MINUTE WOODLAND kingfisher, the size of a blue tit,

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=========================================================Perched near fresh water to drink, but hunts insects around damp grassy margins, or picks them off on the surface of the water.. Africa's smallest kingfisher., and it made my day, as have got seen one for several years !!

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THANK YOU for your visit and comments, will enjoy visiting your photostream and commenting on your latest captures.

Stay safe and well..............God bless Tomx

ACTIVE BIRDS, and not common as the name suggests, are found in dense forests and mangroves, I found them very hard to photograph as to their jerky fast movements, love seeing them.

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THANK YOU for your visit and kind comments, will soon be looking at your latest posting, which I very much enjoy, being transported around the world from the comfort of my armchair. Keep warm, safe, and well, God bless you ............Tomx

QUICK MARCH !!!

TALL robust plovers with long yellow legs, usually in pairs or small parties of up to ten birds. Favors a variety of fresh and saline aquatic habitats. Difficult to get close to, and very entertaining in their behavior. Seen at Kotu, Banjul, Gambia.

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THANK YOU for your visit, friendship, and comments.

Another very wet day in Kent, hope you remembered to put the clocks forward an hour, stay safe and well........ God bless............................. Tomx

Recapping 2013 images of the Gambia, when I did only have very few followers, hope you enjoy, as this is my Favourite bird from this region.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, please leave a comment, and I will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting. Keep a smile on your face, love in your heart for everybody, Stay safe, God bless

............Tomx

VERY SMALL KINGFISHER

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Have so many images of these beauties, as they grew in confidence, getting closer and closer, typically perches low and in the shade. The fight is extremely rapid and straight. Miss these beauties very much, so entertaining. (one of nine kingfisher species found in the Gambia.)

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THANK YOU for your visit and friendship to my Gambia trip images. Hope you have a very enjoyable weekend, God bless you............Tomx

REDSHANKS favor areas of undisturbed damp grassland, moors, and the margins of marshes. Utters a yelping tiu-uu alarm call, the song is musical and yodeling. Always a pure delight to capture these.

Double click for more detail.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, do so hope you are all well, enjoy the weekend, even if it's gone back a bit wintery again in Kent UK, God bless...............................................Tomx

REMARKABLY bold and inquisitive, and walks with a acteristic swagger, a opportunistic feeder, and comes in mob handed at Briar Cottage, A real villian seeing off the smaller birds!!! This one is saying "Do I look like a villan ?"

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THANK YOU for your friendship and visit and comments will do my best to return the visit, if not now then in a few days, my life is a bit hectic still. Keep safe and well, God bless you all..........................Tomx

A GREETING CARD star, one of the nations favourites. Often bold and inquisitive in garden settings, strongly and conspicuously territorial, so how can you not take its picture, I love them, seen at Stodmarsh, Kent, UK.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP in these difficult times, please leave a comment, and I will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting.

Enjoy the rest of the week, stay safe, God bless..............Tomx

SLIM DARK ELEGANT Heron. with a frail-looking neck, almost as big as the more common grey heron, makes you appreciate that those grasses are a lot more than a meter tall. It is a shy and solitary heron, that hunts more for frogs, snails, crabs, and larger insects., a very difficult bird to approach, so a distant capture, but a joy to find one.

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THANK YOU, FOR YOUR VISIT AND COMMENTS, it is always appreciated and find encouraging, am showing my images from the Gambian birding trip.

Keep safe and well, God bless you.....................Tomx

A TINY WARBLER that is perhaps known for its onomatopoeic song Chiff Chaff- Chiff Chaff. It is a restless feeder, constantly on the move among foliage in search of invertebrates. About now they migrate south to wintering grounds in the Mediterranean, some do overwinter in the South East of the UK.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, hope you have had better weekend weather than Kent where it did not stop raining. Enjoy the new week ahead, Please stay safe, may God bless ...................................................Tomx.

