Alert readers may remember a guest picture or two showing the recent invasion of Derby by some rather scruffy members of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army. My brother went to see the prince in the Derby Museum and Art Gallery and asked him not to invade Derby again. Answer came there none.
After the excitements of yesterday, we had a very quiet day today, Mrs Tootlepedal because she was a bit tired after a hard days work and me because I wanted to rest my foot after walking more than I should have done in Edinburgh.
I wasn’t missing any cycling as the temperature only just rose above freezing all day though we were very ice free and I did risk cycling as far as the Buccleuch Centre to buy a ticket for an evening show.
I also had to do a bit of walking from and to our local garage as we had noticed last night that one of our headlight bulbs had expired. They kindly replaced the bulb very promptly and the car is back in action again.
Apart from a visit from Drospcone for coffee and the subsequent consumption of high quality treacle scones, I had a very peaceful time, occasionally looking out of the window.
It was frosty first thing…
…but the sun came out and things brightened up.
A chaffinch with a misplaced sense of humour mocked my ambition to catch a good flying bird of the day…
…and a pigeon arrived which looked not to be any great need of more bird food.
Mike Tinker came round for afternoon tea with ginger biscuits so we had good company both in the morning and afternoon.
The highlight of the day was the show for which I had bought a ticket earlier on (Mrs Tootlepedal was doing front of house duties and did not require a ticket).
The event was an illustrated lecture by Laurie Campbell, a wild life photographer who lives not too far from us in the Scottish borders.
He is a photographer of great skill and artistry and on top of that, he is an expert in putting together a show of 400 hundred varied images of which every one is interesting and delivering it at a speed which maintains the interest of the audience from first to last. Add to that a very pleasant and graceful manner of delivery packed full of interesting technical details and a dry sense of humour and you have the recipe for a perfect evening.
Those interested can visit his website here.
As I had time on my hands today, I managed to find several flying birds of the day.
A final question: can you have to many cute robin pictures?
Tootlepedal's Blog 
I like your humorous chaffinch. 🙂
I laughed in a moderate way.
Answer: definitely not!
🙂
That robin gracefully “sat” for you I see! 🙂
They like to pose.
The painting is amazing and about as realistic as a painting could be.
That’s a beautiful shot of the robin.
I hope the foot will strengthen and be pain free.
Things are improving as far as mobility goes.
The pigeon looks like he or she has ingested enough seed to make obtaining lift-off rather difficult. Much like the quail here after they have been in the vineyard. 🙂
I like the flying bird at the feeder with the sense of humor. Good catch! 🙂
There is a lot of that approaching the feeder from the back going on. I’ll have to take the back perch off!
Amazing bird photos, capturing every detail in the camera. The Herculean efforts are praiseworthy. Thanks!!!
Thank you for reading.
Never too many robins especially as well photographed as yours. I, too, enjoyed that chaffinch wings only.
I never tire of robins pictures…they’re just so cute…and don’t they know it
True.
No, you can never have too many cute robin pictures. I visited Laurie Campbell’s website. What a photographer! I bet the show was fabulous.
He is a delight.
that is one fat pigeon. Just tried sketching and painting that robin – not very good but I am just starting.
I would like to see the sketch when you finish. It would make an original guest picture of the day.
unfortunately , its not very good. will try again but I am just starting. trying to do 15 minutes a day in the hopes I may improve with practice.
I like the misplaced sense of humor! (or humour). I’m a touch envious that your robins are so much cuter than ours. They seem to have lost some charm while crossing the Atlantic.
Totally unrelated I believe.
Gorgeous bird captures, and no you cannot have too many Robin pictures!
Thank goodness for that as there will be many more. 🙂
Answering your question, no, you can never have too many cute robin photos! And the “chaffinch with a misplaced sense of humour” was indeed humorous, but then I wasn’t the one pushing the shutter button.
I’m glad that you were able attend such a presentation as the one that you saw by Laurie Campbell. I’ve watched many similar ones on video, and they have helped me. But the problem with video is that often the camera is on the speaker, and they never show the image that the speaker is discussing.
I learn a lot from his shows.
I love your robins, much brighter and cuter and rounder than ours.