Tim H

@timhopper

Content creator (hobbyist). Amateur ornithologist. Conservationist. Sometime whistle player. Audiobookworm. Esperantist. He/him. Kent, England 🔴⚪🌳⭐⭐ 🔗 @mybirdcards.com

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Tim H@timhopper· 19d

We were treated to a pair of paragliders over the town this evening. 0 & 5, maybe? We have a famous Bob who lives nearby. Maybe a relation's birthday celebration, perhaps? #faversham #kent #england

Tim H@timhopper· 19d

I didn't notice them at the time but I managed to capture some of the small fry of the pond. Baby roach or rudd, maybe?

A still of the large koi of the videos. A shoal of little fish are swimming over it.

Tim H@timhopper· 19d

Moments later I got a nice view of another of the carp.

Tim H@timhopper· 19d

So close! The nearest I've come to capturing a fish jumping in the big pond at the allotments! You can tell from the splash and ripples that it wasn't far away 🙄🙂 Taken yesterday evening 🐟 #koifish #koi #fish | #kent #england

Tim H@timhopper· 22d

My usual view of the big pond in the allotment grounds this evening, and before-and-after pics of my friend's little allotment after I put the strimmer around. I think we can say that it's mostly "under-control" now 😅 #allotmentgardening #gardening | #kent #england

A view of a large pond, or wide slow-moving stream. The sky is a clear blue and is reflected in the still water. The shadow from the footbridge I was standing on is clearly visible.

Tim H@timhopper· 22d

I'm pleased that the onions have naturally keeled-over, as I'm hoping this is a good sign that they are maturing properly 🤞 #allotmentgardening #allotment #gardening #onions | #kent #england

A small onion bed with mostly horizontal leaves.

How the "sets" looked spaced out prior to planting back on the 24th April. I was somewhat late with these also 😊

Tim H@timhopper· 22d

Time I decided to dig two more of the shop-brought potatoes I planted back in April. It was good that I was only hoping for "new potatoes" as they were mostly baby-sized 😊 #allotmentgardening #allotment #gardening #potatoes | #kent #england

What remained of the potato patch before lifting two to take to allotment holders who've kindly let me have a free-hand in looking after the plot for them these last two seasons 🙌

Two down! They do seem to have gone fast! 😊 Three remain though 👍

A close-up of the harvest. Many were on the small side, but I'm still pleased with the results, seeing how I was late planting them 👍

How they looked when I planted them "on-the-flat" on the 14th of April 🙂

Tim H@timhopper· 23d

Not great pics, but I did get that feeling that someone was watching me in my mate's garden this afternoon! 😍 #birdsoftheworld #birds #robinredbreast | #kent #england

A European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), a juvenile, I think, watching me from the undergrowth 😊

Zoomed in a bit, but not cropped. Definitely watching me! 😅😍

Tim H@timhopper· 26d

I really need to get myself a beginners camera. I used to have a Nikon Coolpix many moons ago. Maybe I should begin again? I do enjoy seeing how well my phone works. Zooming in on a female house sparrow at my mate's yesterday. #birdsoftheworld #birds #sparrow | #kent #england

How I first spotted the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) sitting down after a half hours putting a strimmer around and before a barbequed burger and hot dog burger 🍔 🌭

Cropped and "unblurred." Not too bad, I thought 👍

Tim H@timhopper· 29d

Mr. Fox (I say Mr, but I'm really not sure) sat back on his haunches and let me take their portrait again on my trip to the allotments this early evening. Very obliging fellow! 🦊 #redfox #fox #allotment | #kent #england

I had to "sharpen" it a little in editing, but I'm pleased with how it came out. A Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) sitting patiently and allowing me "to get his best side" 😁❤️🦊

Zooming in on the fox. He stopped and watched me from behind the cucurbits growing in a neighbour's allotment.

A little distorted, but this was where I took the photos. Can you spot him/her? 🧐

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 12

Not great pics (they were full zoom on my phone), but I was reminded yesterday on my walk to the allotments, how attractively patterned juvenile Black-headed Gulls are 😍 #birdsoftheworld #birds #gulls | #kent #england

A juvenile Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) walking through the mud in the creek basin.

There was a pair of them. Google describes them as having "mottled ginger-brown and buff upperparts, brown-streaked wings, a white head with dark smudges, and a distinct black band at the tip of their otherwise white tail." 😍

How I first spotted them. The tide was low at the time 👍

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 10

Its youngster wanted to get in on the photoshoot! 😍

A juvenile Eurasian Coot stretching its neck to be in frame 🙂

More comfortably poised now it knows they're not being ignored! 😁😍

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 10

I couldn't resist taking a series of shots of this very obliging coot this evening 😍 #birdsoftheworld #birds #coots | #kent #england

A Eurasian coot (Fulica atra) came up close to the bank hoping for treats. Unfortunately I had forgotten to take down the duck food that I have at home. Next time for sure, my friend 👍🙂

The same coot as in the previous photo. A slaty-grey waterbird with a darker grey head and a prominent white frontal shield.