DAZZLINGLY ATTRACTIVE bird, not often seen in our corner of Kent UK, and was not expecting to see it in the Grove Ferry Feast Hide, but what a joy when it landed, he caught a couple of tiddlers and was off, leaving me with the biggest grin ever.

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THANK YOU for your visit and friendship, please leave a comment, it is always appreciated, and find it very encouraging

.The weekend is coming on strong, stay safe, may God bless you.............................Tomx

WORKING the shoreline near Herne Bay Kent, using its powerful bill to feed on mollusks and other invertebrates. A very distinctive and noisy wader.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, it's one thing that is helping me from going stir crazy. In our household, you can tell when things are beginning to take their toll when the Jigsaws puzzles come out. Hope your all well and staying safe .........................God bless.............................Tomx.

DUMPY and short-tailed woodland bird, the Nuthatch has the habit of descending tree trunks head-downwards in a jerky mannor. The chisel-like bill is used to prise insects from tree bark, and to hammer open acorns wedged into bark crevices. It is also a frequent visitor to garden bird feeders in rural areas, sadly not mine.

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THANK YOU for your visit and comments, will look forward to returning to your photostream, and commenting on your lastest image.

OFFLINE for three days, enjoy the weekend, stay safe, God bless...............................Tomx

A adorable, rather dumpy short tailed woodland bird , which has the habit of descending tree trunks head-downwards in a jerky manner, its chisel-like bill is used to prise insects from tree bark and to hammer open acorns wedged into bark crevices. Love working with these birds.

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THANK YOU, for your visit and kind comments, enjoy the new week dear friends, Stay safe and well, God bless.......................... ......................................Tomx.

We've done it, we moved into our new home on Sat 24th, still lots to do but we've settled in, so I will try and get back to commenting more now, still rather busy to get out with the camera, so it will have to archive stuff for a bit longer. I don't want to move house ever again, ha ha

A DISTINCTIVE WADER, one of my favorites to photograph, attractive, trusting, a distinctive call, and there can be few sights and sounds more evocative of the countryside than a lapwing performing a noisy display flight over its territory in the spring. Seen at Elmley Marshes,NR Sheppey Kent. Taken from my archives !

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THANK YOU for your continued support and kind comments , which is appreciated and find very encouraging, Do hope you are all keeping well, stay safe, God bless.......................Tomx

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Weave JESUS into your life today !

CHARMING little reedbed specialist has a rather compact, rounded body and a proportionately very long tail. The distinctive call has earned the species the affectionate nickname of "pinger" which utters a diagnostic, high-pitched ping call.. Was overjoyed to get this chance encounter at Oare Marshes in Kent of a male, as I normally only see the female or juveniles, a bit of a nemesis bird for me.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, its a joy seeing your images and being transported around the world without leaving my armchair. Beautiful sunshine in the U.K at last, enjoy but stay safe............God bless......................Tomx

SUMMER VISITOR, this bird was busy feeding up close to the coast , to make the hop across the Channel and work its way south to warmer climates. I know that I am still fairly new to birding, but it seems like a lot of birds think its Autumn already, and indeed the weather has been a bit autumnal, at times. have you seen any signs ?

Bit of a heavy crop on this, but not a lot to show you.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, Enjoy the Lords day, keep safe, God bless...................Tomx.

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"Dear GOD, help us to focus on the greatest gift of the whole year through. THANK YOU for sending your one and only Son, that we might be saved through Him.

UNOBTRUSIVE little woodland bird, this one lost his nest in a decaying tree stump, during the resent thunderstorms, and is now proceedind to go for a second brood. Seen with cobwebs fot the new nest., wish them more luck this time.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, so many things going on in my life at the moment am struggling to get onto Flickr so often, please bear with me. Wish you all good health and happiness, stay safe, God Bless................Tomx.

afternoon sighting in Shaba Nature Reserve, Kenya, in 2010.

Gerenuk are also called Giraffe Gazelle or Giraffe-necked Gazelle.

