A-Z Challenge 2021 - Photo Shoot: Q - Quarry Wood, Quill, Queueing

 I was all of a quiver trying to find a photo to match 'Q', then I remembered the nature reserve at Preston Park. 

There is no quarry left there anymore just footpaths to follow through the wood beside the River Tees.

I learnt to write using a pen with a real nib before graduating to a fountain pen before the biro came along. I never had the chance to use a quill.

I understand these were made from 

Tail feathers of a bird

Somehow I don't think that from a wood pigeon, a victim of a hungry sparrow hawk would have been good enough. I believe the tail feathers from a goose were once preferred.

"Quill etc" by studentofrhythm is licensed under CC BY 2.0

In these pandemic days queueing has been necessary to gain access to many places - and don't ask about public lavatories. Even dogs have problem it seems 

Parallel - Thematic Photography

I hope that Carmi's railway is not used very often as his parallel picture must have been taken from a dangerous position.

The number of examples of parallel lines about surprised me somewhat.

I'm not sure that the symbols showing emergency diversion routes for main road traffic are appropriate but this one does include - 

A parallelogram

Road markings can include numerous parallel lines which bend a bit.

Central white lines

You can even see a parallelogram of sorts in places like this.

If you decide to go off road and across the fields you must avoid the parallel bars 

Of the entrance gate

On the other side of the road you might have to practice a thieves leap over 

A five-barred gate

For some, parallels are just a resting place.

A wood pigeon's perch

Up close it's much more impressive.

Woody dares you to walk underneath

It's a while since I included a photo of dogs so here's one from a few years ago.

Gem, Maxie and Sam behind the vertical parallels

Sadly all three have crossed the rainbow bridge but at least they can now run where they like and it's Lily, Gabby, Finn and Scout who have to look out between the bars.

To find other parallels you need to check out others' links at Thematic-Photographic-359.

Homing In

Don't you just hate it when an uninvited guest drops in on a Sunday afternoon when you are trying to relax.

It's even more annoying when they insist on being fed and then refuse to leave. 

This what we have had to put up for six hours so far and all because it wants to show of its iridescent colours and a ring on each leg.

Homing in on the food

At least, so far, it hasn't bitten the hand that feeds it and as you can see from the video evidence, it's here to stay.

It's quite friendly unless you try to pick it up. Then it just turns its back on you and walks away. 

It did fly to the roof of the house next door when I wouldn't let in enter our back porch. It's still strolling round the garden although we have closed up for the night.

I can imagine the kerfuffle there will be if it wants to share a drink or a bath with Woody.

Guarding his 'pool'

Homer should have a loft to go home to. I just hope he doesn't encounter the local hunter in the meantime. 

That ginger cat would scare the life out of him.

Drink - Thematic Photography

This is a theme that enables me to get on my hobby horse.

Empty drink can

Evidently the litter lout was strong enough to carry the cider can until it was empty but not strong enough to carry it home.

Often I can trace the drinks litter back to where it was bought

like this empty - 

Coffee cup

which originated when full at this machine.

Birds and animals have different habits when it comes to drinks.

Fawn at a Michigan lake.

Wood Pigeon at our garden birdbath

I took pity on it and filled the bath with more water so the bird did not have to stretch its neck so far the next time it wanted a drink.

Scout telling us his cup is empty

Which reminds me that it's almost time for my afternoon drink of - 

Yorkshire tea

This scarecrow from the 2014 Kirklevington competition invited others to take part. Some even got offered a second cup.

While I'm drinking mine I'll check out what other drinks are on offer at Carmi's thematic-photographic-327.

Childhood Memories - Thematic Photography

As I'm in my second childhood and my memory is not what it was, Carmi's theme this week has caused me some problems.

I've shown the house where I was born on more than one occasion.

100 High Street, Ketton

That stone wall didn't exist back then and there was another empty building behind it to the left, Our front had a double grey gate and a grey wooden fence; a rose-bedecked trellis lined the drive where box hedge is on the right. There where no hatched white lines on the road, just one line down the middle.

