Reservoir Reflections

                              Peace and quiet


A recent discovery on my doorstep, Ballure Reservoir. This tranquil spot isn't just a reservoir, it's home to a variety of wildlife, of which I shall hopefully be discovering and photographing as Spring gets underway. I've already taken a batch of images of the reservoir itself and will be back up there ramble round further along the nature trails. A lovey find a minutes from my home and off the beaten track. It's my new second office, the beach still being my first. The beauty of self employed photography, I can go there anytime and not wait for the weekend. More to follow on this area. 

Ramsey, Isle of Man 

Jane Hards Photography

Image part of Our World Tuesday.

A walk along the river

                      Summer meets Autumn


If you want to getaway from the hubbub of town, look no further than the Sulby river. Nestled in the Poyll Dooey, a former tip, now set aside for wildlife and nature trails you can pack a lunch and weather permitting, head for the picnic area, take a walk along the river, or just wander round the wooded area in search of local wildlife. Little bit of peace ad quiet, on our doorstep.

Simonetta

Swan lake

                             Evening dip


I was actually looking for the swam that has taken to walking the roads, rather than swim in the harbour, or the visiting Australian black swan, but no just your average swans and geese evening birds. Also, has anyone seen the escaped lemur from the wildlife park. Last seen with a tomato sauce bottle apparently vandalizing butcher's shops. Or that could be the escaped wallaby.

The Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve

                              It's snowtime

Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve is an area of land in Ramsey that is a haven for wildlife. It is also a haven for me as a photographer.

Poyll Dooey has a series of nature trails running through it. Follow the trails and you will find many wonderful birds, rabbits, dragonflies, ladybirds... and dogs. It's a dog walkers heaven. A photographers heaven. Take a step off the nature trails and walkways and you will find yourself wading through overgrown scrub land, ponds, bogs, wild grasses and wild flowers such as bluebells and all sorts of flowers I don't know the names are. Nestled amongst all of this is a picnic area in a beautifully maintained garden setting. The far side of Poyll Dooey you happen upon the white bridge or wander a trail until you reach the Sulby River and follow it back into Ramsey Town. A lovely walk, a lovely area.

More abc's around the world can be found here

Owl, Arg Beiyn Veterinary Open Day

         Not your average high street shopper


 Arg Beiyn Veterinary Practice is situated on Parliament Ramsey, Isle of Man. The owl was part of the open day in association with National Pet Week, with joint aims, responsible pet ownership and to raise awareness for the two charities the practice supports, Hounds for Heroes and The Manx Wildlife Trust. A long with the owl, other creatures where out in force from snakes to horses, a fun run, and other attractions like open mic. A chance for all, especially the kids of the town, to meet and learn more about all kinds of animals and the care entailed. 


For Abc's around the world click here.

aims to promote responsible pet ownership but the ultimate goal of this event is to help raise money and awareness for the two charities that Arg Beiyn are supporting this year which are Hounds for Heroes and The Manx Wildlife Trust. - See more at: http://manx.net/isle-of-man-news/5138/arg-beiyn-veterinary-practice-charity-fun-day-in-ramsey#sthash.5VHMeEPE.dpuf

aims to promote responsible pet ownership but the ultimate goal of this event is to help raise money and awareness for the two charities that Arg Beiyn are supporting this year which are Hounds for Heroes and The Manx Wildlife Trust. - See more at: http://manx.net/isle-of-man-news/5138/arg-beiyn-veterinary-practice-charity-fun-day-in-ramsey#sthash.5VHMeEPE.dpuf

aims to promote responsible pet ownership but the ultimate goal of this event is to help raise money and awareness for the two charities that Arg Beiyn are supporting this year which are Hounds for Heroes and The Manx Wildlife Trust. - See more at: http://manx.net/isle-of-man-news/5138/arg-beiyn-veterinary-practice-charity-fun-day-in-ramsey#sthash.5VHMeEPE.dpuf

The wallabies escaped, but we have meerkats!

You looking at me?

Just outside Ramsey is Curraghs Wildlife Park. Now, I have told you before of the escaped wallabies roaming the hillsides but not of the gorgeous baby meerkats. Yes, they are even cuter in the flesh and very entertaining. So far, no baby meerkats have escaped to go on a pub crawl in Ramsey, but I will keep a look out and produce photographic evidence if they do. On this island anything could happen, and usually does.



Island residents or the curious can check out the link below for info all about the Curraghs. http://www.gov.im/wildlife/news.xml

Just remember you can't take a baby animal home, as I keep being told!You can't stop a wallaby from following you though.........

