Where are your favourite walks?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I had my routine walk, nothing special this morning... except I saw a woodpecker.  I always hear them but this is the first time that I saw one.

Cool!  Any idea what species it was?

And, I know what you mean about hearing them but not seeing them; they're either too high up in a tree, or on the wrong side of the tree, or on a tree on the other side of the river! lol

I once had a woodpecker decided my chimney flue was a tree and started pecking it. Sounded like a jackhammer was on the roof!

I used to routinely see a Blue Heron at a nearby lake when we lived in Maryland. It must have been lost because they usually live in estuaries.

Not according to Cornell's website:

"Great Blue Herons live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, and also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields, where they stalk frogs and mammals. Most breeding colonies are located within 2 to 4 miles of feeding areas, often in isolated swamps or on islands, and near lakes and ponds bordered by forests."

Their nesting habits also vary greatly too.

Your anecdote about the chimney reminded me that several years ago, I saw (and heard!) a woodpecker pecking away at a neighbor's metal roof.  It was relatively early on a Sunday morning.  I expect that they didn't sleep in late that day.

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

On the train arriving in London to meet my brother for breakfast before walking round the Post-Impressionist Exhibition at the National Galley - about two weeks ago;

Trust that you had a good time?

PD

[Spotted Horses]

"Great Blue Herons live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, and also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields, where they stalk frogs and mammals. Most breeding colonies are located within 2 to 4 miles of feeding areas, often in isolated swamps or on islands, and near lakes and ponds bordered by forests."

Very interesting. I'm accustomed to seeing them in large numbers near estuaries, so I took for granted that was their natural habitat.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Very interesting. I'm accustomed to seeing them in large numbers near estuaries, so I took for granted that was their natural habitat.

Neat that you've been able to see them in large numbers.  The few times that I've seen them, they have all been singles.

PD

[Karl Henning]

To the Woburn Public Library. The original building was designed by H.H. Richardson (the architect of Boston's Trinity Church, e.g.) the town did an exceptionally good job of building a new annex which respects the historical structure.

[DavidW]

Cool!  Any idea what species it was?

No sorry.  It had a red head.  But I would need to take a picture to identify it.  I don't take my phone on my morning walks.  I want to be out of contact with email, messages, internet etc.

[JBS]

To the Woburn Public Library. The original building was designed by H.H. Richardson (the architect of Boston's Trinity Church, e.g.) the town did an exceptionally good job of building a new annex which respects the historical structure.

Chortle.

TBH, I am not a fan of that style (Richardson's, that is). I would not shed a tear if Trinity (much vaunted that it is) were to be demolished and replaced with--well, almost anything except perhaps a warehouse or a gas station.

[BWV 1080]

Brazos Bend State Park, but have to watch your step, saw this guy lurking by the trail just to the right of the pic

[vandermolen]

Trust that you had a good time?

PD

Yes I did thank you PD - it was fun to see my brother and I enjoyed the National Gallery very much as well.

[Karl Henning]

Brazos Bend State Park, but have to watch your step, saw this guy lurking by the trail just to the right of the pic

Oof!

[Karl Henning]

Chortle.

TBH, I am not a fan of that style (Richardson's, that is). I would not shed a tear if Trinity (much vaunted that it is) were to be demolished and replaced with--well, almost anything except perhaps a warehouse or a gas station.

I guess we're lucky you didn't put a bid in on the Woburn project!  😎

[vandermolen]

What were the crowds like?  I am coming under some pressure to go to it, but I have an aversion to peering at pictures over rows of heads.

Not crowded at all but it was on a week day. You get a timed entry ticket but I only had to wait for about 15 mins. I'd say that it was busy but not crowded.

[vandermolen]

On Saturday my wife and I took a walk on the South Downs National Park. If you look carefully at the photo of the wind-swept tree you might find a sheep!
On Sunday we took a more leisurely walk from the village of Alfriston along the banks of the Cuckmere River.

[vandermolen]

Here's another photo from our riverside walk:

[krummholz]

Had a short but special walk yesterday.  Needing to stretch my legs after several hours of yard work over the weekend, I went for a short walk partway around a nearby pond.  Happened to spy an adult great blue heron.  Watched it for a while.  It was standing on the edge of the pond under some overhanging shrub/wild growth.  And then saw it fly away.  I think that this was only the third time that I've ever seen one before and never for so long nor so close. 

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron#

PD

I love Great Blue Herons - we had many nesting at parks around the Detroit area when I lived there, especially at Kensington Metropark. PBS Newshour had a story this week on home schooling that was obviously (to me) shot in part at that park - I recognized many of the scenes, and they showed some herons, as well as a child feeding a chickadee out of his hand - something the hiking group I belonged to there used to love doing.

[Holden]

With the condition of my knees my current favourite is from my car to the back door of my 'local' watering hole.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I love Great Blue Herons - we had many nesting at parks around the Detroit area when I lived there, especially at Kensington Metropark. PBS Newshour had a story this week on home schooling that was obviously (to me) shot in part at that park - I recognized many of the scenes, and they showed some herons, as well as a child feeding a chickadee out of his hand - something the hiking group I belonged to there used to love doing.

I love them too--so striking!   And sweet story!

PD

[krummholz]

I love them too--so striking!   And sweet story!

PD

In an amazing coincidence, yesterday I saw my first great blue heron since moving to Vermont - it caught my attention by taking flight from behind some reeds on the edge of a popular pond in Groton State Forest. Then it perched on a rock near the shore and I got an iPhone picture of it, but you need to really zoom in to make out the bird. I was really tickled - they are not common in central Vermont, and I rarely get down to Lake Champlain where I imagine they are much more common.

I still have no idea how to post pictures on this website or I would try to share it.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

In an amazing coincidence, yesterday I saw my first great blue heron since moving to Vermont - it caught my attention by taking flight from behind some reeds on the edge of a popular pond in Groton State Forest. Then it perched on a rock near the shore and I got an iPhone picture of it, but you need to really zoom in to make out the bird. I was really tickled - they are not common in central Vermont, and I rarely get down to Lake Champlain where I imagine they are much more common.

I still have no idea how to post pictures on this website or I would try to share it.

Excellent!  So happy that you were able to see one!

There's a pair somewhere 'round here, but haven't seen them nor their babies since my one sighting of the one....then again, I haven't visited/walked in that area much in the past few weeks...need to get back to that.

I believe that to post (your own) pictures on this site that you have to first upload them to some sort of a hosting(?) service and then download them to our forum.  You might try posting this question in I think there's a questions/how-to area for the forum?  I just haven't bothered to upload any of my (not normally very good) photos.  For example:  several weeks ago, I sent a photo of "my" heron to a friend.  The response I got:  "What's that?"....sigh.  My old iPhone doesn't have the greatest camera in it.

PD

[vandermolen]

A few images from my holiday in Anglesey, including Beaumaris Castle (left unfinished by Edward 1st when he ran out of money), site of the 'Royal Charter' shipwreck (1859) and another coastal scene. Also we saw the indigenous red squirrel - I had never seen one 'in the wild' before. Most of them were wiped out by the much larger rat-like grey squirrel introduced from America.