Rod's Wildside Photography and Poetry

One of the many benefits of living on a small island community is, that the friends you make in life tend to live in close proximity to you, and get to know your interests. This is the case when it comes to bird watching, and even more so when you tutor on the subject.

This tends to pays dividends as this provides you with a circle of people who are looking out for the unusual and significant. This has enabled me to see birds that I wouldn't have otherwise got to see.

It was the case when one of my ex pupils, and friend, gave me a call one day to say that they had something unusual feeding on one of their bird feeders. After describing the bird to me I suggested that maybe they had a Linnet in the garden. They said that after looking at their bird book, (they had obviously been paying attention to something I had taught them), they were sure it wasn't. My next suggestion was a Redpoll, which seemed more unlikely as they are quite rare in Guernsey.

I said that I would pop round, as it was spending quite a bit of time in their garden. Well, it took three visits before my timing coincided with that of the bird, however when I did finally make contact with the bird, sure enough it was a Redpoll, but it looked different. Fortunately I was able to take a couple of photo's and e-mailed them to our island bird recorder.

After some lengthy deliberation the result turned out to be a Mealy Redpoll, which since this species had been recently been split from other Redpoll species made this a first for Guernsey, much to the delight of my  friends.

Mealy Redpoll - St Sampsons, Guernsey 

 Last autumn the  phone rang, this time from a friend who lived in our town centre. They said that a bird was feeding on their front lawn flying off, and returning frequently. Describing it to me I suggested that this might be a Wryneck, which would normally be feeding on ants. This bird belongs to the woodpecker family, and is an autumn migrant in Guernsey. As with my previous friend they had looked up the bird in their books, but this wasn't a Wryneck, they said.

Once again I popped round to see for myself, and as previously with the redpoll, it was absent by the time I arrived. Yet as they described the bird, all it did was confirm in my mind that yes, they were being visited by a Wryneck. Interestingly, I had the pleasure of having a Wryneck in my garden for a few days during the month January, which remains one of the few overwintering records of this species in the UK.

Well I decided to return the next day and see if I could pin down this elusive bird. Getting out the car I could clearly see the bird sat on the lawn, totally oblivious of my presence, as I fired off a few frames, one of them being the bird below....and yes, it was a Wryneck!

 Wryneck - St Peter Port, Guernsey 

Last weekend I was enjoying a day on the beach, one of my other favourite pastimes, when my mobile rang. This time it was a close friend who was ecstatic at the fact that in her garden was a family of Long-eared Owls. We had known in May that they had bred in the area, but without any recent sighting, thought they had moved on. She went on to say that not only were they in her garden, but even bathed in her paddling pool each morning!

Well this was an opportunity I didn't want to miss. Last Monday I arrived at 8 o'clock that evening armed with my camera. Within 10 minutes there was an owl perched in one of her trees. Furthermore, not only was it happily perched, it wasn't in the slightest bit bothered about me being there taking what for me were the most wonderful shots. It stayed there for at least 90 minutes before it moved off to look for supper.

 Long-eared owl - Chouet, Guernsey.

I feel so blessed to have these wonderful friends, who in turn have provided me with these deeply life enriching experiences. I know first hand the pleasures that are found in sharing God's gifts to those you love, after all, that's what friends are for. 

 Expectations were running high as we drove to Harwich for our 12 night Baltic Cruise. We were still two miles away from the dock when we caught our first glimpse of the Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas, and what a jewel she was!

Towering over the dock side 12 decks high, she was an awesome sight. After parking our car, unloading our  luggage, and boarding the shuttle bus, we were whisked away to the terminal to check in. We were greeted with gel spray and the option to postpone the cruise to a future date, due to an outbreak of noro virus on the previous cruise. Well, having come this far we were prepared to take our chances. We boarded 40 minutes later, and our jaws were on the floor. Yes we had looked at the online photos, but nothing had prepared us for the real thing. 

We were surprised to find that we could go to our cabin straight away, so off we went to explore. We were thrilled with what we found. a king size bed, and all you would get in a hotel room, including ample storage for our 4 cases of luggage. We wondered how we would cope with an inside cabin, however we discovered that we slept better than ever due to the total darkness. Especially with us visiting countries that were still daylight at midnight!

