Photographs and thoughts on photography and camera collecting
I came across this rooster at Niese’s Maple Farm back in June, 2003. To me he looked rather annoyed (or maybe all roosters look like that?) – like a prisoner waiting for his opportunity to escape. I couldn’t figure out a way to avoid the chicken wire. If he’d been farther back I might have been able to blur it out, but he was right next to it. So the best I could do was to use the chicken wire to frame his eye.
Taken with a Sony NEX 5N and 18-55mm kit lens.
Often when I’m walking the dog through Law Park in Briarcliff Manor, I come across water birds (e.g. herons, egrets, cormorants etc.) in, or on the edge of the pond. There are lots of fish in the pond, which I imagine makes it attractive to the birds. Usually they don’t let me get too close. As I move off the path (I’d guess about 20-25 feet from the pond) they generally take to the air either to the other side of the pond, or up into one of the nearby trees.
This one was the exception. I started taking pictures as soon as I stepped off the path. To my surprise the bird showed no inclination to fly off. I slowly went closer and closer, taking pictures as I went until eventually I ended up right on the rim of the pond – only two or three feet from the bird. Still the bird didn’t take off.
As I finished the bird finally lost interest and flew off to the other side of the pool.
I believe it’s a Great Blue Heron.
Taken with a Sony RX100 M3.
Taken at Niese’s Maple Farm in our town, Putnam Valley. A 2016 review on Yelp reads:
Niese’s Maple Farm is a gem in Putnam Valley. Making maple syrup from their tapped trees for generations, the Niece family is among the kindest and coolest people around. They have a huge respect for the environment – nature and animals. They make their own local products… from a large variety of maple syrups (plain, cinnamon stick, apple, blueberry and even hot), honey, and maple everything – maple coffee beans, maple breakfast sausage (from their own animals), maple granola, maple fudge and even sell eggs from their chickens, and oh – the baked goodies! Waffles, pies, cookies… And there are always new things to try!
You will be surprised, this cozy shoppe is packed with incredible things. Be sure to ask Mr. And Mrs. Niese about their mapling, local history, or what Mrs. Nurse is planning to bake next – truly delightful!
Great for local “foodie” product gifts, but be sure to buy 2 of everything… you’ll definitely want one for yourself!
Other reviews were not so charitable: “Rude and unfriendly, they don’t say hello when you walk in. The doughnuts are old and stale. They also would not allow me to refill my water bottle at the sink despite the fact that I made a purchase and they don’t sell bottled water! Skip this dump.” I must say that this latter comment is contrary to my own experience. I’ve always found the people there to be friendly and helpful.
There were two goats in the pen and they were playing/fighting. Whichever it was it involved a lot of leaping into the air and then coming down to butt heads.
Taken in June 2013 with a Sony NEX 5N and 18-55mm kit lens.
In my opinion sheep are among the least intelligent animals in the entire universe. We would often see whole flocks of them on the moors near where I lived. They’d sprawl across a busy road, completely blocking it – totally oblivious to all of the chaos they were causing. If there’s one good thing about sheep it’s that they’ve led to the existence of sheepdogs (or border collies if you prefer). Border collies are beautiful dogs, and highly intelligent too as anyone who has seen sheep dog trials can attest. I suppose the other thing I like about sheep is their meat: lamb (meat of a juvenile sheep) and mutton (meat of an adult sheep). I’m particularly fond of the stronger tasting mutton, but find it hard to find in NY, USA where I live.
Whenever, I see a sheep I think of the Monty Python sketch: “Flying Sheep“, which contains the immortal words: “He’s that most dangerous of animals, a clever sheep”.
In the previous post (Putnam County 46th Annual 4-H Fair – Goats) I mentioned that I didn’t know much about goats. However, I do know a bit about cows. Cheshire, the county where I grew up is largely rural. Agriculture is mostly based on the dairy trade, and cattle are the predominant livestock. My grandmother owned a farm and I’ve many times watching her milking (in some cases tying the rear legs of the cow so it wouldn’t kick). I’ve also assisted in birthing.
Cows are generally docile creatures. I once went for a walk outside Bath with my son-in-law. We’d walked for some time and then descended a a long, and steep hill. We didn’t discover until we got to the bottom that the only exit was blocked by about 30-40 cows. It was either go back up the hill and try to find a way around or shoo the cows away. We chose the latter and the cows obligingly moved aside.
Apparently cows are quite curious creatures too. A farmer once told me that if you went into a large field at one end with a group of cows at the other; lay down and fell asleep; when you woke up you’d be surrounded by cows – checking you out. I’ve never tried it out though, because cows are after all large animals and you wouldn’t want one stepping on you, or for that matter sitting on you.
For all their docility cows can be aggressive, particularly if they have calves with them. In fact a November, 2015 article in the Independent newspaper declared: Cows officially the most deadly large animals in Britain.
Although the title of this post refers to “Cows” I’m pretty sure that the animal above is an Ox. When I was young the town used to roast an ox in the town square every year. The roasted meat would then be put on sandwiches and sold to the public, the proceeds going to charity.
