I am licensed by Natural England to photograph Kingfishers (a Schedule 1. bird). It is an offence that could lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £5000 to photograph or knowingly disturb a Schdule 1. bird at the nest site without a license.
Here is a link to my Kingfisher Galleries
I haven't had a Greenfinch in the garden for a couple of years so, just like a bus, two came along together this morning. I was obviously pleased to see them, both females incidentally. It's ironic because my neighbour has decided to chop down a beautiful large apple tree in their garden today, in fact as I speak it's happening. I am short of devastated but very upset. This tree has been responsible for attracting lots of wildlife in to my garden this last 10 years or so and it was a beacon to all the birds passing through from the open areas of the river country park who used it as a flight path as they moved on to the open country side on the edge of the "village". We have had all sorts of birds in this tree, a Redpoll being the highlight, but Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Goldfinch, Siskin, Goldcrest, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler and Blackcaps have been the highlights not to mention several Sparrowhawks. This blog was actually set up to record the wonderful wildlife that has been encouraged in to the garden by this gorgeous tree and now it's no more. A beautiful, glorious tree in full leaf and very healthy giving off life giving oxygen, nature's way of dealing with polution. It's very sad and extremely frustrating.
When I had visited the Kingfisher nest site yesterday I had been dismayed to see that the high water line was almost up to the nest even though there was still several minutes to go before high tide. I had to leave because it was almost dark and went home keeping my fingers crossed in the hope that the burrow would not be inundated. Spring tides are always higher than neaps and we are on springs at the moment . I took some confidence, and still do, to note that during the May spring tides the predicted levels were even higher and yet I know that the Kingfishers had managed to raise at least 3 youngsters to fledging. So it appears that they may have been able to endure in spite of what must have been avery close thing. If you look at the picture you can see that last night the water level reached the very edge of the nest and I am banking on the structure of the nest burrow to have preserved the safety of the clutch. Because the nest burrow slopes upwards I am assuming that the actual nest cavity which is hollowed out at the end of the tunnel is going to be several inches higher than that water line. Fingers crossed. If that doesn't prove to be the case then we have to accept that nature is very unpredictable. The Kingfishers have chosen a very precarious site, right on the edge of the rivers highest level. This afternoon, even though I didn't see any activity at the nest that is not to say that incubation was taking place as usual. I did hear and see a bird fly by as normal so I can only assume that, in spite of the danger, things are still progressing. I am returning to the nest site this evening when I hope to see some activity at the nest to confirm the situation.
*Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update*
I returned to the Kingfisher site this evening to continue my observations. I have to confess that I am now seriously concerned that the nest has failed. I sat again for 1 1/2 hours waiting to see some activity at the nest. I didn't..........! It could be that I am just being unlucky, I don't think it's unusual for a Kingfisher to spend 2 hours on the nest before changing over. I have no experience of watching Kingfishers at the nest so I have nothing to compare. I do know that while one is incubating it is normal for the other bird to be well away from the nest. The only sniff of an indication that everything is still OK was when, both earlier today and this evening, a Kingfisher flew past the nest burrow calling as it went. I think that this may indicate the presence of a bird in the nest and the flying bird was on both occasions, calling to its mate..... but who knows?
*Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update* *Update*
Its quite hard to photograph swifts and yesterday, after being invited by the owner of a cottage on the edge of Dartmoor to come and look at the birds using nest boxes under the eaves of his thatched cottage, I went to try and get some good images. This is definitely a project in progress now because it will be just a matter of time before the conditions are right to get some pictures that I am satisfied with. They are not called swifts for nothing, they fly incredibly quickly but I could see that once the light is right I will be able to photograph them as they come and go from their nest boxes which are in use now.
While I was waiting last evening I passed the time by photographing the Collared Dove that was using the nearby roof as a vantage point.