 We had chosen the first sitting for our our evening meal, so that it left the rest of the evening for the nightly show, and to relax. The head waiter showed us to our table, which was set for 10 people right next to a large window. We were the first there, and wondered who would be our fellow guests for the next 12 days. The first couple to arrive introduced themselves, they were from Cork in Ireland, and we were amazed to discover so many similarities, including both the husband and I sharing the same name!

We were to immediately take to each other and were thrilled to spend every evening with them, sharing excursions, much laughter, coffee, and so much more. It seemed after the first day we had known each other for years. Such a friendship was to make the cruise a holiday of a lifetime for us.

The ship itself was amazing, with a 6 storey Centrum running up the middle of the ship. A 900 seater theatre with sound and lighting matching any West End theatre.

There were coffee shops, cafes, specialty restaurants, swimming pools, spa's, casino, cinema, and dozens of other corners to explore. All of it in tip top order, with cleaning and painting going on all the time.

 Our first port of call was Copenhagen. I was on deck as we docked early in the morning to see us expertly reversing a 1000 ft ship behind an already docked cruise ship. We enjoyed a bus tour and canal cruise, which gave us a comprehensive overview of the city,and later I went for a couple of hours doing my own exploring. 

 We had been told by the captain that it would be worth our while to get up early for the sail into Stockholm, as the approach takes us through some 30,000 islands. This takes about 4 hours and started at 04:00! I didn't make it on deck until 06:00, but below is just a taste of what we were passing by, sometimes only 50 mtrs. away from the rocky shoreline! it seemed every corner we turned there was a photo to be taken. We had a tour of Stockholm and loved every minute of it

 Helsinki in Finland was our next port of call, this time we had booked a tour of a lovely old fishing village about 30km away from Helsinki called Porvoo. It was a delightful place which had us thinking of the main street of the island of Sark back home. All the shops were constructed in timber, and the streets were all cobbled. Yes it was full of tourists, yet still retained an element of timelessness about it.

We had four days at sea, and although I had anticipated time would be long on board, nothing could have been further from the truth. No excursions ashore meant a leisurely start to the day, with a lovely breakfast in the Windjammer, and sometimes a quiz in the Schooner bar, followed by a round of crazy golf. Breakfast was served 07:00  - 11:00 then somehow we had to survive until 11:30 before they started serving lunch! The afternoon was spent laying on one of the many sunbeds around the pool, or engaging in one of the organised deck games. In no time at all it was time to get dressed up for a three course dinner at 18:00. Despite all this food, I must tell you that I only put on 2 pounds in the three weeks we were away!

 Next stop, a two day visit to St Petersburg-Russia. We were a little apprehensive about this part of the trip, as the only way ashore was as a ship group. No wandering about unattended! The passport ladies did nothing to allay our concerns. I think they must have training in looking so stern. This city is certainly a place of contrasts. There are row after row of depressing apartment blocks, which must be even worse in the midst of those long cold winter days. They were depressing enough with the sun out, and 30 degrees centigrade! Yet how different in the city centre with endless palaces and fine buildings that were nothing but museums and government buildings. We paid a fascinating visit to Yusopovs Palace where Rasputin was assassinated, and we followed this with a memorable canal cruise.

 I think the next stop, Tallin in Estonia, was the highlight for both of us. Here is a walled city, untouched by the war, with medieval buildings throughout. We started with a walking tour early the Sunday morning before any of the shops opened, my favourite shopping time! It was also before 5 other cruise ships had unloaded their human cargo. We then drove out to the outskirts to an open museum showing how the people of 200 years ago lived. I enjoyed Tallin so much that I asked the tour guide if I could be dropped off at the end of the tour back in the town centre for more exploring, while Judy returned to the ship.

Finally as we headed south back down the Baltic, we returned to Sweden. This time to Gothenburg. This was to be our only day with overcast skies. The cruise director had said that this was a very risky cruise to go on weather wise, and that after being on this route for three years these last twelve days had seen the best ever weather! Gothenburg was also a fascinating place to visit. Again we decided to coach and canal. That way you get to see the sights from two perspectives. Our friend Roddy joined us on this trip, and shared the delight of the Cheese Slicer bridge, we had to kneel on the floor of the boat to get under!(see picture below).

