Saturday, 6 December 2014

Stranger on the Shore



Not a great quality photo, but this chap was at the beach the other day and this was the best I could do before Dusty got too close and he flew off. I hadn’t even noticed the seagull doing a flypast.

Herons seem such lonely birds and the most I have ever seen together in one place is three. I think I’ve posted a photo on this blog before of one standing on a nearby rooftop.

When I saw him standing there, I thought of Acker Bilk who died recently and Stranger on the Shore was playing in my head.

We were at the beach at full tide one day. No sandbanks to play on! Not that Dusty and Poppy seemed to mind (they are in the photos - trust me).







We’ve got an appointment on Tuesday in Cambridgeshire as Dusty’s face has swollen up again. We have painkillers for him, but he can’t have antibiotics as they want to take cultures and do other tests.


28 comments:

  1. That beach looks so peaceful and the perfect place to walk. Lovely.

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    1. It is sometimes, Debs, but we meet a lot of other dogs down there too. It looks very mucky at the moment after the storms washed so much weed and debris up :-) x

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  2. We spotted a heron on a nearby roof last week. He was hypnotic to watch, just standing patiently, as if waiting. Like you, I thought he seemed lonely. He was so graceful, despite that hunched-in-a-grey-mac look they have, especially when he took flight. I felt as if he knew he was being watched and enjoyed the company until it was time to go. xxx

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    1. Oh Joanna, what a lovely description - hunched-in-a-grey-mac and so perfect for a heron! They do stand very still don't they - probably why they're so good at fishing :-) x

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  3. Beautiful as always, Teresa. I've got a CD of Acker Bilk playing love songs and it's absolutely beautiful. So sad he's gone.
    So sorry Dusty's face is swollen again. Hope they get to the bottom of it and he's on the road to recovery really soon xx

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    1. He was so talented wasn't he, Sue.
      Thank you - I'm hoping this time they'll get to the bottom of it and sort him out once and for all x

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  4. We sometimes have the odd Heron in the garden. They don't hang about though, not with Megs on the alert! ;-) I do hope they find out what's wrong with Dusty and he's on the mend soon. xx

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    1. I can imagine Megs chasing them off, Deb.
      Thank you, I'm hoping they can sort Dusty out once and for all this time xx

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  5. I soooo love your beach pictures. These look tragically desolate and beautiful, if you know what I mean...

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    1. It was tragically cold down there, Pat! I love it on nice days, but sometimes it can be so cold and bleak :-) x

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  6. Lovely photos, Teresa, thank you and for the link to Stranger on the Shore. It's such a beautiful, haunting melody x

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    1. Thank you, Sharon. It is haunting isn't it x

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  7. Your subject line leapt out at me. Colin has been playing Stranger on The Shore on his clarinet this afternoon. His playing is improving every day so imagine what it'll be like once he's mended.
    There was a heron on a roof here. We stood watching as we thought it was an ornament and then he flew off. I say he. Could've been a she.

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    1. It's funny, Lynne, but I was thinking of Colin and wondering if he would play it on his clarinet.

      I always think of them as he, but you're right, could be she :-) x

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  8. Lovely image of the song playing against the backdrop, Teresa. Hope all goes well with Dusty.

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  9. I'd no idea herons liked the sea! I've only ever seen them by rivers or canals.
    Good luck on Tuesday.

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    1. I didn't either, Frances. It was quite a surprise to see him there x

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  10. Another interesting beach post Teresa. I thought herons only lived by fresh water too. We have herons here as we have two small lakes nearby. I disturbed one once as I walked by the connecting brook. I was more scared than the heron. Maybe Dusty has sniffed something on the beach that he is allergic to. Hope you get it sorted this time.

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    1. I thought so too, Maggie. They are surprisingly big aren't they - I'm not surprised you were scared.

      Dusty is at the vet's now - won't hear any news until this evening and then he'll have an operation tomorrow x

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  11. Hi Teresa,

    I remember the TV show of the same name. That song forever etched in my mind. He was quite the musician.

    All the best for Dusty on Tuesday.

    Hugs,

    Gary :) x

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    1. Thanks, Gary. It's horrible without him here, but hopefully they'll get to the bottom of it and he'll be better soon x

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  12. Lovely images, Teresa. My hubby and I were out and about the other day, all wrapped up against the harsh, bitter cold. We saw the usual Kestrels that hang out by our home in abundance and then we heard a strange noise. As we looked across the frost covered fields, we noticed two storks. Storks!! Never seen one in real so I was thrilled. Unfortunately, neither of us had a camera :( I hope all goes well for Dusty on Tuesday. All the best.

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    1. Wow that must have been an amazing sight Nicola.
      Thank you, we have everything crossed for him, poor little dog x

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  13. A Heron used to steal the fish form my sister's pond I recall - I believe there were two of them but they do look lonely by design! Acker Bilk died? I had not heard. I once stood behind him in a queue at the bank, in Hornchurch, with my father. He spoke to me I recall but I don't know what he said, only that my father told me who it was afterwards.I think I was about seven or eight at the time. memories! Loved the photos Teresa and I do hope Dusty is ok XX

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    1. What a lovely memory.
      Dusty may be home tomorrow - fingers crossed x

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