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I arrived at the nest site this morning after not visiting since last Tuesday evening. I had found it really stressful then and there is not a great deal I can do to help if disturbance is taking place, so I would rather not know. When I got there, just as on my last visit it was as though there was no nest nearby, Kingfisher wise, it was quiet and there was no sight or sound of a bird and if you didn't know of the nest burrow just opposite, you would be no wiser. My ears are tuned in to the sound of a Kingfisher calling and I noted down every time I heard one. My notebook tells me that it was about 15 minutes before I heard one, just twice in a minute or so and then within 30 minutes one flew in front of the hide from up river. When the first hour was up I had briefly seen one bird and I suspected that the other one was sitting tight on eggs in the burrow. At least I hoped so. The usual dog walkers and stone throwing owners had come and gone but most hadn't lingered too long and as there was no sign of a Kingfisher then they were causing no disturbance whatsoever. After I had been there 75 minutes, suddenly a bird arrived and called loudly but unfortunately that coincided with the arrival of yet another dog and owner so the bird who I suspect had arrived to take over, moved on up river. There was now a period of well over 35 minutes when there was absolute peace and quiet with no people or dogs and this would have been a great time for a change over at the nest. It didn't happen then though and I did begin to wonder if everything was OK? I now know that to be the case and it just proves that the none incubating bird keeps away from the vicinity when the other one is sitting. It was during this quiet time when a Carrion Crow actually perched on my hide (with me sitting in it), proving that it is an accepted part of the landscape now. I love it when this happens. After 15 minutes short of 2 hours the first really interesting activity took place and I will quote from my notebook. "KF calls loudly and again flies by me.... and now again. Now I film it next to the nest (see above) but it gets disturbed by someone who, totally oblivious walks right past on the bank above the bird just 2 feet away. (I wonder how many times people do that)? The bird flies of (still unseen), and flies towards me and then, calling very loudl it flies off up stream. It's 18 minutes later when the walker and his doggie had gone and then it flies back and settles on the same stick. In fact, in exactly the same place. Note: This is usual behaviour, once a KF has used a perch it will repeatedly use it. Unfortunately there was still a dog and owner near but this time, even though he is aware of them he stays put on the perch. During that 18 minutes I saw a bird fly strongly up-stream, this was the female leaving her sitting duties. I could clearly see that this perched bird was the male and after a few seconds, up he went to take his place on the eggs. The female had spent more than 2 hours in it's nest. All in all, after a lot of patience, a great outcome. It seems as though incubation is progressing nicely.
I went back in the evening with a few hours to spare and watched the male flying up and down the river in front of the nest. He perched for a while on his new favourite perch and I took a few photos. The river is around 25 to 30myards wide at this point and therefore my photos, being so distant are really just record shots. I hope you understand?
This is a blow by blow account of this evening's session at the Kingfisher site. It shows that this breeding pair of Kingfishers, who have already successfully fledged youngsters at this site are tolerant of an incredible amount of disturbance.
"I arrived at the nest site at 6.30 this evening to be confronted with people paddling deep in the water in front of the nest. My heart sank, I don't know how long they had been there of course but I decided to ask them to move away explaining that breeding birds were near here and they were probably causing a massive disturbance. They complied immediately and moved away which was good to see. That small party was replaced by another walker and his dog almost immediately so it will be interesting (to say the least) to see if the birds are going to be able to tolerate this level of disturbance. I certainly hope so, but only this evening's session is going to give me the answer. If I was a Kingfisher then there is no way that I would have chosen this site, the problem being that as the spring turns in to summer there is much more disturbance.
House Martins are a summer visitor that has declined by 66% in the last 20 years. Imagine that if you can? 20 years ago when you may have seen flocks of a hundred this is now reduced to 30 and if this trend continues this 30 will be reduced to less than ten in the next 20 years. That will be a reduction of 90%. Obviously that can't be sustained, is the species on the road to possible extinction. How sad would that be? I remember my father telling me that in the summer time in 1930 when he was a boy, the air was black with Swallows, Swifts and Martins and they were that numerous that they would block out the sun! We had Martins breeding on my house here in Exeter 25 years ago, in fact every house in my street had House Martins nesting, last year there was just one nest. I was therefore very pleased to see quite a large flock gathering mud for their nests on the muddy puddles in the flood relief scheme near Exeter Quay. I went back this morning to try and get some in flight photos which at first was very successful but then a couple of workers arrived to cut the grass which spooked them a bit ( to say the least).
