Posted on

Old spots, mud

My last visit to Northycote Farm was on a cold, damp and thoroughly miserable day.

I spent most of my time watching wild birds coming to the feeders – see the video in yesterday’s post. But I also had a quick look at my favourites among the farm stock, the Gloucester Old Spot pigs: currently one boar and two sows.

Posted on

Exe 6: hungry swan

This swan was on the Exeter canal, not far from its seaward end at the Turf public house.

I was as hungry as the swan. The Turf is a welcoming pub when it is open. Sadly, it stays closed early in the year until the school half term.

Posted on

Exe 1: avocets feeding

Because of the cold weather, I haven’t been getting out for recent pictures of Wolverhampton wildlife.

To carry on the daily posts, the next few days will have photos and videos I took on a long weekend by the Exe estuary in south Devon earlier this month.

Today’s video features the bird whose name has been borrowed by the marketing department of the rail line to the east of the Exe between Exeter and Exmouth – the avocet.

Avocets are wading birds. Here they are seen feeding by searching muddy water and soft mud with their delicate-looking upcurving beaks. The last bird might be finding its prey by sight in the clearer water of a tributary of the Exe.

The Exe estuary is the winter home to thousands of avocets.

Posted on

Robins and more

Another go at filming a video of the customers at the bird table. The two robins which share the table early on must be a pair. They are probably also the birds which show themselves again towards the end.