Showing posts with label sheep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sheep. Show all posts

Thursday, May 1, 2014

May 1, 2014: Tree And Crow...and views around Rasterhoff Park, Sneek

365 Project, Day 177
Here is my day 177 submission to my 365Project:

Here's today's photo of the day. Although I got some other fun photos today, I liked the simplicity of this shot with the dark crow and branches of the tree highlighted by the lighter background.


Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) 

The ship has been in the shipyard the last few months and, along with finishing up some final bits and pieces of the major overhaul it received, it had to do sea trials and with all the contractors around there wasn't enough space for most of the crew including ourselves. Instead, we've been spending a few days on shore at the Grand Hotel Beatrix in Den Helder until the ship is ready. We're not complaining though as we've had a great time relaxing and exploring the beautiful coastal town for the last couple days...not to mention how nice it's been eating delicious lunches and dinners every day in the hotel dining room overlooking the sea!

As lovely as the hotel was in Den Helder we had to move to a different location today because the hotel didn't have enough room for our rather large group. We were bussed to a hotel near Sneek about an hour away from Den Helder. We spent the night at the Van Der Valk Sneek Hotel and I don't think any of us complained as it was also a very nice hotel and we thoroughly enjoyed our pre-dinner drinks in the bar and lovely dinner in the dining room! 

I am still a bit jet lagged so after checking in to the hotel, I had a short nap, and then myself and my two co-MMOs went for a walk in Rasterhoff Park next to the hotel. We had a lovely time taking in the variety of life: Chiff Chaffs (Phylloscopus collybita) singing their songs, bumblebees in the flowers, toads croaking, Coots (Fulica atra) with their chicks, Blue (Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tits (Parus major), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) ducklings, butterflies, sheep and an entertaining Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) who seemed to claim a couple of cars in the parking lot as its territory! 

Early morning lighthouse beams and homes of Den Helder

Chiff Chaff (Phylloscopus collybita)






Coot (Fulica atra) with her chicks

Coot (Fulica atra) chicks

Coot (Fulica atra) offering some food to one of her chicks

Coot (Fulica atra) with her chicks

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Great Tit (Parus major)


Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) chicks

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) guiding her chicks along
















Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

The lounge of the Sneek Hotel
Not a bad place to stay for the night...my room at the Sneek Hotel :)


In the lounge at Sneek Hotel...with some interesting wall decor
We weren't too sure what to think of the deer head with the beads!

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

April 23, 2014: A Wee Hummingbird Chick!

365 Project, Day 174
Here is my day 174 submission to my 365Project:

This afternoon I had my first sighting of a baby hummingbird in it's nest and, doing my best to be quiet and not touch or disturb the little one, I got this shot of the baby in it's nest :)

Hummingbird nest on a cedar bough...with a baby in it!

Today was a day to get out of Victoria and head to Cowichan just north of Victoria on Vancouver Island. I was looking forward to today because my good friend, Shantel, and I were going to visit her dad's 88 acres of farm and forest land in the Cowichan Valley area. I was in need of a good day out in the sun and forest and had been craving to leave the city for the calm of the countryside. 

The first thing we did after the roughly 45 minute drive from Victoria was to stretch our (and Shantel's two lovely Border Collie's, Kenda and Bella's) legs with a wander around the property; we paid a visit to the sheep, wandered through the forest looking for signs of animal life and then visited the pond at the back of the property. At the pond the dogs had a great time running and swimming while we found a multitude of Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) nests, including their eggs, on the grass and tucked within the reeds surrounding the pond (it was a true, slightly late, Easter egg hunt!). We also watched Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) flying to their nests and chasing the geese and a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) soaring overhead. 

From the pond we continued on our saunter across the fields, through the forest and past another pond. At this second pond Shantel's dad showed us both a very special thing...a hummingbird nest, most likely an Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna), and it was just low enough on the boughs of a cedar tree that we could peek up over the nest and see the little chick in it! My first sighting of a baby hummingbird...what a delight!

finally back to Shantel's dad's house where we went in for a cup of hot chocolate and a snack and I admired all the antiques in the house. Shantel's dad is a hunter and avid antique collector so you can imagine the interesting mix of decor from a taxidermied cougar, beautiful old horse sleigh and old Gramophones  (he used to have 26 of them!) at the front entrance to the old-fashioned radios, multiple old player pianos and other beautiful antiques scattered around the rest of the house! 

It was a lovely day and so nice to spend it with my good friend and her sweet dad! 


Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menzeisii) in the forest surrounding Shantel's dad's property

Kenda and Bella having a good romp

Kenda stretching her legs

And she's off again...

Kenda does look like she's smiling here!

Full speed!


Eek! We came across a giant ant mound...here they are close up!

Going to visit the sheep

View in the valley

Here they come for some attention :)







These guys do like to be snuggled!




Shantel's dad goofing around (he already has a moustache!)




Canada goose (Branta canadensis) on her nest



Kenda showing Bella who's boss

Kenda showing Bella who's boss

Kenda showing Bella who's boss

Another Goose nest at the edge of the pond







Bald Eagle coming in after the geese


Western trillium (Trillium ovatum)





Hummingbird nest on a cedar bough

Hummingbird nest on a cedar bough



The Wood Pile...all ready for the fire on those cozy, winter (or early spring!) nights!