Its now June 1st and it's two weeks since I first realised that the Kingfishers at my licensed site had successfully fledged at least 3 youngsters. Things have got quieter and quieter around the site as every day has gone by, so much so that this evening I even began to think that they had moved on to another site. This morning it had been an hour before I heard, and then saw a bird and then because of walkers nearby it didn't linger. Of course, the female could have been in the nest all along, there is absolutely no way of knowing. Then this evening, again it was extremely quiet and it was also almost an hour before I first heard a bird and like this morning, its possible that the female was in the nest and I suspect that this was the case. With the male calling to my left my attention was drawn to that bird and I couldn't be sure if the female left the nest burrow, not being able to look in two directions at once. Then I caught sight of the female who was calling from near to the nest burrow. This was just the result I had been hoping to see. Then I witnessed some very interesting behaviour . I watched her fly up to the nest but instead of flying in, it hovered around the entrance for at least 5 seconds but probably more before returning to the mud beneath. It postured repeatedly, crouching low with an outstretched beak, bobbing up and then back down again which I took to be an invitation to mate. The male was nowhere to be seen now! This went on for a minute or se before she flew up to the burrow and disappeared inside. I have no idea if eggs have been laid, but my suspicions are leaning towards that.
Back at the nest site this evening there was quite a change in behaviour and now I am not really sure what is happening. Firstly, for the first hour of my observations I didn't see any activity at the nest burrow at all. From time to time I heard a bird but there was quite a lot of activity from people walking on the bank enjoying the warm early summer sunshine and it meant that the birds were keeping away until the coast was clear. Thats the way it proved because within a few minutes of quiet resuming I heard, then saw a bird which flew in to the willow trees next to the hide. This time it was perched on a better perch and I managed to improve on the photograph taken this morning.
The male became very active and was flying up and down the river. Every few minutes he would be back again and I assumed he was calling to the female who I was sure was in the nest burrow, At one point the male flew up in to the burrow and then I saw a bird fly up stream but I hadn't seen one leave the nest. The activity continued with much calling and "tooing and frowing" Every time I had the chance to check which bird it was, it was always the male. I was just about to leave for home and had started to pack up the kit but I was still inside the hide when the male landed on the same perch as before but this time with a small wriggling fish in it's beak. He left the perch and flew to the left but I could still hear him, now even more noisy and excited and I heard a different call which was more intense and had an element of a throaty chirp along with the usual high pitch one. I managed to catch sight of him and then to my surprise, there was the female as well. They were both tucked under cover and I couldn't see for certain but I am quite sure that the male fed the fish to the female. I don't know if the female had been there all along or if she had just flown over to interact with the male. I suspect that if there was a problem and they had decided that the burrow was no longer suitable then they would have left the area. I think the fact that I saw a bird enter the burrow and then saw both birds opposite the nest means that this nest burrow is in use. I am not sure if eggs have been laid yet though.
I had a strange premonition this morning as I walked towards the Kingfisher nest site, the thought struck me that it was about time one of them came close enough to get a good photograph. I had been inside the hide, which is opposite the nest burrow for just 6 minutes when I heard a Kingfisher approaching from my right and then he landed in the willow tree in front of me and to my left and at last, very close. I worked out that I have been watching for a total of 16 hours so far and I have seen both birds almost constantly from the opposite bank and now here he was, right in front of me. ! As you can see, I had some obstructions to deal with, branches and the like and the light was not ideal, it was from behind the bird and almost in my face, fortunately the sun went behind a cloud for a few moments and I had the opportunity to get some half decent pictures. I needed to use all my experience to make the best of the opportunity. This is the male bird, you can tell by his solid black beak, the female has an orange lower mandible. He remained on the perch here for almost ten minutes before moving off to join his mate who had flown from the nest burrow. I couldn't see him now, nor the female but from the amount of calling I imagined that they were mating. I didn't manage to see what hapened next but I think he flew in to the nest burrow. I was slightly concerned though because I hadn't seen either bird enter the burrow yesterday or today but then I caught sight of one disappearing inside, confirming that breeding activity is taking place. It seems that the female is spending most of the time in the nest. I have no evidence that proves the male has done any incubating as yet but thats not to say he hasn't. The male is far noisier than the female, he always calls to announce his presence whereas the female is more furtive. However, she does call as well. I am not certain but there seems to be two differing calls, without any scientific evidence to prove it but it seems to me that the female seems to have a two sylable call, differing to the male's single sylable. I actually stayed at the hide for 3 hours this morning and during that time the male came to the same close perch on three different occasions. On the last visit he first flew to the nest burrow calling loudly all the time, he didn't land but circled around and then came over to my side, landing in that very same spot and this time with a very big fat minnow in his beak, held tail first. This was without doubt an offering to the female. He reamained on the perch with it, calling constantly, for a minute or so. I was praying for the female to join him, hoping to see a common breeding interaction called the "fish-pass" but she didn't, much to my disappointment. Eventually he gave up and flew up stream with it. I was keen to see if any of my pictures were aceptable and I left for home just as the clock struck noon.