 So, with a final day at sea, we returned once more to Harwich, where we were reunited with our car. We had travelled 3500 miles, visited five countries, made two wonderful friends, ate far too much, and exercised far too little. Yet we both had to agree...it was truly a holiday of a lifetime! 

This week, after spending another hour in the dentists chair pointing with feet up towards the ceiling, it dawned on me how just one small tooth can certainly grab your attention. I had spent £130 just a month earlier having it filled, however three weeks later the pain was back! At the time the dentist did point out that it was touch and go whether an ordinary filling would suffice.

When the alternative was a root canal filling, somehow it seemed this amount of money was well worth it, to avoid what appeared to me the ultimate dental horror.

At this stage I should point out that over the years I have had a long and at times fraught relationship with a number of dentists. By the age of 25, my front teeth had been replaced by false ones, which I have to say to date have been relatively trouble free. Four out, and four in all on the same day. Impressive eh?

There was the occasion when I had a large molar removed, and this was so traumatic I was advised to go straight home and rest. However I had promised to help a friend with their garden, and didn't want to let them down. I took two painkillers to get me through, only to feel one go straight into the cavity of the recently extracted tooth. Try as I might, even with tweezers, the little blighter refused to budge. The dentist, who's surgery was now closed, had to reopen, and he was not amused! By now my mouth had come round, and down into the hole went a very firmly placed suction tube!!

On a fairly recent visit, while waiting for my mouth to deaden for further treatment, being left alone in the room, I saw my dental card lying on the counter and picked it up for a quick look. It wasn't all the entries that grabbed my attention. Rather it was the large red letters going diagonally across the page. "This patient is very nervous!" it said. Well I wouldn't be the one to disagree with that!

Well this week has seen me once again submitting to the hand of my favourite person, and yes it was for the dreaded root canal filling!

I can't say it was painful, but it was unpleasant. 45 minutes of drilling, filing, probing, picking, more drilling, more probing and filing, and that was me done....until next week. This was only a temporary filling so that the tooth can settle down, before next weeks permanent one goes in!

Well Friday is here, and yes the tooth is settling, but not settled - and Monday is not far away!

With my love of poetry I was reminded of Pam Ayres wonderful poem which I have added below.

Every word of it I would say AMEN to in agreement....so enjoy, and please note, I still have eleven of my own teeth left, so there could well be a sequel to this!!

Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth. 

In my humble opinion, macro photography is one of the most challenging aspects of photography. In the macro world, the most challenging subjects has to be insects. For one thing, they are small, and in some cases minute. They hardly ever stay still, and when they do, they see you coming long before you even spot them. 

The other challenges with a macro lens are, a very shallow depth of field, (area in focus). This sometimes can be only a matter of 4 or 5mm. Because of the magnification involved, every slight movement is exaggerated, so this means you need a rock solid tripod. There must not be any wind, as this blows a leaf or flower all over the place. How many days in Guernsey is there no wind?  

So you creep along at grasshopper level, through stinging nettles, brambles, ( it seems these are the favourite plants  for insects). You spot a likely creature and approach it slowly. Quietly get your tripod set up as close as you can, although I do have a sliding rail to inch closer when near.

You kneel in the nettles, look through the viewfinder and focus in....to a empty leaf. The blighter saw me coming and pushed off. This is par for the course, or the sun goes behind a cloud and the butterfly closes it's wings, or a hundred and one other things could happen, like my remote release goes into sleep mode just as I was going to press the shutter, or the tripod angle isn't quite right.

But when everything come together, oh my, the feeling of satisfaction is wonderful. Below are a few of this weeks images in the orchard at the bottom of my garden. Thankfully the Lord always ensures that dock leaves are never very far away from nettles. You see He knew there would be macro photographers out there needing soothing after chasing some of His amazing creatures.

Now where shall i look next... 

