tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7680619058422082372024-02-21T21:11:08.318-08:00The world around meA walk in my shoesSimonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-73975841580392205282014-05-26T15:43:00.002-07:002014-05-26T16:44:45.528-07:00Rubbish recordingAn unpromising landscape in the winter, and an unpromising definition, the local tip starts its transformation in spring to a place full of potential for those prepared to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the goings on adjacent. That term "wasteland" which to many creates an image of desolation and lifelessness, to my contrary imagination conjures up scenes burgeoning with interesting specialist plants and insects, and those which prey upon them.<br />
From a very early age, exploring the destitute canal-side buildings of Birmingham, the undeveloped bomb sites, and the scars of the city's largely dead industrial heritage, I very quickly realised that in nature there is no such thing as wasteland, there are only windows of opportunity. Bombs and bulldozers are not the only means of breaking concrete and lifting tarmac, the astonishing power of plant roots will do an equal job albeit in a different timescale, though quite how the tiny tortured roots of these stunted starving botanical frontiersmen <i>actually</i> do this job, however well the physics is explained, is still a thing of mystery and magic to me. I only know I am grateful that they do because these industrial wastelands were, apart from municipal parks, my woods and fields, as natural a playground as I could imagine and one where I learned the utmost respect for all those species that clung to life with an extraordinary tenacity in what appeared to be almost impossible conditions, and each paving away (perversely) for further species to move in and take over. In the more exciting places, sometimes it was hard to see the skeleton of a ruined building under the flesh of plants that had found a foothold there, or find the concrete floor under the soil that had formed over the top of it; all these things gave me hope when I looked at the urban "regeneration" that was going on around me. One day, there will be a lot more wasteland, and one day you will have to look very hard to find our footprints, and one day when we are gone, such plants and animals that survive us will make the most of their transient window of opportunity and once more flourish.<br />
Enough. The present is what we are interested in here. As the Tip's spring flush of growth begins, spring migrants also start passing through or stopping off to feed and some even staying to breed, sometimes Wheatears, Stonechats, even Whinchats or more exotic still a Black Redstart or Ring Ouzel. More regular are Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Nightingale and Cuckoo which make use of the mix of wooded areas, brambles, scrub and "wasteland" to rest and feed and sing and nest.<br />
When it comes to singing, although many people disagree, the generally accepted king of the choristers is the Nightingale, and if you are lucky you might get more than one of them setting up in competition as here (to avoid disappointment I did not point the camera in the direction of where the birds were singing as they were deep under cover)<br />
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Up until a decade ago, not long after the Chiffchaffs arrived in spring, the air was full of the song of the Willow Warbler even from my house, indeed they used to breed in the park. Now however they have largely abandoned these southern climes for more northerly ones apparently due to global warming. Although its not exactly a scintillating song, I miss it so it was nice to hear it quite late at the tip, maybe at least 1 pair will stay to nest. Note the snow-like willow fluff falling, sometimes its so thick it coats the ground in drifts.</div>
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This last one is the most familiar to everyone, even if they have never heard one for real. So much so it needs no introduction other than to say just prior to this there were 3three chasing eachother of which only two were calling.</div>
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Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-42447596412173068022013-10-10T02:36:00.000-07:002013-10-13T06:56:35.461-07:00Neither fish nor fowl... oh, hang on a minute....The meadow's drainage ditches and the occasional flooding of the adjacent river and canal ensure that even in the the shallowest and most transient of pools there is often a very large population of small fish mostly comprising of Rudd and Pike, but a few other species too. Of course all this protein swimming around does not go unnoticed by those that enjoy nothing more than the freshest of fish suppers. Also of course, the sharp eyesight and lightening reactions needed to catch these aquatic snacks are also of use in evading both me and the camera as I endeavour to hide behind a reed stalk.<br />
Grey Herons have been very numerous here until the last couple of years when they mysteriously disappeared. Of course we are surrounded by jealously guarded fisheries... anyway... all of a sudden there seems to have been a bit of an influx and numbers are higher than for some time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although at a distance this Grey Heron spots me even as it is landing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It never looks quite comfortable </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and 30 seconds later heads off for less heavily populated margins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm4S5STmx0oW6_zVdd7HKQV1xBtqYEj5ZHI4aSVZqh5pPUDTNG0zAwX-YHjsNcEQPiDZ9GtKdSZ8HwB2pl7z3wCqkYLeSAYUFcmwXomazhv9yBsJvCQug5QIMVHbnKb4ArxD8VEmOzRf2/s1600/KF1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSm4S5STmx0oW6_zVdd7HKQV1xBtqYEj5ZHI4aSVZqh5pPUDTNG0zAwX-YHjsNcEQPiDZ9GtKdSZ8HwB2pl7z3wCqkYLeSAYUFcmwXomazhv9yBsJvCQug5QIMVHbnKb4ArxD8VEmOzRf2/s640/KF1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was so intent on looking out for the Great White Egret that I almost missed this jewel of a bird hovering close in front of me before dropping like a stone to snatch its priced tiny bar of silver. Fortunately it hopped straight onto the nearest bit of "land" to gulp down its meal</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am begining to think this hiding behind the reeds milarkee is actually working rather well</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....no it isnt</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiow8Sqb-okMoradJEemfWgOW95EEoDbS28PfemEoiVR89N1APn0iQWTqlL4cQtmGhigitht0kb2Oka6Q3Ht2tEjibveG5hb82_-ZfcbOopE1hZZuO8TwBE6UB7vEZIsi9JicCRJPJE_bAB/s1600/KF6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiow8Sqb-okMoradJEemfWgOW95EEoDbS28PfemEoiVR89N1APn0iQWTqlL4cQtmGhigitht0kb2Oka6Q3Ht2tEjibveG5hb82_-ZfcbOopE1hZZuO8TwBE6UB7vEZIsi9JicCRJPJE_bAB/s640/KF6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brief look "over there" and this electric blue bolt of lightening streaked across to the far side and out of practical sight. A real treat for a minute</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aCEZE0-wSmSlmPh56o7spX0NyOOykJlG7wmDpp3MEDRz1pA1n7bh2kvVHpOImvgyf_x_4bFjd6foGmfweT1rs5ru1IhGQ5DKvbIpvBSO8QO7_33JvPpcoITmJz_OyctVUeSDUt-nxhNq/s1600/S2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aCEZE0-wSmSlmPh56o7spX0NyOOykJlG7wmDpp3MEDRz1pA1n7bh2kvVHpOImvgyf_x_4bFjd6foGmfweT1rs5ru1IhGQ5DKvbIpvBSO8QO7_33JvPpcoITmJz_OyctVUeSDUt-nxhNq/s640/S2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another bird that is quite often seen but very difficult to get close to on the meadows is the Snipe. Nearly every time I see them they are either asleep at the back of a distant pond or exploding from their hideaways a few feet in front of you and zigzagging away at astonishing speed leaving autofocus watching pieces of grass and distant trees. On this bright and blustery day for some reason a handful were actually happy to feed rather closer than the more usual quarter of a mile, this one not actually flying away but just to an adjacent dining area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwZnNefk4sGKayO3_vekmfMvalrihPd96bqB5VLCPOb_4ZP8Ysap4kQld8KVq4P0jUuSLutr9zdVvDYtIZl-MS39o0-aUimErY1cWmrRtHNszDMv1V_5wSqZ7Itsm04CJJ-DZMOtTydDG/s1600/S1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwZnNefk4sGKayO3_vekmfMvalrihPd96bqB5VLCPOb_4ZP8Ysap4kQld8KVq4P0jUuSLutr9zdVvDYtIZl-MS39o0-aUimErY1cWmrRtHNszDMv1V_5wSqZ7Itsm04CJJ-DZMOtTydDG/s640/S1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All seems at peace in Snipe world and whatever invertebrates they are finding seem to be in good supply</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCD8OK8Uty1b07talVJfEQM6zXWqmiNnC71T44JAt3yKQDjOyp3RvLA1tzBVg_X-_KUgPo9A9zRh96Df5emLJNTv5xriPkrBN-QQZUExlbOnKJ1cGTK7VcPH-tiKkqHfs2MMwBbNlQd8r/s1600/S3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCD8OK8Uty1b07talVJfEQM6zXWqmiNnC71T44JAt3yKQDjOyp3RvLA1tzBVg_X-_KUgPo9A9zRh96Df5emLJNTv5xriPkrBN-QQZUExlbOnKJ1cGTK7VcPH-tiKkqHfs2MMwBbNlQd8r/s640/S3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At times, each little "island" seemed to have its own Snipe on it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFtIJwv6EMNGNqXH6baN-SumzjWxLtbBqXWx2wAnUCbilFUjbWaAum_8ttvyaP2RreJhK41gjYz44M2CgZ8jFqYKBXZVn3HSxQERWMsv2oPPf15ztGiN4me8VxJJvPrF-ne_Dk_pENzbQ/s1600/S5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFtIJwv6EMNGNqXH6baN-SumzjWxLtbBqXWx2wAnUCbilFUjbWaAum_8ttvyaP2RreJhK41gjYz44M2CgZ8jFqYKBXZVn3HSxQERWMsv2oPPf15ztGiN4me8VxJJvPrF-ne_Dk_pENzbQ/s640/S5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure I'm as invisible as I think I am</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKvC73fHQfnM4160qYXIyfFMcHy0CdgGPlCx7xd1yd8yJ3h757x3LNPPZnsz3KUGmC-YL7399n3Rnkm8JyHl0s6HlP_IxTagEqVNqq3Fsj1UiPW5saAS4x8FyDpTV_0Id_3IavwmHL7Ym/s1600/Sn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKvC73fHQfnM4160qYXIyfFMcHy0CdgGPlCx7xd1yd8yJ3h757x3LNPPZnsz3KUGmC-YL7399n3Rnkm8JyHl0s6HlP_IxTagEqVNqq3Fsj1UiPW5saAS4x8FyDpTV_0Id_3IavwmHL7Ym/s640/Sn1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I say, can I come aboard?