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

23 July 2013

A DISTINCT FOAL AT LAST AND OTHER BITS


I saw this little foal a few days ago but have been so busy, I only managed to get out and look for him/her (haven't got close enough to tell yet) properly today. Not much chance of mistaking this one; I spotted it from half a mile away. I think that looks like a whirlwind on his face so I'm non-sex-specifically calling it Tornado, since we already have an 'Arrow'. Such charming markings. 





Before I got to them, I saw many others. Here's a great example of why I haven't been able to keep track of the foals or their mother's this year:


Whilst chatting to one of my neighbours, standing next to their fabulous pond, we spotted a leech. I know they are still used with great success in modern medicine, but my ideas about plunging in for a swim went by the wayside.


The grass surrounding the pond was alive with tiny, tiny frogs; so tiny I couldn't get the camera to focus properly in macro mode, but you get the idea:


The heat has been getting to us all and we still have no rain. My theory, as I gazed over to North Devon, where storm clouds were gathering, is that the gathered heat in the lump of granite that is Dartmoor, is rising as a giant column, diverting all the rain away. I don't think the Met Office will be knocking on my door any time soon but that's my opinion! You can feel it radiating at night. Snip needs another haircut if this is to continue.


We headed for Widemouth Bay with OB and a friend again on Sunday, where the day was much clearer. I swam without fear of the hundreds of jellyfish we encountered last time and took a few more pictures:






The garden is really starting to suffer. A precious Ash sapling growing out of the top of the Vole wall has died. The grass is browning fast and the water-butt is emptying fast. The geraniums, however, will survive anything it seems. Given my dry shade issues, I try not to water anything other than my few tubs, but, when washing out the compost caddie, the water has been poured wherever it looks most needed. A bit stinky with bits of onion skin, but it does the job. We really don't want to risk the bore hole running dry as it feeds three households here. 


The Jacob's Ladder seems to be doing okay in the dry too:


The butterflies are everywhere but the only ones I can get near are in the garden. This lovely Comma was resting on the hedge: 


I've noticed that very few flowers are flourishing out on the moor. Milkwort should still be going strong but I see barely any. Self heal is around but very stunted:


The Dragonflies are still laying in the boggy puddles where so many expletives are uttered as they escape my macro lens. Pretty soon there will be no water left and their work will be for nothing. Some rain please! This Keeled Skimmer male looked exhausted today and I managed to zoom in on him.


I think the Stonechats are between broods as the males are singing their hearts out. Perhaps they're just avoiding their parenting duties.  


The seed feeder is inundated with young Chaffinches:


Tomorrow is OB's last day of school. He appeared in a play about the Romans last night, managing to be the first to die in every battle scene. I think he just wanted a rest from the searing heat. Posts may be less frequent as I take up my taxiing role and am unable to walk as far due to cries of 'do we have to?'. Six and a half weeks start here. I will look back in a few years and wish for these holidays, so I'm not complaining. Apologies if I'm not as regular in my comments on your blogs; I will try my best. Until next time, here's Snippet disappearing out of shot at speed.




41 comments:

  1. I love visiting here to see your amazing nature shots!
    Jane x

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    1. Thank you Jane....it's a pleasure to have you visiting.

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  2. Lovely photos of the foal, what unique markings. His owner will always be able to pick him out.

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    1. After today's encounter, I think it might be female.....I think.

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  3. Good luck with the school holidays. We're just about half way through ours and need a change of scenery as we're starting to get on each other's nerves.

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    1. I've already been on the phone organising friends to come round! Tomorrow we are going shopping for shorts that are 'long enough mum'.

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  4. What a stunning foal - just the thing for my grandchildren (not even glints in partner's eyes at present and T without a partner altogether . . .) That is the sort of "coloured" markings I like - can't abide those things marked like a Jack Russell with a splodge on the head and another over the tail . . .

    We had a Comma in the paddock this week.

    As for water, we have our own spring supply, so I know what you mean about being careful with it, although ours IS marked on the OS map, and is supposedly a reliable supply.

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    1. I always worry about the water as its management is out of our hands. Not good in winter when the whole system freezes and we're at the mercy of others!

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  5. Absolutely love Tornado, what a stunning looking foal. The clouds did head this way, but still no rain. The sky was very threatening today but still no rain. We've got hedgerows and fields going very brown and parched...and still NO RAIN... surely it will rain soon and clear the air...please!

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    1. When I was in the first year of primary school, we did some kind of play which involved a rain dance. I'm thinking of doing it in the garden 45 years on!

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  6. I love them all but your pony and foal pics are exquisite.

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    1. She (I think) is a very photogenic subject!

