Wet comparisons

I thought it fun to compare the pond at Springtime, summer in a drought and this winter when the pond is the fullest it has ever been.

Pond in a drought ridden summer, not this past year though and now after all the wet weather.

 

 

Wet wet wet!!!

Here is our pond in the spring and then the other photo was taken today after all the rain and wet weather we have had. I have never known our pond to be so full and dont think it will soak away fast as the fields were already water logged! it doesn't really show how high the water is but we will soon be hiring boats out and competing with the Norfolk Broads for boating holidays!

Spring time 2012 when the pond is full after last winter

November 2012 the pond is the fullest it has ever been, it is nearly to the summerhouse.

Our patio through the seasons!

I thought it would be interesting to see our patio through the seasons. This first photo is in  early Spring before the leaves are on the trees but you can just see some daffodils at the far side of the orchard.

Summertime brings a million shades of green and we decorate the patio with  tubs of flowers.

Autumn brings blustry showers and leaves everywhere!

Winter snow covers the patio!

Goldfinch rebellion

These Goldfinch were busy feeding this morning when the sparrow came to feed try his luck too. You can imagine the Goldfinch on the left shouting up to the one on the feeder ' Eh! what about me, throw me some down and never mind that thieving sparrow!'

Rainbows and Puccini

Puccini my horse and his big beautiful eyes!

Today I saw this beautiful rainbow looking from the farm towards the hills and I always knew we were just a mile or two in the wrong place as at the bottom of a rainbow is a pot of gold!

Rainbow as seen from the corner of the cottages

Squirrels, Hawks and pigeons

It has been quite a busy time for wildlife this last few weeks and here are some of my latest sightings!

Our cheeky squirrel now sneaks onto the patio to steal the bird seed! 

Our resident racing pigeon and can you see the pheasant eating by the wall? She is well camouflaged.

 This racing pigeon has made Rains Farm it's home for the last few weeks, he hangs around the patio and watches the other birds. I think he must be one of the pigeons that are part of a baffling mystery. Not that far from here there is what they now call the "Birdmuda triangle" Many racing pigeons when released  never make it back home, literally hundreds don't return at times and it is very puzzling. Well, I have one here!

Now that winters coming the pheasants are coming back to the orchard to feed. This is a young male and female, they could easily be from the brood that hatched here last spring.

I am not the only one who finds pheasants fascinating!

This beautiful Sparrowhawk flew into our garden and tried to snatch a small bird but missed. He decided to pause a while on a garden post. I grabbed my camera and the memory card was full!!!! That is so frustrating! I did click this photo, unbelievably I was in our kitchen about 6 foot back from the window and zoomed him in through the window and double glazing. I can't believe how it came out as I was just hand holding the camera too!

Keep off my pears!

After a very busy few days with guests I managed to spot this beautiful squirrel in our orchard. I know that many people think they are a pest but because we are really a little oasis with trees in an area surrounded by fields we never get over run with squirrels. This fact makes them seem very special to me and this cheeky one was eating a dropped pear from a tree in our orchard. You have to admit  he looks cute!

On the wings of a Dove!

Today has been rather wet at times and a bit grey like these two Doves I spotted on our garden fence. They sat there and then in unison they would raise one wing, it all looked very funny!

'Oh look over there, it's her from next door'

'She's seen us, wave, cooee, it's us'

Harvest sunrise

I couldn't resist taking a picture of this beautiful sunrise, a typical  harvest sunrise during August.

Paramotoring, birds are not the only flyers!

Last night my brother and his friend came and did some paramotoring from the farm. It's not only the birds that fly here! Sometimes my brother comes and takes to the air, hence the aerial photos of the farm I  use on  my web site!

Big feet and sunny patio

Just to prove that we do get sunshine here at Rains Farm, here's a photo of  our patio this evening in the late sun's glow. The other picture is of a Moorhen chick on my patio wall, just look at the size of his feet!

Our moorhens are nearly fully grown!

Here are our 4  lovely moorhen chicks who are now nearly fully grown. You can see they are still not in full colour plumage like their mother but are nearly as big. If you look back through my blog you can see how cute they have been right from being fluffy little chicks. They have discovered the bird table and now are bold enough to come near the farmhouse to feed from any bits the other birds drop.

Flying views!

My brother took up the hobby of paramotoring last year and yesterday took some shots of the farm from the air! You can see what a wonderful little oasis Rains Farm is for the wildlife amongst the beautiful rural landscape of NorthYorkshire.

Wobbly Warbler water feature!

Today some guests and I were looking out of the bed and breakfast dining room window and this little bird landed on the top of my water feature on the patio. We think it is a Warbler, what do you think? If so, which one? I am curious as it seems to have stripes on it's belly.

Our Little Owl now enjoying the sunshine!

 I don't think anyone can see me behind this branch!

This evening sunshine is better than all that wet weather I was growing up in!

Cheeky leveret in our garden!

Tonight I spotted this cheeky leveret in our garden, he initially tried to hide in the grass, then came onto our patio and had his tea (ate my plants!) then as he was leaving the patio he spotted a wood pigeon and looks like he was wondering what one would taste like!

hiding in the grass or so he thinks!

Having tea eating my plants

I spy a pigeon!

Moorhens and cheeky pigeons

Our Moorhen youngsters are growing fast and now enjoy foraging around the orchard with their parents for food

Double decker pigeons! They are so naughty as they frighten off the smaller birds from the feeders!

Lazy Sunday afternoon Hare!

This beautiful Hare loves to sit and clean himself up at the base of this old ash tree in our orchard.

You can also view our slide show , you will find it on the right hand side, a little further down this page.

Queens invite & our moorhen family

I caught these young sparrows talking on a fence this morning, I imagine  the one on the right is asking the one on the left  'what on earth are you doing?' 
and the one on the left replying
'Practicing bowing of course! I'm off to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen!

Here are our moorhen family who were out searching for food in the orchard this morning. It is the first time I have seen all 4 chicks and their parents out of the water on the grass together. They have really grown and are still quite fluffy

It's amazing what sunshine can do!

The sunshine has brought some unusual guests right to the door here at Rains Farm. We had a little visitor at our door asking if we could do bed and breakfast for the night, I was tempted to let him in as I thought he would be a hoot to have as a guest!

How much?!! I only want a roost for the night!

Wet day and a very wet Little Owl chick!

Today I went outside in the rain and there was one of the Little Owl chicks on the car parking area. He was stood in a puddle looking very sorry for himself. Luckily the rain has now stopped and hopefully he will survive the wet and cold to enjoy a wonderful life.

I wonder if my mum has a towel, I'm soaked!
later yesterday I found him sat under our car and he was nice and dry!

Mothers and daughters!

Here's Mrs moorhen and her daughter dutifully stepping out behind her!

Moorhen chicks, owls and deer!

Here they are the moorhen chicks on the pond as promised! They are gorgeous little bundles of black fluff!
Earlier today I spotted the Little owl perched on our washing drier taking a good look at me!The other 2 photos are of a deer that wandered into the orchard this evening, I grabbed my camera and first only managed a blurry shot and the sharper one is literally of the deers bottom as he shyly goes into the field next to our orchard, the crop of beans make good cover for the deer. My camera then informed me the memory card was full!!! It would happen just then wouldn't it!

I am watching you!

         

New camera, new photos!

I have just invested in a new camera which will help with my wildlife photography....I hope! Here are a few of my first photos. We are very excited as the moorhens have 4 chicks! We spotted them all togther today and I am determined to get some photos of them as proof!

Goldfinch on feeder.

Our pond where the moorhens live.

Moorhen leaving pond today.