This family of Mallard Ducks are as happy in the rain as they are on a sunny day. The Mallard Duck is a common duck in the UK according to the RSPB there are between 61000 to 146000 breeding pairs and around 710,000 birds winter here.
ItchenValley Country Park.
Turnstones resting on the beach, at Meon Shore near Titchfield Haven. Their colouring against the beach gravel shows these little birds camouflage is excellent at hiding them on the foreshore.
I was able to creep up fairly so close my camouflage must have been not too bad.
Ruby Turnstones are often spotted working their way around large stones on rocky or gravelly shores. They flip over stones to look for food. It can even lift rocks as big as its own body. Although a migrant to the UK, it can be seen all year-round as different populations arrive throughout the seasons.
Although they don’t breed in the UK, they can be seen throughout the year as birds from northern Europe pass through in summer and again in spring. Birds from Canada & Greenland arrive in early autumn and leave in early summer.
Some 13 miles drive from home takes me to Beacon Hill near Exton Hampshire. Situated on the Winchester end of the South DownsWay.
Views around Beacon Hill near Exton Hampshire.
Coming down off the hill towards Winchester the fields became blue with Flax plants.
Flax has been grown in Hampshire for several years The blue flower is a wildflower in California. Flax is grown for the oil of its seeds, (linseed oil) Flaxseeds are a golden yellow to reddish-brown colour. They contain phytoestrogens, which are similar to the hormone estrogen. Flaxseed oil contains the essential omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid. Flaxseed has been eaten as a food or used as a medicine since 5000 BC.
Among the blue flowers were the odd white one.
Today the weather has changed the sun as gone and been replaced by rain showers so today’s walk was less pleasant. Over 45 years ago I remember wandering off the public footpath to scrump apples from an old apple tree in sight of the nearby farm. Several years ago I found the tree had split and appeared to have died.
Today I wandered off the footpath today I found the tree was alive and one of the broken branches was full of blossom.
Today the farm that overlooked the apple tree has changed and is now left to decay.
Continued Reflections from my world. 