Taking my leave, and leaving a link.

I will be taking a break for a few weeks, as my birthday on the 12th of June is approaching, and every year an old school friend of mine who lives abroad, comes to spend some time with us in June, and is always here for my birthday. He arrives in three days! It will be so such fun!!!:)
I will leave you with the link to Calvin Nicholl's  paper sculptures which if you haven't already seen, I'm sure you will enjoy.
https://www.google.pt/search?q=Paper+birds+and+animals+made+by+Calvin+?&biw=1242&bih=545&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjAhpml-_7MAhVLXhoKHdeEDZcQ7AkILQ



Garden Critters.

Inclement weather has meant that I haven't used my hide all year, but there is always something of interest going on in the garden, and these are just a few images I captured recently..


Through our lounge window
 

The squirrel was about to head down to the feeder, but stopped when he saw me.
 

Whenever he sees a squirrel, Pintas engages in his pointer stance .
 

I think they saw each other at the same time, and the sqirrel made angry chattering noises, a face off ensued, but finally realizing it was pointless( :)))  Pintas turned around and bounded off.
 

A field mouse that hubby rescued from the pool. Once in the water, they can't get out, so..
 

hubby has aquired the habit of looking in the pool evey day  and has rescued many critters this way.
 

I think this is a Serin!!! Captured on one of the few fine days we have had this year.
 

A blackbirds nest with four eggs.
 

Female Blackbird.

A  Robin,  a couple regularly visit the feeder.
 

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A Monastery for Good Fences.

The Monastery of Roriz was founded in the late 11th century by Dom Toure Sernao. Later in the 12th Century (1173) the king of Portugal, Afonso Henriques, donated it to the friars of Santa Cruz of Coimbra, taking therefore the rule of Saint Augustine, and it was in fact these Canons that constructed the monastic church of Roriz, and their work extended throughout the 13th century.

The Monastery of Roriz 

It is classified as a National Monument.
 

We only saw the exterior, but it was well worth a visit...
 

just to see the architecture...
 

and tread the stone paths that people had trodden all those centuries ago...
 

and see what they would have seen.
 

babies being babtized here...
 

and monks passing through this gate.
 

I don't know if there would have been daisy-like flowers growing between the stones!:)
 

But I know the monks made their own wine and vineyards are all around.
 

View from the Monastery
 

Thank you Theresa for hosting Good Fences. If you would like to join in the fun just click on the link. br /> GOOD FENCES

The Lapwing

 

The Lapwing   Vanellus vanellus 

 

Click on the links below to join in the fun, if you would like to see, or share birds or other critters.
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Gate Number Eight for Good Fences.

We visited my sister in-law's quinta, when our friends were here, and then just before leaving, I took these two shots of the gate.




The property is several hundred's of years old, and the extensive grounds inside are beautiful, but the gate is just for Good Fences.

 

Click on the link below to see more gates, railings, and fence's from around the globe.
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Young Jays at the Feeder

 

 

These shots of the Juvenile Jays were taken moments ago through our lounge window.
 

 

 

 

Click on the links below to see more birds from all over the globe. Thank you to Anni and Stewart for hosting.
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A Sow for Good Fences

A huge sow was the focus of attention for these school children, who were on a supervised day out to the nature reserve on one of the days we visited. I think it is wonderful that schools provide this kind of education, and the pig seemed to enjoy the company

 

 

 

 

Linking up with Good Fences and Saturday's Critters, and many thanks to our gracious hosts. If you would like to join in the fun just click on the links below.
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The Black Kite a Gate and Fence

Whilst our friends were here we visited a nature reserve with an extensive thirtyfive hectares of woodlands and farms, with rivers and ponds. We took the three kilometre long pathways, seeing many varieties of trees and plants. Along the way, wooden hides with benches to view the wildlife were numerous, as were the benches situated by the ponds and river, and I was thrilled to see so many wonderful species of birds, from raptors to water fowl, and wading birds to pheasants, however today, I would like to share the Black Kite.

The Black Kite   Milvus migrans
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My thanks to Theresa, Anni, Eileen, and Stewart for hosting, and if you would like to join in just click on their links below.
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The Lesser Stag Beetle

Hello everyone! It's good to be back again, after spending some quality time with our friends.We had been looking forward to this reunion for years, so even the persistant April showers couldn't dampen our spirits as we showed them the local beauty spots, and some other places of interest. I still have loads of photos to go through, and edit, so it might take me a while before I can start sharing the latest photos, but in the mean time, these are some I had already saved.



The Lesser Stag Beetle     Dorcus  parallelopipedus
 






Despite it's name, neither sex of this beetle has antlers, and resembles the female Stag Beetle.



It is smaller than it's cousin the Stag Beetle, but it is still a relatively large beetle. It has a broad head and can be distinguished from the male Stag Beetle, by it's smaller mandibles and knobbed antennae, and from the female Stag Beetle, by it's all black wing cases, and it can be seen flying strongly in the early evening, often attracted to garden lights.The Lesser Stag Beetle feeds on sap and their larve develope in old tree stumps and other rotting wood, and the beetles can also be found  in the soft decaying wood of broad leaved trees, and in gardens where there are orchards, old hedges and trees.

 

The Adults are from 18, to 32mm. in size, and are similar in appearance to the related antelope beetle (Dorcus parallelus) of North America
If you would like to see a previous post of the Stag Beetle to compare click here 

and if you would like to see more critters from around the globe and join in the fun, just click on the link. SATURDAY'S CRITTERS and my thanks to Eileen for hosting.