Mandarin ducks on the Plym

A sunny afternoon  so took the camera for a walk alongside the river. Came across a dipper fishing in the shallows.

Later on these colourful Mandarin ducks. The males are easy to see, but the females blend in with the water colour almost perfectly.

Suffolk catch

Suffolk Catch

My new workshop needed a catch on the door, so a search on Pinterest revealed a number of choices. I finally settled on a Suffolk catch because it looked a neat idea.

From the inside you can just see a toggle which when pulled operates the catch.

I turned a piece of oak and then cut it to make the washers which I tacked and stuck on with exterior wood glue.

On the outside of the door is the latch, which, as you can see has the leather thing attached to the latch.

The catch is at an angle that allows the catch to slide up and fasten the door.

I should have used brass pins on the washer going through the door. You can see where the tannins from the oak have blackened.

2020 Update.  I was worried the leather would perish easily.  But two years on its still going strong.  I will use one of these on my next shed as no draft gets by the catch.

Sheepstor

Sheepstor

The cloud came in as we arrived at the start point. This is just a short walk but uphill all the way. There's a good clear path to the top of the Tor, and on a clear day a nice view. But not today.

Dewer Stone

Sunny November afternoon, which I always think you have to take advantage of. The rain and cold will keep me inside later.
I parked at Shaun Prior Bridge, and crossed the Plym which is just a small river here.

Then up the path till it splits going left onto the old tram track where they used to let the carts down the steep slope.

Past this stone the track forks again, we took the right form up. I. The next picture you can see the holes where the rails were attached.

The picture below gives some impression of the slope.

At the top of the track is the winding house, we took a line out onto the mood, roughly heading for Cadover Bridge. I was aiming for the cross above it.

Here we turned back and walked along the woods edge until we reached the dewer stone.

A few walkers around, and ponies, Hopi g for sandwiches.

Bickleigh bird table

One of the first things we did when moving to Bickleigh was to set up a bird feeding station. As autumn progresses we are seeing more and more coming to feed.

Just a robin, but nice to see, he tries to keep everyone else off the feeder.

Blue tit and Great tit, looking annoyed at the thistle feeder, which they can't get in to.

A pair of Nuhatchs have found the feeder and are getting used to movement in the house four yards away, so are less nervous coming to feed.

The wood pecker has found the nuts too

Fishing by HRTB

Good day at HRBT

My pastor and I picked up a boat from the Naval Marina and headed out the HRBT.  We fished VA beach side just beyond the bridge, hitting into croacker quickly. Tinney catching almost before I got my bait on the hook.

It's great to fish with someone who just gets on with fishing and enjoys the sport for what it is.

After an hour or so we moved across towards Hampton to the little island where the HRBT goes under.  Less fish here but bigger.

We caught, flat fish, on my spinning rod, and puffer fish, sea trout, croaker and a few more on squid and finger mullet. 

Norfolk Zoo

Sunny afternoon walk round the zoo.