June Is Bustin' Out All Over

Here's a few pictures from my recent wanders around Newton Stewart.

Make sure you scroll to the last picture, it wasn't taken by me, but is rather special. 

In the Glebe garden.

A survivor of the lawnmower blades.

Blairmount Park wild flowers.

Just landed.

Decking, ducks and ducklings on Blairmount Pond.

This cob has a nesting mate and likes to chase the ducks.

A ducking !

Moorhen.

I don't know whether the swan was trying to ape the duck here.

Just about to leave as the ducklings came over from the decking.

They're quickly learning that people walking round Blairmount pond might have some tasty snacks.

A climb up the hill. 

Cuckoo Flower

Rabbits.

Buzzard

???????????? Roughly two inches long at the base of a tree. Looks like a cocoon perhaps.

Wood spider nursery maybe ?
My thanks to Tammie of Spirithelpers for solving the mystery.
It's a slime mould, Fuligo septica.
Also known as dog vomit or flowers of tan after it's occurrence on oak bark used for tanning leather. 

Power lines

Curious cows.

Salmon fishing on the river cree

and finally

.....

............

introducing

........................

to the world

................................

Audrey Cass

Born to Sarah and Phil and weighing 7lb 11 oz, Audrey Cass is my newest granddaughter.

Thanks to Marie for this picture. She's about four days old here.

Well done Sarah and Phil.

Isn't she gorgeous.

A break in the wet weather at Blairmount

Tuesday the 17th of September

It's been a wet and windy week up to now, the river Cree's higher than it's been for months. No fishermen out today.

A break in the rain gave me a chance to go see the ducklings over on Blairmount Pond

They weren't by the pond dipping platform, but the water was still and very reflective.

I thought of kneeling down and trying to get a water boatman close up but decided to leave that for another day

Moving round to the main pond and with a slice of Warburton's wholemeal I enticed these hungry guys to the water's edge.

It's great to see all seven still here

The mallards were greedy but they all got to eat. I know that quite a few neighbours are feeding them anyway

Still plenty of ripe and unripe brambles about

It's a bit dull, but I'm still trying out aperture priority settings

It must be Autumn judging by the ripening Honeysuckle berries

Ducklings on Blairmount Pond

Very early September and there's some late summer arrivals on Blairmount Pond.
They've settled by the pond dipping platform.

Ducklings on Blairmount Pond.

 

I took the photos and videos yesterday Tuesday the 3rd of September. I had to chase a cat stalking in the banks long grass.

This Wednesday evening all seven are surviving and are voracious eaters.

They'll soon get fat with the folk around here feeding them.

I hope they survive