General 2003 Pictures


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Photos 26th December 2003

The evening of 26th December was the last night of Chanukah - with all 8 candles (plus the Shamash in the middle) alight.


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Chanukah candles

Photos 18th December 2003

Fog, especially in the middle of the day, can produce some right ghostly pictures. More of these have been placed in the weather pictures section.


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CherryTree.jpg

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Patterns caused by ice repeatedly partially melting and re-freezing on a lake. Fungus growing near the base of a tree trunk. Dormant cherry tree on a gloriously sunny winter's day. In the shade it was cold enough for frost to persist all day. Even at lunchtime the sun is still low in the sky.

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Fairly short contrail overhead in an otherwise deep blue clear sky. Patterns in the frost caused by grit. Sun shining through ivy-covered oak tree. Hoar frost on shady grass.

Photos 10th December 2003

Fog, especially in the middle of the day, can produce some right ghostly pictures. More of these have been placed in the weather pictures section.


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Bridge.jpg

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A ghostly row of trees and a path stretching into the fog. Trees and a distant person silhouetted by the fog. Everything was soaking wet in the fog. Made for pretty spider webs. The flash made nice reflections in the second web. In the still air the lakes were almost completely calm.

Photos 1st December 2003

More post rain pics.


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After the rain all the branches were dripping wet.

Photos 26th - 27th November 2003

After the rain all these mushrooms popped up everywhere. I have no idea if they were edible or not, so played safe and left well alone. Plus some birdlife.


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Mushrooms. Not a clue which species any of these are though. A look back east towards my office from the top of a hill on the far side of a bridge.

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A pretty bird playing around in the swamp. First two images are not thumbnails. It kept turning tail when I snapped it. A robin hiding in the bushes singing away to its neighbours.

Photos 24th November 2003

After a very dry autumn the weekend just gone was extremely wet, with more than a month's worth of rainfall falling over the two days. Look what it did to the swamp! The decking is totally submerged. First time I've seen the water that high. All that was visible was the top of the wooden posts. And last week the swamp was totally dry. Compare 31st January 2003 (snow covered) and 14th May 2002 (dry).


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A swolen lake. The bridge in the background is almost submerged. "Decking Slippery When Wet". What about when several centimetres under the surface?

Photos 14th - 15th October 2003

Autumn has truely dug in now. It's getting colder. The leaves are dropping off the trees. Almost all the butterflies and dragonflies are gone until next year now.


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Pictures of autumn. Waterway near the office with ivy covered bridge.

Photos 1st - 19th September 2003

Some bugs and a great looking large spider.


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Spiky! 7 Spot Ladybird. Bumblebee That yellow and black fly again. Bumblebee feeding on one of the few thistle flowers left.

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Conkers.jpg

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Look away now if you hate spiders! This was about 4-5cm long. Conkers. Yep it's autumn. Spider hanging upside down from its horizontal web.

Photos 26th August 2003


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Some eye-catching berries (1-2cm across). Are these blueberries? Lake around Stockley Park Arena from the golf course perimeter track.

Photos 21st - 31st July 2003


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Swans.jpg
Eye-catching fly (unidentified). Thousands of blackberries are now ripe for picking. That fly again. Grasshopper. A pair of swans and their offspring.

Photos 10th - 11th July 2003

Found some interesting moths and lots of butterflies (see Butterflies page), plus these pics too.


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Seed pods. Bumblebee feeding on thistle. Grasshopper.

Photos 23rd June - 26th June 2003


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They were everywhere. Bumble bee in last picture. Was a bear mound of earth not long ago. I'm being watched again... Fish basking in the shallows. Photographing ended when this swan intervened.

Photos 9th - 12th June 2003

Even more macro pictures from Stockley Golf Course and Country Park.


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Blackberry bushes approaching full blossom. This is one of the meadows that the last two butterflies like to play in. Cherries are almost ready. A little (~1cm) bug climbing around some thistle leaves.

Photos 2nd - 5th June 2003

Just a few more macro pictures taken around the golf course. I also found Damselflies everywhere this week. (They are in their own section now.) Since I have never noticed them before (since I bought my camera) I made it a good excuse to get snapping some more.


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Bumblebee legging it from a blackberry flower. 7-spot Ladybird on my finger. Poppy. Another 7-spot Ladybird. Bee orchid flowers.

Photos 30th May 2003

A few more macro pictures taken around the golf course.


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A small (2cm) purple flower. A bigger yellow swamp flower. Raft of flowers seemingly floating in space.

Photos 22nd - 23rd April 2003

Spring 2003 continues some more. Butterflies (see Butterflies page) are getting more plentiful and the blossom appears to be peaking. Only snag is my hayfever is starting up. :/


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Same cherry tree as featured on 26th June 2002. Tiny (~5mm) blue flowers. I'm being watched again... Pink Blossom

Photos 25th March - 15th April 2003

Spring 2003 has arrived. Here is the evidence as seen in Stockley Park.


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Blossom and new leaves. First cherry blossom. Sea of daffodils. New willow leaves and catkins. Weird looking flowers.

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Blackbird. More cherry blossom. Insect feeding. Cherry trees in full blossom.

Photos 19th-20th February 2003

Here is a sample of the wildlife that passes my window at work, plus a few other odd pics. Note that window reflections unfortunately made for slightly soft focus on some of the pictures.


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Robin.jpg

MaleDuck.jpg

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DuckPair.jpg

GeeseInLake.jpg

GooseFeeding.jpg

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Red breasted robin. Ducks. I didn't spot Daffy Duck though. :/ Geese

Photos 8th and 31st January 2003

On the 8th (top row) we had snowfall, which was the deepest I had seen for ages. Then on the 30th (other rows) the snowfall was so heavy that it was the deepest I've seen in 20 years. All these piccies were taken in the London area. Also see the Weather piccies page for a selected few more.


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First snowfall during morning. Last few days were cold, hence the ice on the lake. By lunchtime snow had accumulated especially on ice.

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Ivy.jpg

Swamp1.jpg
The day after heavy snowfall and gale force northerlies. I had already wiped 3-4cm off the car before more fell on it overnight. Snow covered ivy. Wet? What about frozen?

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CherryTree.jpg

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Ooh that's deep for this country. Animal tracks. Piccies taken on Stockley Park golf course. That cherry tree is barely recognisable. (See 26 June 2002) This fairway looks more like a glacier.