My breeding Blue Tit nest box has been interesting today and yesterday with the youngsters about to fledge. The parents are visiting the nest every minute or so with beaks full of food. I dont know how many youngsters they have but there were 7 eggs so there may be 7 hungry mouths to fill.
I am away in Yorkshire this weekend and I had the opportunity at the end of the day to go out on to Saddleworth Moor where I had seen Short Eared Owl in previous years. No sign of them today but it was a good, if short outing. It's always nice to be in new areas where you may see something that you don't normally see. I was photographing willow Warblers, a common bird in Devon at the moment of course when suddenly a bird flew in to perch at the top of a nearby tree. I thought it was a Chaffinch at first because all I saw innitially was a hint of red. When I trained the camera on it I was thrilled to see a Lesser Redpoll! This is a bird that I dont get to photograph very often and I was very happy to see and photograph it. They appear to be just a little more common in this part of the world although there are parts of Devon where you can see them easily. As a bird that I dont see often I grasped the opportunity with both hands.
When I arrived this morning it was quiet and there was no sign or sight of a Kingfisher Concealing myself quickly I then checked my watch. It was exactly 12 minutes before I heard a Kingfisher and then saw one. Firstly a bird left the burrow and then 2 birds entered one after the other. Minutes later I heard constant calling and I could see who was responsible, it was the male who was sitting on what I already know is his usual place beneath the nest on the muddy boulders. Even though he was a accross the river from me I managed to get a nice cropped image of him. I only stayed in the hide for 35 minutes today but I just needed to reassure myself that everything is safe and well.
I was excited when I returned to the river today, I am always expectant and hoping that I would see something special. Even before I had got myself properly concealed and settled I heard a Kingfisher and saw one disappearing in to the nest burrow. This was good to see as it is immediate confirmed that everything was OK. Just like yesterday there was a lot of activity with repeated calling and much chasing around with first a Kingfisher calling to my left and then to my right. Then there was one calling from the mud in front of the burrow and I could see it looking up to the nest where the female had just entered. After a minute or so it flew in to the nest to join her and then moments later it tumbled out tail first, I assume that he couldn't turn around inside the nest because the female was in there and had to come back out in reverse. The male would leave the nest every few minutes and then return back inside immediately, this was repeated over and over. I had witnessed this behaviour yesterday as well. Today the birds excitement didn't seem to be so intense and after an hour or so it was almost calm with just the odd call as the male came in to check up on the female who appeared to be spending more time in the nest again now. Its hard to assess at what stage they are at but I would assume that yesterdays activity and to an extent todays, was all about mating and breeding behaviour. I had presumed that eggs had already been laid but I am not so sure of this no. It is going to be hard to guess when eggs have been laid.
Its almost impossible from the distance to get really 1st class photographs but its better to have slightly inferior pictures that show interesting behaviour rather than close ups that may have an affect on the birds breeding.
