PEAR TREE LOG

pear tree log: I started this blog to keep my younger son, Jonny, in touch with life in Lincolnshire, while he spent a year working in China. That year turned into five! Now he is home and training to become a physics teacher. This is simply a patchwork quilt of some of the things I enjoy - life in rural Lincolnshire, our animals, friends, architecture, books, the gardens, and things of passing interest.



Saturday 10 March 2012

Three Lovely Things

A handsome, and hungry, male pheasant
This handsome chap often calls by to scrounge a little birdseed from under the old apple tree and to peck amongst the crocuses.   He ruins the grass and the flowers, but I forgive him.  He is in magnificent condition, definitely trying to impress the females with his unusual hair-do!
Note his silver top - he is the only one I have ever seen like that!
He almost looks as though he has been scalped!  These photos were snatched through the utility window - he is far too easily spooked for me to get any closer to him.
We have been on Harry-sitting duties today, so we took him out to visit dear old Arnold, the horse.  Arnold was looking very dapper, he was freshly groomed and hadn't had time to go rolling in the mud.  


Then we went for a walk in the woods and I spotted this unusual.. flower?
I wish I had had my macro lens with me, but as I hadn't this is the best I could do.  It is probably very common, but it's new to me - does anyone know what it is?
I was just moving away from the flower when I spotted this bright coloured fungus.  Again, probably very common - but new to me, so if anyone knows what it is ...
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24 comments:

  1. Meggie10 March 2012 at 15:37

    Hi Elaine...I wish I had an answer for you on the flower....it is beautiful and lavender. What is the bird?

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    1. Meggie10 March 2012 at 15:40

      I just found an incrediable website called, "fungiphoto.com". It lists the mushroom by color.

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    2. Elaine10 March 2012 at 15:42

      Hi Meggie, Isn't he handsome! He is a pheasant and is one of many who call in for a free snack. It is the breeding season for them right now, but later in the year he will be in danger if he strays too far from our garden. They are very common, but very beautiful.

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    3. Elaine10 March 2012 at 15:52

      Isn't the photography on 'fungiphoto.com' superb? I will have a good browse later. We've got Harry until 6pm tonight, then we have the baby over here until midnight. Our daughter is ill, so we are trying to make sure she gets at least a little rest.

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  2. Ms Sparrow10 March 2012 at 16:24

    What gorgeous specimens in your blog today! Thanks for sharing the great photos.

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    1. Elaine11 March 2012 at 08:11

      Hi Ms Sparrow, It was serendipity. I was pretty pleased that I had forced myself to clean the utility windows the other day, so that made the pheasant nice and clear, and if we hadn't spent the day looking after little Harry I wouldn't have gone to that part of the woods and spotted the unusual flower!

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  3. Anonymous10 March 2012 at 16:54

    So that's a pheasant? What a gorgeous bird! Beautiful shots today -- no clue on the naming. I do hope your daughter gets to feeling better soon.

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    1. Elaine11 March 2012 at 08:15

      Hi Janet, He is very handsome. Sometimes we have a blue pheasant visit, I'll try to take some photos of him next time. Poor Davina is suffering from sinusitis and extreme tiredness. Fingers crossed she soon picks up.

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  4. Jan10 March 2012 at 16:55

    Isn't it lovely to enjoy some real spring weather? Jx

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    1. Elaine11 March 2012 at 08:17

      Hi Jan, It has been beautiful - and this morning looks set fair, too. The gardens are calling to me - I've got at least another four vegetable beds waiting to be dug!

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  5. Joanne Noragon10 March 2012 at 17:28

    Your pheasant is a handsome fellow. I hope you give Arnold his good wishes from his blogger friends, too. Off for a walk myself.

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    1. Elaine11 March 2012 at 08:21

      Hi Joanne, I always have a good chat with Arnold and pass on good wishes. He enjoys a good chat and a 'scratch' almost as much as he enjoys his little treats. I hope you enjoyed your walk.

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  6. Molly10 March 2012 at 18:59

    That flower looks really unusual - it's very pretty, though I've no idea what it is. We've had those red fungi growing on fallen tree trunks here too - no idea what they are either.

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    1. Elaine11 March 2012 at 08:24

      Hi Molly, Isn't it beautiful. I am almost tempted to take a wander back with my macro lens and see whether I can find it again... after I have earned my keep and dug some more vegetable beds. I hope you have good weather today - it's beautiful here.

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  7. Scarlet10 March 2012 at 20:07

    Amazing photos even without the macro lens. I hope your daughter feels better soon.

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    1. Elaine11 March 2012 at 08:27

      Hi Scarlet, Thank you - considering I was on my knees and ended up just doing 'point and click' I was pretty pleased with the flower photo! I haven't seen Davina this morning, hopefully her day and night of rest will have helped her a little. She is suffering from sinus problems, but she is also exhausted, which doesn't help.

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  8. Jane and Chris11 March 2012 at 01:35

    Isn't it incredible what you can find in the woods?!
    Jane x
    P.S. Handsome handsome pheasant.

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    1. Elaine11 March 2012 at 08:29

      Hi Jane, Poor Harry was hoping we would find a bear, a wolf, or a Gruffalo. He was disappointed, yet again! I was thrilled with the flower, even if it turns out to be as common as the daisy.

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  9. Green Dragonette11 March 2012 at 13:10

    I agree-what a handsome pheasant indeed-his feathers seem to gleam in the sunlight. Strangely I don’t get any visiting pheasants in my garden-they tend to stick to the fields in the valley down below but I can still hear their distinctive call at times...

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    1. Elaine12 March 2012 at 21:14

      Hi Green Dragonette, The male pheasants really are handsome at this time of year - trying to build up their harems! The ones we have around here are very easily spooked, but funnily enough the females seem less so. It's the males we hear squawking and panicking at all hours!!

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  10. Cambay Hotels & Resorts12 March 2012 at 05:03

    Is really gorgeous specimens in your blog today! Thanks for sharing the great photos

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    1. Elaine12 March 2012 at 21:16

      Hello Neesa, I am pleased you enjoyed seeing the photographs. I still don't know what the flower is called, unfortunately!

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  11. Knatolee12 March 2012 at 13:00

    Wow, what a spectacular pheasant! The flower is intriguing.

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    1. Elaine12 March 2012 at 21:17

      Hi Natalie, I was really thrilled to bits when I saw those flowers so unexpectedly. I really must try and establish what they are!

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