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TtGPcIQ4X6RwvMd08eAQQyaiB8RTR_6WXK0q-6ABgFzj0HnDmJ_ULlSR2jY1zt43_vvce4D1ZZgKTrgDs9KI2lKozUyM85ZR3aQN3sWwR1L1c7Cv1gjqwyAhm9YqRDdQm6cbGvvBZL92/s1600/Sn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TtGPcIQ4X6RwvMd08eAQQyaiB8RTR_6WXK0q-6ABgFzj0HnDmJ_ULlSR2jY1zt43_vvce4D1ZZgKTrgDs9KI2lKozUyM85ZR3aQN3sWwR1L1c7Cv1gjqwyAhm9YqRDdQm6cbGvvBZL92/s640/Sn2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Repel all boarders!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CDl_BhB2QD8pJXg8qklvDoMPJqcA_oW4SRJNPChwh9sJAZpAxGD4hkQ9IjXN1cgaOjsxnYKF2bFyiGclZGPtLw6ktcEVjomniMUkGQ_7W323KWYTTiV8o778dl7PQL5VOsS4mQxjm09Y/s1600/Sf1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6CDl_BhB2QD8pJXg8qklvDoMPJqcA_oW4SRJNPChwh9sJAZpAxGD4hkQ9IjXN1cgaOjsxnYKF2bFyiGclZGPtLw6ktcEVjomniMUkGQ_7W323KWYTTiV8o778dl7PQL5VOsS4mQxjm09Y/s640/Sf1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I guess thats a "no" then. I've never seen Snipe squabble before but this particular individual was pretty aggressive to any other bird invading its personal space</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLQLuLUepk6kQStCA96xc5fMaTw1z09rKav_YGGWXKCP9KDwkJrFWY_plWiYjKKz5hoh_HHWjGM1h_AqqOXBROV8ZbHwP97w6MIeadwuVAvJHxyHZh1S1ihZeDDJE5AZKHAMMXVlvKmbm/s1600/Sfl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLQLuLUepk6kQStCA96xc5fMaTw1z09rKav_YGGWXKCP9KDwkJrFWY_plWiYjKKz5hoh_HHWjGM1h_AqqOXBROV8ZbHwP97w6MIeadwuVAvJHxyHZh1S1ihZeDDJE5AZKHAMMXVlvKmbm/s640/Sfl1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running away when you have wings is an irrelevant option</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actually it just did a circuit and came back down just a few yards from where it had taken off</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incoming Shoveler, one of several flocks that arrived and landed out of sight</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlplO-muMlg1rMlxh16cWZ-DRV8c9EHZubJQY6jnPnJRDoxDSBpCgUAsjGb-oPUFwylD8jBoIBvAal3OvLf1TtbIojNg8KmKXlPV5MnI5gU9NrOmqiEgJty775rSzNgbKgvmF68muhocMm/s1600/W1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlplO-muMlg1rMlxh16cWZ-DRV8c9EHZubJQY6jnPnJRDoxDSBpCgUAsjGb-oPUFwylD8jBoIBvAal3OvLf1TtbIojNg8KmKXlPV5MnI5gU9NrOmqiEgJty775rSzNgbKgvmF68muhocMm/s640/W1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apart from the Cormorants, I think these were mostly Wigeon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More incoming Shoveler. There is always one show off</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1D2FegGanQCrV_mEmDQGraQ6gV5KJpzmO4gHrb5qiX1oaddDzSo2Hgp6BwaIhEUHSEau7xuVlXY9GJeawJLDtRcWkZKhVuy4PqaH1NuOHJwREciyoX3T5W5yyHE6o_QGLrcY-kMrYdzb/s1600/CD1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil1D2FegGanQCrV_mEmDQGraQ6gV5KJpzmO4gHrb5qiX1oaddDzSo2Hgp6BwaIhEUHSEau7xuVlXY9GJeawJLDtRcWkZKhVuy4PqaH1NuOHJwREciyoX3T5W5yyHE6o_QGLrcY-kMrYdzb/s640/CD1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Despite the sudden drop in temperature, Common Darter were making the most of the sunshine and plenty of mating wheels were in the air after lunch</td></tr>
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<br />Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-4891333556609098232013-10-06T13:57:00.000-07:002013-10-13T06:57:18.908-07:00The meadows and the Great White EgretThere is nothing quite as exciting as a surprise. When you spend a lot of time watching the wildlife of one place in particular, surprises necessarily get fewer and further between - or so one might think. Every time I stand and watch the comings and goings in the ever changing mosaic of meadows, scrub, floods and reedbeds I cannot help but hope that I will see something there that I have not seen before. Most times, I am not disappointed. It might not be a new species, sometimes its a piece of behaviour, or an unexpected interaction, an aberration, or just the way the light is playing on the water, but on this day, it was a new species for the meadows.<br />
While photographing nicely reflected albeit a little distant Lapwings, I suddenly saw an Egret coming low over the reedbeds and as I don't have great shots of Little Egrets here I flicked the settings quickly and shot a few frames. The problem with just looking down a viewfinder is that size is very difficult to judge and you are just concentrating or panning with the bird and trying to get different points of the wing beat. Then the ageing grey matter starts to kick in, other things register, the feet are black, the wingbeat's elongated, the bill's yellow.... oh goodness!<br />
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And then it dropped down back out of sight in the reedbed. This is a very large bird, around the size of a Grey Heron, but dazzling white. I looked for it for hours the next day to no avail but the day after that I caught up with it at a distance and then so did a few other people,<br />
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and for all we know, its still there. And thats why I keep going back.<br />
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(Thanks to Sandy and Nathalie for helping me make my mind up to resurrect the blog!)Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-40494952997707063942011-05-28T04:01:00.000-07:002013-10-13T06:57:49.802-07:00Gavin and Gertrude Greenfly's family day outThe aphids in my garden are multiplying rapidly and I am going to try out a home-made garlic spray to discourage them from the patio roses, it will be interesting to see how effective or otherwise it is. I was photographing a lovely fresh Speckled Wood on part of the Test Way the other day because the dappled light was fabulous and was pleased with the results. I must admit I hadn't noticed the greenfly at the time, but I think they add rather than detract from the picture.<br />
I know they are the scourge of gardeners, but aphids are an important basal link in the food chain at this time of year so I don't really want to use any sort of poison, especially one which may have adverse effects on the pond. There is always a bit of a lag at this time of year between aphids and their predators but largely I have to force myself to remember that natural control will balance out over the summer if left alone, although on some plants judicious squashing early on will prevent unsightly damage.<br />
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An interesting beetle a bit further down the path was the Wasp Beetle, here on a Comfrey leaf. If you didn't know its name then you would probably guess it (like I did)<br />
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unless of course you came up with Tiger Beetle which is something entirely different, and by coincidence here is a Green Tiger Beetle I snapped at Bentley Wood..<br />
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Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-6610969839376234052011-05-24T15:09:00.000-07:002013-10-13T06:58:31.574-07:00Finally getting round to posting up the best Osprey photosI am so busy taking photographs for a couple of pet projects lately that I am not finding time to sort through everything and post up things of interest here. I am not yet over the Osprey excitement, and every time I start sorting the photos I find myself studying them more carefully. Anyway, the following are definitely the best in terms of clarity and detail that I managed to take over the week so I am going to just post these up and move on!<br />
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There is something mildly disturbing about a very close and very large bird of prey giving you a hard stare!</div>
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All that time spent standing around waiting for something to happen was worthwhile whenever I look back through these pictures, some truly memorable moments.Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-75753923860780732952011-05-16T15:42:00.000-07:002013-10-13T07:00:41.538-07:00Crow attack!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just a few shots of the now departed Fishlake Osprey attracting the attention of a local Carrion Crow - something it did on many occasions! Its not very often that a Crow gets top billing when co-starring with an Osprey but on this occasion I can't help feeling its the Crow that steals the show...</div>