I arrived at the river and in front of the Kingfisher nest burrow at a little after 9 this morning. The Kingfisher activity was just wonderful. This was one of those really special days that I will never forget. The activity started almost immediately with constant calling from the male who seemed to be in and out of the nest burrow repeatedly. It was as though he was inviting her to come and join him. He was displaying to the female who was coming and going as well and at one time she was on the mud below the nest watching him as he flew around the nest entrance. There was almost constant noisy calling and much flying up and down the river. From time to time they were in the willow tree that my hide is tucked in to proving that they are totally accepting of the structure. I was hoping to see some mating activity and though it probably happened, unfortunately I didn't see it. The male at one point started to re-excavate the burrow which was a first for me as I haven't seen this kind of activity before. Interestingly, the female investigated another hole just a few feet away from the original one but after a flew visits up to it she changed her mind again and returned to the original hole. I tried very hard to get some interesting photos but I am a bit too distant for brilliant shots but never the less, its very interesting to watch them, a real privilege.
Well before 7 this morning I returned to the hide that I have hastily erected in front of the Kingfisher nest on a river near to my home. Because of the need to keep disturbance down to a minimum I needed to be hasty and consequently it is a flimsy affair made from 5 "scrim face-veils" slung around stout willow sticks pushed in to the mud. It is camouflaged even further by willow pushed in to the ground around the edges. This morning it was 20 minutes before I heard the first Kingfisher of the day, a bird calling from up river to my right. Then I located it on the bank just to the right of the nest. It appeared to be looking for prey in the fast flowing water beneath, I had seen it catch a minnow from this very same spot yesterday. It was the adult male and he continued to call almost constantly, a way of letting his female know that he was there. After a short while his attentions were drawn to something on my side of the river and he launched his attack on another Kingfisher that I hadn't been aware of. It was one of the juveniles from the first round. The young bird flew back up river calling as it went with the male in hot pursuit. He is not tolerant of any of his youngsters on the patch now. This is unfortunate for me because it means that I have missed the opportunity to photograph them being tended to and fed as they would have been for the first few days out of the nest. Minutes passed and then with more calling he was back. This time I saw a flash of colour as the female emerged from the burrow but that was all I saw of her, it was just a fleeting glimps as both birds flew down river to my left.
Out at the Kingfisher nest site this evening it appeared to me that the youngsters that I had seen only a couple of days ago have now been driven from the territory. I had only been in the hide for a matter of minutes when I heard my first Kingfisher of the session. I heard a Kingfisher before I saw it, right opposite and just feet from the nest hole. It was the male and he was perched on the mud "boulders" that had tumbled in to the water. From time to time he called, I took this to be a call to let the female, perhaps sitting on eggs in the burrow, know that he was there. I had it in focus through my camera and after a second or two it flew up on to the the top of the bank. It made a dive but it wasn't successful the first time but on the next dive he was and the catch was a large juicy minnow.
I wondered what was going to happen, was the fish going to be fed to youngsters, taken in to the nest or fed to a female somewhere close by? It was a slightly disappointing outcome because he simple ate it!
As it happened I didn't see any comings and goings from the nest tonight, I am assuming that the female stayed in the nest for the entire 2 hours that I watched.
I returned to the Kingfisher site at 7 this morning. I have a busy day ahead with music but I was keen to try and see and hopefully photograph some interaction between the adult Kingfishers and their recently fledged youngsters.
I managed to get myself sat and concealed opposite the nest and so far I hadn't seen or heard a bird which was good because it meant that I hadn't caused any disturbancewhen I got there. Arriving and leaving are the two most dangerous times and you need to make sure that no disturbance is caused.
It was a good 30 minutes before I saw and heard the first bird of the day. A kingfisher seemed to be flying up and down the river in front of the nest burrow. I could hear it calling for several minutes both to my left and right but I couldn't seem to see it. Then I realised that it was perched at water level just beneath the nest and it continued to call. I assumed it was one of the youngsters and it wasn't until I fixed the lens on it that I could see that it was the adult male. I realised what was going on when after 10 minutes I caught sight of a Kingfisher disappearing in to the nest burrow. Then another bird, obviously the female who had apparently been relieved of duties in the nest flew away up river. The calling male was letting the female know that he was there and ready to take over. What is going on? There are two possibilities. The first could be that there are still almost fully grown chicks in the nest still waiting to fledge? Or more likely, the female has already started on a second clutch of eggs and has begun incubation. I am going with the second theory because if there were near fully grown chicks in the nest, food would be delivered almost constantly and this is not the case. It is odd though that the youngsters from the previous round are being allowed to remain in the territory. Later on before I came away I saw two other Kingfishers, obviously youngsters.
