19/02/2020 - Part 2 of my walk.

Maximum temperature in the Charente today 12C, minimum 5C. Rain most of the day not measured as yet.  16km/h north-westerly wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.

Grapes partly pruned, must do ours but we only have one plant!

Our hamlet, looking back over my shoulder.

A surprise visit from a Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)...

As above...

As above.

Daisies and a fly.

Mimosa.

Mistletoe.

A stream that is quite often dry, it was running fast here.

Lots of mud around!

Reflections in a puddle, I just happened to like this photo!!

I wonder how much water is in this well.

Sad, but I think this large tree had died so it was probably dangerous.

I hope it was wind blowing this vapour trail and the pilot had not been drinking 😊

Wind turbines in the distance- my pet hate, but thankfully there are not a lot around us.

I think this is winter wheat just coming through.

Another great surprise, a Peacock butterfly (Aglais io).

See also my

 Bird blog

01/04/2019 No April Fool - just yesterday's walk 6 kms.

Maximum temperature today 20C, minimum 7C.  Dry, but light rain forecast for later.  11 km/h North-easterly winds with gusts up to 22 km/h.

The temperatures drop again tomorrow with possible rains forecast.

Just before my walk, seen in the garden. Little Owl (Athene noctua). More photos to go on next weeks bird blog

Cowslips (Primula veris) everywhere in the fields and the roadsides.

Unknown tree with spring shoots.

Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia). ID thanks to Susan.

Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea)

Peacock butterfly (Aglais io)

Twins growing up....

Some of the younger lambs...

Is it really that much easier to kneel???

Winter wheat.

Fields of yellow, a mixture of celandine, buttercups, dandelions and cowslips.

I would love to amble down this leafy path but it is on private property!

Mallards on the dam at Russas.

The Chateau at Russas, the pigeonnier on the right...

A closer look at the pigeonnier. (Pigeon house).

Horses in the field at Russas.

The hedge is hawthorn blossom,  but the flowering trees behind I am not sure about.

A closer look at the hawthorn,

Poppies outside someone's house...

More poppies in a very overgrown flower bed.

I have taken photos of this little pony before, he is barely two and a half foot high. (7.2 hh in equine language)...

nearly as broad as he is high!

This cow was keeping a wary eye on me.

Last, but not least, this Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus) was stealing some of the bird seed when I got back home. ID also thanks to Susan.

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente

03/06/2018 Trying to catch up

Maximum temperature today 24C, minimum 15C.    Rainfall 15 mm measured since my last post; 3 km/h South Easterly winds with up to 27 km/h gusts.

Total rainfall since 1st January; 572 mm and still raining!

There have been a lot of storms around and we have not had our computers and WiFi connected, therefore I  am even further behind with my blogs now.  Here are the last few photos taken from my walk the other day.

Wild Strawberries.  Very small but tasty.

Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)

A secret lane through the forest  😉

Wheat as far as the eye can see.

Day Lilies.

Damselfly - a first for me. Beautiful demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) male.

As above.

A member of the bellflower family I think!

Bindweed.

Grapes.

Shaun the sheep 😊 Well the lamb wasn't but all the females are shorn.

Unknown.

Possibly a Black Kite but it was far away (Milvus migrans)

N.B. My bird blog is updated  HERE 

Part 10 of the birds I saw last year in Africa.