white wing

I thought I saw this young rook before we left when it was struggling to fly. I have never seen markings like this on a rook before and I don't know whether it is some form of partial albinism or the result of an injury, but it is very striking. As always somewhere on the net there is more information (see link) !

Home again

 Alaska was stunning with its beautiful blues, whites and greys but there is something incomparably beautiful about the green landscape of England and especially Cornwall as it blossoms in late Spring.

dear Spot
I don't know what the weather has been like in Cornwall but here in Alaska it has been simply perfect, as you can see, and even the orca has taken to sun-bathing. See you soon.

Seward

dear Spot
the one thing a big fierce bird hates is a little fierce bird, bald eagle meets crow.

ossum journeys 2

dear Spot
train across the Kenai peninsular.

the trees in the bottom picture were killed in the great earthquake of 1964. You in particular will appreciate the joke the guard told, that they are called silent dogwood because ...... they have no bark (ha, ha!).

ossum journeys

dear Spot

we have just completed a train journey across the wilds of Alaska. On the way we saw moose, bears, a porcupine up a pine tree (very appropriate), and best of all, a golden eagle. None of these is very common in Cornwall!

Glad to hear Meg is still visiting.

some sunny day

we are off on our annual adventures on Saturday so Spot will lose his secretary for a couple of weeks. We will be sad to leave the apple trees in full blossom and the forgetmenots looking very bright, and the equine students practising for Duchy College open day

more Cornish walls and hedges

The walls can become covered in moss and lichens, another effect of our our cold damp climate

old walls

we are surrounded by old cornish hedges and walls (they are much the same sort of structure). Hedge trees grow on top and in these walls and reach enormous sizes given the precarious nature of their base.

bluebells

the bluebells are just reaching their best, some one or two weeks later than usual

duck watch

anxious duck keepers out early this morning to check on the new arrivals, picture taken by Jo at Farrier's Lodge. Those ducks don't know how lucky they are.

spring continues

bluebells in the woods at Kerney Bridge, and the lovely double mayflower found locally