WALK BY THE WATER LILIES - MY WORLD

Monet by Babooshka. Ha! Ha!

My World

Water lilies! I do hope Monet won't be turning in his grave too much at this homage. A sure sign Spring has sprung, even though we has our first snow this week. This is another hidden treasure. It's the little pond I pass in the Nature Reserve. It's been while since I've shown you the river or the reserve purely as it's been winter and it's a little too muddy to be traipsing about It is another little secluded haven for local wildlife. Ducks, dragonflies, frogs, butterflies bees, hoverflies long tailed tits(pretty pink birds) can all be found here come Spring. Bullrushes as you can see by the bucket load and those gorgeous water lilies nestling in the centre. I didn't do a close up of the lilies today so I could show you the pond in full and that's what made me go for the style of image. So much green, the slither of purple bloom and the blush of white lilies had to be a (click) Monet style image. Basking under bright sunlight filtering through leaving the top corner nicely shaded no alterations necessary, mother nature was very helpful today.This is my little bit of France in Ramsey and you know how much I love France. Open to job offers - anything considered. I'm not joking you know Gary and I need to be in France. On the other hand would you like to hear a joke......



.......A Parisian burglar nearly got away with stealing several Impressionist paintings from the Louvre. However, after planning the crime, getting in and out past heavy security, he was captured only two blocks away, when his getaway vehicle ran out of petrol. When asked how he could mastermind such a daring crime, and then make such an obvious error, he replied,

"I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh."



You can all blame Gary for that artist's joke who is creating a of Manx illustrations for a commission as I type. All I can say for now. Hush Hush.

Klaus, Imac, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Tom, Louise, Wren, Sandy and others are to thank for the My World neme. Click here for more my world's just for fun again of course.


Babooshka ramsey daily photo dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/

GO CORMORANT GO!-CRITTERS

Come fly with me

Critters Sunday

One from the harbour again. I think this is the young Great cormorant who is no longer such a youngster. When I've shown these birds in the past so many of you say you aren't familiar with them as they do tend to be shore birds although they are becoming more adaptable to inland haunts apparently. In fact until I moved to Ramsey I confess I had never seen one in the flesh either. When we first came here we spotted just the pair of cormorants now there is a a complete family fishing and flying the waters of Ramsey Harbour. Majestic birds expert divers can go to great lengths but usually find they shallow dive for surface fish. Often you see one dive and resurface about 50ft away down stream with or without it's supper. As you can see they have quite a wingspan too and always tend to fly in short low bursts along the harbour. For more info click here for a great wiki round up.


Too view my other cormorant pics click words below.

Here
There
And Everywhere


The new laptop has finally arrived. Just getting to grips with it. The screen is a little too bright and lacking in red tones I've noticed so I may have to re calibrate it. This image maybe a little small as I'm getting used to the screen size as well. Bit hit and miss tonight. So finally will be able to make a start on the website and re file all the images. Now if I can just find that elusive escaped wild wallaby of Ramsey and a Manx Fairy for critters that would be fantastic. For more critters of the world click Misty Dawn.


babooshka ramsey daily photo hht://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/

WAGTAIL IN SOFT FOCUS- CRITTERS

Watching Wagtails

Critters

Wagtails are a very common bird here well the white one here is along with the pied wagtail. We do have a grey wagtail which are rarer which visits our garden daily. Wagtails are really cute birds whose  long tail is constantly wagging and bobbing up and down.  Insectivores they have adapted really well to urban living. I am more likely to see one of these birds wandering down the high street drinking out of puddles that in the garden or along the promenade like this cutie. They don't often settle, constantly on the move. I didn't bother trying to get any closer in case he flew off I used the telephoto lens to create the soft focus shot. So I am at quite a distance, the lens draws me closer. Honestly he is real and not stuffed. Like the Robin I snapped he is just so still.

 

List ofWagtails by Wiki

• White Wagtail Motacilla alba - polyphyletic or paraphyletic
  • Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii
  • Black-backed Wagtail Motacilla (alba) lugens
• Japanese Wagtail Motacilla grandis
• White-browed Wagtail Motacilla madaraspatensis
• Mekong Wagtail Motacilla samveasnae
• African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp
• Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola - possibly paraphyletic
• Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
  • Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flava - paraphyletic
• Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
• Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis
• Madagascar Wagtail Motacilla flaviventris
• Mountain Wagtail Motacilla clara

The Mekong Wagtail was described as new to science only in 2001

I often have birds on the blog that are not so common around the world or coastal ones. I wonder if you have this bird where you are. Short and sweet tonight. Lazy weekend. To see more Critters see Misty Dawn.

