Kingfisher!

Today's weather was so good that we decided to go for a walk at Loynton Moss near Eccleshall.  We packed a flask and took the cameras with the intention of walking across the reserve and onto the canal side.

Joy - there were kingfishers on the canal.  This is my first picture of a kingfisher in flight, you will need a magnifying glass!

We have also seen a siskin in the garden.  These are rare visitors and usually only seen in the worst winter weather.  This year there has not been a winter to speak off, it has just been wet and cool.

It's only March and the daises are out on the lawn.  If you look carefully, you will see the moss starting to come up amongst the grass.  The very wet weather and high water table has resulted in moss growing on all of the lawns.

Potteries Centre art work

The Potteries Centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, is typical of many such shopping arcades in the UK.  We have been shopping there for many years and always walk from the car park past many splendid wall murals on the way to the shops.

In the main stair well is a homage to the potteries industry at its peak in the 19th century.  The busy scene shows the bottle ovens and the thick pall of coal smoke in the air.

By the pay machines is a canal scene to represent the importance of these waterways in the development of the pottery factories.  A commemoration to Arnold Bennett is obscured by the placement of the machines.

Oatcake stand by the entrance to the bridge that joins the car park to the shopping area.  Staffordshire oatcakes being a local delicacy.

On returning to the car park we invariably go down with the Titanic.  Captain Edward John Smith R.D. R.N.R. was born in Hanley and went down with this ship in 1912.

The works seen here and others were painted by local artist David G Light, though not all of them are signed and some are currently obscured by parking machines.

Wonderful Sunshine

Now that the worst of the wet winter weather is past, we have had a number of clear sunny days.  This has encouraged us to walk in the countryside.

This pheasant was seen in the reserve at Consall Forge Country Park.  The pheasants are around in large numbers at present, having been released for the shooting season last year, to become established in the countryside.

The calm waters of the canal are showing clear reflections from the boats and trees.  This narrow boat was moored near the Lime Kilns opposite the Black Lion Inn at Consall.

The Cheddleton Light Railway was running trains, though there was no scheduled traffic.  We suspected that the crews were testing the rolling stock and the lines prior to opening as there were different engines running at the same time.

This is a steam engine from the USA which is occasionally seen on the line.  It looked as if it had been buffed up as it glinted in the sunshine.

As we returned to the visitors car park we spotted a Buzzard in the adjacent field just sitting on the grass.  By the time I had taken out my camera, it has seen us and was airborne - not my best shot ever!