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 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...

Caldecotte (South) Lake, Milton Keynes 05/01/11

I took advantage of a bright and sunny morning for a short visit to the South lake. Although it was a bright Sunny morning there was a cold raw wind blowing and it clouded over and started to rain around midday.
first off I walked around the car park area, this is were Keith (caldecottelake.blogspot.com)  feeds the birds on most days. (I topped up the seed on the bridge three times, Keith, although I think the wind was blowing it away faster than the birds could eat it !) Seen in this area were flocks of Redwing and Goldfinch plus Reed Bunting, Blue and Great Tit, Robin, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbirds (feeding on fallen apples) and a Green Woodpecker.

Redwing

Reed Bunting (male)

A short walk to the area by the houses (were the cold wind really made itself felt) showed that most of the lake is now ice free. Armed with half a loaf of bread I was soon surrounded by lots of hungry mouths, mostly Mallard, Coot, Canada Geese, Mute Swans and Black-headed Gulls. After feeding the birds and taking a few photographs the wind, and now the rain, started to get less enjoyable so I decided it was time to leave for home and a nice warm cuppa! 

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

Canada Goose

Goldeneye (male)

Mallard (male)

Mallard (male) (pale breast)

Mute Swan

Mute Swan