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Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-848637012314223682011-05-09T12:14:00.000-07:002013-10-13T12:23:29.496-07:00Flitting FritillariesA first trip to the famous Bentley Wood found the open rides awash with freshly painted Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NyAOqTJhOVSmiO3wDp9KSyLp-U84FLiwc4r-tcpyRSaSfc-lxyg8LDagSIsGeAVC6rsqRz5NB3hCM8RjhP384Kpr35vCLCeV9lrvpzlrQwhyphenhyphenLbno-TZ3IdWo8eCFIvRsuXvZvzwjqPEU/s1600/IMG_5414_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NyAOqTJhOVSmiO3wDp9KSyLp-U84FLiwc4r-tcpyRSaSfc-lxyg8LDagSIsGeAVC6rsqRz5NB3hCM8RjhP384Kpr35vCLCeV9lrvpzlrQwhyphenhyphenLbno-TZ3IdWo8eCFIvRsuXvZvzwjqPEU/s640/IMG_5414_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the day flying moth Speckled Yellow which can be very numerous in some places of which this was one!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And another making a rather pleasing colour combination</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8w2VcRVzKVBF_eTifphnXQZ-rXMa0nCLsPCcA2-X0vPR6YM-oiuV92vRZ_QDbSYH4TovoE1uK7JWRHC1Sm9V935S8KTuITQKQS9-0-UnWqshG4T8m-p_q9EKDBUWaAeO5i4uJ-TOfnXLE/s1600/IMG_5457_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8w2VcRVzKVBF_eTifphnXQZ-rXMa0nCLsPCcA2-X0vPR6YM-oiuV92vRZ_QDbSYH4TovoE1uK7JWRHC1Sm9V935S8KTuITQKQS9-0-UnWqshG4T8m-p_q9EKDBUWaAeO5i4uJ-TOfnXLE/s640/IMG_5457_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The increasingly rare Duke of Burgandy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The underside of the Duke of Burgandy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRx84zzywIOEwrzJtHtJRjwaGVOlSD0f8jhyphenhyphenkh3QLQ_IR9lvsmBvPfitEaKPGVq6DoAVSuNcCzj7-Cp3jlIayW9d01Tx5YILFSleAkGSxO0V_Je5A9ryOQlR5xOJPdON60iAI-EVacxp4/s1600/IMG_5470_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRx84zzywIOEwrzJtHtJRjwaGVOlSD0f8jhyphenhyphenkh3QLQ_IR9lvsmBvPfitEaKPGVq6DoAVSuNcCzj7-Cp3jlIayW9d01Tx5YILFSleAkGSxO0V_Je5A9ryOQlR5xOJPdON60iAI-EVacxp4/s640/IMG_5470_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another day flying moth, the Burnet Companion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zuZK6aBbV7qe3dA22h4CzLkIfa9Gy-2WnRcenHji4X7bfgvy1nFepd-Kb7tRs9SFbV6KL_yX0ZRycT5tM4GsFQn9dZHDawz6tVikc6xVb_G82H4x1mroEs3C_W3G_KJMKAfyBBO63nuk/s1600/IMG_5490_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zuZK6aBbV7qe3dA22h4CzLkIfa9Gy-2WnRcenHji4X7bfgvy1nFepd-Kb7tRs9SFbV6KL_yX0ZRycT5tM4GsFQn9dZHDawz6tVikc6xVb_G82H4x1mroEs3C_W3G_KJMKAfyBBO63nuk/s640/IMG_5490_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and another, the much less common Argent and Sable</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80j1zejjXv67i-H7GgREiyGtnrKxq5TdD7AI7X4ccWOvfiiioLa04EXoVq1aBaYE7o0MrU0PQ9VQI26UFSVijsPdFm4l7IAJf5uHUcW3gyc_DB2H1A5MCFo3ojB1A2-phkuJfR7YcJJd7/s1600/IMG_5499_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80j1zejjXv67i-H7GgREiyGtnrKxq5TdD7AI7X4ccWOvfiiioLa04EXoVq1aBaYE7o0MrU0PQ9VQI26UFSVijsPdFm4l7IAJf5uHUcW3gyc_DB2H1A5MCFo3ojB1A2-phkuJfR7YcJJd7/s640/IMG_5499_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pearl-bordered Fritillary were fewer and already looking a little worn by comparison</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIBJCNav-BOVy0aBu_7pozr6DdG8sHRbiWv2Pu51AyzwnL__GesWyUk4Eqx32eP6aiHrr3HJn-jALE-js5khZC_p_QKrIMTnKpgUHu0dhDvyF4nMsnjdgR7wriwhjZ1DKiKyO4nACFEjO/s1600/IMG_5522_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIBJCNav-BOVy0aBu_7pozr6DdG8sHRbiWv2Pu51AyzwnL__GesWyUk4Eqx32eP6aiHrr3HJn-jALE-js5khZC_p_QKrIMTnKpgUHu0dhDvyF4nMsnjdgR7wriwhjZ1DKiKyO4nACFEjO/s640/IMG_5522_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pearl-bordered Fritillary underside</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIPldPwzMB-cNKGegSMb-dj918xIHPbMyIrGw30fxUXjWczcMTYlh1lLbXBduqLSdGQ0cETwpFaFCQroNzByHFCaRyeArrRZyzEYfwrfWGewK26A8JdpRES978AMnZTSaJ5cbEvWr7oIi/s1600/IMG_5544_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIPldPwzMB-cNKGegSMb-dj918xIHPbMyIrGw30fxUXjWczcMTYlh1lLbXBduqLSdGQ0cETwpFaFCQroNzByHFCaRyeArrRZyzEYfwrfWGewK26A8JdpRES978AMnZTSaJ5cbEvWr7oIi/s640/IMG_5544_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speckled Wood</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkC-84TocabzZ1jZc0I5_RVSEvNvhNJzw715tyJtdIiQYI2k_1NVAj8XVNifn9SsjrA33qLnCdfyWYJWmV5NS57qpjCEoe9HIpihKLPoJL1JCsjU-2vKBm0Yfah-28xmCpsokcQ1l_W41/s1600/IMG_5547_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkC-84TocabzZ1jZc0I5_RVSEvNvhNJzw715tyJtdIiQYI2k_1NVAj8XVNifn9SsjrA33qLnCdfyWYJWmV5NS57qpjCEoe9HIpihKLPoJL1JCsjU-2vKBm0Yfah-28xmCpsokcQ1l_W41/s640/IMG_5547_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speckled Wood</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuhTBqHQKFl-Qz6ggpujzQIV1Z0lSoPsBa3L5s49JSIfR62Fan_iCwwj5nHywKacpsUm7PUcZVIzayyK-gp-6EvnFR1idJvYXwGelr8zriXky12Jmkktkn59ysJfN2cnWX1oMJi5qHyb_/s1600/IMG_5600_filtered_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuhTBqHQKFl-Qz6ggpujzQIV1Z0lSoPsBa3L5s49JSIfR62Fan_iCwwj5nHywKacpsUm7PUcZVIzayyK-gp-6EvnFR1idJvYXwGelr8zriXky12Jmkktkn59ysJfN2cnWX1oMJi5qHyb_/s640/IMG_5600_filtered_cr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my first "inflighter" Dragonfly, a Downy Emerald on the pond, one of several which all refused to land</td></tr>
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Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-18583471238508744802011-05-09T09:56:00.000-07:002011-05-13T15:54:19.477-07:00Romsey OspreysA few years ago, if someone had told me I would be standing here photographing a 4th spring passage Osprey this year fishing in Romsey I would have said "I wish". Despite the continuing loss of land to housing and industrial estates in the locality, the odd area continues to boom with wildlife, my only concern being whether this perception is just an effect of squeezing both individuals and species into an ever declining suitable space.<br />
However, there are times to just enjoy the wondrousness of the natural kingdom and its inhabitants and the last couple of days have been such times. Most spring passage Ospreys are in a hurry to get further north to their breeding sites, even across to Scandinavia, and just drop off for a quick fish here and there, but every now and again one hangs around for a while further south, non breeding birds who decide not to travel any further when they have a good supply of food where they are. Below is possibly one such bird having been here for 4 days currently. It will probably prove me wrong and disappear tomorrow.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUr4B0SEFUU5eG-W636a2zbEhzcRb_hnIMwpRT-mDs5sRvUDtSvQG7tqBNpF-aU7mjQDvli683czXQk9V2m0P4HrW3hl5RA_hfOd61o0alj-7sZJVj1IruptrGZslEj5QoS9NU4Ubm2qF/s1600/image_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUr4B0SEFUU5eG-W636a2zbEhzcRb_hnIMwpRT-mDs5sRvUDtSvQG7tqBNpF-aU7mjQDvli683czXQk9V2m0P4HrW3hl5RA_hfOd61o0alj-7sZJVj1IruptrGZslEj5QoS9NU4Ubm2qF/s400/image_0002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Both times I have arrived in the morning I have been greeted with this sight, an Osprey with a fish heading off to its favoured distant perches for a leisurely breakfast where it has sat, if not molested by Crows, Rooks and Great Black Backed Gulls, for several hours.<br />
The long waits have been enjoyable in their own way with noisy Kingfishers hovering out in the middle for sometimes several seconds before diving for fry. Sometimes I wondered how I failed to photograph one in focus, but I did. Three pairs of Great Crested Grebes have also been entertaining, one pair treating me to the full weed dance yesterday, another pair apparently have young though I haven’t seen them yet, and there are many territorial threats and battles to admire.<br />
