Gorgeous Goslings

This morning I got an invite to Laybourne Lakes in Kent. Whilst my friend swam the lake as part of his triathlon training I chose to stroll around the outside and take photo's. It was such a beautiful sunny day and lots of people were enjoying the peace and tranquility of the lake. A number of geese, ducks and a few swans have taken up residence along the side and where amusing to watch. The geese are so aggressive and bowl around as if they own the place.  I tried to get closer to these goslings to get a better shot but the parents were having none of it!

New Life

My garden is the hub of activity with proud parents backwards and forwards from the feeders to their young. I'm going through various bird foods like no tomorrow. The mealworms and berry suet pellets are certainly their favourite. I think the birds are actually getting a better deal than us providers!

Wondering around the garden I noticed this newly hatch damselfly drying off before it's maiden flight. Fortunately it flew away before the sparrows got to it!

A Kent County Walk

Today rather than mountain biking I had persuaded my hubby to do a walk. We haven't done one for a couple of months now.  We chose a walk around Sissinghurst. Having had an early and very dry spring I thought it would be interesting to see how the countryside was coping. Although my grass at home is looking yellow and partly dead the Kent countryside is looking beautiful and green. However, the clay ground amongst  the fields was very dry and deep with cracks but it's a haven for wildlife. Herons, skylarks, chaffinches, blackbirds and blue tits are just a few of birds were saw. Our treat today was lots of chirps coming from the side of a foot path. Getting closer we realised the noise was coming from inside a large old fence post. Through a small crack on the side you could just make out three very hungry chicks. No hope of getting a photo we hurried away only to realise we were being watched by a eager parent Blue tit waiting to feed it's recently hatched chicks.

Peony

Walking around the garden I am spoilt for choice on what to photograph. The birds are busy and in full song.  Trying to get a shot of the dragonfly sunning itself in my pond was ruined by the sparrows diving in and eating it! A constant stream of garden birds visit the bird table throughout the day. I have to continuously scare off the crows and magpies as they are not welcome. Unfortunately I don't seem to have much luck photography the birds. They are quite tame but as soon as I raise the camera up to take a shot they fly off. Obviously just camera shy.

A Pop of Pink

What with processing the thousands of photos from our holiday, family staying, preparing and clearing the garden and generally catching up. I'm just so behind with my daily shoots and catching up on friends blogs. I hope to catch up soon!

With the amazing weather we have been having and the help of my in-laws my garden looks stunning. So many of my flowers are in bloom. Within the masses of poppy buds a couple are in full bloom.

I Wan'na Be Like You ...

It's our last day in Borneo and we are spending it at the Sepilok Nature resort in Sabah. Which is right next door to the orangutan sanctuary. At 10am and 3pm you are able to watch from a feeding platform the orangutans getting their daily bananas and other fruit. Opened in 1964, the rehabilitation centre is for rescued baby orangutans from either logging sites or having been kept as pets. When they are old enough and trained to survive in the wild they are release back.

Jenny - Have a wonderful time. I would love to see your photos when you return. Please forward on your details as I couldn't access your profile.

The Adventure Continues

Our time on the Kinabatangan River was filled with a host of mammals and birds along the rivers edge. Although the 3 boat trips a day had me constantly feeling as I was swaying from side to side. It was well worth it. The weather was good and it only rained once during the night. It was great to be dry and not constantly wet. We were fortunate enough to see a group of pygmy elephants and the Proboscis monkeys.

Female Proboscis Monkey

The last 4 day has been spent on the remote island of Lankayan. It's a small tropical paradise 15km off the North East coast of Borneo. We traveled by boat for just over two hours of very rough sea to get here, we all looked very green as we finally pulled up beside a welcome party on the jetty.  A very pleasant change to the humid and harsh mainland. I have been soaking up the sun or watching the array of sea life swimming past our chalet balcony, whilst my husband dives. 

Young Black Tipped shark

Tomorrow we head back to the mainland to Sepilok Nature Reserve. A sanctuary and home to some of the last Orang-Utans of Northern Borneo. 

Jenny - You will have an amazing time. A few essential things for the rain forest. Leech socks (you can buy them there). Long sleeve tops (as many as you can fit in as you are constantly wet and nothing will dry) and strangely baby talc. Something I read in a travel book helps with the constant moisture and keeps you feeling fresher!! My husband even resorted to using it :)