The maximum temperature here today is 7⁰C, minimum 3⁰C. Dry, but showers are possible. North-Easterly winds of 15km/h with gusts up to 33 km/h.
Curious spectators out walking.
The beautiful colours of the House sparrow (Passer domesticus).
Note: all bird photos have been taken through the window and most of them are heavily cropped.
Great Tit (Parus major)...
As above.
Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) in the rain.
Still in the garden
Viburnum tinus - Echeveria - Cotoneaster berries.
Black-eyed Susan - Sparrows in Silhouette - Cosmos
Marsh or Willow tit, if only I could hear its call. (Poecile palustris) or (Poecile montanus).
As above...
As above
As above...
As above...
As above...
As above...
As above...
As above with sparrows.
European robin (Erithacus rubecula).
Salamander. I think (S. salamandra terrestris), not the same one as seen in October, this has different markings...
As above...
As above.
I saw this on the shelf in Leclerc Brico, I decided that it was worth a photo!
My local list of wildflowers. (91 Species 02/6/2022).
Joining up with My Corner of the World.
Hi Diane. Another very enjoyable post from you, thank you. That salamander if fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI always have problems with Marsh Tit/Willow Tit. Have you come across a free app. (available for iOs or Android) called 'Obsidentify'? It has a reputation of being brilliant at identifying all forms of wildlife. I only came across it recently but have not yet been able to fault it. Obsidentify says your tit is a Marsh Tit, with 95% certainty. It says that your salamander is a Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) with 100% certainty (nothing about 'terrestris').
My very best wishes to you both - - - Richard
Hi Richard, thanks for all that info it sounds fabulous but my phone is quite old and there is no space for any more apps and I do not have that many on it. I added an extra card which is much bigger, but I have found no means of downloading to it as I just get told there is no space!!! There are three different sub species of Salamander that are present in France, S. salamandra terrestris being the most common all over the country, S. salamandra.salamandra can be found in the extreme south east and S. salmandra.fastuosa in the Pyrenees. We live central West .
DeleteI do think it is a Marsh Tit, but everyone tells me that it is impossible to confirm without hearing the call so .....
Why do they make all these apps for android ? I mainly use my computer for everything!
Hope you both have a good weekend, take care, Diane
Those birds are gorgeous. The black bird looks different from what we have over here. I wonder what that European robin just discovered...such a cute look. Have a fabulous weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks Angie, the robin must have spotted something but i never saw what it was :-) Blackbirds seem to be different certainly in America, this is the one that is all over Europe so I am surprised the the ones you see in Germany are any different. Perhaps I misunderstood that you are in Germany. Keep well an have a good weekend Diane.
DeleteLove these creatures. Such thick fur on the cattle makes it look like they belong somewhere colder. The Robin looks regal somehow!
ReplyDeleteThat is probably one of the best robin positions I have caught on film, something must have suddenly caught its attention. Have a good weekend Diane
DeleteGreat photos of birds, those adorable cows, critter and flowers. Wishing you a happy weekend Diane :)
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Denise, hope you have a great weekend as well, cheers Diane
DeleteI wonder what breed of cows they are? Do you know?
ReplyDeleteI think they are Limousin cattle but I am not 100% sure of that. Cheers Diane
DeleteHi Diane ... great catch-up ... I always love seeing them ...The robin photo is amazing … he looks sleek and very healthy … the sparrow is so beautiful … lovely salamander … and that locomotive – handsome toy …
ReplyDeleteOh yes – last but not least … could you please come here and clean my windows … excellent shots through the glass … ?!?
Have a lovely time as the 'festive' season rolls along … cheers for now - Hilary
LOL our windows are not that clean but the camera seems to ignore the fact 😊 The Salamander is so easy to take photos of, they move at snail's pace, sadly because of that, they get run over on the roads easily. I also loved that robin photo, I still wonder what caught its attention. I hope all is well over there, take care Diane
DeleteYour photographs are always sharp and clear, Diane. The salamander is especially fabulous. What a gorgeous creature! As for Willow Tit or Marsh Tit, it's almost impossible to tell without hearing them as you say, although habitat is a good clue in the breeding season. There seems to be a slew of these ID apps these days but they can mislead too. The algorithms are far from perfect. We have species here that are similarly only separated by voice, Willow and Alder Flycatchers springing instantly to mind, when even while bird banding, with the bird in the hand and measurements taken, it was hard to say with certainty. Bon fin de semaine, ou comme tu dis en France, bon weekend! David
ReplyDeleteThanks David for that kind comment. The Salamander was a delight to see and because it moves so slowly it makes photos fairly easy. Apparently Marsh Tit numbers have declined in France, but that does not mean that we do not have one in the garden! I will never be sure of the answer.
DeleteJe te souhaite une bonne semaine, Diae
HAHA....the cows stare you down and the bird turns its back on you. I love the pics.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam 😊 Hope you are well, take care, Diane
DeleteLove the cows. Enough to make me a vegetarian, like my daughters. That is cold temperatures. Stay warm and shoot through the windows. Great bird shots. We have a heatwave today at 34°C.
ReplyDeleteSo many younger people have become vegetarians, I like vegetarian meals, but I would get bored having no fish or meat occasionally. It is getting colder daily at the moment Brrrrrrr. Keep well, t'other Diane
DeleteGreat shots. Love that little salamander. So cute.
ReplyDeleteThey are adorable little creatures and such fun to take photos of as they move so slowly. Hope all is well over there, cheers Diane
DeleteSuch attentive cows, sweet birdies, flower mosaic and reptile!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kenneth for your visit, I just love the salamander which in fact is an amphibian. Cheers Diane
DeleteWow, still have flowers. That salamander is so colorful.
ReplyDeleteLast night was -3C so not many flowers left now!!! The salamander is beautiful. Keep warm and take care, Diane
DeleteHappy New Year! Hope 2023 brings you many blessings.
ReplyDelete