Chiffchaff 28/05/2014

Hilary and I tried to catch up on a bit of gardening yesterday afternoon, weeding and hedge cutting.

Just before we stopped for the day, Hilary came across a Chiffchaff nest, so I went back out with a camera and just about managed to get a useable shot.

Green Nettle Weevil 28/05/2014

We had a lovely sunny morning a couple of days ago, perfect for crawling round in one of our nettle patches with my little camera!

A productive morning from which this little Weevil was the star.

Rhododendron and Birch 23/05/2014

This rhododendron is at the end of the garden at the cottage, standing in a group of Jacquemontii Himalayan Birch and is looking wonderful this year, I have played with the camera and editing a little to make a softer more atmospheric image.

More Flowers 21/05/2014

It is a lovely sunny morning here in Northumberland, nice to spend a short time pottering about taking photographs the field and beside our little burn .

Hilary is back from a long weekend at Preston Montford, another of her Msc Bio Recording courses, and most importantly has remembered to bring my camera home this time! I would normally use our Nikon D50 DSLR but after my Samsung compact was, err "borrowed" I bought a used Lumix DMC-FS35 compact on Ebay a couple of years ago and it is possibly my preferred camera for every day use. For a £60 (I think?) secondhand camera, the results are quite pleasing.

So impressed with the Lumix Compact range I have now got my eye on a replacement, the Lumix TZ60. When is Christmas?

A fern frond about to open

Broom

Germander Speedwell

I was hoping to have a trip over to The Lakes tomorrow as Hilary has another course over there, and spend the day exploring with the dogs but the forecast is dreadful. Will see how it looks in the morning.........

Is Greater Lesser, or Lesser Greater? 19/05/2014

I have finally got round to working out the difference between Greater and Lesser Stitchwort. This is Greater - Stellaria holostea. Lesser is much more delicate with a very pronounced star-like flower whose petals are separate to their base.

Learn something new every day, exciting.....!!

Congratulations Lauren! 15/05/2014

We received the news yesterday that eldest daughter, Lauren has passed her veterinary degree and obtained a First!

Excellent news, a fitting reward for three years of extremely hard work. Only two more years at Nottingham Vet School and she can be let loose on an unsuspecting animal kingdom......

Well, she has the look, how could they deny her?

May 15th, 2014 15/05/2014

Over the Bank Holiday weekend I spent time clearing scrub from the bank next to the area we hope to extend the orchard into. As they carry a virus, fire blight, which is harmful to apple trees, some or possibly all of the Hawthorns in the distance may have to go but until then we will enjoy the blossom and the birds will enjoy the berry in the autumn. This bank side extends the length of the field and rises above the burn and has not looked like this for 25 years since it was heavily grazed farmland. We will be leaving as much of the mixed scrub as we can so that the wild birds, many wrens and bullfinches, can continue to feed and breed long into the future. There is still another twenty meters to go but that can wait till the weather improves again.



The willow catkins have been lovely, so delicate.....



At home in the Tyne Valley, this Exochorda, one of my favourite shrubs has been stunning.



And the Bergenia simply glorious........