Back from France I started up my laptop and disaster. My laptop had locked me out, it wouldn’t recognise my password.  After many failed attempts to get it to boot up, whilst pulling the last remaining hair follicle out, I was on the brink of launching it out of the window, which I would have done if it hadn’t have had all my photos taken this year on it.

I decided the best option was to bury my head in the sand and go out and take some photographs, if that didn’t solve it what would.

At Leasowe I ran into Gerhard and Mike, Gerhard asked what I was out photographing. Nothing really I said, just repairing my laptop. I could tell by the puzzled look on their faces that it didn’t seem like the best way to solve my problem.

Gerhard said he could do a better job than me (and he did). I am now up and running thanks to Gerhard. I am very grateful for his help.

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After working on the house and garden I only managed to explore my surroundings on a few days but I did have some success at home.

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Whilst working in the back garden t I discovered this toad under a log pile.

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And in the front garden under some rocks this Fire Salamander.

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The fire salamander is possibly the best-known Salamander species in Europe.

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Black Redstart are nesting in the back garden and can be seen most days feeding on insects, which provide some great photographic opportunities.

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More in the France folder

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A trip down to my woodland produced Firecrest, although difficult to photograph I still got a few shots.

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Could have been in better light.

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A short walk from my house is a small lake that has a family of Coypu in residence they are not camera shy and will come very close to you, swimming up and down the lake checking you out. The field next to the lake seem to hold Roe deer most mornings and can be seen from the road if you are lucky.

 Most mornings are heralded with the sound of Cuckoos which sit on the telegraph post just next to my garden and take turns in chasing each other off, I did get some photographs of them but not what I wanted. Seeing them most days is reward enough.

More later with the photographs.