Yes, it's the same coot, but this time it's more "front-on" 😍

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 10

A little later than my usual evening shot of the big pond at the allotments (8.30pm-ish, instead of 5.30-ish) and how my friend's little allotment looked on leaving 😍 #landscapephotography #ponds | #kent #england

A view of a largish pond (or a wide, very slow-moving stream) within an allotment grounds on another fine summer evening 😍

A very small allotment (eighth the size of a traditional plot, I reckon). Those potatoes are going fast 😐

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 10

Only a quick trip to the allotment this evening, really just to check on things, but I did make a start on mulching the tomatoes with spent potting compost that I brought down from home. A pretty good set overall, I think 👍 #allotmentgardening #allotment #gardening #tomatoes | #kent #england

How the four tomato plants looked on arrival. Not much weeding to be done, which was good 👍

How they looked after spreading the bucketful of compost around them, and the slow-growing leeks 🙂 I really wish I had first remembered to sprinkle around some of the pelleted manure I have, but it'll have to wait for when I give them a good soaking tomorrow morning (something I didn't have time to do this evening).

One of the trusses showing the young green tomatoes.

Another of the trusses. Only a half-set here 😐

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 7

A warm sunset after a warm day here in the southeast of England. I'm a little worried that the local pigeons have it in for me 😅 The woodpigeon on the lamppost came straight towards me at the end! 😬 I was pleased with the shot though 😁 #birdsoftheworld #birds | #kent #england

A sunset photo of a semi-industrial area of a small town in England. A solitary Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) is admiring the scene from atop a lamppost.

The same pigeon making a beeline for me! 😅

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 6

2am kickoff 😐 Although they were shy, I did manage to get a couple decent pics of the pigeons last Thursday. I think I should be scared of this one! 😬😅

A street pigeon looking down with disdain from atop an old brick wall 😁The sky behind is clear blue.

Showing a better side? I'm still not sure though about that look in its eye! 😅

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 5

I made a start yesterday (Saturday) on the last "out-of-control" bed at my friend's little allotment. Unfortunately, the raspberries had been almost completely choked out by brambles and bindweed. I fitted the "brush cutter" attachment to my cordless strimmer and made a careful start #gardening

Taking a rest after about half an hour's work. It's going to take me several bites at it, I think, as this is about the most I can do at one time 😔

How the allotment looked on leaving. You can make out the partially cleared bed to the right 👍

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 5

I'm keeping myself awake for the footie (in just over an hour's time) so expect some dodgy pics! Here's the first two. The head and tail of an Eurasian Magpie. It wasn't obliging enough to let me get them together in the one photo! 😁 #birdsoftheworld #birds | #kent #england

An Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) furtively peering around the corner of a wooden garden fence 🙂

The other end of the same bird in the same location 😁

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 5

Better, slowed down, I think 👍😊

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 5

I took this short video of a parent and juvenile Eurasian Coot feeding on the duckweed at the edge of one of the streams within the allotment grounds yesterday. It's good I think at showing how their incredible feet work whilst swimming! #birdsoftheworld #birds | #kent #england

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 5

I was certain that I managed to capture a Eurasian Jay yesterday (the first I've seen in ages). Can I spot it?! 😂

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 3

Can you spot it? How it looked on turning the corner and the one decent still I managed to get. Always great to see!

Zoomed in on the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) 😍

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 3

I was very lucky not to disturb the resident allotment heron when I turned the corner of the path leading to the footbridge. I managed to get this short video 😍 #greyheron #heron #birdsoftheworld #birds | #kent #england

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 3

Mum, wait for us! 😍 The small family of Mallards that I met yesterday whilst showing some friends around the allotments. The pic of the "big pond" I took late afternoon Wednesday, but forgot to post 😊 #mallards #ducks #birdsoftheworld | #kent #england

A hen mallard (top left) is gently swimming away from her three chicks (bottom right) which are paddling fast to catch her up 😍

My usual view from the wooden walkway across the big pond in the allotment grounds. The blue sky with fairweather clouds is reflected in the still water.

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 2

I didn't do any better with this video. They all seemed shy this evening 😊

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 2

Someone really didn't want their photograph taken this evening! 😁 #feralpigeon #citypigeon #citydove #doves #pigeons | #kent #england

A photo of a pigeon taking flight from a terracotta chimney pot. Its head is out of frame and the sky behind is clear blue.

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 2

Well, the big carp are still there! Maybe they got too much push back over moving them? My thoughts are divided, as so many (getting on for a dozen, I reckon) must take up a lot of the available resources? Still, always nice to see! 😍🐟 #carp #fish #pond | #kent #england

A photo showing a shoal of large brown carp (The common kind (Cyprinus carpio)) along with one koi that someone must have released here when it outgrew their pond 🙂 The water is muddy-looking due to their bottom feeding (It's only a foot or so deep here) 😔

The fish were congregated towards the far left in this context photo showing part of the "big pond" in the allotment grounds. You can make out the footbridge where I usually take my evening photos on the far right 👍

Tim H@timhopper· Jul 2

I spotted this Common Carder Bee on a quick trip to the allotment this lunchtime. It was collecting pollen/nectar from a Giant Scabious that someone had planted in one of the verges 😍 #commoncarderbee #carderbee #bees | #giantscabious #scabious #flowers | #kent #england