Sunshine, but no Summer

The slow trudge towards summer continues. It's warmed up enough to do without heating, but the wind is still sharp and the sun only an intermittent visitor in cloudy skies. We had a few heavy rainfalls as well.

There are breaks in the weather though, and time enough to visit the pond to see the geese…

… to wonder at the physical absurdity of the runner ducks.

and to compare them with the somehow more effective shape of the true mallards.

We even had some sun at the end of the day, though I had to wait patiently for it to drop beneath the clouds to get this shot of a garden woodpigeon.

But as I said in the title, it's not summer. After all it takes more than one swallow a summer to make.

And one swallow was all I saw. It's the first swallow sighting of the year (so worth reporting), but it was on its own, skimming the pond in search of insects. Their numbers will, hopefully, start to build as the temperature rises. Tomorrow threatens rain, but Sunday looks promising.
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Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM with the exception of the pigeon which was taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.

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This Post Has 13 Comments

  1. gdare

    13 Apr 2013

    Odd looking duck, walking like a human 😆

  2. derWandersmann

    13 Apr 2013

    A nice assortment, Words … the pigeon is especially pretty.

  3. SittingFox

    13 Apr 2013

    A swallow! :eyes: I bet it thinks it arrived too early!

  4. Wulpen

    13 Apr 2013

    The swallow Nice just on time I o think…. do hope the spring Is there…..

  5. Words

    19 Apr 2013

    Adele, one swallow… but slowly more are arriving. It's still not as warm as it looks outside.

  6. Words

    19 Apr 2013

    Erwin, thanks! Spring is nearly here.

  7. Words

    19 Apr 2013

    dW, thanks. The light at the end of the day was perfect.

  8. Words

    19 Apr 2013

    Darko, the runner ducks are very odd looking birds. I think they were bred for eggs. Plus they tend not to fly away.

  9. Wulpen

    19 Apr 2013

    That will be nice here It Is 49gr

  10. Words

    19 Apr 2013

    Erwin, that must be Fahrenheit, so it is still quite cool.

  11. gdare

    23 Apr 2013

    Originally posted by Words:

    Plus they tend not to fly away.

    When they can walk away 😛

  12. derWandersmann

    23 Apr 2013

    Is that pigeon sitting on a waterwheel?

  13. Words

    23 Apr 2013

    dW, it's some sort of decorative garden structure. It doesn't do anything though.

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