Wednesday 10 April 2024

A WALK IN THE PARK.

In February we had a few fine days.Eva suggested going for a walk  to Sara Morreira Park on the newly surfaced  pathways, which made walking much easier on the level ground. Sara Morreira Park is not known for it's wildlife, quite the contrary, it's a pleasant park with shady trees near the river, but I always take my camera with me for now and again common species of birds can be seen which might still be of interest. 





On the bottom left you can see the water flowing over on to the rocks below. 

The water at this end of the river is turbulent, until it becomes calm further downriver. 

Can you see the pig?


Hybrid Geese.









These tree trunks are submerged in the swollen river water.
 

There was an abundance of wild flowers to photograph.











Wall lizard


The Crane Fly


As you probably already know if you have ever tried to get nearer to a Pied Wagtail on foot, they just run further away with every step you take, so these shots were taken at a distance, this accounts for the poor images. These bird shots were very far away and cropped as much as I dared.







The female Blackbird.


The Wingless House-cricket  Gryllomrpha dalmatina


The Blackbird and the Thrush were hunting for their next meal.
Although they are common species, they are actually lovely birds
when photographed in focus and at close range.








The Heron and the ducks were captured on a previous visit, but I'm including them here.











Approaching the cafe I noticed some pretty pink wild flowers.


Before heading home we called at the cafe, a perfectly situated  location which faces the parks new paths and trees one way, and at the other side faces the river. I bought two ice cream Cornetos and we ate them in the car,  they were the perfect ending to our afternoon's outing.

40 comments:

MadSnapper said...

Ola! love that photo. these water views are the places that I can sit and stare at the water and feel a sense of peach pour over me, no humans, just water, trees and peace... the photos are amazing, as always

Marit said...

Dear Sonjia :)
It must be so nice to be able to walk in the park, and see both the river and the beautiful landscape. Yes, I can see the pig or a frog. The stone can look like both.
Lovely pictures of the wild flowers. The geese are so beautiful to watch, and the ducklings. I also really enjoyed the pictures of the pied wagtail too. I am really looking forward to see it in my garden after a long winter stay in the south.

Take care my dear friend.
Many warm hugs!

DeniseinVA said...

Dear Sonjia, thank you so much for taking us on this lovely walk. It is a beautiful area with much to see. I especially loved the flowers and wildlife. It is always lovely to see what there is in other parts of the world, and you have such pretty scenery. A perfect finish to your walk is a stop at the cafe to eat a Corneto. We often do this ourselves. Thank you also for your lovely comment at my recent blog post. I answered you if you would like to stop by sometime. It is always a great pleasure to see you there. I wish you a very happy day and continued good week my friend. I hope the sun is still shining where you are.

Antonio Rodriguuez said...

Un buen reportaje del paseo y muy diverso.
Un saludo.

Lucyna Drozłowska said...

Cudowne fotografie, świat na nich jest jak z.bajki 😊

Angie's Recipes said...

That's a lovely park. And yes, I could see the pig :-)

sami niilola said...

Superb photos. True, the stone looks like a pig, but I also found a frog.

Ana Mínguez Corella said...

Hi Sonjia An oasis of life... So beautiful!!!

LoveT. said...


In paradise

roentare said...

The pig rock looks like a wombat

J.P. Alexander said...

Las fotos del bosque me encantaron. Te mando un beso.

Marie Smith said...

A great outing indeed. So much to see and enjoy! Thank you for taking us along.

Irma said...

What a beautiful park to walk in, also beautiful with the flowing water in the river.
I think the photos with the duck with the young ducklings are so cute.
Greetings Irma

eileeninmd said...

What a nice outing, the weather looks perfect.
I love the views of the pretty flowers and the river.
Great captures of the wildlife. I love all the birds, especially the cute goslings and ducklings. Great shots of the Heron, Blackbird, the Thrush and the Wagtail is pretty. I like the cute lizard too. Yes, I see the pig! Take care, have a great day!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Such a lovely place, Sonjia. I would love to have been there with you, and every bird you saw, every flower, every lizard, was each special in its own way. Rarity is in some respects overvalued, and the familiarity of old friends is never to be dismissed. I wish that I had been with you to savour the odours and the sounds in addition to the wonderful sightings. Your keen naturalist’s eye takes it all in, even down to tiny insects. We could have sat at the water’s edge, with cheese and good bread, listening to the enchanting sound of the water surging over the rocks in timeless fashion. Remember Tennyson’s “The Brook” - Men may come and men may go, but I go on forever.” For a brief time we could have been part of “forever.” Hugs and kisses - David

Richard Pegler said...

Such a beautiful place, Sonjia. I felt that I was with you through the medium of your lovely images. I think that your cricket is Gryllomorpha dalmatina - the 'Wingless House-cricket'. The Ave River looks wonderful, but I have seen reference to it being not very clean.

Best wishes from central England where we are, at last, getting some warm dry weather, but I suspect that it won't last more than a few days.

Take good care - - - Richard

Jeanie said...

Your park is beautiful -- and what an impressive collection of sightings. Of course I love the heron but those purple flowers are so lovely!