Before you read this you need to know that.......
It is against the law to photograph a Kingfisher at the nest or in the nesting territory without a license. I am a schedule 1. license holder for Kingfisher at this nest site.
In February I had started my observations where Kingfishers had bred on two previous years (to my knowledge). Unfortunately last years nest bank had collapsed and it was obvious that they were not going to breed there this year. I had searched for a potential new site and not seen anywhere nearby that I considered to be suitable nor had I even seen a Kingfisher there this year so I gave up to be honest. Today as I walked along I reached the area where they had bred last year. I heard and then saw a Kingfisher immediately, then another and possibly even another, obviously young birds recently fledged the nest and this was confirmed when I saw yet another with a fish in its beak. This would be an adult flying in to feed the youngsters. I couldn't wait for the early evening to arrive, I planned to return when the light was better and when the time came I returned and tucked myself in a bag hide in the general area that I had seen them in the morning. Almost immediately I started to see Kingfishers and it wasn't long before one flew across the river and landed just in front of me. Unfortunately this young female, even though she was only 10 feet in front of me was just obscured by branches and leaves.
She was eventually flew off without being aware of me. I sat waiting and an hour or so later I heard a bird on the opposite bank and then suddenly there it was just to my right, now only 6 feet away from me but not in front of the camera and any movement would have disturbed it for sure. Eventually off it went and then moments later it returned and spent 10 minutes or so preening. Its been 10 months since I last saw a Kingfisher very close and it was absolutely thrilling to see one again, so beautiful, bright turquoise and iridescent. Its easy to forget how stunning Kingfishers are.
Eventually this bird moved away, calling as it left the perch and when it was quiet I decided to position myself with a clear shot of this perch, still concealed inside the bag hide of course. It is imperative that you create absolutely no disturbance whatsoever and make sure that the birds have no idea that you are there observing them. Stealth, absolute quiet and secrecy is essential. Moments later another Kingfisher called, again from the opposite bank and I watched it settle in clear view, then it disappeared in to a hole in the bank...... I had found the nest! Moments later as I continued to watch another bird arrived and joined the first one in the nest. I took a photo or two and as quietly as I could I left the area and I could still hear young Kingfishers calling in the distance. All in all a great result.
Earlier on in the day I went over to the Caravan hide and when I checked the Blue Tit nest box I was pleased to see that 3 eggs had hatched. You can check the photo of the original clutch by clicking on the "Related article" link below.
We put a couple of nests boxes in the wood last Autumn and as spring arrived I kept my eyes on them in the hope that Blue Tits would use at least one. I knew that one of the boxes had been used for roosting over the winter and I kept a close watch on it to see if any nest building took place. It all started in April when at first, a few bits of moss were seen in the box and this was gradually added to over the course of the next week or so. It was obvious that a nest was being built. Things progressed really well and eventually it was almost full of moss and a large amount of downy feathers and animal hair. The eggs when they arrived were laid in a cup in the corner of the box and 7 were laid on consecutive days. Incubation has begun and I could see when I checked today that at least 6 of the 7 look fertile. I can tell this because they look darker and heavier. When they are first laid you can see, just by looking in the nest, that the eggs are translucent at first, once the embryo begins to develop the eggs look darker and heavier. As a way of explanation it is similar to porcelain and pottery, one is almost see through and the other appears solid.
It's going to be interesting to watch the egss hatch and then their development I will keep you informed.
