Back with the Bluebells

Back with the Bluebells

Well, study leave has started for me... and I haven't done a single birding, or bird related outing now for months, mainly because I haven't had the time, what with a busy routine of end of school parties and chilling out at home instead-- with the odd bit of revision here and there... ;-)

Anyway, a week ago now, I took a brief trip back to the wild bluebell woods in Shalford, Guildford. After missing the opportunity to see them back at the start of the month, I knew this would be my last chance, and I wasn't disappointed...

Once I'd finally finished prancing round the bluebell woods, I couldn't miss an opportunity to shoot this little white flower, a Greater Stitchwort...

Nor this Copper Birch tree in the evening sun...

There wasn't really that much else around, but a singing Firecrest was a new one for me, and a Whitethroat, fresh from Africa, sang in the surrounding hedgerows.

It's Been too Long...

It's Been too Long...

Photography chances have been few and far between this April, which has been a particularly quiet month. I've been doing most of my photography in and around the garden...

Goldfinch

The other day we took a walk at Shere, in the Surrey hills. The weather was brilliant, hottest day of the year so far, and many butterflies were on the wing, including...

Orange Tip

Peacock

The views for the walk are stunning, allowing you to see a large part of the Surrey hills...

On the bank holiday I'm hoping to take a trip back to Shalford Woods to check up on those Bluebells, which should be out by now.

Breaking the Pattern

Breaking the Pattern...

I've noticed a pattern seems to be emerging in my choice of birding sites. I seem to go from Bushy Park to Barnes, to Bushy Park to Barnes and then to some other royal park somewhere.

The other day I decided to break this pattern and visited a wild Bluebell woodland in Shalford, just off of Guildford. The bluebells weren't out yet but at least I could get some early shots before they emerged, and then come back later in May when they emerge.
Spring migrants are starting to emerge, and there were quite a few Willow Warblers about- probably missing their luxury African holiday already- I know I would be! There were also plenty of Blackcap and Chiffchaff in full song.

The wild Bluebells, an increasingly rare sight...

The fantastic view over the Surrey countryside...

And finishing off with a belated posting of my attempt at shooting March's full moon...

Recent Wildfowl

Recent Wildfowl...

Its been a long time since I've been birding, and even longer since I been birding in Bushy Park, so with a break in the clouds, I headed down to Heron Pond with the Nikon D60.

I had a quick check around the grassland first. Skylark were singing along with a few Meadow Pipit. Green Woodpecker were flying about but the star had to be a female Wheatear- my first for Bushy Park and for the year.

The scene...

It was noticably quiet out on Heron Pond with less wildfowl and gulls on the lake. The Shovelers had gone, along with most of the Tufted Duck and Pochard that had spent the winter here, but a welcome surprise was a superb male Mandarin...

A few Pochard still remained, including several males. I never get bored of the stunning colours of the male. This male was swimming close enough for a frame filling shot...

There are still plenty of Coots about, most have settled down for the breeding season, but a few restless pairs are always too lazy to build a nest and will kick other birds out of nests instead of building their own. Unfortunatly, this happened with the Great crested Grebe family last year.

Look at those evil eyes...

The usual Grey Heron was fishing as it usually does, on its usual perch... pretty usual really.

Heres to a successful breeding season at Bushy... except for the Coots ;)

Why Wingless?

Why Wingless...?

... No, I haven't pulled the wings of it. This is a female Dotted Border (decided to go for just 'large' photos today instead of 'X-Large'. I think you can agree with me when I say an extra large of a wingless moth is a bit in-your-face!) which I saved from frying on the garden patio. The Dotted Border is just one example of a number of species of moth where the females emerge from the cacoon totally wingless and flightless.

I've never seen a 'wingless' female moth before and was quite interested to know why the females are wingless. What benefits could it have and wouldn't it make them more vulnerable from predation? Apparently, this saves the female energy for egg producing as it doesn't have to waste energy flying. Also, it is the males that will come to them, and the females need not stray from the safety of their cocoon before the male finds them.

Ready for her man...

So now you can go back to whatever you were doing, knowing why some female moths are wingless. What more could you want to know?

