Woodpeckers

Two green woodpeckers turned up right under my office window the other morning. It looks like a mum and baby, mum in the foreground doing most of the digging and food finding, while baby in the background copied her, clearly learning the ropes but more than willing for wait mum to find a tasty treat.

Frustratingly getting a photo of both birds in focus and not blurred with movement was a challenge, this close up of mum is the clearest picture showing her lovely colours.

We often see green woodpeckers on the grass but not normally so close to the house. Curiously they spend their time digging in the earth rather than chipping in the oak tree.

New York - Paris - Emsworth

As seen in the background to the recent post on Sarah.

An homage to the Trotters, local Emsworth carpenter and decorator Reliant van

Fun.

Sculling

Locally our famous sculler Glyn pretty much cleans up in successive Bursledon regatta races and has also been known to scull a London bus,  but he might have some stiff competition from these guys seen at Camaret last year.

The French take their sculling pretty seriously, this looks to be a custom designed boat with twin sculls over the stern.

And they don't restrict sculling to a short trip across the river, the above picture was taken at maximum telephoto probably getting on for a mile out in Camaret bay.

Above this seem to be a local boat type seen all across the Crozon peninsular and as far away as Douarnenez, both with sailing rig and as outboard launches. This one clearly stripped down for some sculling racing.

A close up of both boats by the quay, I wish my French was better would have been good to find out more.

Neat

Not quite a windsurfer, not quite a kite board.

I'm  feeling a bit old for this kind of thing, and frankly I'm not sure I have sufficient balance for board foiling, but it does look exciting

Cowes

So near and yet so far.

Seen from the view point in Old Bursledon, looking across the river, Warsash, the Solent and into the Medina river.

Bit of a breeze

With gusts up to 30+ knots, not surprisingly the windsurfers were out.

High and dry

Not many local boats take the ground on the Hamble.

Sarah

A local Emsworth boat dried out at the key.

The two gents standing on the quay were not the owners, but they knew the boat which was apparently built in Cornwall but has been based in Emsworth for many years.

Super harbour launch.

For those who spotted the Reliant van in the background look out for a future post.

Wild weekend

That is to say the wind was a bit wild as opposed to some exciting events.

At high water the waves were breaking on the Netley Cliff SC waterfront.

Sunday was brighter but still pretty windy, se stopped for a picnic just outside the Northshore yard and spotted the local pirates bouncing around on their mooring.

Presumably they had the gun ports open and cannons at the ready for some sort of practice session?