Welcome to Villa Emilia (My Woodland Garden), a photography blog with a slant towards gardening and nature. An amateur gardener and photographer, I hope to share beautiful moments with you through pictures. Let me know if you like them! ❤

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16.4.2018

Favourite birds and other handsome fellows - Huhtikuuta



Turdus merula


Hello all! Above is my best (ever) photo of a (Eurasian) blackbird. In this post, there are several photos that are best-ever, first-ever or first-this-year. Some photos aren't very good, like the one of the (European) Robin below, but since it's a bird I never saw when I was a child, I'm thrilled every time I see one.



Erithacus rubecula


Jippii! Aurinko paistaa ja lumet sulavat melkein silmissä. Etelä-Suomessa taitavat ensimmäiset sipulikasvit jo kukkia. Meidän pihassa ei vielä piippoja näy... koska parhaat paikat on varattu lupiineille. Uskolliset ystävämme ovat heti valmiina kasvamaan, kun maa paljastuu lumen alta. Tämän lupiinipenkin lunta onkin sulatettu ripottelemalla hiekkaa lumen pinnalle.






Viime kesänä maahan pudonneet siemenet itävät urheasti. :)







Lupinus x regalis :)



Cygnus cygnus







Pyrrhula pyrrhula♂ and 







♥♥♥



The (Eurasian) jay is not my favourite bird (it for example raids the bird feeders, if possible)... but it is fascinating too.  "Its usual call is the alarm call which is a harsh, rasping screech and is used upon sighting various predatory animals, but the jay is well known for its mimicry, often sounding so like a different species that it is virtually impossible to distinguish its true identity unless the jay is seen." (Wikipedia)



Garrulus glandarius



Emberiza citrinella


Kerrankin sattui olemaan kamera kädessä oikealla hetkellä. Aivan ensimmäiset kärppäkuvani:



Mustela erminea in winter fur



All the animals and birds (except the swans) have been photographed through a window. By sheer fluke, I happened to have a camera in my hands when I saw this stoat moving rapidly (checking for food perhaps). Behind our house, the snow (fallen from the roof) hasn't been moved away. So below you see the animal on a snowbank just outside a window. You can also see some ash and sand we use to help the snow melt quicker.






Jouluruusut paljastuvat lumen alta.



Helleborus orientalis






An aircraft flying over us. I think there's written "Pakistan" on the belly. Trying to study the routes, I now believe it was the flight from Toronto to Karachi, which operates on Sundays. Hello, Canada! Hello, Pakistan! :) How small is the world...






A thuja has overwintered indoors. Its green leaves make me happy throughout the year.






One of the sour cherries also winters indoors...



Prunus 'Amarena Florina'


Ainakin osa viileässä talvehtineista kasveista voi hyvin. Tässä on kultasade. Aika pieni vielä. :)



Laburnum alpinum






Whooper swans are amongst the heaviest flying birds.










Coming from the supermarket, I noticed the car parked next to mine... and I just had to take a photo with my phone.



Komea savolainen autoilija



Mukavaa alkanutta viikkoa!

Have a great week ahead!



49 kommenttia:

  1. Hi dear Sara!What a good surprise finding your post before go to work!Beautiful pictures to brighten my day!We live in absolutely different worlds...Both are beautiful...I always pray God to stay alive...Have a blessed week,Sara!

    VastaaPoista
  2. This is great coverage of a range of organisms, Sara, but the most striking of all is the white phase of the stoat, something I have never seen. In total contrast is the very handsome, melodic Blackbird, and thank goodness you are now seeing signs of spring with little shoots coming out of the ground. We have just gone through an awful ice storm this weekend, so I am sure much early development has been arrested. Enjoy the week ahead. David

    VastaaPoista
  3. Beautiful photos, Sara! The Blackbirds have arrived here too and the little Red Robin. They are both very cute. The signs of spring are everywhere!
    I wish you a nice week!
    Halaus!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you very much, Maristella, David and Marit! ♥ Both blackbirds and robins are everybody's favourites - they are so sweet. Have a good upcoming weekend!