I paid a visit to Les Vicheries Orchid fields yesterday (Liberation Day), and although far from being in their best form, I was thrilled to see such wild flowers in bloom. They are free to grow as nature intended. I thought I would share a few of them in celebration of our freedom, as we celebrate 65 years of freedom from the German Occupation of the Channel Islands, where we too are free to live as God intended.

These were the words that were the main thrust of this morning’s service, by Andy Shilling.This was something that rang true to me and made me look back at the major turning point in recent years.For me my low point was being an outpatient for a year at our local mental hospital being treated for clinical depression. Yet out of this low point came a turning point.

Yesterday morning found me up at Pleinmont just after 7 o’clock with my neighbour. We were out birding, and wonderful it was too. No specifically amazing birds, but a wonderful sunny morning, with stunning scenery, just walking and chatting.Later in the morning saw me and Judy in Candie Gardens, her sitting in the sunshine reading, me walking around doing a bit of macro photography enjoying God’s creation in miniature. After a leisurely lunch at the cafe there, it was home to do a bit of gardening in the sunshine.

Prior to my period of depression I would have be labouring in the garden from dawn till dusk, and still not satisfied with my days work.

My low point was a turning point. I took to birdwatching like a duck to water (pun intended), as a means of relaxation. Also if you have clicked a few tabs on this site, you will see the poems I have written. These are treasures that came out of dark places, and certainly would not have come about without having gone through this low point.

I have put the bud of the rhododendron as an illustration. This was an image I took in Candie yesterday. Here was a shrub that had been through a dark cold winter. At that time there was no sign of new life, it was simply hanging on till the warmth of spring brought life and energy, new growth, and beauty. Here it was, a demonstration of perseverance, and the reality that spring follows winter.

 There are seasons of the soul, we all have them. Just as the southern hemisphere experiences winter in the height of our summer, so too with us, we may be in the winter of the soul surrounded by people enjoying the summer, and this can be hard.

Yet it is encouraging to know that winter never lasts forever, and sooner or later, the sun will shine again.  If you are at a low point in life at this moment, can I encourage you by restating this truth?

A low point can indeed be a turning point.

 Today has been a really exceptional day with the weather being its most spring like to date. Having had a beautiful time of worship this morning, we headed west for lunch. This was as good as the menu promised, and after coffee we were fuller than was good for us, so the plan was to park the car somewhere in the sun and have a siesta while the lunch was sufficiently digested.

Heading down past Perelle I thought I would just pop into the Claire Mare to see if an early Swallow was about. Within five minutes a male Swallow dipped down into the water for a quick drink taken on the wing, in only the way that a hirundine seems to be able to do. This was quickly followed by a flypast of a beautiful male Marsh Harrier with upswept wings looking for all the world like a cold war Vulcan bomber. Several minutes passed and the thought crossed my mind that the tide might be just right for a walk across to Lihou Island in the hope of a sight of the newly arrived Snowy Owl.

As we drove to the headland I could quickly see that my timing was perfect. The causeway was within five minutes of surfacing from the falling tide. Also I could see that I was going to be only the third person to cross over today, so the likelihood of disturbance was minimal. As I was crossing the causeway, looking up I saw a Buzzard flying over the island heading towards Pleinmont. This was starting to look like a good day for birds of prey, confirmed by a hovering Kestrel just ahead of me. Within two minutes of being ashore I had a fleeting glimpse of a Black Redstart, recognisable by the flash of its rufus tail. This had all the makings of one of those days that promised that whatever you could think of, was going to pop up in front of me.

Meeting up with another couple of birders, and getting the news that neither had caught sight of the owl, I began to wonder if this was going to be a trip like last year, when I had to make three trips to the island before striking gold. I continued around the island, checking every reef and gully looking for this three foot mound of white. On the northern side another Black Redstart showed itself, this time a male, when my attention was drawn to a few gulls mobbing a bird. This was looking more promising. However as I quickly brought my bins to my eyes, what I saw being mobbed was only a Peregrine Falcon! “What do you mean ONLY a Peregrine”, I hear you shouting at me.

True on any other day this would have been the highlight..but not today; not even with it perching on a rock looking down at me, nor doing a low level flypast over my head. Yet this was not to be the day that snowy was going show up. I crossed back to the mainland a little deflated, but knowing that in that brief hour I had been spoilt by what I had just seen.

