up quickly
Proud parents delight.
A joy of Coots
Baby chicks
Cheeping and calling
Rushing across a pool
Blue footed parents
White shield on their heads
Dark chicks
Scattered yellow feathers
Round their heads
And red beaks.
How do they morph
From chick to Coot?
I walked around Westport Lake today, the leaves are almost fully out on the trees and the birds are either on the nest or are swimming around with chicks.
The green of nature and the blue of the sky are so calming. Cheering me up, settling me down. Letting me relax. I love going there…
Shaggy giants with delicate fronds of leaves hanging down and blowing in the cold wind. I’ve sat underneath a willow tree, back against its trunk, hidden behind the curtain of leaves. I was only young and it was like sitting in a fairytale. I remember the sunlight sparkling and dancing through the lace like leaves.
Dry ground, roots, scuffed by ducks and geese. Memories of the 1960’s. So long ago, but we’ll remembered.
As we arrived at Westport Lake today it started to snow. It didn’t stick, but children were running screaming as it came down thick and fast. We sat and waited in the car till it stopped. I didn’t take a photo of it because my phone was stuck in my pocket trapped between me and the car door.
Then out, a quick visit to the icecream van for a treat and round the latge lake once and the small one twice. No where near as far as I would normally do, but I managed to get enough steps and heart points in to meet my daily challenge. I’m shattered but happy!
Uneven surface as tree toots push through. Top path around Westport lake, between the lake and the canal. On the left, canal barges were lined up, sometimes occupied, others shuttered. A couple sat on deck chairs, chatting. Wearing warm coats. I think they had cups of coffee to warm themselves.
We carried on round the lakes again, sometimes surrounded by clouds of black flies, sharp ovipositors sticking out their rear ends like massive bee stings. I think they were attracted by the goose droppings on the paths. They were blown on the wind where the breeze pushed across the lake, but came back and surrounded us under the trees in the lee of the wind.
I’m glad I was wearing my glasses and a hat, and I was pleased to be wearing a mask, even though it was not really needed outside.
This week I’ve walked about twenty two miles, slightly less than the week before. But my toes and feet hurt. I’m getting quicker though….
There is a maze at the far end of Westport lake which we got stuck in (some muddy patches). It’s only got small hedges so you can’t really get lost. Yet another mirrored photo…. And why not?
My collection of them keeps increasing, I look at each view with the thought that I can make it into something quirky.
Mallaband-Brown