Another caption

Anyone for a caption?

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A good exercise session yesterday at the hospital, and an interesting talk about stress management.

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Today, they want to see me at work, to see how I'm getting on. And probably ask when I'm going back.

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Blood test tomorrow; I have to starve for 12 hours before. Gonna be tough, that one lol

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Then it's Easter at the weekend.

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Back to today; I'm off out soon, to look for birds, before I go into work.

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Enjoy whatever you have planned; or unplanned.

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New day

A misty start to the day; what will it hold, as the sun quickly burns it away?

A Wren announces the new day, for those who care to know.

The Woodpecker stops to listen for danger,

and a Robin peers from the safety of a bush,

while the Moorhen continues his search for food.

A Tufted Duck glides across the water

as a male Wigeon gazes lovingly at his mate.

And a Long Tailed Tit wonders too, what the day will hold.

Weekend

Another weekend already. Where does the time go?


Here’s a visit to Summer Leys, from a few days ago. Had an early start, and some golden light on this Little Egret.




A bit later, and further round the lake, two more.

Used to be a rarity a few years ago. Now they seem to pop up everywhere.

Black-headed Gulls are definitely not a rarity here.

They seem to take over one of the islands this time of year, and make a lot of noise in the process. And fight a lot. But this feller seems oblivious to all the noise.

One of a pair. I think they’ve decided to nest here again.

Round at one of the hides, there are a few feeders, which always attract the finches and tits. And another bird that is a regular there.

Tree Sparrow. A bird I only ever see when I come here.

Two more birds that are always here too,

a male Chaffinch, and a male Reed Bunting. The feeders also attract another bird, feeding on the spilt seed usually. A Water Rail. While I was there though, he decided to be a little uncooperative, and stay away. Not to worry. Just along from the hide are some reeds. Should be others in there. Just a matter of getting in position, and waiting.

Sure enough, one soon came along looking for some food.
Not as easy as sitting in the hide, waiting for the regular to turn up, but a little more rewarding when one did.

Have a rewarding weekend, whatever you’re doing.

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Dont forget, it's EARTH HOUR this evening!

Be a part of it.

Some favourites

I’m getting a bit behind with my pictures at the moment. As fast as I get some ready to post, I take some more, and then the earlier ones get left behind a bit. Maybe I should stop going out with the camera for a while.


Maybe not. I enjoy it too much. And besides, I came pretty close to not going out at all a while ago lol


So, here are a few I’ve taken over the last few days, that for various reasons I really like. Some personal favourites, and why.

I took this today. A Cetti’s Warbler. Although probably not the best picture in the world, it’s the best one I’ve taken of a difficult little bugger to capture. I’ve been lucky enough to see them a few times now, and only twice managed pictures. Today, I was very happy.

I like this one.

‘And how many pictures of a Blue Tit do I need?’

Words I recently said to a fellow blogger, Tricia.

Ok, so here’s another. Apart from the really clean colours of the bird, I’m happy with the angle he’s sitting, in relationship to the branches.

Yea, for now, I like it.

Now, another 'not brilliant picture', in the sense that the subject is out of focus.

The auto focus completely missed the Red Crested Pochards, and went for the branches instead. It wasn’t till I looked at it on the computer, that it somehow appealed to me though; maybe because it broke the ‘rules’.

A little extra piece to this picture……..there were 8 of these swimming around on this particular lake. A pair would have been good to see, but four pairs, wow!

And last one goes to my favourite bird. The Pheasant.

A handsome male. Took this low down on the floor of the woods, the sunlight picking him out as he walked into the spotlight. What lady Pheasant could resist such a beauty?

Hope you didn’t mind my little bit of indulgence. Back to normal next time.

Flyers, and impressions.

A mixed bag today. I’ll start with some flyers.

Canada Geese coming in to land.

Canada Geese preparing for take off.

Black-headed Gull in fly by mode

Black-headed Gull in attack?

Male Mallard fly by

Greylag Goose looking very serious

And the last two are of a Crow. He’d found a big ball of fur; probably dog fur someone had left out after grooming the pooch. Anyway, he tugged it, pulled it……….spent ages messing about with it, then turned to look at me, and,

Santa audition?

Down at the waterhole.

We all need to drink, and that’s just as true of the birds. Whilst waiting for the Crossbills to turn up the other day at Sandy, all sorts of birds came down to the water for a quick drink, or a bath.


And a surprise visitor too.



Mr. Chaffinch stopped off for a quick drink. No surprise there. He was soon joined by another, who got straight into the serious business of washing.

They all make it look such fun, splashing around in the water.

A Great Tit stopped off for a quick drink,

and another felt the need for a good old soaking.

He really entered into the spirit of it all.

A Blue Tit and a Goldfinch up next,

a rather cautious drink, whilst a Great Spotted Woodpecker looked on.

There could be danger lurking at a place like this. Someone needs to keep an eye out.

A quick drink, and then a dip, from a Blackbird,

a Robin makes a brief appearance,

and then suddenly everyone leaves.

The reason?

A Sparrowhawk. It seems this handsome chap has cottoned on to the fact that there is a ready supply of food down at the waterhole.

Not today though. They all managed to fly off just in time. Apart from one…….

The lookout just slid under the trunk, and froze, until the danger passed.

Clever.

Stockgrove Country Park

Here’s an assortment from a visit to Stockgrove Country Park, a few days ago. Quite a sunny day.

Coal Tit, and Dunnock. They did prefer the shady areas though.

Great Tit, and a Blue Tit.

This Blue Tit has got some feather moult going on here I think.

Wood Pigeon wondering where the food has gone.

Nuthatch. He’s found some.

So has this squirrel.




And as I left for home, this Black-headed Gull seemed to say goodbye,