Ducks on pond:-

Fountain:-

Circumference path:-

The Kastellet (citadel) is a military bastion near Copenhagen harbour.

This view of the canal that surrounds it was taken from the Gefion Fountain (previous post.) The winged structure just to the left of upper centre was actually our ship’s funnel:-

The water and banked earth round the Kastellet reminded me of Naarden in The Netherlands.

This is a view of the moat from the exit bridge nearer the harbour:-

As is this, looking in the opposite direction:-

Right by that exit bridge bridge this bird was nesting. It refused to lift its head so that I could get a good photo:-

Since we moved to Son of the Rock Acres we have noticed a lot more wild life than in the old house. That’s not surprising. We back onto woodland now.

We did used to be near a park where there were swans and herons as well as geese and gulls of various sorts and – once – a deer seemingly trapped in the fenced-off tennis court.

What we didn’t hear were owls which we did here as soon as we moved into the new house but they seem to have gone quiet.

Three or so years ago we began to notice a buzzard flying about the adjacent estate. I took this – very amateur – video of it in February 2016. (Click on the picture to get to the video.):-

Last year about this time we noticed three of the birds circling almost over the house:-

They were making a distinctive cry. (Again, click on picture to get to video):-

Earlier this year one took to perching on a young tree just over the back fence:-

We stopped at Ellon both on the way up to Peterhead and on the way back down.

A scenic river passes just to the west of the town, the River Ythan.

It’s crossed by two bridges, the old one:-

And the newer:-

If you look closely at the above photo you’ll spot a single swan. Here it is in a closer shot:-

I captured this heron on the bank of the Kinness Burn at St Andrews harbour:-

Newton Stewart has a lovely situation sitting by the banks of the River Cree:-

Unfortunately the river sometimes comes a bit too close. In this photo you can see work on flood defences at centre right:-

There is a lovely bridge over the river:-

It seems to be a good place for birds:-

Heron just to right of and above centre:-

The plant growth was making this chimney loook dodgy, though!:-

On the way back from Lyness on Hoy to Houton on the Orkney mainland the ferry took a slightly different route in order to put off and pick up at the island of Flotta.

Looking back to Hoy from ferry to Flotta :-

Miltary constructions go back a long way on Orkney. This is one of at least two Martello Towers on Hoy. These date from the Napoleonic wars:-

Defunct military building on Flotta, Orkney. Plus trees – an unusual sight on Orkney:-

At the Flotta terminal a woman suddenly cried out, “Look. A Seal!”

Three more seals were basking on the shore on the other side of the ferry:-

Structure in mid Scapa Flow. This was too far away from the ferry for me to make it out but it looks like an artificial island:-

Oil Terminal at Rinnigill, Flotta, from Flotta-Houton ferry.:-

Tanker and Rinnigill Oil Terminal, Flotta:-

When we saw a notice advertising boat trips on the canal in Bruges we opted for one straight away. These photos mostly feature bridges over the canal(s).

Setting off:-

Typical view:-

Not quite “mind your head”:-

But certainly do this time. I think this was the one the guide said was the lowest:-

Looking back to low bridge:-

Bridge and swans:-

Furthest bridge on the trip. I think the building beyond the bridge is something to do with the water management system in Bruges:-

Side bridge and swans. The bridge wasn’t one we went under. It looks too low for that:-

One of the outdoor displays at Gardening Scotland 2016 was of various birds of prey. There’s actually a place near where I live where someone keeps birds of prey. I’ve seen a bloke walking in Markinch with an owl on his arm. I have also seen them being displayed in a shopping mall in Kirkcaldy.

I think this is a long-eared owl:-

A Falcon?:-

Barn owl:-

This looks like a female lesser kestrel:-

Mount Grace Priory is in North Yorkshire, the best preserved Carthusian monastery in Britain. We popped in there for a look on our way from Northallerton.

Just before the car park there was a pond on the left hand side. I spotted a heron:-

There were some geese too:-