Mike's Cornwall

Thursday 3 September 2020

21 Bird Photos - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

The theme is birds today. Above is a pheasant and below ... ah, bless! Such a heart wrenching bedraggled little fellow. Somehow though he hopped away and was soon out of sight

Another robin, they are one of my favourite birds, so friendly. We often get one or two in our garden and they seem fearless in a friendly way.

Next we have a fine gentleman, with such shiny feathers. He was quite friendly, as he rounded up his hens.

I'm not great at snapping bird photos, this one is a little hazy but I liked his determination to get a peanut. He swung too-and-fro for quite a while before he succeeded.

This photo was taken when the leaves were bare.

A couple of swallows - one swallow doesn't make a summer, as the saying goes.

Living in Cornwall we see lots of gulls. This one was by the bus station in Truro ready to pounce on anyone carrying chips, pasties or whatever. They can be quite scary when they swoop down to steal food.

Okay, it's not a real bird but is situated by the Fowey River, near to where Daphne du Maurier lived. She wrote the book which was turned into a classic Hitchcock film: Birds.

A duck on a rainy day, he seems captivated by his reflection, as if wondering 'who is the fairest of them all'.

Next, the part about birds which isn't so nice. This was what we saw in our garden. Sad to view, but it's the way nature works.

After seeing the previous two photos it's no wonder that some birds, such as this owl, prefer to be well camouflaged

Another photo of one of my favourites.

I've often see this swan on guard duty by the slip way at Mevagissey harbour.

Next something a little more exotic, roul partridge, seen in the Rain Forest biome at Cornwall's Eden Project.

Another photo taken at the Eden Project, this time in the Mediterranean biome.

The next three photos were taken in the Canary Islands last year. The first two fascinate me. They are often called Upside Down birds. If you look at the second photo he does look like he's upside down. The real name is the Hoopoe bird.

Oh, and this was also snapped in the Canary Islands, taken from the balcony of the Hotel where we were staying.

And swiftly back to Cornwall. This beauty can be seen in a backstreet behind Fore Street in St. Austell.

That's all for today, thanks for the visit. All good wishes.

Monday 31 August 2020

Newquay, Cornwall : Beaches & Sand Galore

Photos today are of Newquay, one of the most popular holiday resorts in Cornwall. The population of the town is only around 21,000 but this zooms up to around 100,000 in the major holiday season. Considered England's surfing capital it can get very busy. Luckily there are many beaches to choose from.

Today's photos show a short stretch of the coastline walking from Newquay's small harbour.

This is Cornwall's Atlantic coast and it's fascinating to see the changing colours of the sea. These can range from a blue-green, through blue but sometimes can be quite brownish when the weather isn't feeling too friendly.

Towan Island always fascinates me. The only access to the house is over the slender bridge and the island is surrounded by water at high tide. The house is available to holiday makers - at a price - see here.

Looking back from near the Towan Island.

The following photos follow the coastline.

A few beach huts with hotels and flats above.

As you continue walking the sea and beach appear are below.

Looking down from the path, the people seem quite small.

Another view from on high.

Lots of sand at Lusty Glaze.

A bridge so that walkers can reach the headland.

Lovely scenery.

So many beaches at Newquay and all have a differing character.

Saturday 29 August 2020

Cornwall Flowers, Rabbits, Church and Trains

At the time of writing this it has been bucketing down with rain and there are high winds. This has meant that our walks have been decidedly curtailed.

Anyway, still a few photos of sorts. The pansies above have seeded themselves even though there is limited soil. They are thriving and I like the markings on the petals. Small but perfectly formed.

The geranium is from a container in our front garden.

And now for something different - rabbits! My son, family and dog have been away, so we have been in charge of looking after Precious and Bernard plus the cat. They love their food and are all very friendly.

We walked through a local town centre and I saw that 2021 calendars are now for sale. Why?! Before we know it they will be pushing Christmas as well. The world has gone mad and not just because of the coronavirus.

Anyway, I walked through the backstreets of St. Austell. The church is always prominent.

There was a white dove sitting peacefully by the Market House.

I then reached the station. Was glad that the girl going down the steps made the train on time as it pulled to a stop by the platform.

Can just see the train through the railings - was on its way to Paddington, London.

This is the tail end of the train!

The church was still in view, with the union flag fluttering in the wind. Always good to see.

Below is a tree carving seen in a garden. Have no idea what it signifies. Looks very well done though.

Walking back through St. Austell town a sheltered, colourful display to brighten the day.

And from my garden a yellow gladioli which was toppled by the wind.

Puddles, which sum up the last few days. This is where we often walk and did so despite the rain. Got a bit wet, even with a large umbrella.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Here's a couple of Cornwall beach posts:

Newquay Cliff Tops Plus an Abundance of Sand at the Gannel Estuary, Cornwall

Carlyon Bay, Cornwall in the Sunshine

Wednesday 26 August 2020

St. Stephen, the Church and a Solemn Moment

The photo above is of the church at St. Stephen-in-Brannel, Cornwall.

Often it seems as if time is going faster and faster. We were previously at this village one year ago. I know this, as it is where I get my annual car service - not at the church, of course, but at a nearby garage.

It's never the happiest of visits as someone close to us is buried here. Always makes me think about life in general. We are on Earth for such a short period and yet we seem to waste so much time on unimportant trivialities.

Our loved one is buried in the new section, adjacent to the main churchyard. Here only headstones are allowed.

Most locals simply call the village St. Stephens. The Brannel bit is left over from medieval times when the parish was within the royal manor of Brannel.

The church dates back to 1261. It is thought that there was a previous church on this site. This is indicated by various ancient crosses in the churchyard.

Back to the car. It was serviced, no problems and life goes on. Well for some of us ... or perhaps all of us.

When my mother died I found this poem in her purse and it was read out at her funeral service.

Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped away into the next room,
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we are still.
Call me, by my old familiar name.
Speak to me,
in the the easy way you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
What is death, but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.
All is well.
Nothing is past; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh
at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

Thank you for your visit to my blog. Good wishes - Mike.

Sunday 23 August 2020

How Boscastle Harbour Today Compares With 1870

I came across the 1870 photo below of Boscastle harbour and it struck me how little it has changed. It remains very much the same today.

The photo above is a recent picture I snapped of Boscastle. There is the same lion like cliff guarding the entrance to the harbour. The harbour wall, built in 1584, remains virtually in it's original condition.

The natural inlet was the only place a harbour could be considered along the forty miles plus of rugged cliffs.

All is quiet in the harbour nowadays but 100 years ago it would have been heaving with activity. Entrance into the harbour is difficult and dangerous. In days gone by the old sailing ships had to be towed into the inlet. This was done with the help of hobbler boats, which were powered by eight oarsmen.

Today Boscastle is a busy tourist attraction and the boats to be seen are fishing boats and pleasure craft.

Lots to See and Do Near Tintagel Besides The Castle: Cliff Walk, Waterfall, Boscastle Harbour, Bronze Age Carvings, Holy Well & Chapel

Thursday 20 August 2020

Photos of August Flowers in my Cornwall Garden

A few August photos from my garden. The flowers above are at the front of the house. The trees in the background are on the opposite side of the road.

The lily is from the back garden, as are most of the other flowers.

There seems to be a bit of an unintentional pink theme this year, next are petunias. We over did these flowers as well this year.

Maybe too many dahlia as well - but they are easy to grow. We just leave them in the ground and up they come every year - providing you keep your fingers crossed!

Here we go again, but this dahlia has gone bonkers this year. The flower is higher than a five feet plus high fence. Not sure why, maybe it wants to be a tree - we all have our dreams!