      Poista
  4. Onpa hienoja otoksia. Joutsenet ja lentokoneet mahan alta kuvattuina tekevät erityisen vaikutuksen 😀

    Kärpät ovat kai niin nopeita eläimiä että pitää olla ihan kärpänä jos aikoo saada kuvan. Onneksi olkoon ❣️Eikä ole hassumpi kuvasaalis myöskään mitä tulee pikkulintuihin. Punarinta on tosi söötti. The little robin.

    Saa nähdä itävätkö ne lupiininsiemenet jotka syksyllä istutin. Fingers crossed ! 🙂

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Kiitos, Rita! Kärppä oli niin vikkelä, että olen tyytyväinen että sain edes tällaisia kuvia.
      Jos ne eivät idä, yritetään uudelleen uusilla siemenillä! :D

      Poista
  5. Hej Sara!

    Åter en fantastisk bildkavalkad av en natur som går mot vår. Och så ett flygplan..! Du är sannerligen kreativ med din kamera, tack för alla fina bilder Sara!

    Kram!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Tack så mycket, Gunilla! Du är för snäll... :)
      Kram!

      Poista
  6. Great photos once again, Sara, I always get a great joy visiting your blog. Have a blessed day and a wonderful week. Madeline

    VastaaPoista
  7. Dear Sara,
    such mesmerizing photos of birds and stoat. The photos of aircraft and the flying swans you have succeeded so well. I can see the snow with you. At least at home you have something green.
    I wish you a great week, too. All the best and big hugs ... Dorothea :-)

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you very much, Madeline and Dorothea! ♥ Happy spring!

      Poista
  8. Kaunis kuva mustarastaasta, ihanat punatulkut, joutsenet ja närhi. Ja vau, kärppä! Ei varmasti ole ihan helppoa saada kärppää kuvaan.
    Lentokoneiden seuraaminen Flightradarin avulla on hauskaa puuhaa :)
    Keväistä viikkoa!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Kiitos, Piparminttu! Kärppäkuvat olivat pelkkää hyvää onnea.
      Flightradar24 on tosiaan jännä sivusto. Ihanaa viikonloppua!

      Poista
  9. Hello Sara!
    I see you were so lucky to take photos of swans, stoat and jay. By the way a jay that lives near my garden always say as a cat :-) Mjau, miau. Once I was looking around to find a cat, but it was a jay on a branch. Ha Ha!
    I've never seen a stoat in nature, only on the painting by Leonardo da Vinci -)
    Have a nice week!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you, Nadezda!
      Indeed I have been lucky with my photos this week.
      Wow, a jay that meows like a cat! Our jays seem mainly to screech. :)
      Have a good upcoming weekend!

      Poista
  10. Onneksi olkoon kärppäkuvasta! Keltasirkut ovat ihania, ja niiden ääni on aivan mahtava.

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Kiitos paljon, Anne! Täytyy opetella millainen on keltasirkun laulu. Täällä on paljon söpöjä pieniä laulajia, joita en tunne...
      Keväistä viikonloppua!

      Poista
  11. You are an extremely talented photographer! Taking pictures of birds and animals in general requires so much patience! You really manage to capture the beauty that lies in nature, even with elements that are taken for granted such as the water drops or a small sprout! Even the plane becomes poetic through your camera, and the unexpected car driver is so funny! Thank you for sharing beauty with us!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you very much, Sandrine! And a special thank-you for noticing the driver! :)

      Poista
  12. O what a great photos. I like the swan the most!

    VastaaPoista
  13. Marvellous shot, Sara! I like the kärppä!
    Fantastic flying swans and droplets from icicles...!
    Let it be spring!! xx

    VastaaPoista
  14. Sara, these pictures are just great! I love swans so much but I've never seen a completely white swan in person, the local especies has white body and black neck.

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you very much, Aritha, Luisella and Marcelo! ♥ I hadn't ever heard of the black-necked swan! Now I have learned it's the largest waterfowl native to South America. And it's very beautiful.

      Poista
  15. Oletpas onnistunut saamaan upeita kuvia linnuista. Ja nuo joutsenet - niin hienoa lentoa. Sitten vielä kärppä! Upeita onnistumisia. Keväistä viikon jatkoa!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Kiitos, Anneli! Kerrankin satuin näkemään joutsenia sinistä taivasta vasten ja oli vielä kamerakin mukana. :)
      Säätiedotus taitaa luvata hieman koleaa ilmaa tänne meille, mutta toivotan silti iloista viikonloppua!