Eventually hunger or boredom got the better of the Osprey and it came out to fish and the shots below are all of it impressively hawking around for a suitable meal. After watching it sat for several hours, any time it stretched or flew its wingspan came almost as a new surprise<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5E6q1HWmt_XF8wtr57yQ65voifI1mtiU3gAsv5iSpa101lj8FNVS4i9rmo6pQTAwuAdL53cCFHtTaqkFXwdYGc9wN9TnSe9-x5gbG9Naf21oQh0i61DyS99GLXGoq3JIXpp0ztztollx/s1600/image_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5E6q1HWmt_XF8wtr57yQ65voifI1mtiU3gAsv5iSpa101lj8FNVS4i9rmo6pQTAwuAdL53cCFHtTaqkFXwdYGc9wN9TnSe9-x5gbG9Naf21oQh0i61DyS99GLXGoq3JIXpp0ztztollx/s400/image_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The shot below shows what I thought to be a broken primary on the right wing. The following day I thought there must be a new bird as it didn't show this fault, but on closer inspection the primary has just crossed over its neighbour part way down the shaft.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBr2hpkIDx8geMWtuT7R-mG2w2hnNtXwzP1s-dkqTBADq1vHk26gOa-1WAYM-xKvjGMne0vFY7X5wHDk0rn6ZAmxsOpcSgz4V2YY-8sZFx-Ewe3PVs2o5bFUKy9qCWIfdwDSLlCKbCI1m3/s1600/image_0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBr2hpkIDx8geMWtuT7R-mG2w2hnNtXwzP1s-dkqTBADq1vHk26gOa-1WAYM-xKvjGMne0vFY7X5wHDk0rn6ZAmxsOpcSgz4V2YY-8sZFx-Ewe3PVs2o5bFUKy9qCWIfdwDSLlCKbCI1m3/s400/image_0022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like I suspect a number of the local birders who feel this area is their local patch, I often feel very protective of it and sometimes almost resent other people coming to look at it. However, quite a number of birders came to the small gap to view the Osprey and Hobbies and one thing I really got a kick out of was when even hardened birders were lucky enough to see it flying quite close, there was usually a collective "wow!". And that is fitting, for it most certainly is a bird with the wow factor in spades.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmYUK6uye6kQjy8MytF8kLs00WX6aRBJ6Mkry21Zn-JHyRd41hvcYR-DWeNT9nMHpK0b6nHhNj2UvPM_FPeJe8pWT-070Z0xfhBaVnfrcqxIpFrmzSaMxdEIgxDJQ0hlnA3DOJFZAYoIt/s1600/image_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmYUK6uye6kQjy8MytF8kLs00WX6aRBJ6Mkry21Zn-JHyRd41hvcYR-DWeNT9nMHpK0b6nHhNj2UvPM_FPeJe8pWT-070Z0xfhBaVnfrcqxIpFrmzSaMxdEIgxDJQ0hlnA3DOJFZAYoIt/s400/image_0005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>When perching up to survey the water for meals Ospreys always seem to select the very thinnest of twigs at the very top of a tree to sit in. For a bird with a 6 foot wingspan, landing on these points is no mean feat and obviously requires total concentration<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKM4NyBlXrBqK3hc2kfdTC4Ve1XvZKKiD6rFj3UDHL25_DythgKlAXgxwyuW7rf4XnB7GUVu5LiyzD73uynCsbXev3FNtZ2hVem9jX8bVKkh6TX36T1DCZtboUH12Yef2CBFl9crAeTf3/s1600/image_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPeLx8DNY24q7bzeNlufTqrJCKfaUx2U1lq_w9jfvEufFr0p0FKSXCD5WBfp9uiBLcKEv_dGDOkfNW-5GnFxMfYqp32QxuyqtmyYNRysuHdVSPECeAzpH_8NfRrtUcJ0_Hicd9uCuIJrY/s1600/image_0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPeLx8DNY24q7bzeNlufTqrJCKfaUx2U1lq_w9jfvEufFr0p0FKSXCD5WBfp9uiBLcKEv_dGDOkfNW-5GnFxMfYqp32QxuyqtmyYNRysuHdVSPECeAzpH_8NfRrtUcJ0_Hicd9uCuIJrY/s400/image_0008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Even sorting these claws out when landing must take some doing. Ospreys have four equal toes, the outer ones can be opposed to point forwards or backwards for perching or carrying fish respectively.<br />
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This is a Carrion Crow for size comparison. Quite a brave bird really!<br />
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Air brakes on and into a hover to check out the lunch menu<br />
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Almost overhead and gliding at full stretch that wingspan would impress anyone<br />
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In a dive for fish the tail seems to be used as a brake and is cocked right back.<br />
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It is quite an imposing sight, and I wish I could have photographed the conclusion, but it always seems to take fish from behind a row of trees where autofocus cannot follow and manual focus fears to tread. Lunch captured it was back to the distant perch for a few more hours.....Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-68607040566712314862011-05-01T15:11:00.000-07:002011-05-07T15:42:16.057-07:00Storm in a BcupWalking my friend's dog through Tadburn Meadows the other day it was almost impossible to ignore the fact that every Buttercup was a scene of frenzied activity. How many thousands of these minute little bronze coloured moths there were in total was almost impossible to guess at, but there were an awful lot. I was so impressed I took a few photos with my phone.<br />
I was less impressed with the camera in my phone which I havent used before, but I guess it illustrates the point.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0qa8YpdAC1RpiPCe8HIYUxo48aluuireKJJJua50SWFSEZvl93PL9a0rYHf2F6JqKZAYD-uF08ujIY6Leaon2eGDe394BC4ssxP4lftqv6WnFgGBscuy8xc5t9AaWLuTPUsFvYl2Xy3Y/s1600/image_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0qa8YpdAC1RpiPCe8HIYUxo48aluuireKJJJua50SWFSEZvl93PL9a0rYHf2F6JqKZAYD-uF08ujIY6Leaon2eGDe394BC4ssxP4lftqv6WnFgGBscuy8xc5t9AaWLuTPUsFvYl2Xy3Y/s320/image_0001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I don't know but I suspect this is a swarming of males awaiting a female to fight over looking at the gratuitous sex and violence going on in some of the other buttercups next door. <br />
Rather more exciting, and a good reason for taking binoculars everywhere was a Honey Buzzard drifting south west against the wind. It was an odd direction for it to be travelling in but it was sufficiently low, and it was sufficiently good light (bright sunny morning) to pick up the correct tail banding quite clearly to confirm what was already obvious from the head/neck shape. My first of the year.Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-31845631374725436052011-04-15T15:14:00.001-07:002011-05-06T15:42:39.737-07:00Fishlake Water Voles and things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A lot of birders don't have much time for Pheasants but I think they grace the countryside rather splendidly. This particular individual, unlike most of his rather silver backed compatriots, can look almost melanistic when just his head and neck are showing. Here calling and strumming, that strange low frequency noise from the wing beating probably carries further than the call.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsikIuj3rPiVu0BntgoVvCalRCRMDH0rDM-4F7JDo-puD_X1ZtmguAUpt5IfVvfNVGX1XhNhuRToPkhQSZA7_0dIhVY3fLbBuut7qMezUSUVsqnnrdlOkXDgXuiUsNlDeysOx1huXFGqY/s1600/image_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsikIuj3rPiVu0BntgoVvCalRCRMDH0rDM-4F7JDo-puD_X1ZtmguAUpt5IfVvfNVGX1XhNhuRToPkhQSZA7_0dIhVY3fLbBuut7qMezUSUVsqnnrdlOkXDgXuiUsNlDeysOx1huXFGqY/s320/image_0002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A kestrel waits for the morning mist to clear having got a bit damp overnight. He was looking a bit fed up, but the later sunshine had him happily hovering for mice and voles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvX1xnJtn0Uj0acB4G_PKJ2457V8iS-3dCSTHjoPSdykRwaS4mpjyesSBZQDMtGivzq7X1LJX8ljz6d25egBEPzAczX3Kyw3-OBHvn5J80QrE9Ex7SP72DRXSUpGmcxG0oPilo19qr7XOt/s1600/image_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvX1xnJtn0Uj0acB4G_PKJ2457V8iS-3dCSTHjoPSdykRwaS4mpjyesSBZQDMtGivzq7X1LJX8ljz6d25egBEPzAczX3Kyw3-OBHvn5J80QrE9Ex7SP72DRXSUpGmcxG0oPilo19qr7XOt/s320/image_0004.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And talking of voles, the Barge , or barge canal that runs alongside the meadows had always been a fabulous site for Water Voles. When my children were little we frequently compete to see who could see most on a walk and often got into double figures. (Talking to others recently, we were not alone in this activity!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They are still here, but not in the numbers there used to be, and there are very few if any in the south end. This may be due to many things, the increase in Brown Rats which take over the tunnels, the previous presence of Mink, the increase in people and dogs using the footpath all being probable contributory factors.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you sit still on the bank, in the right place, and for long enough, Water Voles seem to not notice you and often swim by very close. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChR45xqVH5KAZAk9qz2kn1W3zWfvfKTFCik4v9oYmQ_4gjYF9Q0tEZnqP2Wx3SKbCtBh8mrJmMvDg7x6i9PWoMeEx_Udr1ki8JCBhhyGMVEIkR3fDg2saYyxeNCAmzL0LXP9SBuyqdArC/s1600/image_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChR45xqVH5KAZAk9qz2kn1W3zWfvfKTFCik4v9oYmQ_4gjYF9Q0tEZnqP2Wx3SKbCtBh8mrJmMvDg7x6i9PWoMeEx_Udr1ki8JCBhhyGMVEIkR3fDg2saYyxeNCAmzL0LXP9SBuyqdArC/s320/image_0005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For quite a while these two Voles in particular seemed to always head straight at me and the major problem I had in photographing them was that they would very quickly be inside the 12ft minimum focussing distance of my lens</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2YwkJH-VicB3LCSK_6hJfXRnAJHVKNuFD9iXzN8DBiYKdEuHq7m65mbGHhBgWvLL73FFRAe8fQYLi_8us5fcnHXiO-UanKGJwSR2LQAaKUL397BO70diFxeRK8lN04pfYu2RhginvogE/s1600/image_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2YwkJH-VicB3LCSK_6hJfXRnAJHVKNuFD9iXzN8DBiYKdEuHq7m65mbGHhBgWvLL73FFRAe8fQYLi_8us5fcnHXiO-UanKGJwSR2LQAaKUL397BO70diFxeRK8lN04pfYu2RhginvogE/s320/image_0007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Apparently the Water Vole has no particular adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle and in continental Europe they are more likely to be found in meadows than riverbanks. To me they seem so happy in water that I can hardly believe that. Maybe the Wind in the Willows had such a forceful subliminal message that to divorce the inaccurately named "Ratty" from the river is unthinkable.<br />
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I am not sure if its my imagination, but the two pictured here seem huge in comparison to others locally, maybe they are just well fed.<br />
