Sunday 24 March 2024

BIRDS and FLOWERS

Hello again! I should have told you, dear fellow bloggers that I was going to take a few days off from blogging, but initially I had only intended to take a couple of days off blogging to feel revitalised, but those two days eventually turned into three weeks as unforeseen circumstances arose in my home and on the farm which needed my attention and caused me considerable concern,and just when I thought things couldn't get any worse two of my dearest and closest friends passed away within a week of each other, which was deeply upsetting as we had known each other for 65 years. I had started to make a post in February, but after languishing for some time, I knew it would be beneficial to get back to blogging, try to finish my post, and visit my blog friends,... grieving will take time, so here are some photos that were taken in February on mostly dark days, and a few in March in better weather conditions.  


This Brown Squirrel with the black bushy tail has a voracious appetite, and eats all the sunflower seeds and peanuts leaving none for the birds.


When I think it has had more than it's fair share I go outside onto the balcony and the squirrel quickly disappears, only to reappear as soon as I  go inside and close the door. I have now given up trying to shoo it away.When it eventually leaves of it's own accord I refill all the feeders and the birds are free to eat their breakfast in peace until another squirrel appears, a younger reddish brown one with a thinner tail. I can't seem to find a photos of this one, but will share in another post when I have found them.


The slopes are covered with Gorse at this time of the year..Gorse grows in any climate.and is quite common in the wild vegetation in Portugal.It has many health benefits, used as a medicinal herbal tea it regulates blood pressure and diabetes, and is also good for the liver and kidneys.The yellow flowers are  also used in cosmetics, and of course insects are attracted to the coconut scented perfume.


I have been enjoying fresh orange juice every day from the oranges in the orchard. The sweet orange was unknown in Europe until the fifteenth century when Italian and Portuguese merchants brought orange trees to the Mediterranean- It was considered a luxury, grown by wealthy people in private conservatories known as orangeries. By 1646 the sweet orange was well known throughout Europe.
Subsequent expeditions in the mid 1500s brought sweet oranges to South America, Mexico, and Florida in 1565.


I have seen a prodigious amount of Great Tits this year. They have started to carry away peanuts in their shells from the balcony, and return time and again for more.


The Robin is always the first to arrive on my balcony.



A female Chaffinch comes to eat the cake


As you can see the Robin has an orange breast but the bird is known as Robin Redbreast, because the word orange was only used as a colour in the 1500s after the robin had already been named.
 

I think this is a baby Chaffinch.


My  Blue Daisy flowered plant,  "Felicia amelloides" is doing so well, and is full of new buds It started out as a small cutting but is now like a small bush. I love it's blue daisy like flowers, blue is my favourite colour in the garden, and I had to see it on the balcony. 


The male Blackcap


It sometimes visits my feeders to eat cake. 


A Lily plant  in bud on my balcony. It won't take long before the peach coloured flower appears.


A close look at this intelligent Eurasian Jay shows it's beautiful eyes. The Eurasian Jay has exceptionally keen eyesight, and if it detects the slightest movement from me it  flies away.


The wind was ferocious in February. This is a shot of the female Great Spotted Woodpecker Wilma for short, who flew to the tree but clung to the side of the tree without moving for a good ten mins until the wind abated. It's clear to all who see this shot why the Woodpecker is named the Great Spotted Woodpecker Having never seen the wing extended before it was a pleasant surprise. 
.

The Coal Tit showing the top of it's head which you don't often see.


Juvenile female Chaffinch


The Blackbird has started to come to my balcony again to eat the cake crumbs I throw on the tiles, as several birds such as the Robin and Chaffinch prefer to eat from the ground. I sweep the floor every day and mop it once a week.I don't mind at all, it's just one of those  necessary chores.


Another shot of the Blue Daisy and some wild ones on the farm. 


