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| A zew? A cobra? Whatever it was, it was weird! |
Last week I showed my Mum's orchids to join in for Nature Friday, which is organised by those lovable canines Rosy, Arty and Jakey. This week I decided to enjoy the nature that was actually outside and helped by the absolute gorgeous weather (summer temperatures in February), that wasn't a hardship at all.
I already showed you some of the photos I took with my smaller camera and decided I needed to go back with my better camera to get some really good shots. I had planned to do it on Wednesday, when the weather was still really lovely, but in the end I went on Thursday. The temperatures were still good, the sky not so much.
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| The home of the... |
But I still managed to get some good shots. Now, there was one main reason I really wanted to go back for and I know I will be back later in the year as well, because what I saw were...
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| ...stork |
Storks! Usually storks travel south for the winter, but there are always some that find their home in the Netherlands nice enough to stay during the colder months and as long as there is enough food and the weather doesn't become too atrocious, they should be fine.
I didn't just see storks though, there were also a lot of geese. Not sure whether they are on their way north already, or whether they stayed as well for the winter. There were quite a few of them in the flood plain of the River IJssel and occasionally some of them would take off, honking for the others it seemed.
The third animal I saw, albeit from a distance, were bees. There were about 10 hives or so and there was already a lot of activity in front of them. There won't be much for the bees yet though, although daffodils are starting to flower already.
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| Pollard willows that have just had the chop |
Do you know I spent my teenage years in this town and I moved back home to my parental home now. I had never realised it was so close to the River IJssel! Only five minutes on my bike and there is peace and quiet and birds. Fingers crossed for curlews during summer!
It's nice to see life returning over there.
ReplyDeleteYou sure found lots of nature to enjoy. We think those ponies are so cute.
ReplyDeleteWhat an wonderful Nature Friday Post.
ReplyDeleteI love the little ponies and all the other fine photos.
OMCs Miss Owsin you had a walkabout I see. Thank goodness you stayed close to home. Fingers crossed you and the local cats
will find a common language.
Hugs Cecilia
You're so lucky to have some nice spring weather! We still have snow here. But lately we've been hearing cardinals singing. That's a good sign!
ReplyDeleteOh, we are not out of the woods yet: frost may still come, after all it's only the beginning of March.
DeleteI think the first and the last pictures are modern art !
ReplyDeleteYour surroundings look very much like in Ireland on this photos ! Yes I noticed the same when I saw last year where I lived in Bonn, it looked so different to me, I remembered everything much bigger !
Hari om
ReplyDeleteOutstanding nature offerings! YAM xx
Well thank you!
DeleteSounds like you are enjoying your enforced holiday a little too much!
ReplyDeleteOnly when the weather is nice. Right now it's grey. No rain expected, but a bit drab.
DeleteLove the photos. It's nice that you are able to get out and how wonderful to have the river so close by.
ReplyDeleteNice to see these shots of late winter in the Netherlands. The ponies (Shetlands?) are adorable!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
They were very cuddly. Mind you, winter is not over yet. There might still be snow and frost!
DeleteWhat a beautiful area to get out and explore!! We see curlews here during the late summer!!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Rosy, Jakey & Arty
Excellent captures even without the bright sun. We saw storks when we visited the Netherlands in 2016.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of sun made it easier any way, I didn't have to stand this way or that to avoid shooting right into the sun!
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