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Another funny thing about Water Voles is that people really like them, even the ones who have an aversion to rats and mice, and especially the ones who don't really know the difference! I have lost count of how many people have delightedly pointed out Rats swimming in the canal and declaring them Water Voles. I never correct them.<br />
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Over winter Water Voles will have been sociably sharing tunnels with all their neighbours and its only in the spring that they disperse and set up territories. This winter concentration has the advantage of warmth for one thing (they don't hibernate), but also allows the use of the best tunnels and territory for all. This disadvantage is that if Mink are in an area they can wipe out an entire population in no time.<br />
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Anyway. They are sort of cute.<br />
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Spring is in full swing, Orange Tips have hatched in large numbers and Green-veined Whites are out and about and not settling to often for a portrait<br />
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A very traditional sign of spring is the sound of the Cuckoo. What a remarkable coincidence it is that that the song of the Cuckoo sounds so much like its name... ahem. Fishlake usually provides my first Cuckoo of the year as it did this year, and in fact often provides two, this year however its provided up to 4 males. In fact I seem to be hearing Cuckoos everywhere this year so I will be interested to hear how numbers across the country compare with previous years<br />
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Reed Buntings are also around in good numbers, they have been pulling last years Reed Mace heads to pieces lately, I'm told this is not to line nests with as I'd imagined, but to find grubs that are secreted within.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-31861568846299490742011-03-24T05:54:00.000-07:002011-03-24T05:54:45.807-07:00The Siskin conundrum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This might not work on all browsers, and it might take a while to load, but below is an animated gif to show one of the things I have been trying to work out lately. The Siskins have been here in numbers for a while this winter/spring, more so than for at least 10 years. Siskins, although highly gregarious in the winter months, continually bicker and fight. I don't have a video camera any longer, but my camera shoots at up to around 7 frames a second in good conditions, and the below pictures are shot at that rate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Effectively this is about 4 seconds worth, and that is quite a long time for a typical display of dominance. The bird on the lowest perch appears only to show submissive posture with the tail closed and the wings held back but is driven off anyway which doesn't seem to be unusual. When attention is turned to the upper bird, their level of dominance seems more balanced with both birds threatening.<br />
The interesting and perhaps not surprising thing I have learnt watching and photographing the spats is that where some pairs seem to have been established and they feed together, the height of the perch on the feeder relative to each other is immaterial, although both will drive off any other bird which arrives to feed. With single males such as the example above, perch height seems very important and indicates dominance. Note the two showing equal aggression above both start on the top perches, it was a slightly unusual confrontation in that the eventual dominant bird in this spat actually chose to take a slightly lower perch.<br />
These longer aggressive displays where birds are leaving the feeder to chase another bird have only been happening of late, presumably as spring hormones start flooding through the arteries and pairs begin to form, but I wonder how much of the pecking order has been determined through the winters squabbles at the feeders.<br />
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Which is all very interesting if you are one of the very few people in the world whose brain is entertained as easily as mine.Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-20923052972940725972011-02-14T16:18:00.000-08:002013-10-13T07:06:07.158-07:00Why do Bitterns have big feet?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Why do Bitterns have big feet? Like all Herons and Egrets for stomping about in reedbeds obviously. But why such big claws?</div>
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Having photograghed the marvellously showy Bitterns at Hatch Pond a short time ago, I, of course, became less and less satisfied with my efforts and wanted to try and capture one fishing. As it happened I was due down in Poole and (ahem) found myself with a few hours to spare.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9axl5RpzVGnMQ-Luo7DTymXcHThjD9bXoO4KY2HyIGqmEgPPEIVkQH-gmZ1TvzX5ukFcdgFgxr8IHSulabS0zY_JPghK3jgQexFsdGt7_a-aunUqLJFdSga8u6kNL7V66x5qXLBXEDg/s1600/image_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9axl5RpzVGnMQ-Luo7DTymXcHThjD9bXoO4KY2HyIGqmEgPPEIVkQH-gmZ1TvzX5ukFcdgFgxr8IHSulabS0zY_JPghK3jgQexFsdGt7_a-aunUqLJFdSga8u6kNL7V66x5qXLBXEDg/s640/image_0001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Luck was with me as, much harder to see than the photgraphs suggest, I found one literally 30 feet away from where I was standing. Although only a few measly reed stems separated it from me, it still provided sufficient cover for it to occasionally "disappear" and more than enough cover to render autofocus useless so I had to rely on manual - something I am not used to doing these days and it served as a reminder as to how much easier photography has got.... in some ways.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhnn-af2xz8ERyPx4N-McoBRCVoZbgYUzcI_2vw0t8IcKRTJ_HaHTPHdBTVzZQydfLWRqNhPSosxG0M3-UQmnRgiD8NiKWAn7u06jtETkxqRbu4POR9YQxRSYlD8HKPhgBjbjIf57znc/s1600/image_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhnn-af2xz8ERyPx4N-McoBRCVoZbgYUzcI_2vw0t8IcKRTJ_HaHTPHdBTVzZQydfLWRqNhPSosxG0M3-UQmnRgiD8NiKWAn7u06jtETkxqRbu4POR9YQxRSYlD8HKPhgBjbjIf57znc/s640/image_0002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The shot above illustrates nicely the advantage of a camera's viewpoint, the short depth of field here throws the distracting foreground out of focus so the bird is seen easily, but to <i>my</i> eye, only <i>its</i> eye was really obvious.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13OPsB9IjpOgdB4EAswPusqvs7om7KqX3x8eTWf5VLFc0BI2b5VQcZ35XwSZZCb0sRHAKRE9vcbZxwPYx9UXc4Su-iWYy3cvJ5q_Vgd6MzwqrB5tnyfbpICWqfzlASP_g-3Z_ipSCdWM/s1600/image_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13OPsB9IjpOgdB4EAswPusqvs7om7KqX3x8eTWf5VLFc0BI2b5VQcZ35XwSZZCb0sRHAKRE9vcbZxwPYx9UXc4Su-iWYy3cvJ5q_Vgd6MzwqrB5tnyfbpICWqfzlASP_g-3Z_ipSCdWM/s640/image_0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anyway, as luck would have it, this bird started its strange fishing technique, which was something I hadn't seen before and I hoped my excitement didn't blur the shots!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FbagUbkpUTC178l5WzXQBmssmMJTwA6Hw6gB06_Kn_9_OTqFRJY5HRMDAJNEFurZI-M4F5UdBE8PZc_szNR6bzPdHDzoQThTsJrUjxoV_qrFICDlHvB4LV-JyRTJK67Fx2FWQFXEP5g/s1600/image_0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FbagUbkpUTC178l5WzXQBmssmMJTwA6Hw6gB06_Kn_9_OTqFRJY5HRMDAJNEFurZI-M4F5UdBE8PZc_szNR6bzPdHDzoQThTsJrUjxoV_qrFICDlHvB4LV-JyRTJK67Fx2FWQFXEP5g/s640/image_0003.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Only someone who has watched a Bittern fishing will appreciate the concentration required by presumably it, and also a photographer hoping to capture an image of the capture... if you see what I mean. However, after only a couple of minutes....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqTF-0bdoqPGOu7LONl5_mjQBI9D_Qb532uzOWA20lOiwn3w139QGYlOWLaFmgdS-l35XHXoth3Eu8gDzip3tWGdnU0KVbOfTC2lpROy8Pjz7-HwPfjfva246_KyMYJMKn0ZmauVQLZM/s1600/image_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqTF-0bdoqPGOu7LONl5_mjQBI9D_Qb532uzOWA20lOiwn3w139QGYlOWLaFmgdS-l35XHXoth3Eu8gDzip3tWGdnU0KVbOfTC2lpROy8Pjz7-HwPfjfva246_KyMYJMKn0ZmauVQLZM/s640/image_0007.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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... but unfortunately it came up with nothing....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDSJc80XUn80LLYmDhzNI4pvketPRD4uNi9qI4bLxeEahSivAkr0QF3WguWwzMWC0AQ5o-KOH_ytk8IjuTFcRk4rlL2CxPXvuyoA4ghjYa01bs-HIklI-e2danvI68Wn2nAhcrih4qDw/s1600/image_0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDSJc80XUn80LLYmDhzNI4pvketPRD4uNi9qI4bLxeEahSivAkr0QF3WguWwzMWC0AQ5o-KOH_ytk8IjuTFcRk4rlL2CxPXvuyoA4ghjYa01bs-HIklI-e2danvI68Wn2nAhcrih4qDw/s640/image_0008.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We both adopted our hunting poses again<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQrPOanu4HOSbfqcOXUA5cRCHadxIOFzWlao0u5kuVw8DlCU6rbQEBxDHEi7hLeXpTL7c3v31MDBKo_xW4yWftW-sopYTRu6rZfSuPdSX_tVJCrFRa0A_2LRSWBhX7HWECk9nSawDNEE/s1600/image_0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQrPOanu4HOSbfqcOXUA5cRCHadxIOFzWlao0u5kuVw8DlCU6rbQEBxDHEi7hLeXpTL7c3v31MDBKo_xW4yWftW-sopYTRu6rZfSuPdSX_tVJCrFRa0A_2LRSWBhX7HWECk9nSawDNEE/s640/image_0011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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and waited...<br />