A medium-sized antelope with a long thin neck and a small head; it often feeds while standing on the hind legs and

lives in arid areas, mainly in Northern Kenya

Litocranius walleri

gerenoek of girafgazelle

gazelle de Waller ou antilope-girafe

Giraffengazellen oder Gerenuk

IUCN RED LIST STATUS: Near Threathened

Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.

All rights reserved. ButsFons©2021

My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.

A BULKY, broad -winged raptor , medium sized bird of prey, and still not that many in the south-east area of Kent. A pure joy to see coming of the fields at Elmley Nature Reserve, the brown and black blobs on the ground are cows!!

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THANK YOU for your visit, please leave a comment, and I will look forward to doing the same on your lastest posting.

Please stay safe , God bless....Tomx

The brimstone is a fairly large, pale yellow butterfly, with distinctive, leaf-shaped wings. Adults hibernate through cold weather, so may be seen flying on warm days throughout the year, although they are most common in the spring. Usually seen in ones or twos, they are never very common, but are widespread. They can be found in damp woodlands, along sunny, woodland rides and mature hedgerows, and in large gardens. The foodplants of the larvae are buckthorn and alder buckthorn. Both shrubs are found in wet woodland, while buckthorn also occurs on dry chalk and limestone soils.

FORAGING in low scrub, rather warbler like, picking and hovering from the underside of leaves, Was told of this uncommon bird to the Kotu area, and have to admit to spending more time looking or waiting for an appearance, than any other bird on the trip, but it did put an appearance just for a few seconds, would have loved to have got a side image, to show its full beauty.

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THANK YOU, for your visit to my Gambian images, hope you are still enjoying them, I love reading your kind comments and doing the same to your latest posting. Enjoy the Lord's day, God bless and keep you safe and well..............Tomx.

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UNITE IN PRAYER FOR UKRAINE

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Gambia tour 2020.

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JOY OF JOYS, my brother spotted and called HOOPOE, no way I thought !!! But yes it was, our first sighting in the Gambia. Bless its heart, it let us very near, and I have over 100 keeper images, it was completely relaxed, and never stopped grooming itself, a experience I will never forget . Seen in the Kotu area.

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THANK YOU for being a friend and leaving a comment. Will look forward to visiting your photo stream and and doing the same on your latest posting. The weekend is coming on fast, enjoy, say safe, and may God bless you in all you do.

...................................................Tomx

MY WALK WITH BIRDING PHOTOGRAPHY STARTED AS ABOVE

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IN 2003, from our Spanish villa, it overlooked a large area of scrub land and orchards, was amazing. I found a area where BEE-EATERS where nesting in earthly holes in a bank near to water, just a short walk away, and set up a hide. The hide was in dense bushes , put in a chair, and other home comforts, was so well concealed that sometimes one would land on a branch only inches away from my face. I had the birds, but no experience and only a Canon 40D and a stigma 300m lens. Looking back on the images now, they are real rubbish. We had six amazing years in Spain, but Chris never settled, and the arrival of grandchildren, the pull was to great for her, so we returned.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, am going through my Archives starting at the beginning. Please stay safe, some restrictions lifted, but the virus is still there!

God bless..............................Tomx

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"GODs BEAUTY is SIMPLY AMAZING !"

A forest dwelling butterfly with black-brown wings marked with white spots, streaks and bands. The underwing patterns are repeated but against a pale orange back ground colour.

ENJOYING the wet weather, as it brings up the worms, not so good for photographers, it was the best image to a bad day.

Seen Ancient highway Sandwich bay Kent.

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THANKING YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, hope your all well and making the most out of life, in these crazy days....God bless you.................................Tomx

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"GODs BEAUTY is SIMPLY AMAZING !"

