My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
To view pictures in larger format, just click on any picture for the picture gallery....

Saturday 24 March 2012

West Dean Gardens, a new camera and a summer-like day out..

Pete came down for a visit today as we both wanted to visit Park Cameras which is now local to me.... oh it's like having a choccie shop on the doorstep and being on a diet!!

Anyway, purchases made we came back to my local farm shop for a cooked brekkie... as by then we were starving. I'd first been there with my grandson but today, disappointingly it wasn't as good... hey ho.

The sun was shining; it was wonderfully warm and we headed off for West Dean Gardens.. somewhere I've not been to for ages.

Although it wasn't a birding day as such we saw: Common Buzzards, Treecreeper, heard Great Spot and Green Woodpeckers, a Raven - first for me, a Red Kite - which was a great surprise, and, heard, several times a Chiff Chaff.!!

I was trying out a new camera so some are with the new one - straight out of the box and not read the manual yet and others with the tried and trusted!!

Taken with Panasonic G3 and 45-200mm lens.

Here we go:
















These last two were taken at a very small church which passed on the way back which was St. Marys at Upwaltham... more further down the page.


and still at West Dean..
(taken with Canon 7D and 18-200mm lens)
















 And, lovely to see a Red Admiral


Now.. here's a challenge.. I'm sure it's a moth -it was impossible to photograph and hovered in the air and very near flowers before landing on them... so if anyone can help please?
Sorry for the dreadful picture but wrong lens for this type of photograph!!













We had drinks and cake (no surprise there then!!) - Coffee and Walnut and Peach & Fig loaf - very nice - especially sitting outside in the sunshine... is it really March?.. it's stunning!!

And more of the church...


The plaque is in commemoration of those British, Australian, Canadian and American service personnel who were victims of the war and were stationed here.



and finally another very pretty drive home through the lovely sunlit countryside of Sussex!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Its a Bee Fly Trish from your other Nemesis :D

ShySongbird said...

Lovely photos throughout and great results from both cameras Trish :-)

Your mystery creature looks like a Bee Fly to me. I think they shouldn't really be around until April but of course everything is early this year and I have seen quite a few on other blogs in the last few days particularly down your way.

ShySongbird said...

I forgot to say, regarding your previous post, the village where you have your new home looks very attractive and with all this lovely sunshine I'm sure you are enjoying exploring it :-)

oldcrow61 said...

The pictures are marvelous! There seems to be so many beautiful places that you can visit.

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