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and waited...<br />
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and waited...<br />
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until eventually, all of a sudden, I realised with a jolt why Bitterns have such hefty claws<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXxjr8G_DwhqIO1MEvXzbxA1-wynijT22WCkNbeU4kFfxjH7fFBFDjx2OgVbEd0R3F_tElHa5THRXjMcKzjYyhWi7qAMxbe0jYR5ErJdQwJMPCqNnb2GnESKK_V23Rg80j48t54GS9Tc/s1600/image_0013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXxjr8G_DwhqIO1MEvXzbxA1-wynijT22WCkNbeU4kFfxjH7fFBFDjx2OgVbEd0R3F_tElHa5THRXjMcKzjYyhWi7qAMxbe0jYR5ErJdQwJMPCqNnb2GnESKK_V23Rg80j48t54GS9Tc/s640/image_0013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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and suddenly up it came with its prize of silver<br />
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It steadfastly refused to turn my way to show its catch nicely, and instead turned its back and melted away into the reeds at an almost unseemly pace (for a Bittern) before I could comment on its table manners.<br />
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Not long afterwards I picked it up again and it carried on fishing but in a more obscured spot. Every now and again it stood up and... how shall I put this... licked its lips?? It reminded me very much of a snake or lizard "tasting the air" but as birds aren't equipped with a Jacobson's organ that doesn't make sense. I don't know what it is doing, but I did hear someone else say that had seen this behaviour when I was here previously, probably by the same bird, but whether this is normal or not I have no idea.<br />
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Brilliant birds, I think this was the best few hours I've spent in a long time, totally magical. (Apologies to anyone I've spent a few hours with lately, you've just been outdone by a Bittern!)<br />
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Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-44105894224348648312011-02-08T15:13:00.000-08:002011-03-30T03:32:44.576-07:00Sunshine!This morning one of the several squirrels who spend more time than I'd like trying to break into the birdfeeders decided today was the day to start digging up the garden. I don't know why, but it decided to exhume various acorns that were buried on the far side of the path and have a reburial in the front garden.<br />
I do wonder what prompted this action. Although it looks as though its having a quick nibble, it was just checking each one very carefully before recommitting it to the earth.<br />
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In the tree above, a Redwing watched proceedings with interest and this was what turned out to be the last view of one here this winter. (ed: no it wasn't, still around to 27th March at least)<br />
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The afternoon was positively spring-like and I decided to have a quick look over the main pond of Fishlake to see if anything interesting was around. Nothing unusual was as it happened but a few Shovellers were quite close in for a change although they spotted me pretty quickly and headed off into the distance. I liked the patterns in the water though, its like looking through a venetian blind<br />
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Very often drake Shovellers just look to have dark heads although we know they are green, its just they need to be reasonably close and in good light to show the iridescence off to best effect<br />
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However, not every drake Shoveller on Fishlake was looking quite this resplendent, even in the glorious sunshine. You have to hope this one can't see its own reflection<br />
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A Buzzard took up station in one of the dead trees and worked its way to the very top in a series of hops and jumps and resolutely refused to look in my direction<br />
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All birds of prey, regardless of what threat (or lack of it) they pose, attract the attention of other birds who do their best to move them on. In this case it was a growing number of Magpies who slowly and stealthily hopped up the branches surrounding the Buzzard and trying to worry it into moving on. The Buzzard was not one for having its sunbathing interrupted and held its nerve<br />
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One of the Magpies, presumably egged on by its comrades, got a bit too brave and incurred an icy stare<br />
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which was obviously too much to bear and discretion (often not a watchword of the Magpie) became the better part of valour<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe7BZkQA80EZG6D7Szh5CZFXC3MvYnGcgGqOt_xauecCyg3FwyyZDnsHhPmqlnCKc6XTjnGPZPwRJMjMupuaB9KAflUEmeYSAX6IqyDr7Mh3EVj42HAFq3mPHRB1ZG4cPMlDdHGBsyn4/s1600/image_0015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe7BZkQA80EZG6D7Szh5CZFXC3MvYnGcgGqOt_xauecCyg3FwyyZDnsHhPmqlnCKc6XTjnGPZPwRJMjMupuaB9KAflUEmeYSAX6IqyDr7Mh3EVj42HAFq3mPHRB1ZG4cPMlDdHGBsyn4/s400/image_0015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The only other thing of note was the very large flock of flighty Lapwings which entertained on a regular basis. Maybe there was a fox moving around, or a stoat, maybe even an otter, or maybe nothing at all, but they hardly landed for more than a few minutes before lifting off again.<br />
I couldn't fit the whole flock in, but here is a part of it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-29697338404347288662011-02-07T15:48:00.000-08:002011-03-04T15:49:27.408-08:00A sunbeam on a dull daySometimes, however prepared you are for it, the weather is truly miserable. Such it was today, so dark and grey it felt like the evening all day. If ever there was a day for SAD sufferers to hit the sunbeds, it was today.<br />
One tiny bright spot in the day was the first and only appearance of a Goldcrest to the bird feeders. Our smallest breeding bird (well except perhaps for Firecrest) it weighs in at a hefty 5-6 grams.<br />
Despite their diminutive stature, they commonly lay 6-8 eggs which will weigh about the same as themselves (obviously not all at once). I can't apologise for the quality of pictures because its a miracle anything came out at all. This little visitor made my day.<br />
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This one's hind left claw is completely absent. I have no idea whether thats an injury or a birth defect but it seemed to be perching perfectly well without it. Lets hope it doesn't get too windy!Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-22121170704263564652011-02-03T06:47:00.000-08:002011-03-04T08:01:23.882-08:00The Bittern BugSo the Blashford Bittern had put in an appearance, albeit brief, but I stood with renewed hope as the hide filled with more and more disgruntled birders who only had one subject to talk about, the unopening windows. More movement and the Bittern was back, a bit more in the open, relying on its best camouflage pose<br />
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but couldn't resist a sneaky peek to see if we were suitably impressed<br />
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After what seemed an age, it decided that this was the moment to "dash" across the open water between reed patches giving a lucky few of us a chance of a few photos.<br />
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I vacated the hide asap to get out of the claustrophobic atmosphere and into the glorious sunshine and fresh air, and headed off to Poole.<br />
I wasn't as long as I thought at the factory and got away promptly. As I was on the Nuffield estate, I decided to park up and look over Hatch Pond. I had heard that 3 or even 4 Bitterns had been star billing at this most unlikely of venues. No one else was there, and grateful for the lack of hides, I settled into the trees and watched the reedbeds for movement. Almost straight away I could see one, but although standing only a foot or so back into the reedbeds, it was practically invisible so I waited for it to move.<br />