GAMBIA FEB 2019

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NORMALLY VERY PLACID HERON, with no neck showing, but something came near, did not see what it was, it reeled out its neck , with a feather duster look, with a loud grunting type call, was quite taken back with its very long neck behaviour. Have shown the normal pose thirty seven images back, if you want to compare

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THANK YOU for your visit and kind comments, they are very appreciated, enjoy your day, stay well and safe, God bless....

.................................................Tomx.

THE FIG AND PLUM TREE, in our garden , only feed the birds, rarely do we get to eat of the fruits.. This was taken in the darkest possible spot, and therefore of poor quality, but a bit different. My wife Chris and I have been feeding two families of Blackbirds, and they have become very tame, and even enter the cottage, and has given us so much joy and entertainment during these difficult times of near isolation.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, please leave a comment, I love doing the same to your lastest postings.

Enjoy the Lords day, stay well and safe, God bless..... ......................................Tomx.

A freshly emerged female Marbled white opens her wings for the first time.

A FAMILIAR MIGRANT VISITOR, that can be recognized in flight by its pointed wings and in the adult long tail streamers. But to photograph one is the problem as the adults rarely perch, and then it's on roadside wires, so this had to be taken on something natural !!!

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISIT AND FRIENDSHIP, hope you all have a great weekend, God bless............... Tomx

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"Jesus loves you, yes you !!"

Ask him into your life today.

GAMBIA TOUR feb. 2020

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U.K WADERS SEEN IN THE GAMBIA

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4th In the series, a real beauty, you can approach these birds much more than in the U.K, but you may not want to with this one, because that sludge is sewage, found at the local treatment plant, as do many other birds.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, it means such a lot. Am hoping the Government will allow nature reserves and parks to open soon, as I think this would still be safe, maybe keep the hides and information buildings locked up.

Stay strong and safe my friends, you are in my prayers.............

God bless...................................Tomx

Swallow taken from the out the window of our guesthouse room

Hotel Luxury Grand Bahia Principe Sian Kaan , Mexique

"HALLELUJAH !" FIRST TRIP OUT !!! AND THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GOT !!! but so good to see some feathered friends again !!!

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THE TEAL is the smallest duck in Britain and one of the most widespread. Flocks of teals are a familiar sight in winter on estuaries, mudflats and inland wetlands. They are still very attractive, this one seen at the scrape, Sandwich Bay, Kent UK

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THANK YOU for your visit and very kind comments, and standing and supporting me through the most difficult part of my life, God bless you all...................................Tomx

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"I thank God my life has been saved !"

DELIGHTFUL PLUMP-BODIED WADER, not often seen, and taken in very dark conditions, the best of a bad bunch, but just enjoy catching up with this pair every-year at the sea side defense wall, from Jan to about April. Seen a Hampton near Herne Bay, Kent, U.K.

VISIT a seabird cliff in spring and you should spot this species , although typically nesting pairs are solitary so you will find only a hanful of birds. In winter look for the Great Black-Backed gull amoung flocks of other gulls, it is our largest and least numerous of our resident gulls.

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THANK YOU for your visit and comment, will look forward to visit your photostream to do the same.

Please stay safe and well my dear friends, God bless............

..........................................Tomx

SUNNY DAY GARDEN CAPTURE.

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ENJOYED a couple of hours away from wood staining in the garden, we are lucky to be so well positioned to the edge of the village, have many feeders, bird boxes, and a fairly large garden. The most numerous of birds coming into the garden in order are as follows.

House sparrow

Goldfinch

Blue tits

Jackdaw

Long tailed Tits.

Chaffinch

Ring-necked Parakeet

Great Tits

Tomorrow will list the rarest birds and unusual seen in our garden.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP !!!!

Love reading your comments, and look forward to seeing your latest posting, being transported around the UK and the world, from the prison of Briar Cott.

Stay very well and safe, my prayers go out to you all.............

God bless.................................Tomx.

AN ELEGANT and unmistakable pure white, heron-like bird with a black, dagger-like bill and a long neck. Was very well hidden, when this bird dropped in, it then started working its way towards me, until I could not fit it in the frame, then past me, but who wants a back side view ! What a experience. Classed as a rarity in Britain a while back, but now fairly easy to find.