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  7. Such a cute little foal. Such long legs!!!

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    1. And with white stockings to make them look even longer!

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  8. Hi Em great variety of wonderful shots however my favortie was the foal adn horses.Margaret

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    1. I will be following her closely over the weeks, nine year old boys allowing...

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  9. The foal looks a sturdy chap/ess.

    Super butterfly shot :-)

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  10. The foal in the first few photos is just lovely :) Well done on the Comma photo too - I've been trying to get some butterfly shots in the garden with no success at all! Do hope you get some rain soon - it was torrential here yesterday morning and husband's car got stuck in a flash flood :( Mine's been commandeered whilst its repaired :( Lovely to see Widemouth Bay again too :)

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    1. So glad I'm not alone in my butterfly struggles. Flash floods are a distant memory of earlier in the year. I've rarely wished so hard for rain. Glad to oblige with Widemouth.

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  11. Still no real rain for us, I am watering my new trees every day and water butts are empty. Hope you enjoy the hols.

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    1. I keep tipping the butt to see what's left of the precious 200 litres; not much. I use it for soaking horse food as well as we don't have an outside tap. One downpour would fill it again I'm sure...please.

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  12. Oh Wow! That first foal definitely has a lot of chrome on it. It will stick out like a sore thumb with all the solids and duller looking foals.

    I feel like you do about leeches. Ech. Miss the ocean although since Jaws I have been leery swimming in anything I can't see the bottom to :)

    Would love to send you some of our rain. We are so far over on rainfall I've lost track. Our yard is starting to resemble a rain-forest and the humidity is still steep.

    We had Geraniums in California bordering the house and barn. They are very hardly and drought resistant.

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    1. It sounds like you may be heading for an inland ocean with all your rain. Our lawn looks like it's snowy as I can't cut the clover. The bees are happy though. I don't envy you that humidity...it makes me feel VERY ill indeed. I'll wish hard for your rain to come this way.

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  13. He/she is certainly a beautiful and distinctive looking foal and it will be interesting to see if he/she lives up to its new name as regards fleet of foot :-)

    I personally enjoyed seeing the Leech (I think they are cute in their own unique sort of way), and I am envious of your Keeled Skimmer (a species I've never seen). Meanwhile we did manage to get a few storms up here with lots of lightning and thunder but didn't get much in the way of rain rather frustratingly.

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    1. I saw her from afar today David and she was leaping around, spinning and darting, very much living up to her name.

      'Cute' is pushing it with the leech I think! We have a glut of Keeled Skimmers on this particular little boggy puddles. There are at least four or five males flitting around at any one time but I've only ever seen one female.

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  14. That foal is just adorable Em - and your photographs are all lovely. I so envy you living there - and then I think of our lovely Dales and decide no - I am happy living here. But I would like your foals though.

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    1. I think the Dales are similar in their wild beauty and I'd be happy on either to be honest. Would miss the ponies though...

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  15. A beautiful foal, hopefully its good looks mean it will have a good future. Wonderful photos as ever. We like you have not had a drop of rain while all around have, I think your theory might be right!

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    1. It rained last night! Lawn still brown though.

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  16. Lovely photos. Tornado is beautiful and I love the tiny frog. The Stonechat is gorgeous too. I'm interested in your water supply; we've been considering a borehole here but the price is hugely expensive. Hope you get the rain you need soon.

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    1. It is expensive but a great investment as water rates rise. Ours was here when we moved in so we've never had that expense, but the fact that we don't have the massive water bills makes life a lot easier.

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  17. I remember when you said all of the foal look alike this year so what a nice surprised to see this beautiful little one.
    Love snippets last photo, it seems the perfect photo of him.

    cheers, parsnip

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  18. Hi Em I just wanted you to know that I have nominated you for the Liebster Award and will have the details on my post soon today. I hope you will participate. Margaret

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    1. Thanks Margaret. I don't know what that is but I'll find out!

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  19. What a handsome foal! They are so darling at that stage--all spindly legs and fuzzy manes and tails.
    I'm not as handy with a camera as your photos suggest you may be--but I, too, am annoyed with the effects of the macro settings on my newer camera!

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    1. I guess trying to use the same lens to do both zoom and macro is asking a bit much and it makes me wish for an expensive one with lenses you can change. I'm not one for doing the lottery but that's probably the only way, or entering competitions with camera prizes I suppose!

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  20. Em, I love Tornado ... whirlwind of beauty there for sure !

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    1. I'd like to pop a rope around her/his neck and haul him/her home!

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  21. That tiny frog is sooo tiny and cute! Oh and I love the handsome stonechat!

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  22. I think they're one of the best looking birds we have and doesn't he know it?

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.