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.

LOCATION - LOCATION - LOCATION

 

 

This is the Third and final instalment in a series of three posts with, not many words of wisdom,  just a selection of images that I hope you will enjoy. Each post dedicated to a different location that I've had the pleasure of visiting since the beginning of the month.

 

 

 

 During the snowy weather that we encountered earlier in the month I took a trip to Stockgrove Country Park which is located near to Leighton Buzzard on the border between Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. 

The birds are quite tame here, due to being regularly fed by members of the public, and will come down to feed only a matter of inches away from the watcher, so I knew that with the lying snow and frozen conditions the birds would be hungry and there was potential for some good photo opportunities with excellent 'up lighting' provided by the snow.

 

 

Unfortunately the promised sun failed to appear, however, I did manage to get a few reasonable shots....

 

 

 Mr and Mrs Blackbird...

 

 Blue Tit...

 Robin...

 Dunnock...

 

 

And an inquisitive Jay came down from his lofty perch for a closer inspection!...

Now, I couldn't resist the opportunity to include some more images, again taken in the snowy weather and from another location, but this time taken from a bit closer to home...my back garden!

Unfortunately, due to me being a wimp and staying in the warm, these images were taken through my double glazed patio doors so are consequently a bit 'soft'...

Goldfinch...

Starlings...

Male and Female House Sparrow...

 Dunnock...

Female Blackbird...

And last but not least is 'Woody' the Wood Pigeon...

NEW YEAR - AND A FEW NEW IMAGES

For some reason I've been rather lazy and lethargic for the start of the new year, especially in getting around to doing some new posts, I guess if I was a famous author I could say I'm suffering from 'writers block'!

However, I have managed to get out and visit a few local parks and lakes including...Tring Reservoirs where I was fortunate enough to see a couple of Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe (alas, too distant for photo's) and where the long staying Snow Bunting is still showing well...Stockgrove Country Park where a host of, well fed!, small birds can be seen at close quarters (photo's below) and I also saw, not one, but two Goldcrest bathing in a small puddle (sorry, NO photo's below, once they saw me they were gone!!)...Caldecotte Lake, on a pleasantly sunny day, where the highlight from amongst the forty different species noted was seeing three, well showing, Goosanders (a female with two males) I also had a pleasant chat, via mobile 'phone across the length of the lake, with Keith from Caldecottelake

A few images and a short video ( I'm still getting to grips with the editing!!) from my visit to Stockgrove Country Park.

Blue Tit

Coal Tit

Jay

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit

Nuthatch

Nuthatch

Great Spotted Woodpecker