0 Persons are tagged with #birds

#birds

5 Likes
3 Comments
4 Likes
4 Likes
4 Likes
mkwadee@diasp.eu
Khurram Wadee

Beware, this is going to be a long post...

My standard longer #bike ride is a 30 km round trip to #Starcross, which is #village on the west coast of the #ExeEstuary on the way to #Dawlish. The ride is motor-traffic-free for a goo 80% of the distance. It's also through a lot of #countryside and it's my intention to photograph some of the #trees through all the seasons. However, this set contains a little more for your edification.

Not all trees are alive. For example, this one is a hulk of what was once probably a magnificent specimen.
Dead tree

Most #FarmFields have been replanted after harvesting and even now, shoots are appearing. Meanwhile most #Trees still have their #Foliage.
Green shoots in a field

The #plants and #insects that feed off them are also a food source for these male and female #pheasants.
Pheasants feeding in a field

The village of #Starcross is small but it happens to have a #RailwayStation on the line from #LondonPaddington and #Penzance, though the #IntercityTrains don't usually stop there. This is the last part of the journey for me before I turn and head back homewards at the station itself.
Starcross and its train station

Here is an #IntercityTrain passing. It is run by #GWR or #GreatWesternRailways, which was a company in existence before nationalization and which came back after privatization.
Train passing the cyclepath

Starting to head back, you can get a good view of the other side of the #Estuary, where the #town of #Exmouth can be seen. There happens to be a nice ferry trip on which you can take your #bike between #Starcross and #Exmouth
Exmouth as seen from Starcross

The #ExeEstuary has a few #wrecks in it. I presume they are #NavigationHazards but I guess it would prove too expensive to clear the #waterway. Perhaps they provide a #habitat for #MarineLife. Here you can see #Birds (I can't tell whether they are #Cormorants of #Shags).
Birds perching on a shipwreck
Bird perching on a shipwreck

Next, we come to #PowderhamCastle, which is now a #NationalTrust property. It has a herd of #deer numbering in the hundreds.
Male deer sitting in a field
Male and female deer in a fileld
Dozens of deer in a field

The mild #autumn #Sun is seen shining through this #tree's #branches.
Tree with sunlight shining through it

More #trees in the grounds of #PowderhamCastle.
Trees in a field
Trees in a field
Trees in a field

At first glance, this may look like a dead #tree but you can see that parts of it still has #foliage.
Tree with dead and living parts

This #tree, on the other hand, looks completely dead.
Dead tree

This #Pheasant is eyeing the #photographer warily.
Pheasant in a field

This #cycle #bridge was installed not much longer than a decade ago. It makes traversing the #RailwayLine easy. I think there was a #footbridge before this but I'm not sure. A nice addition to #cycling #infrastructure.
Bridge over a main railway line

From the top of the #bridge, you can see the #barracks of the #RoyalMarines in #Lympstone. Technically, this #photograph is a #Selfie too.
Royal Marine Barracks

Getting closer to home now, here is the #M5 #Motorway which links #London to #Exeter. This #concrete #viaduct goes over the #Estuary, thankfully leaving much it intact.
M5 over the Exe Estuary

Some parts around the #Cyclepath form natural ponds.
Pond in a meadow

Any #journey of moderate length or longer often leaves one #reflecting. Here, you can let the scenery do it.
Trees reflecting in the canal
Panorama of trees reflecting in the Exeter canal

This #swan was preening on the #ExeterCanal (and so was its #reflection).
Preening swan and reflection

Lastly, this is the #bridge over the #RiverExe, which is a sign that my home is a mere 5 km away. A sight that is always welcome. The bridge is old but it a #cyclepath was constructed as an extension to it on the far side, which blends in very nicely with the existing #masonry.
Masonry arch bridge over the River Exe

#MyWork #MyPhoto #CCBYSA #DSLR #Nikon #D7000 #Autumn

22 Likes
15 Comments