So yes or no do you have wagtails? I'm curious.

Babooshka Ramsey Daily Photo hhttp://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com

DUCK SNOOP!-RAMSEY CRITTERS

I spy with my little eye - a mad woman with a camera

The female Mallard on the grass verge of Mooragh Promenade concludes our week around the beach of Ramsey. Well actually both beaches. Ducks and swans don't usually venture as far as the beach opting for the main harbour or smaller harbour inlet, but occasionally we get these wanderers who venture a little further afield. Mallards have to be the most recognizable of ducks male or female and they are certainly the most common. Apparently the Mallard and the Muscovy featured last week are the considered to be the ancestors of almost all domestic ducks. As you can see this one was nonchanlantly pretending to ignore me, but that beady eye followed me around. When snooping on birds a telephoto lens is advisable.

I've just been reminded by G that it is the R.S.P.B (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Great Garden Bird Watch. Householder's watch their garden, balcony, patio, yard for roughly an hour and record the birds they see. It's a way to keep check of birding habits numbers etc. I'm sure I won't be the only one taking an hour out this weekend to sit and watch and record the birds, and I'm sure I'll have the camera to record the results. 

One blog you should check out this week if you are into your wildlife and want to delve deeper, 

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris: 

You will enjoy this one, very informative wildlife blog. Dave is an expert and friendly chap.

Misty Dawn is the critter lady, and other critters are there too.

Don't forget to join us on Facebook - click the logo, more island stuff there.

Last week was the beaches of Ramsey. This week from tomorrow will be Reflections week and I have some terrific images lined up for your viewing pleasure. Personally I enjoyed taking them more than any other image recently. Not as straightforward as you might think. What do you plan to post next week? 

Ps. Please remember these images are copyrighted. Thank You.

GEORGE THE ESCAPED PELICAN

"Ready for my close up Miss Babooshka"

Say hello to George posing nicely here showing his best side. George is a bit of a celebrity as he escapes from the Wildlife Park, here on the Isle of Man to Ramsey, usually the promenade, (where this pic was taken) on several occasions. Why he only flies to Ramsey is a mystery, must be good fishing for pelicans. He is not the first escapee pelican, that honour goes to Scotty in '98, and I'm sure he won't be the last. Scotty though made it to Scotalnd,(what are the chances of that?) so obviously a more adventurous pelican. Actually I think George just wanted to feature in the Ramsey Daily Photo and was a bit miffed I have photographed so many other birds. He's make a great odd shot sometime. Whole new meaning to a Pelican Crossing!


I am really struggling now for images. The maxtor has them and won't relinquish them. Not sure why yet. This is a mono version of colour image shown earlier but as I mentioned George and his antics in the Red Panda post I had requested to show the Boy George here. Do you really want to hurt his feeling by not saying hello to him? Please excuse the bird poop. George had a little accident which he is rather embarrassed about, but as I like natural images the poop stays. Sorry George.


(Gary and I should have been in London tonight at the Political Cartoon Awards, but with credit crunch meant no way were we paying £600 for flights and then a hotel. Manx airlines sort your prices or we will have no tourists!)


Do you have any escaped critters in your area?

WOULD YOU TREAT YOUR HOME LIKE THIS?

If you read the header for Ramsey Daily Photo my disclaimer was that this site wouldn't always be pretty sunsets and landscpaes, it would show you the side you don't see in the brochures. An honest representaion. Well, I haven't posted, much of the ugly side but today I'm posting the reality, literally the rubbish side of Manx life.

This is someone's litter. The crap that they couldn't be bothered taking home, finding a bin or any kind of suitable recepticle to dispose of their garbage in. Instead they just left it in the worst place of all to me, the place I find most offensive to my sensibilities to dump it, the nature reserve.

This is home to birds and wildlife. What happens if they rumage amonsgt this? What happens if your dog or child roots around in this? Who pays the price for the consequences of finding the discarded half full lighters, the beer cans, and who knows what else there is here. I only snapped a fraction of it. It disgusted me so much I had to walk away. Mindless idiots, selfish beyond belief. I am so incensed by this that this post will probably be mostly incoherrant and certainly full of typos. Not a post to be witty and forgive the pun throwaway. I hope YOU who left this read this and I hope you are bloody ashamed of yourself. Is this how you live at home? No. Well don't dump on the home of the non humans around here.

I have been told to stop this blog by "manx4manx"( Too cowardly to email me their real name) on the grounds that I am not from Ramsey and it's frivolous. Not the only one , but the most vitriolic. Here you are then a no nonsence, unfunny straight down the line post on the everyday real life of Ramsey. Enjoy!