      Poista
  16. Those first days of spring when delicate shoots come up are so welcome. Beautiful photos from your window, Sara. Does the stoat change colour over the year? I didn't realize they were pure white. I hope spring soon rushes in for you.

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you, Lorrie!
      In its northern range, the stoat adopts a completely white coat (save for the black tail-tip) during the winter period. In summer, the fur is sandy-brown on the back and head, and white below.
      Happy spring! Yours is very beautiful.

      Poista
  17. Lovely photos, Sara. The last one did give me a little chuckle. I love all the bird captures but your photo of the stoat is definitely something else - lovely! There are glimmers of spring in your photos here and I hope you see its return soon.

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you very much, Jade! And a special thank-you for noticing the driver! :)

      Poista
  18. i can stare on this black beauty captured by you for sooo looong my dearest Sara!

    incredibly charming and pretty!

    i am still in awe how do you do this?
    i mean how do you cast spell on our senses with your splendid photography!!!

    How strange that you took most of shots from window of your room which is brilliant and lucky too that you are surrounded by amazing nature my friend!

    thank you for sharing the jay's ability to mimicry as until now i only knew the parrot who can copy and learn the human's language so well

    shots of flying swans!just marvelous!

    LOVED the falling drops most , wonderfully taken !

    VastaaPoista
  19. Ihanat kuvat! Jee, minulla kirjolupiinit ovat itäneet hyvin ja on pikkutaimia. Upea kärppäkuva!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Kiitos, Satu! Odotan innokkaasti kuvia lupiineistasi ja muista kevään taimista. :)
      Ihanaa viikonloppua!

      Poista
  20. Vastaukset
    1. Obrigada, Maria! Tenha um bom fim de semana! :)

      Poista
  21. my precious Sara will you believe that i did notice for sure but until i finished the post and start writing comments all was waving in my mind just your magical photography
    after posting and leaving whole day i was oh God i forgot the most important thing to mention in my comment ,the plane which was quite easily readable in your brilliant shot and i don't know how you did this ? :)

    thank you so much for mentioning the name and displaying it with your effort lenses eighter
    you are AMAZING my dearest friend!

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. I was most certainly thinking of you, when I saw the plane and tried to find out where it was coming from and where it was going. :)
      Thank you for your kind comments, dearest Baili. Blessings and hugs!

      Poista
  22. Sarah, your photography continues to amaze me. it has all been said above, just wonderful captures of the creatures in your world.

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you, Helen! Your photos are actually much more beautiful and interesting. :)

      Poista
  23. Oi mitä kuvia, aivan ihania! Olet kyllä niin taitava kuvaamaan♥ Kärpät taitavat tosiaan olla melkoisen vikkeliä otuksia, hienoa että noin hyvän kuvan olet saanut! Ihanaa kevätpäivää sinne♥

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Kiitos, Päivikki! ♥ Ihanaa viikonloppua teille. Ehkäpä se grillikausi jo alkaa! :)

      Poista
  24. Ha the crazy poodle does that if we leave him in the car... mind you not half as impressively, as his nose hardly reaches the steering wheel. What lovely photos, I was trying to read what the swans had written on their bellies (joke!)
    Wren x

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Hello Wren, I'm sure the crazy poodle looks very handsome when driving.
      I believe the swans have "summer" written on their bellies. Or perhaps "beauty" or "freedom".
      Have a lovely new week! xx

      Poista
  25. Upea kuvasarja havaintoja!

    VastaaPoista
  26. As always a wonderful selection of photographs to see and enjoy, thank you.
    I thought those swans were wonderful, lovely to see them in flight.

    Enjoy the week ahead.

    All the best Jan

    VastaaPoista
    Vastaukset
    1. Thank you very much, Jan!
      You too, have a lovely week ahead! xx

      Poista
  27. I always like to see your cute animal pictures, Sara!
    I'm glad that winter is over in my region. It's finally wonderful green here.
    I hope that spring is not far away from you, too!

    VastaaPoista

  28. Hi Sara, I think it's the first time I see a whole black bird.
    What a variety of beautiful animals!
    Good week's continuation.
    janicce.

    VastaaPoista
  29. ♥ Thank you for your comments, Sigrid and Janicce! ♥

    VastaaPoista


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