Baby Geese

This morning when I was out playing a round of golf with the 'girls', we spotted a family of Canada geese on one of the fairways.Fortunately, they were quite near the tee, so were not in too much danger of being hit by a ball.
 
After my golf round, I went home and came back with my scope and camera to take some photographs of this lovely family. The  weather forecast had been for rain, but it turned out to be a lovely sunny day.
 
Here are some photographs of the birds.
 

Canada Geese on the fairway looking towards the tee

Under the watchful eye of mum

Dad looking out for any danger

Dad having a snack

 After being on the fairway, the family made their way to the pond for a relaxing swim, but stopped off in the undergrowth for another snack. This gave me a chance to get some good close-up images of the young ones.

Baby Canada Goose

Another baby

Another baby

Swimming in the pond

Safely between mum and dad for safety

Looking over the pond, I also saw some Greylag Geese with their young. They were a bit far away, but the photograph came out okay.

Greylag Geese

A Moorhen was in the distance with her young but was too far away to photograph well.

All the photographs were taken by digiscope and they turned out well. What a great way to spend an afternoon!

Painted Clydesdale Horse

When I was in a shopping centre today I saw Scottish artist Malky McCormick painting a large plaster Clydesdale horse. This is in preparation for a display in South Lanarkshire from 25th June for 10 weeks. The horses will be located in streets and open spaces in Hamilton and South Lanarkshire.

At the end of the 10 week period the Clydesdale horse sculptures will be auctioned off to raise funds for local charity, The Kilbryde Hospice.



Painted face of the horse

Malky McCormick paints a Lion Rampant on the horse

Malky McCormick has illustrated many magazines and comics and worked on many advertising campaigns in the UK. He is well known as for his caricatures.

Lion Rampant is nearly finished

The Lion Rampant is also known as the Royal Standard of Scotland and the Banner of the King of Scots. Its correct use is restricted by an Act of the Parliament of Scotland to only a few Great Officers of State who officially represent the Sovereign in Scotland.

It is used officially at the Scottish royal residences of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, and Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, when The Queen is not in residence. The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom used in Scotland is flown when the Sovereign is present.

Other side with the saltire

The horse should look very nice when it is finished and I look forward to seeing all the horses on display. 

 

Carpet of Bluebells

While playing golf this morning I noticed bluebells through the boundary fence. I decided to go back in the afternoon and photograph them. I used my camera phone, which does give some good results.

Bluebells

Thanks to horse racing at Hamilton Park, which is just beside the golf course, I went up to the boundary fence to watch a race and saw an abundance of bluebells in the woods. In England they are called common bluebells and are associated with ancient woodland. Bluebells only grow in ancient woodland.

In the United Kingdom, an ancient woodland is a woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales and 1750 in Scotland.

Bluebells



Bluebells



 As the photographs above show, the bluebells look lovely and, being in quite a remote area, have not been trampled on.

Close-up of bluebells

Sadly, bluebells only flower in April and May but they do a spectacular display.