We then drove up to Pleinmont to finish the afternoon, with a quick wander around the scramble track. It was here that for me, the highlight of the day occurred. More than the wonderful lunch, more that the Peregrine, more possibly than even a sight of the elusive Snowy Owl. What was it? It was the photo below this narrative. I saw this single Daffodil growing through a forest of bramble, and it screamed a tremendous message to me.

 It told me that we can go through some very dark places in life. We can feel that everything is conspiring against us.

It can seem that life is just one enormous battle, but this daffodil was shouting something to me, and I was listening.

It was telling me, no matter how bleak my surroundings, no matter how difficult my circumstances, no matter how cold the wind may blow, if I just allow the Son to shine on me, hang on in there, then He promises to make something beautiful to shine out of that place of trial and testing.

Not only that though, but He uses this to bring a blessing to those who come into our circle. They too can share in this simple beauty. Are we dwelling on the thorns that surround us, or are we willing to allow these thorns to make us into something beautiful? 

I have just enjoyed a wonderful weekend being a Grandfather. Zach is now 18 months old and is such a joy to be with. Just starting to speak a few words, running everywhere with a haste and energy that I can only envy. He is already a creature of habit, displaying the need to go straight in the lounge to check if the TV is on, pointing to which lights should be lit. Then it is on to the computer desk where he needs to spin on the office chair, pretend to type on the keyboard, check if the mouse is working. Following this, it is necessary to go to the sun lounge and press all the buttons on Grandad’s weather station, clearing the history in one press of a finger!

Life is just one big exciting adventure. So it was with eager anticipation that we had him to sleep on Friday, and then to occupy him Saturday and Sunday, while mum and dad were on a photo shoot.

The beach seemed a good option as there is so much scope to run and play, and do boy things, and I did love every minute of it. In fact I loved the whole weekend. The walking, playing, eating out, getting the naps when required (Zach- not me), playtime, bath time, and bed time.

In fact all the things that I never seemed to have enough time for when my children were that age. I was getting up at 04:30 every morning for work 6 days a week, working 12 hour days, and all that earning a living entailed. So not at all that surprising when I stopped I invariably fell asleep. Once to Judy’s disgust, in the middle of Katie’s birthday party with about 12 kids running around me!

One of the greatest benefits of all, is at the end of the day, you can hand him over to his parents and say...he’s all yours now!

They say that familiarity breeds contempt, and I believe there is quite a bit of truth in this statement. We do tend to take things for granted when they are always around us. I know that even if we are off island for a couple of weeks, it is always good to come back to sea views if we have been land locked while during our time away.

The same can be true of bird watching. we get quite blase about common birds, and sometimes can be guilty of taking them for granted, or not giving them a second look. Yes we might be pleased when we see a male Bullfinch in all his finery, or a prolonged look at a Kingfisher can yield a warm glow inside. However the chance of seeing a Dunnock wouldn't register at all on the birdwatchers scale of must see birds. I am currently taking 11 adults through a "Getting started Birdwatching course". Each week they troop into the classroom with their pens and pads with a heart warming enthusiasm. It really does make a difference I find, if people are paying to be taught! They are there because they want to be, not because they have to be.

I shared with them last week that I am really quite envious of them, as in the days and weeks ahead, there are so many species they can look forward to seeing for the very first time. A time that I can look back on with fondness as I got to grips with the bewildering number of LBJ's (Little Brown Jobs!) that seemed to cross my path.

                            Guernsey Reservoir east walk

This was borne out yesterday as I took them out on a field trip around the reservoir. You have in your mind the birds that you are likely to see, and the rather special ones that might just be possible if everything drops into place. I have to admit though, that my expectations were rather low given that the forecast, and as it turned out, the reality, was for +3 degrees max. Wind force 5-6 with snow showers.

                     Guernsey Reservoir from southern end

We ventured out never the less, wrapped up and ready. It was gratifying to find the previously predicted Grey Wagtail feeding at the base of the reservoir overflow. as was the 15 or so Fieldfare hopping around on the adjacent ploughed field, with a couple of Redwing thrown in for good measure. Tufted Duck were on the water, and hearing several calls, we did finally mange to locate a Little Grebe. Oh, yes, and in the bushes about 50 yards away was a very active Firecrest, which proved too elusive for some of my class.

