Tag: birds

This Week’s Long Run: Baby Ducks, Baby Geese

First long run in over a month (I count only runs 7k and further as long runs). Set out a bit later than I probably should have, but the heat wasn’t too bad. This sort of mistake is not something that I’ll be able to afford in a few weeks, so I have to start getting used to getting up and out of the house in the pre-dawn again.

The Tel Aviv port almost always has something going on in the summer months, and this week was no different. A local gym chain set up a pop-up outdoor gym, which looked pretty impressive. I might swing by, if only for the experience of working out in this view.

 

I missed seeing the river in the morning: low tide, Egyptian geese, fishermen trying their luck. In the evening the swallows flit between you and any other passer by, but at this time of day they’re gone and even the geese are sleepy.

That is unless you’ve got a family to feed. Mom and dad Egyptian geese kept a close eye on the toddlers as they groused near the bike lane. There are very few bikes around at this hour and the two that passed them were very respectful and gave them a wide berth.

In the water two mallards were taking their family out for a swim. It appears that one of the little ducklings is a little adventurous.

That’s it, another week, another run. It’s good to be back.

This week’s long run: baby geese

I went for a long run yesterday, the first after a week an a half of hiatus due to muscle inflammation. It was good to be back, even if only for 8k, and even if this run was slower than my usual pace.

Caught the sun rising just over the river at ebb. The clouds made it particularly beautiful.

A little bittern and a night heron were fishing next to two fishermen as the sun rose:

I encountered a family of Egyptian geese both on my out and on my way back. The baby geese run out front and their parents follow, keeping an eye on them at a more sedentary pace:

The female is the lighter coloured goose, and the male is all decked out:

A little bittern was out hunting during the ebb tide:

Look at that sunrise. Is it not worth getting up early and going out for a run for that?

This Week’s Long Run: Evening Birds

Saturday was supposed to rain cats and dogs, so I pushed my Saturday morning 10K to a Friday evening one.

This is a terrible picture of a heron, but that’s what I have I’m afraid.

Momma Egyptian goose keeps an eye on her swimming little ones. Not pictured, the rat that was foraging for food a few meters from them.

Sea scouts out in their boats:

A pair of Egyptian geese watching over the river:

It was very windy, so the surfers were out in force:

This Week’s Long Run: Ducks, Gulls and Cafe Cats

This week’s long run was another one in perfect weather. Things are heating up though, so I’m savouring these as long as they last.

This little bittern basked in the morning light. You can almost hear him admiring his reflection in the water.

A gull was standing guard over a few rowboats at one of the river piers:

A mallard sunned itself at the riverside:

And a couple of ducks grazed together:

10k run done:

I went for a post run coffee and a sandwich and was greeted by the cafe’s cat:

This Week’s Long Run: The Calm After the Storm

Last week’s long run was the Tel Aviv Marathon 10k (I broke my PR!), and the week before that was a majorly stormy day, so it was nice to get back to an early morning 10k after a hiatus.

There was a storm on Thursday, which meant that the sea was choppy, sand-brown, and there were even more seabirds about than usual.

That was 10k done and dusted, and as a bonus I’m adding some pictures from yesterday evening’s 5k, because the sea at sunset now is extra gorgeous.

How majestic is that sunset?

Tel Aviv’s Gordon and Metzizim beach, flooded after the storm:

This week’s long run: baby ducks

Started out extra early today, so ran most of my run in the dark.

Two geese and a coot:

Mom and dad duck bringing their babies to the water’s edge:

Duck and egret ignoring each other on the exposed riverbed:

10k done, and my Egyptian goose friend approves:

This week’s long run: it’s worth getting up after a fall

On Sunday’s running group meet I tripped on a bit of uneven sidewalk in an unlit section of the park. I blocked my fall with my hands and knees, saving my head but tearing my tights and the skin off my knees. So I’ve been on a running hiatus until Friday, giving my knees time to heal. This meant that this week’s 10k was slow, as I was both out of shape and wary of the sidewalk, but at least I got it done.

