THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

22 December 2012

A COAL TIT AND SNIPPET DOWN A HOLE


Since we moved here over four years ago, I've been hoping to see coal tits. Where we lived in Chagford in the town, we had lots visiting the garden, but I've never seen them up here until a few days ago. Just the one, but that will do. They are so sweet. It's been very timid and comes VERY low in the pecking order; below even the blue tits. All the other peanut feeders eat the porridge too but this little character doesn't do so yet. Let's hope he or she is a regular visitor.





The rain is getting pretty depressing. I've never seen it quite so bad up here, with every inch of ground rushing with water. Trigger's field, despite me putting back divots on a daily basis and his lack of shoes, is turning into a mud bath. We should count ourselves lucky the water isn't yet entering the house. I pity anyone lower down the river as I don't see how flooding can be avoided. It's set to continue tomorrow so many people are going to be in trouble for Christmas.Here are two ponies trying desperately to shelter. The wind is pretty horrendous too.


A couple of days ago, when we had a dry day, Snippet and I walked over towards the delightful Fernworthy Forest where there is an abandoned badger set. I walked on while Snippet sniffed around and only looked back a couple of minutes later. He had disappeared. After some shouting and whistling to no avail, I ran back to find the tiniest tip of tail poking out of one of the holes. It took him some time to get himself out and I was worried I might have to traipse home for a shovel to dig him out. These three are from an earlier hole. I should have known not to leave him really.




Nearly gone!


What I think are Fieldfare. They look like big Thrush on the ground if you can get anywhere near them. They usually take off  as a flock and are gone in seconds, hence blurriness! The next two pictures are from the other herd, who seem to be gravitating to this area and mixing with our herd. The coloured pony is the one who was so friendly with me in the summer.




These two are of a misty lunchtime before more heavy rain!



Strange stripy dawn sky


And a few from the bird feeding area.....


The lovely pecker Nuthatch


Fabulous colours on the back of this Magpie's tail


The Sparrows waiting their turn for the porridge


Not the best looking Sparrow!


Nuthatch leaving the feeder at speed

We have a huge amount of military air traffic going over us what with the firing ranges being so close at Okehampton. The helicopters sometimes fly right over the house which is quite frightening if you don't see them coming. There are far fewer jets than there used to be due to base closures in Cornwall. When I was about 10 or 11, I thought I wanted to be a fighter pilot and would do meticulous drawings of the jets of the time. In those days, they didn't accept women and I really didn't understand the true implications of what the job would entail at that age! Now, despite the enormous misgivings about their role, I still get a thrill as they go over. If I had signed up, I would have been pensioned off pretty quickly with my type 1 diabetes that came on very late, and bone density issues. Not a very suitable candidate at all! I saw this helicopter the other day:


Origami Boy's party was a great success. Just the four of them but it's amazing the chaos four eight year old boys can cause. I splashed out on this little cardboard tree from Paperchase for the occasion. I think it's gorgeous and it will last for years.


Last Monday, I took my Mum to Carluccio's in Exeter after a stroll round the new John Lewis which opened last month. Having been brought up in North London, we spent a lot of time in Jones Brothers on the Holloway Road, now long gone, so John Lewis has a special place in my heart. Rarely actually buy anything but it's a childhood comfort thing. Carluccio's is a piece of mild sophistication that Exeter lacked until the last few years. It was a desert when we first got here, with nowhere to go to eat between chain places and the extremely expensive. We bought this gorgeous biscuit for Origami Boy. Stunning and delicious!


Only three more days to go before the true seediness of the Christmas tree bucket is revealed once the presents have gone. The tissue paper I've wrapped around it isn't going to cut it I'm afraid. Perhaps some strategically placed fruit might do the trick?......until next time, a wet Snippet hoping  for a place on the sofa. I don't think so!




13 comments:

  1. always gorgeous photos to see. I particularly loved the misty ones and of course darling little Snippet's face, I could kiss that black nose!

    Merry Christmas to you and your family Em x

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  2. Happy Christmas, Em! What splendid iridescence on the magpie.

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  3. Gorgeous photos of the ponies on the moor, but I'm absolutely in love with the one of the magpie! Great photo of Shippet at the end and I love him falling in the hole! No more badger holes for him.

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  4. I forgot to say to stop by and see my wonderful sketch of yours on my blog! Be sure to click on to the photo for a larger view!

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  5. Love the photos of Snippet looking for Badgers ! We love Badgers.
    Still worried about the ponies out in the cold rain and wind.

    Merry Christmas.
    Cheers, parsnip

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  6. Beautiful photos - especially love the ones of Snippet - what a gorgeous cute dog :) Glad you have managed to attract coal tits and hope they stay around. I love watching them caching seeds.

    Hope you and the ponies get some respite from the bad weather soon.

    Have a lovely Christmas.

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  7. Loved Snippet disappearing down the badger hole, he would have had such a fright if he had met a badger.
    Feel sorry for those ponies up on the moors, this weather is wicked for all and sundry, and there is not much goodness in the grass at this time of the year.
    Merry Christmas to you and your family X.

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  8. I was laughing at Snippet down the hole. I LOVE your bird photos, as we don't have the same breed of birds here in Canada.

    We used to live near a firing range in Warcop in Cumbria. It wasn't the helicopters that frightened me it was the jet planes that we "mock" fighting and you wouldn't hear them until they were upon you. So many sheep miscarried in the fells because of them.

    Gill in Canada

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  9. Kath - That black nose often gets kissed....or just above it anyway!

    Caroline - Happy Christmas! I've never noticed that iridescence on the tail feathers before so I was so glad I had the camera.

    Gail - So glad you like it Gail and it's lovely to see it somewhere other than in the drawer. We will be keeping well clear of those holes from now on.

    Parsnip - I've never seen a badger up this high actually but when we used to live down in the town, we had one who visited every night for peanuts. He was HUGE!

    RRobin - Still just the one Coal Tit but he's here every day now which is great. Amazingly it didn't rain today despite the forecast.

    Thelma - The ponies are more interested in the gorse shoots at the moment and paw at the bushes until they can get at them easily. The more bushes they destroy the better quite frankly but they're so hardy, nothing seems to kill them!

    Gill - it must be really interesting seeing all the Canadian versions of birds. Luckily we don't have that mock fighting in the air but I do remember seeing it up over the Yorkshire Moors in the eighties. Terrifying!

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  10. I do hope the coal tit sticks around, and that you get more. They are so funny, and can pull more weight than their size suggests. Ours get together as a pack and divebomb the woodpecker when they feel he's had long enough on the nuts...

    Have a very happy Christmas, Em. Jx

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  11. I'd love to see the dive-bombing! Perhaps this one will bring its friends eventually. Happy Christmas to you too. x

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  12. love the card tree
    happy christmas old bean!

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  13. You too John. It's lovely isn't it!

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