Monday, April 08, 2013

Earth, air, water, and fire in the evening.



Primroses


Buzzard



Pool
~

A bright sunny day, at last, Easter Sunday, though still cold.  Molly and I walked over the hills and fairly far away, and came home quite tired.  She flags a bit these days, but is still up for a reasonable walk if the weather's right.

We lit the fire for the evening.




10 comments:

Zhoen said...

Buzzard needs a less repellant name.

Julia said...

For one moment I thought that was a red kite! It's early, my eyes are not yet focused :) I missed the red kites that are no so common here, so lovely to come back and see them again...

Yes, spring is rather elusive here too, no buds yet, no blossom, the daffodils struggle to look bright

At least my brambles will still not be rampant yet in Brittany, at least I hope not

marly youmans said...

Primroses! Devoutly to be wished.

We have buzzards close by--they are fond of a dead tree, and also like to roost ins some hemlocks that are a few hundred yards away. I'm very grateful that they across the street and down a block.

And I can tell Zhoen that the dratted birds are a but repellent when you live close to them! The whole block stinks of buzzard! It's a weird smell, too. Of course, they pee on their feet to cool down, and I suppose part of the smell must be buzzard poop...

Ellena said...

I had to look the word flagging up. It sounds as if Molly had the same problems as I do.
I take off on my own, but am always worried about making it back. So far so good.

Unknown said...

Congratulations on capturing the buzzard in flight. I last saw one while driving across the marshland near Pevensy Bay. Raptors are invariably as beautiful as they are cruel.

Lucy said...

Thanks all.

I think we need some taxonomic clearing up here. Our buzzards are buteo genus, more like American red tailed hawks. They are essentially raptors, who catch rabbits and voles, though they do clear up quite a bit of carrion, and are not very ferocious hunters. Your American buzzards are a kind of vulture. I must say after seeing griffon vultures in flight in the Pyrenees they are pretty bloody magnificent, but they keep to the mountainsides and are quite retiring.

Julia - I've never seen a red kite; they'd not become as widespread even when we left the UK and I've not seen them here, though I've seen plenty of black ones further south in France. Brambles never die!

Lucy said...

Joe - I've found I can capture birds better with the speed setting. My old camera was certainly quicker, though the zoom wasn't as good.

Pam said...

I love those still lifes!

Rouchswalwe said...

I am reminded of the time three turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) took me in the Buick hostage. I saw the three massive creatures there in the middle of the road tearing apart another furry creature and they would not budge. I braked. Honked. Got a wing ruffle from one and angry stares from the other two. Needless to say, I stayed in the Buick and shivered until they were finished. Frightening creatures on the ground.

HKatz said...

The buzzard photo is splendid.