Spur-winged lapwings waded along the riverbank:

The cormorants, wintering near the river, have a thing for this eucalyptus:

Two Egyptian geese perched on the river edge:

Rowing on the river:

A little egret fishing:

I also saw a moorhen and a pied kingfisher, but didn’t get the chance to photograph them.

Another 10k in the books:

Pentel Fude Touch Brush Sign Pen Review

I planned to review the Sharpie brush pen, after spending the best part of a week with it, but as it turns out, I forgot it at the office. I’ve been using the Pentel Fude Touch Brush Sign Pen instead, so here’s a review of this boring little brush pen instead.

Today’s journal comic/review, drawn on a Moleskine Star Wars crawl text blank notebook. This paper is smooth, although not Rhodia smooth, but the pen still really dragged on it. It was worse on any sort of paper with even the slightest tooth, making it super not fun to use.

The brush pen tip is pretty firm, which means that you get a medium amount of line variation, but that it’s very easy to control. If you’re starting out in the wild world of brush pens, either for drawing or lettering, this tip grade is probably the best for you.

The black ink is black, and not greyish or brownish, and completely not waterproof, which can be a good thing (if you want to “stretch” it or use it for shading, as wet it produces a good 50% cool grey), or a terrible thing (if you want to combine it with watercolours).

A closeup of a D&D character group drawing that I did with the Pentel Fude Brush Sign Pen. 

The pen body itself looks and feels cheap and plasticy, which isn’t too unusual in the disposable brush pen market. Why do all these companies have a thing for a dark pen body with pronounced gold lettered marketing splashed all over it? Pentel’s also put sparkles in its, body, just for some extra garish fun.

 

The pen is torpedo shaped with facets along the body that somewhat help keep the pen from rolling. It’s borderline too thin to use for long periods of time without cramping, but  otherwise it’s comfortable to hold and use.

The Pentel Fude Brush Sign Pen would be a good beginners’ brush pen if there wasn’t so much competition at the same price. As it is, buy a Zebra brush pen, which allows for greater line variation, or a Kuretake brush pen, which is also waterproof, or add a little more and get the experience of two brush pens in one with the Pilot Futayaku. As it is, this Pentel pen lacks enough line variation to make it fun and interesting to use, and it isn’t cheap enough to justify buying it over the competition.

This week’s long run: bitterns, herons and seagulls

I set out at 6AM for my long run and was grateful for it, after last weekend’s pouring rain and freezing cold. A heron greeted me as I entered the park (both it and the fishermen behind it were fishing, but I think that it had more luck then they did, judging by their sour faces).

The owner of the paddleboats was trying to get the seagulls off his boats using homemade contraptions made out of string, poles and old CDs. I wished him the best of luck but had a feeling that it wouldn’t really work. 

Another heron was fishing right across the paddleboat pier, and I only wish that I had a better camera so you could have seen more than a whitish smudge.

On my way back I got to witness just how effective the paddleboats’ guy’s contraption was (not very). You can almost hear the gulls laughing.

A bittern was perched on the the reeds, ready to pounce.

You know that you’re a terrible fisherman when a little egret is standing right next to you, just waiting for you to fail and throw it your small fry.

10k done and dusted. Can you hear the gulls laughing?

This week’s long run: coot on a boat

Last week’s long run was cancelled due to horrific weather conditions, but this one was run in almost perfect conditions, as if to compensate.

Check out this great bittern all camouflaged away waiting for some unsuspecting fish to come along. He’s in the water, on the right centre side of the photo:

Geese and gulls in the sunrise:

This little coot climbed on board the peddle boat and started nosing around for something good to eat. They’re pretty shy, so it was cool seeing him so relatively clearly:

A cormorant swimming in the middle of the river:

10km done and dusted.