Kim Young said...

woww... everything looks so serene, I feel like I need to go out and be closer to nature, thanks for sharing these beautiful pictures!

Stewart M said...

What a wonderful looking river - seems that the wildlife likes it as well!

1819563*dD

Barwitzki said...

What a great walk...absolutely beautiful.
And actually you just have to start walking :-)
Thank you very much for the photos you took. A joy to watch.
A hug for you from Viola

This N That said...

What a lovely park and a nice place to walk and take pictures.
I saw the pig. I was trying to make a pig out of the hole rock but it's a smaller part of the upper left. Nice catch!
Nice pictures of the water fowl. Especially the duck with its brood..
Thanks for taking us along on your walk. Have a great weekend.

Debbie said...

the river is gorgeous, be it turbulent or still...both have their allure. i did see the pig, i often see the shapes of animals in rocks and sticks. the images of the geese are stunning, so clear and bright!! i am surprised to see baby ducks, it is early for them here!! beautiful captures of the heron and flowers. such a cute cafe!!

John's Island said...

Hello Dear Sonjia 😊

It sounds like you had a delightful stroll through Sara Morreira Park, and it’s great that the new pathways provided such a pleasant walking experience. Bringing your camera along, even if the park isn’t known for its wildlife, seems to have been a wise choice. Even common birds like the Pied Wagtail and the Blackbird have their own charm, and it’s always rewarding to capture them in their natural habits, no matter the distance or image quality.

Your mention of the café’s strategic location sounds inviting, offering the perfect spot to soak in the views of both the park and the river. Ending the day with ice cream Cornetos in the car sounds like the quintessential sweet note to conclude an afternoon of leisure and nature. Thanks for sharing your peaceful day with us; it’s a lovely reminder of how a simple walk in the park can be so rejuvenating.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

John

Veronica Lee said...

What a lovely park adventure!
Your photos are amazing, Sonjia.
I particularly enjoyed the peaceful water views and the cute ducklings and goslings.
Thanks for sharing your stroll with us,

Veronica Lee said...

What a lovely park adventure!
Your photos are amazing, Sonjia.
I particularly enjoyed the peaceful water views and the cute ducklings and goslings.
Thanks for sharing your stroll with us.

Pooja Mahimkar said...

Such a pleasant area to take a walk. What you thought as pig, I thought of a frog

eileeninmd said...

Hello Sonjia,
Lovely images from your walk. It looks like a beautiful spot to enjoy the water views and all the beautiful birds. It is nice to see the baby geese and ducks, the cute lizard and the Thrush. Love the Heron too, one of my many favorite birds. The flowers beautiful, are the white flowers the wild garlic?
Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend.

Tom said...

...Sonjia, of course I'm taken you the flowers, but the duck family is a treat to see. Take care and be well.

Lasse said...

Hi Sonjia, Seems to be a great park to spend some time in, and many great photos did you come home with. It´s always good to bring the camera on, in most cases somethings happens when you go for a walk in nature.
Greetings Lasse

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

What a beautiful place to walk and see so much. I saw the pig too! heehee!

EricaSta said...

Glad,found your Blog, dear Sonjia, it's very nice reading about the birds you viewing during the walk through the park. I enjoyed very much, thank you for sharing.

Have a wonderful week, greetings by Heidrun

EricaSta said...

Glad,found your Blog, dear Sonjia, it's very nice reading about the birds you viewing during the walk through the park. I enjoyed very much, thank you for sharing.

Have a wonderful week, greetings by Heidrun

Shiju Sugunan said...

Lovely walk in the park! The flowers are beautiful, and I especially like the close-up of the wall lizard. Ice cream cones sound like the perfect way to end the day! Irma mentioned you can't post to my blog, and I'm trying to figure out why. It might be tricky to solve, though.

carol l mckenna said...

Love the baby ducklings with their MOm ~

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

RedPat said...

What a lovely spot for a walk. It is nice to see the 'ordinary' birds. I am always happy to see the neighbourhood Robin on my deck every day.
Nice post!

Nick Morgan said...

Hi Sonjia, what a beautiful Park. So nice to see a natural environment like that. And good to hear that you are back to being able to walk and enjoy it.

David James Slater said...

Dear Sonjia, A lovely record of a day in your park. Our weather is improving. Across our close from my front bedroom, I have been watching a pair of starlings gathering twigs to build a nest underneath the roof of the house opposite.The entrance to the nest is just above the drainage pipe so the nest is hidden and must be sited underneath the tiles. The birds have been very busy so I am hoping to see the nestlings shortly.How long is a starling's gestation period I wonder.3 Weeks ,I have been told but I do not know how many eggs they usually lay. I hope that you are keeping well and coping with being on your own .

Teresa said...

Tu paseo fue encantador y estando con tu hija mucho más, me gustó todo. Gracias y abrazos.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

A beautiful and interesting place to walk Sonja! I am glad you took your camera because even the ordinary birds are beautiful and definitely photo-worthy! Thank you.

La Biosfera de Lola said...

Querida Sonjia me encantan las fotos y el lugar es muy muy bonito. Besos.

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