Park Life

 By the time you read this post, we'll hopefully have moved into our new home (I'm doing the cheat of actually writing this post the weekend before it will publish).  We were wanting some ideas for an artwork that we could hang on the walls and had taken a drive out to Thoresby Hall to look at the art gallery there.  Unfortunately we timed it badly as it was a textiles exhibition on display.  I then remembered reading on the internet that Rufford Abbey Country Park had an art gallery. As it was just a few miles away we decided to take a look.

As the trip was unscheduled, I had no camera with me so took these on my trusty iphone.  I'm quite pleased with the results and I should really experiment with it a little more.

We took the long route to the country house and abbey ruins by taking the lakeside walk.

The ducks where keen to follow us

 The country house was built next to the remains of the 12th Century Abbey.  There is a popular restaurant as well as a cafe and The Orangery also plays host to art installations like the one below.

The remains of the abbey and the amazing oak tree.

Watching the world go by

Camouflage

 Spring has brought us our first sightings of the tawny owls in daylight.  We have seen them during the winter months, but only as silhouettes landing on a branch outside of the bedroom window at dusk.  Now that the weather is changing they have returned to their numerous perches in the garden.   They are amazingly well camouflaged against the brown and green of the tree trunks and branches.  If you don't know where to look, then chances are you won't see them.

Thankfully, for myself  if not the owls, blackbirds are very good at finding them.

Blackbirds will try and chase the owls off.  I could hear their alarm calls from up the garden and decided to investigate. Three blackbirds swooped passed me into the trees, chirping furiously trying to mob the owls to move away.  I spotted the lower bird immediately.  The second, I did not notice until I changed position to get a better shot.

I love the way they keep an eye on what I'm doing whilst pretending that they aren't.  They tolerate me getting fairly close, after all these years I think they understand that I won't do them any harm.

Itchy and Scratchy

 I'm concious that this is the third post in as many weeks that have featured this fella but as the saying goes make hay while the sun shines. As he has been a daily visitor to the garden of late I've christened him Mulder.  His routine involves strolling up the garden to have a drink from the bird bath, before cutting across the garden and slipping into the farmer's field next to us.

We still think he is an older animal.  Mulder seems to have a weary almost arthritic gait when he moves.  What we are certain about is that he is covered in fleas.  His coat to us is starting to look a bit mangy on his hind quarters.  I took most of these shots from the bedroom window,  Mulder was aware I was photographing him but he was to to busy scratching himself to care.  He did this for almost ten minutes before taking his leave.

Foxtrot

It's not often that a fox decides to walk straight into your viewfinder.

Last Sunday, around six in the evening and we had just returned from a shopping expedition in Lincoln.  As I was cracking open a cold beer I spotted this fella calmly strolling up the garden towards the kitchen window.

He moved at a cautious pace and spotted me through the window but didn't seem particularly bothered by my proximity.  He headed straight for the bird bath and took a long drink.

We think he may be an older animal, due in part to the white hairs that are visible on his flanks.

 Thirst sated, he walked across the garden and into the field next to us.  By this time I was virtually hanging out of the bedroom window taking pictures.