It didn't. But a few minutes later, another one did, and stood out in the open for about 10 minutes. I think these are the best series of photos I have ever taken. I don't know who invented Bitterns, but they must surely have dipped their brushes in the colours in this water to finish them off with. The light and reflections have a lovely painted quality that I wish I could repeat at will, and you would be hard pushed to find a bird so at one with its surroundings in every sense. I think I've bigged them up enough!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then it decided to cross the open water in the bright sunshine to the other reedbed and disappeared for a while</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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And then a few minutes later was disturbed by a dog and flew hurriedly back<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was beginning to be very pleased indeed with this day. On my short walk back to the car I met another photographer who knew these Bitterns well and said I should go to Poole Park while I was in the area to see the very rare Long-billed Dowitcher. I suppose I should...</div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-84499233005630879112011-02-03T00:10:00.000-08:002011-03-04T15:51:06.968-08:00The Great White HunterI had a delivery to make in Poole today and as the weather forecaster had promised a lovely day I decided to try and get some pictures of one of the Bitterns reported at Blashford Lakes. I thought it would mean sitting in a hide for probably hours which I don't especially like, but I didn't realise it would mean standing as there is only one opening window on the side of the hide through which you can photograph. The rest is perspex covered in a one way film to minimise disturbance when groups of school children are in... apparently.<br />
Anyway, I wasn't first in, but I was second, so at least I got a standing slot as the hide got busier and busier with more and more people who couldn't really see anything. Worse, the Bittern wasn't coming out to play anytime soon and the promised sunshine was there somewhere, but underneath a grey mist.<br />
An inauspicious start to the day was suddenly forgotten as the Great White Egret suddenly crept through the reeds. Its such an impressively huge and snow white bird that it seems very odd to see it creeping around as though it might not be seen.<br />
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I did briefly see one of these birds last year just down the road, and many years ago in Norfolk, but this was easily the closest I had been to one and it was spellbinding. As it froze and concentrated its stare I was expecting it to move very slowly towards whatever had caught its attention before shooting out its dagger like bill using that great long neck, so I was totally unready for this....<br />
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It wasn't exactly subtle, but it was effective and a jack pike hit the gullet.<br />
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And it wasn't the only one. This was more the approach I was expecting<br />
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and with that it decided to try a new peg just around the corner<br />
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A fabulous sight, but still no Bittern. A few minutes later, the Egret changed its mind and decided to come back to its successful fishing spot, but unfortunately a Grey Heron had taken up the vacant slot. This town wasn't big enough for the two of them. Perhaps surprisingly, after a few seconds stand off the Egret was first to flinch<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Only one thing ignored this excitement and that was a Water Rail which ordinarily I would have been showing more interest in but today I had to concentrate in case I missed a Bittern's 10 second appearance<br />
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I was running later than intended already and was about to give up when this strange head slid upwards in the reeds e v e r s o slowly like a periscopic glove puppet<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and then e v e r s o slowly it sank back down out of sight... TBC.</div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-47095141404474729692011-02-01T07:54:00.000-08:002011-03-02T07:55:26.739-08:00One ideaOn a grey day that chose to turn to drizzle curtailing a planned longer walk, I watched two Roe Deer at the far end of the barge canal who seemed strangely oblivious of my presence. I would like to put this down to excellent field craft but alas not. Why the doe took no notice of me I am unsure, but this stag in velvet seems to be blind in one eye<br />
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Maybe the doe was just comfortable because the stag was<br />
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It wasn't until I clapped my hands that he suddenly looked up and moved to the cover of the hedgerows<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6lxWmEXi-KGSySml7qLriWPIk0ImZcIahWvU8J8Adu1GPbpugoYBUOF_m-CXh3GxQSwBPT4SQGOMtFtmku6ReoQUCg91KBGxUZFIUINfPrZqEi1p6Io-mXnvWZ179qeCPtkvhhGTvsM/s1600/image_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6lxWmEXi-KGSySml7qLriWPIk0ImZcIahWvU8J8Adu1GPbpugoYBUOF_m-CXh3GxQSwBPT4SQGOMtFtmku6ReoQUCg91KBGxUZFIUINfPrZqEi1p6Io-mXnvWZ179qeCPtkvhhGTvsM/s400/image_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-56978656237697162922011-01-30T04:08:00.000-08:002011-03-02T04:08:49.573-08:00New Forest walkA sunny sunday for a change and a walk in the forest beckoned. The two highest points in the New Forest are Pipers Wait and Telegraph Hill so I thought a walk between the two was bound to produce a few raptors. It didn't. Just a brief glimpse of a Sparrowhawk.<br />
The biggest surprise to me, walking along the edge of the plantations were the number of Coal Tit and Goldcrests calling. I expected both these species to be hit quite hard by the hard winters, but Goldcrests in particular accompanied us everywhere, feeding high in the tree tops right down to bracken level.<br />
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Just before Telegraph Hill, a nice male Dartford Warbler came out to shout at us for a while, it was the only one we saw or heard that day but this is a species together with Stonechats which really does seem to have been hit hard this winter. I didn't get any photos of him and didn't want to disturb him further so we walked on to find this group which are pretty unlikely to find themselves on the British list<br />
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We walked along the top of Black Gutter and I fully expected to find a nice Hen Harrier, but no, it was almost devoid of birds of any species apart from the odd Crow and Black-headed Gull. However, these very wary Sika deer, including a nice stag, were good to see, but having been spotted, I wasn't very likely to get any closer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0lteFsWyMuj-inEGN2DcdjsQFf9UAcfnNro_QHXNrtsw3y7FyqDdy9QUEi1KzsZZTKeQwIWPRQyq0H-Di9l-d8X9xr5gKpoV3oPqIqVcaMQorzomuN4sFhjahxm60Z872a0yTpHJ5Js/s1600/image_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0lteFsWyMuj-inEGN2DcdjsQFf9UAcfnNro_QHXNrtsw3y7FyqDdy9QUEi1KzsZZTKeQwIWPRQyq0H-Di9l-d8X9xr5gKpoV3oPqIqVcaMQorzomuN4sFhjahxm60Z872a0yTpHJ5Js/s400/image_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-17200181384993104612011-01-28T15:33:00.000-08:002011-03-02T04:13:37.146-08:00Mystery GullFishlake has a considerable and variable Gull population during the winter. Mostly this consists of Black Headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull and a few Black Backed, but it throws up the occasional oddity as well. A Yellow Legged Gull has turned up on a few occasions this winter, but on this lovely sunny day I photographed this one accidentally which no one seems very sure of.<br />
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Mute Swan numbers seem to have swelled of late with plently of youngsters around.<br />
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Good practice for "birds in flight" photos, if only the Hobbies were this easy....<br />
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The number of fish-eating birds that survive around Fishlake is quite extraordinary given the newness of most of the ponds. Cormorant flocks can be well over 50 although only a dozen or so were about today, sitting in their tree looking like vultures<br />
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Grey Herons on the other hand seem largely fairly static and numbers are usually around 50-60, mostly dotted around the edges of the ponds, although often tucked away from sight unless something or someone disturbs them.<br />
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Seeing this number in flight in a confined space is quite a spectacle, only 30 or so went up on this day, together with various waterfowl<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">including Greylag Geese and a Shoveller with delusions of grandeur</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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You know those fabulous photograghs of I think its Blue whales diving where just their tails are showing sticking up in the water? Well the following photographs are nothing like that.<br />
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The Grey Wagtail was running up and down the grassy banks which still looks a bit odd to me as I am more used to seeing them on shallow stony stream sides<br />