The traffic island didn't exist either; although this is main road from Stamford to Leicester, during the late 1940s it was safe enough to use it as a football field - with a tennis ball of course.

The oldest photo I have of me is aged 12 in Stamford School boxing team.

Stamford School Boxing Team, 1949

Just in case you cannot recognise me:-

My pastimes in my second childhood include watching and counting the birds in our garden and photographing them when I'm quick enough. Some just pose.

Wood Pigeon at the birdbath - 24 January 2015

even during the RSPB's Great Garden Bird Watch.

My wife says I'm playing when I'm out with my camera and uploading what I've taken to my computer. Here's one I took yesterday.

Two of five wind turbines - from Dent's Lane, Kirklevington

Not only do I play with Thematic Photography I also take part in Sepia Saturday. This week this involves me playing with some poster memories of my time in Stavanger.

QEII visiting Stavanger - July 1980

The structure on the left is the topside deck for the Statfjord 'B' platform under construction at Rosenberg Verft where I was working. I was too small to be seen in the photo and regret to this day never having a camera with me to take my own photos - not that I would have been allowed on the helicopter from which the shot was taken.

However my second childhood memory has been good enough to find the souvenir poster we were given.

For more childhood memories don't forget to look in on Carmi's childhood thematic-photographic-323.

Birds of a Feather - Thematic Photography

Carmi couldn't have made a better choice of a topic for me this week.

Feathers abound on the grass by the side of the road along which I take my morning walk.

A feather down

And if that is not enough - 

Four feathers

But not from a thrush.

Tail feathers

However there is a sad tale to this as these feathers are all that remained of a wood pigeon demolished by a hawk.

Man, the worse predator of all, can also have a devastating effect.

Owl - a road kill victim

Other birds play hide and seek behind - 

The chimney pots

Jackdaw viewing spot

Discussing last night's soap

While sparrows watch the children cross

Some just watch the world go by.

Young blackbird on kitchen window sill

A much better place to be than behind glass at - 

Detroit Zoo - King Penguins

Some birds just have to pretend while - 

Waiting for the mail.

Meanwhile there is a work in progress for me - I'm trying to get a decent shot of this bird.

Nuthatch (image scanned from a bird book)

This is the best I have done so far from 50ft away and through a double glazed window.

Nuthatch clearing ivy from a nesting box

We saw this bird for the first time in our garden only last month; now it is a regular visitor.

Fortunately it's a little smaller than the bird we saw at nearby Preston Park.

However my favourite so far this year is one some of you have seen before.

Male Bullfinch

It was making itself comfortable in a hand towel while it recovered from the argument it lost with our lounge window.

Now is the time for you to recover to and fly over to see other 'Birds of a feather' at Carmi's Thematic-photographic-307.

Treetops - Thematic Photography

I'm spoilt for choice this week for Carmi's 'Treetops' theme as we are surrounded by trees in the village where I live. 

Here are two of my favourites from the small wood down the road which I photographed at regular intervals over a year.

Silver birch which has 'lost' its top

while the trees around have retained theirs. That hole is the result of woodpecker activity.

Spring hawthorns dwarfed by other trees

Treetops provide good cover for small birds like this.

A Blue Tit blends in

And for larger ones as well.

Wood Pigeon in a Sycamore  

The tree overhangs our garden.

Ash trees shrouded with Ivy

I wonder how long it will be before the Ivy wins and they lose their tops like the one on the left. Meanwhile I just have to lean back in my office chair to enjoy their presence.

On my morning walks there is a tree I always check to see whether it's still there - it's dead and keeps losing bits of its top to high winds.

Dead Ash tree - December 2013

On the same walk early in the year I can hear noises coming from the top of large Beech trees.

Rookery nook.

One of my favourites is a tree that overhangs the lane.

Walnut tree

It's the nearest one to us that I know and must be the one the local squirrels raid for the nuts that they bury in our lawn.

Across the road from us are treetops that photograph well after a white frost.

That concludes my treetop tour. For other takes on the theme swing over to Thematic-photographic-273-treetops.