  Male Blackbird

With these exceptions though, everything else was very run of the mill kind of stuff, like 21 Blackbirds, 7 Song Thrushes,  a couple of Robins, and a total of some 25 or so species in our two hour walk. As we arrived back to the cars, and were bidding each other farewell, I found myself apologising that we hadn't seen anything special.

The humble Dunnock

Yet their response was, "no need to apologise, it was fantastic!". For most of them they had seen a number of birds for the very first time. I was taken back to the same feeling I had when learning and seeing the basic garden birds those 15 or so years ago. It does me good to be with a crowd like this, as it causes me to see things with their eyes, and then every encounter with a bird is a source of excitement again. Thank you pupils, for once again teaching your teacher a valuable lesson!

This continuing cold weather has prompted me today to pop into B&Q and buy some additional insulation for our loft. It took a couple of trips in the car to get it all home, but in no time at all the large rolls were  up the ladder and in the loft. That was the easy bit. The last time I had done this job was 30 years ago, and of course I was 30 years younger! As I had floored the centre of the loft previously, it was just the eves that needed the top up. However with only 30 inches at the highest point it tested my youthful, supple joints and ligaments to the limit. 

What with itching skin, body pouring with perspiration  in my overalls, my head sore from the constant knocks on the low rafters, my knees skinned from the sharp corners of the beams, and my back killing me form being bent double for three hours, come late afternoon I had had enough of it.

A quick refreshing shower, and I informed Judy I was off to see what was on the high tide roosts. The sun was setting, and at Fort Hoummet were a few dozen waders wave jumping. Nothing earth shattering, but nice to see never the less. I took off for Chouet with twilight quickly setting in, and there was just enough light to pick out 40 odd Sanderling on the waters edge, busy feeding in their clockwork toy like action.

(Waders at Fort Hoummet) 

I had parked my car in the playground carpark, and in the fast approaching dusk, I realised with a skip of my heart, that perched on a low wall not 20 feet away, was a beautiful Barn Owl looking straight at me with it's large wonderful eyes. After about a full minute, which is a long time in the birding world, it took off and began quartering the golf course hunting for it's supper. Imagine my surprise, when, whilst still following this bird with my binoculars, another bird flew into my field of view. Another Barn Owl. It was a wonderful sight to behold, these two magnificent birds giving me my own private display.

 (This is a captive bird I photographed last year...still a brilliant bird though)

Darkness finally won the day, but as I climbed back into my car to head for home, I was filled with such a warm glow of pleasure at what I had just witnessed. The aching limbs, sore head, and swollen knees were a distant memory. I am sure too that as I stepped through the front door, I could have sworn the house felt warmer too. 

Sitting in church yesterday, with my mind drifting over the prospect of what species I might be able to seek out later in the day, my mind was brought back when the unlikely species of eagle came to mind.

I was reminded of the well known verse in Isaiah chapter 40 verse 31 "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

The eagle is a powerful flyer, well able to fly in the most horrendous weather. yet anyone who wants to see a large raptor in flight is never going to  need to get up early in the morning. The eagle will roost on a cliff ledge and wait. Wait until the sun gets up, and as the thermal currents begin to rise from the heat of the sun, then and only then will it spread its wings and launch itself into the air. By waiting, it enjoys effortless flight, soaring sometimes thousands of feet into the air, wings outspread, enjoying the view.

Going back to the verse in Isaiah the word hope also translates into the word wait. Those who wait on the Lord... will renew their strength. Not by rushing ahead, using up endless, fruitless energy, but operating only when the warmth of the presence of the Son lifts them up.

Then we too can enjoy effortless exhilarating soaring, while enjoying the view from Gods perspective...and no, sadly, there were no eagles seen yesterday afternoon. But...my spirit has been uplifted! 

We have been subjected to what for Guernsey has been extreme temperatures this week. Unlike the UK we have remained by and large snow free. There has been about 3 millimeters of snow in total. However it did succeed in bringing the airport to a standstill for nearly three days, the bus service for two, and the schools closed for a couple of days. The most noticeable aspect of the weather has been the wind chill. This has seen the equivalent minus 6 - 7 degrees, which for us is cold.

