Feathered Weekend

I expected the weekend as always and I was more than pleased that the rain decided to give us a break. Saturday started with overcast and it was not so bad when we went outside with the dog. Nothing interesting in the park and we head to the block where the kestrel likes to stay. But the bird wasn't there. Since we were not far from the pet shop we went to buy some cat food and along the road we were just passing the monument when we heard a noise that we thought comes from the trees behind. On our way back we heard that noise again and decided to have a look. Not sure what bird was making it, but suspecting the kestrel to be about. Behind the monument is the hill where from time to time we climb in search of new birds. And hubby saw it first, not one, but three kestrels on a tree not very far. I could not risk to climb the rickety stairs overgrown with grass and prickle and left hubby to get close. He got some really nice shots and I was trying to catch the birds when they flew. My photos were horrible and I am afraid I have nothing to show.

And when I though the day would be fruitless, the house martins who nest above the entrance of the post office did not fly frantically and this one was standing and looking curiously.

These little buggers are always hard to photograph, they are fast and I could not approach very close. But their nests are in accessible places and this gives an opportunity for a shot or two, that can be good enough.

So, the house martin saved my day. Sunday was more interesting and productive day. I wait for the gang to wake up and when we went out the temperature has risen considerably. I did not think we would go to look for the kestrels again, but I put trousers in my racksack just in case we would. And glad I did, because after seeing nothing in the park apart from sparrows, crows, pigeons, seagulls, jackdaws and magpies, we ended up the hill again. First we stopped under the shade of the trees next to the monument and listened to the bird songs, but no kestrels. We did not wait for long and we saw it flying. I put the trousers on and off we went to the place where on Saturday the kestrels were perching.

The hill is accessible from many sides, but we took maybe the most inconvenient, because as it is almost abandoned, the stairs were in some places broken and overgrown. Some prickly plants did scratch my legs. However, the kestrel stopped on one tree. It was almost 11 am and the sun was high in the sky. Not the best time for photos. After some edits I came up with this. That's the best I can do.

And one more.

Shame I could not make sharp photo, I was so close. The bird decided that she has other plans than modeling and flew.

It was not the only raptor in the sky, the booted eagle was circling high above. Again not a good shot. I have to delete almost all I took.

Sweating and feeling that we will be overheated, we decided to descent from the hill. Butterflies were everywhere but I could not be bothered to chase them.

This year the ladybirds (ladybugs) are millions. I haven't seen so many, it is like infestation. Later in the evening there was a cloud of ladybirds flying as high as my balcony, they made the cats mad. I am happy to have some on my plants as they will eat the aphids. A mate from work told me that the beach is covered with ladybirds making the holidaymakers run from there.

This photo did no justice to what really it was.

So, like I said we had to go back as it was becoming too bloody hot and there they come, just like that, a flock of pelicans towards us. Oh my word, I forgot about the heat and exciment arose when they were aproaching in circles. And because we were still on top, it gave us better option of shooting not just their bellies.

Here are some of the photos I proudly did and some even cropped did not loose much of the magnetic sight.

Aren't they magnificent? So big and yet, so graceful. A complete delight for the eyes. And believe me, they are very silent. It is quite often to see the pelicans flying. No idea where exactly they were going. There is big lake nearby, perhaps they went there. I put some photos in fb group Birds in Bulgaria and some commented they also saw the flock heading towards the coastline.

And that's all for now. Thank you for your time reading my post.

Till next time.

Oh, if you haven't seen the contest I am hosting, take a time to check this link - Feathered Friends - Show Me A Photo Contest Round 26.