A NEW YEAR SELECTION


 It's been a while since I've posted on here...about six months!, for no good reason apart from a large dose of lethargy on my part. So, I thought I'd better make the effort and start off the new year with a selection of images taken over the last month.

We've had a few crisp, bright and frosty days over the last few weeks and most of the local water bodies have had large amounts of ice on them, concentrating the wildfowl into smaller areas than normal...making life a little easier for the photographer...!


Gadwall taking flight...

Tufted Duck fly over...

 
 A pretty in pink Mr. Wigeon...

 There's quiet a few Goosander being reported in the area at the moment...

Still finding it difficult getting the contrast right between the iridescent green head and the subtle salmon pink tinged body of the male!

Plenty of 'winter' thrushes about at the moment too...

Fieldfare

Redwing

A male Reed Bunting... 

And in plain view, instead of using it's camouflage to 'hide' in the undergrowth, a fly over Snipe...

And my 'bestest' little birds of the year..so far!..a very showy pair of Stonechats...

 Female

Male

That's it...thanks for looking.

 

A SELECTION

It’s been a while since my last post so I’m guessing that it’s about time I did another one?


Here’s a selection of images taken on my recent wanderings.



Female BLACKBIRD not black at all but, in the right light, showing subtle shades of brown.


A GREY HERON not looking too happy on a frosty cold morning.


Greylag Geese on final approach.


Immature Herring Gull  As I still find the ageing of gulls beyond me I’ve labelled this one as immature!

 
A COOT no doubt on it’s way to a fight somewhere?


The JAY, with it’s stunning markings and colourful plumage, is one of my favourite birds to see.


And another.


A female KESTREL with the sun on her back.


Not an ugly duckling but an already elegant and graceful juvenile MUTE SWAN.


A STARLING captured in my garden in the late afternoon light showing off it’s beautiful plumage.


A WIGEON flyover.


And finally……


What am I…..

A CANALAG or maybe a LAGCANA?



And….


Barry the BLACK-HEADED GULL who’s regretting listening to all his pals when they assured him that doing a barrel roll was easy peasy lemon squeezy.

A VISIT TO WILSTONE RESERVOIR

Last Friday  (27-01-12) I went on a visit to Wilstone Reservoir, part of the Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire.  The sun was shining in a bright blue sky unfortunately there was a strong, bitterly cold, NW wind blowing.

A quick scan across the water revealed all the usual suspects, Mallard, Coot, G C Grebe and Pochard all in varying amounts, accompanied by small groups of Teal and Wigeon and of course the ever present Black-Headed Gulls!

Over the last few weeks there have been two long staying 'celebrities' a Dark-bellied Brent Goose and a Water Pipit. After a short walk, to its regularly reported favourite spot, I soon caught a rather fleeting glimpse of the Water Pipit, just enough time to grab a couple of quick record shots before it was gone!

 

Pied Wagtails were constantly flitting along the shore line accompanied by a single Grey Wagtail and, by the Reed beds in the far corner, a flock of around thirty Linnets.

Grey Wagtail

Linnet (female)

 

I then spotted  the other Wilstone 'celebrity'  the Dark-bellied Brent Goose just as it took off from the water to make a series of close fly by's before landing in its normal grazing field, soon to be joined by Canada and Greylag Geese.

 

Then there was a quick visit by two Red Kites who made a few lazy circles overhead before being 'seen off' by a group of Jackdaws that had until then been noisily minding their own business in the nearby tree tops.

There were also quite a few Redwing and Fieldfare busily looking for food in surrounding meadows and also searching the hedgerows for any remaining berries.

Redwing

Fieldfare (he thinks I can't see him!)

And finally I spent some time watching the Teal and Wigeon 'dabbling' in the shallows.

Wigeon (male)

 The video...

Christmas and New Year outings. Part 1 of 2

                Caldecotte Lakes Milton Keynes, Boxing Day (26/12/10)

The South Lake was almost completely frozen over with only a small area in front of the houses free of ice. The snow was six inches plus deep making for tiring walking. Although the temperature was nudging  - 9*C the mainly sunny conditions made for beautiful views around the lake.

There were a great number of Wildfowl concentrated in the ice free area, all eager to take food from the many people who had kindly brought bread along with them. Not the ideal food, but in these conditions it certainly helps.


Some photographs of the stars of the show, against all the odds they still put on a fantastic display.

Mute Swan

Canada Geese

Cormorant

Black Headed Gull

Greylag Geese with Barnacle Goose

 Pochard (male)

 Tufted Duck (male)

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Tufted Duck (female)

 Wigeon (male)