Dear fellow bloggers it may take me a while before I can visit all of you, as I am taking antibiotics which together with my own medication makes me feel drowsy and slow, I already felt slow :=) but I will eventually visit one and all with the greatest of pleasure.

Saturday 2 March 2024

FAMILIAR FACES

February was a wet month, but in spite of the bad weather the birds still came to my balcony, and nearby trees. Most of the time it poured down, and the poor birds got soaking wet, and I didn't stray far from my bedroom. Here are some of the birds I captured last month, on the 27th and 28th of February. Although I saw other birds, prior to those dates I had no internet for several days so have yet to edit them. 


The Greenfinch.


As above



The Coal-tit


As above


Crested -tit


As above


Eurasian Jay


As above


As above


Great Tit


Will the Great Spotted Woodpecker.


As above


The European robin.

Wednesday 21 February 2024

SMALL CREATURES

 A couple of weeks ago I had some new visitors to my balcony, it gave me the opportunity to photograph some creepy crawlies that run very fast, and a few other interesting creatures. First of all I'll start by sharing two tiny lizards that after hibernation came out of their hiding places to warm themselves in the sun 


These two types of lizards are common Wall Lizards.

They are very small creatures.


These three images are of the same lizard.


Three images of the other Wall Lizard


The Wall Lizard found a nice warm place to sleep inside my feeder. 


It had already had a snooze when I took these photos and if you look closely you can see the yellow sclera. The Wall Lizard was aware of my presence and is looking at me with a suspicious sideways glance.


The male Stag Beetle.


The male Stag Beetle appear to have huge antlers but they are actually over-sized mandibles used in courtship displays, and to wrestle other male beetles.


There was just enough daylight to capture this tiny field mouse   attracted by all the left over crumbs.


Because it was beginning to rain and the front flap of the swing cover was up, I went outside to cover my swing seat and saw this millipede which had been under the cover.


It curled up when it sensed I was near, Both the millipede and the centipede have poor or none existent vision, and rely on vibrations or shadows to alert them to another presence.


Their body is made up of segments and each segment has two sets of legs positioned directly under the body, whilst the centipede has one set of legs per segment positioned on the side of the body. 


A Centipede on the ceiling. I don't like centipedes because they bite, and also in Spring they sometimes appear inside my house.


The Stink Bug flew to a planter after I had taken the photos, but it has probably flown away by now. 






This unknown spider gave me a fright when I almost put my hand on it.When we had a spell of good weather I opened up the front of the cover which prevents my swing from getting wet, so that I could sit outside on my swing but when rain was forecast I unrolled it and let it down ready to zip up to cover up my swing again, the spider was low down near the zip. It must have been hiding between the cover and canopy, then being disturbed ran down towards the ground. I took these photos then saw it run really quickly under the cover again! I can't kill spiders, but also don't like the idea of it being where I sometimes have a siesta after lunch.










I took rather a lot of photos of this large spider for identification purposes but it is still unidentified., does anyone know it's ID? 
 
My thanks to Tom, "Tom The Backroad Traveler" for giving me the  ID. It is an  Anyphaena Accentuata. It's common name is Buzzing Spider.




So you don't have nightmares:=) I am sharing a most unusual orchid flower made up of small star shaped flowers. I took this photo years ago when it was on the lounge windowsill. Since then it was moved upstairs to my balcony where it seems to be doing well. I know it doesn't look like an orchid,but the friend who gave it to me assured me that it was but I have forgotten it's identity.  :=(


Look everyone, especially Marit, gardener extraordinaire, :=)) there are three new red leaves appearing right at the bottom, and I am overjoyed to see them. Both images are a little out of focus, but I wanted to end this post in a less creepy way, and as the orchid was put on my balcony recently,three months ago in fact I thought it was the ideal way to finish my post. It seems I was misinformed by my friend who gave it to me at least 30 years ago. It is not an orchid at all but a Hoya plant and mine is named Hoya Carnosa. My thanks to my dear blog friend Marit for giving me the correct identity. 

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