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Just down the road at Fishlake Meadows, I had a quick scan from the road over the main floods. Amongst the Canada Geese I spotted one white face that made my heart jump for just a moment as I thought ooo a Barnacle Goose, but no. From one to two to three, these strange beasts have muddled genes which may or may not have a little Barnacle within them<br />
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I thought for a moment I had a strangely plumaged Shoveller to go with them, but on closer examination, it was just mud presumably from over enthusiastic dabbling<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A Sparrowhawk shot past to make sure I was going, and unfortunately, I was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-973948264575417732011-01-21T02:56:00.000-08:002011-02-28T04:18:34.247-08:00Electric BlueA sunny day with lots to do. Too good to waste all of it indoors, I had a quickish walk along the canal and through the meadows at lunchtime. I could hear a Bullfinch calling but couldn't find it, unlike this Dunnock who was making his presence VERY obvious.<br />
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Lots of Siskin had moved into the alders, even the females looking especially bright in the sunlight<br />
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while the males shone like beacons<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbcH2WuVzrDju_hFC44O7S8ft94h7RstRlT2KTu3EDiu5E-dMF4E5k-v1JOiO0izq2iJIpvjoZiUKOCCz-cLYSskXZGHK6EjdMxB6NHnl68Mw3yGUzrLIVC9ppSu9WDRwF1kcHXUZeLY/s1600/image_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbcH2WuVzrDju_hFC44O7S8ft94h7RstRlT2KTu3EDiu5E-dMF4E5k-v1JOiO0izq2iJIpvjoZiUKOCCz-cLYSskXZGHK6EjdMxB6NHnl68Mw3yGUzrLIVC9ppSu9WDRwF1kcHXUZeLY/s400/image_0010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Crossing the meadows I found a bird I hoped to get close to perched as it sometimes does high up on the power cables of all places<br />
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Briefly it dropped down to the bushes below but flew off within a couple of seconds allowing me just one distant shot.<br />
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A little further on I refound her while walking into the low sun, not ideal for birdwatching or photography, it always amazes me how even these stunning colours are rendered completely useless both to the eye and to the camera in such conditions<br />
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I managed to skirt round and catch her from the other side but she was off to the river before I got anywhere close<br />
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Before I knew it it was time to get back, but not before I caught these Greylags heading towards the main water with what is definitely NOT a leucistic Ross's Goose!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-22299348384363193152011-01-20T02:32:00.000-08:002011-02-28T02:56:14.039-08:00An eclectic mixThere was an interesting mix of birds around the feeders today, apart from the daily visitors, a couple of male Brambling turned up to brighten the bare winter branches.<br />
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A pair of Woodpigeons decided it was never too early to start house hunting. Mrs Woodpigeon liked the natural light provided by the contemporary glass roof design of this one<br />
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While Mr Woodpigeon considered something more in their price range and remembered a time before middle aged spread that he <i>might</i> have fitted into this one (with the emphasis on might)<br />
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Yet again, they seem to have compromised on a messy pile of sticks in a tree with nice open views over the park.<br />
Down below, this unlikely visitor snuck in with a certain air of "burglar caught red-handed" about him.<br />
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Hopefully he will hang around the comparitive safety of the park and gardens until the end of the month (end of shooting season).<br />
In the back garden, all of a sudden the Cotoneaster has attracted the attention of Redwings. Often one of the last berry bushes to get stripped by birds, I thought it might get ignored this winter, but thankfully the berries aren't going to waste.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ki7Ww7E7lcbjYBclnMqinujVoXE9vpJKqOlh5Ft1Tx8tOKhj5EW0-gEn3bxNCduhQ9HRRkgKGpVzH8Gx-4ePSII93awOa2lBi-k4NcglYQkdfekigG2Pc_I_riFQqQgIixDEZUHNiBg/s1600/image_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ki7Ww7E7lcbjYBclnMqinujVoXE9vpJKqOlh5Ft1Tx8tOKhj5EW0-gEn3bxNCduhQ9HRRkgKGpVzH8Gx-4ePSII93awOa2lBi-k4NcglYQkdfekigG2Pc_I_riFQqQgIixDEZUHNiBg/s400/image_0005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-28360364810079131672011-01-19T02:25:00.000-08:002011-02-28T02:27:06.865-08:00Smew check upToday the Smew was mostly in the company of a female Tufted Duck. Although a bit nondescript and brown, there is always a certain humorous quality (maybe something to do with John Tenniel's illustrations?) to female Tufteds which I assume the Smew appreciated too.<br />
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I'm not sure I've ever noticed a duck yawn before, but the Smew did on a couple of occasions, and that was good, confirming no serious injury lower down the jaw, and also giving a good view of the bill tip injury.<br />
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Maybe this stretching was to relieve stiffness I don't know, but either way it continued to fish, apparently unconcerned, and with no little success, taking several good size perch over the course of an hour<br />
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One full and seemingly content Smew<br />
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As people drifted off we decided to head down to Keyhaven to look for a flock of Lapland Bunting that had been around in a stubble field for ages, but despite an enjoyable couple of hours hunting amongst the maize bottoms, all we came up with were Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Starling Skylark and Rock Pipit.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">This Rock Pipit was spectacularly obliging</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">We gave up after a while and headed back to Hordle in the hope of a somewhat larger prize. A rather bigger group of people had gathered in the lay-by in the late afternoon sunshine which was good, more eyes and more banter to pass the time. I'm not sure why I decided that at a particular time any self respecting Eagle would be roosted up, but I did, and we gave up the hunt. Whilst packing up the camera I announced in a loud voice to John that it didn't matter because we would see it on the way home, just to raise a smile amongst the group of watchers.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I always thought John and I had far more than our fair share of luck when we used to go twitching, maybe it was his experience, but this evening it was definitely luck. A couple of miles up the road, along Silver Street I was forced into some creative parking as a huge raptor headed low towards us, gliding right over our heads. Unbelievable. The only unfortunate thing in retrospect was that I didn't have time to even take the camera out, but those untaken images will live long in the memory.</div>Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15939784202189519664noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-768061905842208237.post-12164570727323916922011-01-09T15:17:00.000-08:002011-02-27T15:24:57.738-08:00Even more SmewtifulAnother nice day found the Smew upstream of the bridge and hard to photograph. Its chosen companion today was a Little Egret whose new plumes seemed terribly itchy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jKfbsyCLZtZMeI9NsJU9BEuDwvNau1dQpF83SbVaTkyFlsBoH_yPPCEDCVTs51zreL4d7m3vHciF-uV1Y0LW0ge_gMgzyacc2u0BMk9XcLGRB5qaSw7JvKEo30yNJFoiwEZLlmvKic8/s1600/image_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jKfbsyCLZtZMeI9NsJU9BEuDwvNau1dQpF83SbVaTkyFlsBoH_yPPCEDCVTs51zreL4d7m3vHciF-uV1Y0LW0ge_gMgzyacc2u0BMk9XcLGRB5qaSw7JvKEo30yNJFoiwEZLlmvKic8/s400/image_0002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back to the serious business of fishing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Smew moves in to watch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and tries out this lazy approach to lunch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Smew wasn't getting any bites and fell asleep, and the Egret's only bites seemed to be coming from midges.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWb2IymB-2ZCK3tdH99yEnN60Nzf2XW6aY0m6KaKvYME7rDjva3qUpDBod1ePDiWbMKhcwRb97551yr-T09DzaVNbz5_ONupE7Slr08DhvsKKEgdciVwx_La-R5baiH6XoWA5NEHos1s/s1600/image_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWb2IymB-2ZCK3tdH99yEnN60Nzf2XW6aY0m6KaKvYME7rDjva3qUpDBod1ePDiWbMKhcwRb97551yr-T09DzaVNbz5_ONupE7Slr08DhvsKKEgdciVwx_La-R5baiH6XoWA5NEHos1s/s400/image_0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Egret seemed to polite to ask the Smew to move and just sat and watched her for about five minutes before shuffling off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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