The other significant noticeable effect we have seen, has been the large number of birds seeking temporary shelter from the snow covered countryside in both the UK and the continent. Once snow covers grassland it renders any food gathering impossible to ground feeding birds. So we have seen what for us are large numbers of Lapwing, Redwing, Fieldfare, and other members of the thrush family landing wherever there is a possibility of food. If as forecast, we have a   significant covering of snow, they will be forced once again to head further south to seek snow free countryside.

With the extent of snow cover that exists over Northern Europe at present, this could prove fatal for many of them. We are often unaware of the daily life and death struggle that goes on under our noses during this weather. We can play our part, at least in a small way, in making available whatever food we can to supplement the little that they can find during our short winter days. Below are a few images taken today of some of those visitors, including a beautiful Avocet that was at L'Eree on ice free water.

                                                   Lapwing 

                                                 Fieldfare

                                                     Avocet

Suitable food is available at Garden centres, although food, such as grated cheese, raisins, sultanas, porridge oats, cut up apples are also greatly appreciated. It all helps...

After spending some five hours out on my annual New Years Day birdwatching jaunt I only saw 50 species. Nothing really out of the ordinary, except that the two Lesser Scaup were still in residence at La Grande Mare. However I was struck by the simple beauty of gulls, seen in a good light. Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't ignore them! This is a fine example of a adult Black- headed Gull. Except it only has its black head in the breeding season, and then it is chocolate brown not black. Who said birding was logical!

 The gull below is a Great Black-backed Gull. This is our largest gull and has a voracious appetite. I won't tell you what it does with our beloved Puffin!

 These below are Herring Gulls, and by far the most numerous in Guernsey. So you see, there is no such thing as a sea gull. Our island would be much the poorer without these birds, and there is a big question mark over their future once our landfill site is full.

After being couped up indoors all week, off work  suffering from a throat infection, head cold and fever, it was such a delight to wrap up in thick coat, gloves and woolly hat and get some fresh air. When I say fresh, I mean fresh! It was just a couple of degrees above freezing, but with no wind it was beautiful. We have had two rare ducks in the island since the beginning of November. Not just rare..a 1st for Guernsey no less! Four attempts to see them had ended in failure, however this afternoon attempt number five came good...and below is the photo to prove it!!

These are Lesser Scaup, and because of their similarities to a couple of other species, are difficult to identify..however these are the real McCoy!

 This was followed by one of my favourite walks in Guernsey. Around the Millennium walk at our reservoir. Hardly a person about.no wind, the water - still as a millpond, and the only thing breaking the silence was the wonderful trilling calls of Little Grebe on the water.

I came home feeling so much better than all the antibiotics, decongestants, paracetamol had managed to achieve  during the week. God's creation has a massive healing power..praise His

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With all the rain we have had lately I thought I would put some of it to good use. See my Photo Gallery for more water shots.

 With winds exceeding 50 mph it was a challenge to get out and take these photo's. It was awesome just being able to watch the power of wind and sea. There were times there was so much spray it was difficult to tell if it was raining or not. Yet when it did rain there was no doubt as everything disappeared from view it was so intense.

Even the gulls decided they had been flying enough, and settled down in numbers in any sheltered spot.

I can remember now why I never wanted to be a lighthouse keeper! Imagine opening a window before checking which way the wind is blowing. You would only make that mistake once.

We went for a wonderful walk on Sunday afternoon around the Millenium walk at the reservoir with our friends, Pat Chris and Alan. The weather was warm and sunny on the first day after the end of British Summmer Time. Thankfully the weather thought it was still summer.

There were reminders of the season though. Migrating Firecrest in the lower undergrowth flashing its striking head markings in the sunshine. Three Little Grebes were calling to one another on the water following another successful breeding season. Down the overflow channel on the reservoir wall was a Grey Wagtail picking off flies from the running water. The striking thing though was the number of fungi present following the previous days heavy rain. Below are photo's of Little Grebe and the fungi that were a delight to see.