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THANK YOU for your visit and kind comments, it is always appreciated. Enjoy the weekend dear friends, Stay safe, God bless...................Tomx.

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HELP PLEASE !

Have always cropped my images by 6x4inches, and have tried to get them published, but cannot find anybody that will do this size, for a pictorial type book, any help or advice would be very appreciated. Thank you.

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SORRY once again my posting of this image lost the first couple of comments, very strange !!!

I love these guys folks but do not photograph nearly enough, but that will change here of late, staying local

to to personal and medical issues.

Thanks to all for everything.

MY GAMBIAN holiday has gone quickly, without leaving my cottage and not a hint of a suntan. Am very concerned over all our friends out there, who are now not getting any income whatsoever. hope we will see them next Jan when we have rebooked. Back to UK Garden and Local birds tomorrow..

SQUACCO HERON, favors freshwater fringes, flooded fields ponds, and mangrove swamps. Generally solitary stands motionless at the water's edge or tall grassy vegetation where it is difficult to detect. Hope you have enjoyed them.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, it means so much, in these lockdowns that seem to go on forever. We have snow today, uncommon for Kent, so keep them birds fed, and do look after yourselves.....................God bless............. Tomx.

.G

SMALL dumpy wader that is associated with coastal habitats. Feeds by running along sand, gravel or estuarine mud as if powered by clockwork and then standing still for a second, to pick up food from the ground. Seen from the sea wall Reculvers, where their was a flock of about 20.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, and leaving a comment, will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart for everyone

May God bless and keep you...........................................Tomx.

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COUNT your blessings, name them one by one, and you will be surprised what the good LORDs done.!

The meadow pipit is a common nesting bird of moorland, heathland and rough grassland. In the autumn and winter, it moves out of upland areas to lowlands where it gathers in small flocks and can be found on farmland and saltmarshes. In the spring, it performs a fluttering, 'parachute' display flight. There are 2 million breeding territories in the UK.

On moorlands, meadow pipits are the most common 'foster parents' of young cuckoos. The adult cuckoo will lay a single egg in a meadow pipit's nest. After hatching, the cuckoo chick will push the other eggs or young birds out of the nest, giving its foster parents more time to concentrate on feeding their new, oversized chick.

DELIGHTFUL and often confiding little bird with a proportionately very long tail and seemingly an almost spherical body. The long-tailed Tit is often seen in rather animated flocks; it moves in a rather jerky fashion and has acrobatic feeding habits, which is so entertaining to watch, one of my favorite birds, captured through the kitchen window on a very wet day, hence the 1/30 shutter speed on a I.S.O of 1250.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, please leave a comment, and I will look forward to returning the visit.

Stay safe and well, God loves you, keep a smile on your face and love in your heart for everyone..............................Tomx

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"GODs BEAUTY is SIMPLY AMAZING !"

A FAMILIAR species, in part of its affinity for human habitation. Stiil is Britians most numerus bird just, but you cannot hide the fact it also is in fast decline. I think they are beautiful, and wish more people would post them. Seen from home today (Tues)

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THANK YOU, for you valued visit and comment, will return the visit very soon. Stay well and safe, God bless.............Tomx.

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GOD has over 7,000 promises made for you, written in the Bible, promises of success, confidence, health, prosperity, strenth , wisdom and more. Ask him into your life today, is all you have to do.

Say this prayer with me !

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LORD JESUS CHRIST, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life, please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong. THANK YOU that you died on that cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free. Please come into my life today, to be with me forever.

THANK YOU , Lord Jesus. Amen.

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I don't know how many I took of this guy folks, and mostly half body and feet, and that's at 30-f.p.s. timing all wrong and camera work needs some touching up, sad but unfortunate.

Thanks to all for everything.

The closer I got folks, the louder he got.

Thanz to all for everything.