Ugbrooke Ponds

My neighbour asked if I would take photos of his chimney where the gulls have nested and seem intent on nesting again. He'd like to get some prevention method in place before next years breeding. I thought the breeze might be a bit strong today but sitting outside with a cup of coffee, I decided it might be a good opportunity as there was no sign of the gulls.

I got the quadcopter out and sent it up for a look. As quick as you like, the air was full of gulls, six of them after a short while. The one who's claiming the nest site took a dive at it and I thought I'd better bring it down myself before it did. Although a drone like this is fairly stable, it relies on the four props to keep turning. A gull getting too close and stopping on rotor would bring it down with a crash. I let them all settle down and I sent it up again. I got a couple of shots but not from the right side of the chimney. The trouble was I was having to watch the gulls activity and that made it difficult to manoeuvre the drone accurately. I might have another go or probably leave it to later in the year. I have to say I'm not particularly au fait with the legislation regarding wildife.

I went out for a ride this afternoon taking a circuit through Ideford, Chudleigh and back through Kingsteignton, just over thirteen miles in lovely sunny weather. 

I took this image for Wide Wednesday (hosted by steveng but I hadn't checked today's theme. It's Forced Perspective, I see. These are the ponds outside Ugbrooke House, a stately home near Chudleigh. I'm not sure this completely fills the brief but I like the yellow irises growing in the margins.