I'm always suspicious when the weather is like it was today. Mostly rain and more rain, but at lunchtime the skies cleared and it was actually quite pleasant.
There were some deer out in a nearby field. 
And a lone buzzard flew overhead.
A horse ambled gently across a distant field.
There was even a surprise at home, when the newts appeared for the first time this season.
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D. The daytime shots were captured with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. I used the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro for the newts.
17 Comments
Real spring day, with blue skies and sun. I don`t know about animals, but people must be glad for it 😀
what a tree in that first picture! wow!- and the picture is so nice… I also really like the frog photo.
The frog looks pretty happy about it too!
Great to see the newt! 🙂
Lois, it's a happy little thing (but a newt, not a frog) 😉
Adele, nice to have them back!
Thanks Erwin!
Jill, the trees struggle to grow on the downs because of the winds. It's a nice shape though. And the frog… it's a newt 😉
Darko, we've had so few days like that recently. It was a real pleasure.
Yay nice photos and Spring is definatly on the way after the coldest/wettest winter for 30 years! 😀
I will get started on my trip report soon, lovelly Fox photos Words! :yes:
Nice photos. Im yet to see any amphibians or reptiles this years. I especially liked the newt entering the water
Neil, the pond amphibs are getting quite lively now. Several frogs have shown up, as well as the newts.
Mark, as long as we don't also have the coldest/wettest spring for 30 years I don't mind. It was quite nice to have a real winter for a change. Looking forward to your report on your trip!
Alan Mackenzie writes:
I think there are six Roe up there. Two does and four bucks, although there seems to be a maximum of one doe and three bucks, including the eldest buck, in any single group. I'm running a spring photo diary at present, which I'm sure you and your followers will love: http://thinkingwithpictures.blogspot.com/2011/04/spring-diary-2011.html
Alan, yes that number sounds about right. And I hadn't realized that outrageously good photo of an adder was yours.
Alan Mackenzie writes:
I noticed that the Roe deer have ceased their winter grouping. Now that the does are just one month away from giving birth and just two months from the mating season, they can be observed with an attendant buck. The Roe deer are beginning to shed their winter coats and the bucks are no longer in velvet. The network of veins supplying the growing antlers over winter has died off, leaving fully-formed antlers.
Great Pict