NOVEMBER BIRDS

Before the leaves fell from the trees, I took some photos of birds to get the autumn colour in the background and here they are, ....not a lot of different species, but they are the ones I see the most. 

NEW GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER IMAGES:

Last week I had a total rest from blogging, and the swelling on my knee is much better for abstaining from sitting too long at the computer. I have a timer, set at 15 mins and then I stop whatever I'm doing, get up , lie down, and elevate my leg, so this post will take rather a long time to accomplish. Whenever I can, I  photograph nature from my window, and now that the leaves have fallen, I can see  many birds perched on bare branches that I haven't seen for quite some time, but the highlight for me was when a Great Spotted Woodpecker came onto my balcony, and I managed to take quite a few photos which I am eager to share with you today, all twenty of them. :=) I know it's a lot, but this experience may never happen again.

 

Unfortunately I forgot to put these images in sequence, they are all mixed up, but you will soon get the picture. Every morning I place some peanuts in their shells along  the ledge of my balcony, where I can see them from my window, hopefully waiting for a  Squirrel, a Jay, or the Woodpecker to show up for a close photo shoot. Previously the Woodpecker had picked up a large peanut and flown off to eat it elsewhere until one day it came onto my balcony and settled down to eat them on site. I watched with a great deal of pleasure as it worked it's way along the mossy ledge coveting the nuts by hiding at least two or three under it's breast, whilst hammering away at another 

These moments were very special, and the only reason it suddenly took flight before finishing off all the peanuts was because  my flash went off by mistake, and just when the Great Spotted Woodpecker was feeling confidently at ease on my balcony. It may now return to it's previous habit of picking up a peanut and eating it elsewhere.     

 

THE BEAUTY OF AUTUMN.

This is Thursday, the 2nd of November, and we are in the middle of a fierce thunderstorm and now it's hail stoning. It didn't last long, but it has rained continuously for a month now, but when I looked through the kitchen window I could see that the leaves of the trees were a beautiful shade of red and I couldn't resist the temptation of going outside, as by this time the rain had eased off a little, so I donned my waterproof coat and took a few photos around the  driveway even though I knew it could start raining heavily at any minute. I then went into the garden to see what I could find. As it happened the heavy rain held off until I returned home but just in time before there was another downpour. I couldn't have been outside more than fifteen to twenty minutes but in that time managed to take quite a few photos.

View from my Kitchen window of  the Liquidamber Tree.

A closer look, of course on a sunny day the leaves are more vibrant.

Another colourful tree.

The Sweet Gum tree looks like it has Christmas tree decorations.

More Autumn leaves covering the ground.

Empty Chestnut case.

Moss covered stones were everywhere.

Steps with moss, are slippy and should not be climbed.

The colourful Ivy leaves looked very attractive.

Another tree of great beauty.

Oak Acorns. The acorns I posted on a previous post are Holly Acorns.

Folios lichen growing on the balustrade stone.

Puffball Mushroom growing between the paved stones

Same tree that I see from the kitchen window.

Bottom of the tree.....

.....and the top. All the trees are extremely tall as the branches haven't been pruned for several years.

Driveway Trees.

Whenever I saw red or orange leaves I took a photograph. These two where only a few cm tall.

One of the three flowers remaining on the Camellia tree.

 

Begonia plant.

                                                  The Tradescantia plant.            

An Acer tree.

A nibbled Field Mushroom.

Buds of an Azalea shrub

This stone container only had a little soil inside it and I didn't plant anything, but just look at it now! Nature filled it with plants, two kinds of fern and I'm not sure what the other leaves are.

Coal-tit trying to reach the unopened chestnut.

Very bad action shot.

From a distance I wasn't quite sure what I was looking at, or where it was, so I just pointed my camera in the general direction, and only later discovered it was a Mistle Thrush. I'm including the next shot, for although the head isn't visible.it's underside is clearly seen. 

I have included these shots taken through my bedroom window, but they were taken yesterday the 6th of November before the sky clouded over again.

This is probably the Mistle Thrush.

Driveway Trees.

Driveway Trees.

.

Back in my bedroom

Just in time, and look who was waiting for me

European Robin Red breast. I pulled the plate with the stone nearer the door so the bird food wouldn't get wet.

Whilst outside I tried to go into the orchard, but the ground was too wet, so instead of showing tangerines on the trees, here are a few tangerines on a Portuguese hand painted plate.