Long Time, No Speak

Long Time, No Speak...

I'm going to use that excuse that everyone always uses after neglecting a blog... "I've had too much work". No time for birding and photography. Well, also that I can't be arsed to go out in the freezing weather we've had recently... but I prefer the first excuse.
Anyway, yesterday the weather was quite nice, so I brushed the dust of the camera and went to the London Wetland Centre.

On the main lake, two Water Pipits were flying from island to island. There were large numbers of waterfowl, including Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall and Wigeon.

In the trees around the Sheltered Lagoon, two Lesser Redpoll were feeding in the alders with a flock of Goldfinch, and a few Fieldfare and Redwing were a welcome sight (I haven't seen one since they departed the garden back in January!). Shoveler were on the Lagoon, including a showy pair allowing me a few photos...

Male Shoveler...

Female Shoveler- not all that boring when seen up close.

Around at Wildside, a Cetti's Warbler gave a brief burst of song from within the reeds, and on the Reservoir Lagoon, a Bittern had been found, but I didn't see it. Ah well... who needs a Bittern when you've got this shot of a Tuftie!

A personal favourite of the day...

A Grey Heron burst up from the reedbeds...

Other than that it was relatively quiet, although I never knew ducks burped...

Hayling Island

Hayling Island...

David Campbell and I spent the day today on an RSPB Guildford walk around the Oysterbeds at Hayling Island.

The group started off at Langstone Harbour where the highlights were Greenshank and a few Mediterranean Gulls in amongst the Black-headed Gulls. Brent Geese were feeding out on the mudflats as were Dunlin, Bar and Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Little Egret and various ducks.

The habour...

Greenshank...

Moorhen...

On to the Oysterbeds, and we immediatly got on to the regular group of about 20 Black-necked Grebes far out in the harbour. Amongst them were a few Great-crested Grebes, and more surprisingly, a female Velvet Scoter which is a new bird for me.

A few Kestrel were hunting over the scrubland for voles, and there were plently of Little Egret fishing along the shoreline. In the pools there were groups of Red-breasted Merganser, and whilst searching through the usual Brent Geese, David found a pair of Pale-bellied Brents- a less common subspecies around here.

Kestrel...

Little Egret...

After the walk, Sean, David and I went off to see if we could find the Green-winged Teal that has been present at Budds Farm SW nearby. There was so sign of the Teal, however Sean found 3 more Mediterranean Gulls.

In all, a great walk, with some great birds to top it off with. Thanks Roger, David and Sean for the lifts!

Waterbirds at Kew

Waterbirds at Kew...

I've probably said this before, but landscape gardens like Kew aren't really my cuppa tea. However, many of the birds there are quite used to humans passing through daily, and so sometimes allow quite good views, which can in turn be good for photography.

The weather today has been brilliant, and so we went to Kew Gardens today to meet family. Of course, I couldn't go without the camera, and after a while of strolling around slightly boring man made gardens, I found a small lake, on which a load of waterbirds were feeding, making good subjects for a few shots...

Greylag Goose...

Mallard...

Coot fighting in the afternoon sunlight...

Bar-headed Goose; one of the exotic species kept in the park, very handsome birds, even if they aren't wild...

Moorhen...

There are a number of Crocuses in flower at the moment in the Gardens, and I took out the wide-angle lens for the following shot, with the temperate houses in the background...

Bosham Brents

Bosham Brents...

The weather hasn't been good enough today to go anywhere, but yesterday, after visiting friends in Chichester, I stopped off at Bosham Harbour to see if anything was around.

Out on the mud, there were Grey Plover, with a few Golden and Ringed Plover mixed in. Oystercatchers and Redshanks were working through the rockpools, but all were too far away for a decent shot. A few Brent Geese landed in the small car park by the seafront and argued with each other like they do...

Brent Geese...

After a while, it started to get windy and the light began to fade, so we decided it was time to go home.

Garden Birds

Garden Birds...

The camera has stayed in its case for a week, which is quite a rare occasion. However, the garden has been quite active this morning with a few Long tailed tits and a very aggressive Great tit, so I took the most of the opportunity.

Great tit...

Long-tailed tit...

Woodpigeon...