The Song Thrush is a species in decline in the UK, formally one of our most familiar birds, it is now a treat to see one..... especially in the garden. At the Caravan Hide (thats Trailer Hide if you are from the US), I can hear hear one singing constantly and there is obviously a nest somewhere very close by because I have seen them carrying moss and grasses. The British Trust for Ornithology describes how they are more common in decidious woodland so it is not surprising that they are in the woodland behind my hide but I rarely if ever see them in my garden whereas 50 years ago you could guarantee to have one. As a boy in around 1955 I well remember that my father taught me the difference between a Blackbirds nest and a Song Thrush. This implies that both nests were easy to find. At the time every young boy, and probably girl would know that the bowl of a Song Thrush nest is lined with mud whereas a Blackbird's has no mud. The eggs are very similar, the same shade of blue but Song Thrush eggs are more heavily spotted than the Blackbirds. Song Thrush eggs are a real thing of beauty.
It's worth mentioning that a Song Thrush is related to the American Robin (turdus migratorious) which is also a true Thrush. The common American species of large warbler the Water Thrush ((Parkesia sp.) looks very similar and when you compare the two species it's not hard to understand why the first settlers to the Americas , familiar with the Song Thrush from home, gave it that name.
Have a look at the links below which shows some other interesting information about other true Thrush species. Turdus falklandii is a species that I am familiar with from my vists to the Falkland Islands.
Its been a shocking day here in Devon today and as well as that, I didn't have a car until late afternoon. I went out to caravan hide for some fresh air as much as anything. I am trying to tempt the small birds to food in the middle of the raised pool which we built especially to photograph the reflections. It was a lot of effort but the results are good and will only get better the more patience I show. I just love the smooth background that the water gives.
A Pheasant and his two mates have been regular visitors to the spilt food just lately.
I dont like Squirrels! But I can't beat them so I have decided to photograph them. They are a nuisance and continually damage my photographic set-ups. The reason that Woodpeckers dont visit my hide is because as soon as my back is turned the squirrels eat every peanut they can find!
Today I could see a great photo opportunity. I wanted to photograph the birds flying in and out of the pool, it almost worked but it was hard to convince the small birds that it was safe, Jays were the only birds that didn't seem to worry, but the small birds were very reluctant.
A great Tit leaves the rock.
As someone who has taken thousands and thousands of photos of a "bird on a perch" recently I have been trying to concentrate more on in-flight shots. However, I have no control over the weather and light and yesterday just wasn't right for that. The camera was set up to achieve fast shutter speeds and I didn't have success.
Having spent most of yesterday and today nursing damaged knee ligaments after I slipped and fell on Bluebell leaves in the wood yesterday afternoon, I was somewhat incapcitated. I decided that I could sit in the caravan and photograph the birds coming in to feed without too much discomfort once I had limped there. I had a really nice afternoon with the Nuthatch pair who came in repeatedly as well as Coal, Blue and Great Tits. The Jays put in an appearance as well and all around me birds were singing constantly. I could hear two Green Woodpeckers very close at times for most of the afternoon as well as a Song Thrush, Blackcap and a Stock Dove off and on.
I went out to Challacombe Farm on Dartmoor today. This is usually a good place for several interesting species of birds and insects as well. Today however was relatively quiet but it would have been much better for me if I had remembered my binoculars. After walking up towards the out buildings and farm my attenton was diverted by the Swallows that were collecting mud for their nests from the edge of the farm pond. I lingered for far too long trying to get good pictures. This meant that I didn't go on the long walk that I had planned. However it was at the start of my journey home that I had my best moment of the day. Not far from Challacombe as I drove along the narrow moorland lane, just in front of me and to my left I saw a Cuckoo perched on the dry stone wall. I just love Cuckoos and for the previous two years I have had great close views of Cuckoos but It's not that often that you accidentaly get a close encounter like this. I quickly stopped the car and grabbed the camera but the bird flew up and followed the line of the road to land in a tree next to the road. I followed it all the way and then stopped the car again, and from the window snapped off just three pictures of the bird now gloriously sat in full view as you can see above. It was a special encounter and really enjoyable.
I had my best opportunity ever to get decent photos of a Goldcrest late this afternoon. Goldcrest are, along with Firecrest, our smallest breeding bird and its quite hard to get them to stay still long enough to get a photograph but today my luck changed. I was in the wood behind my caravan hide looking for evidence of nesting Woodpeckers when I heard a Goldcrest singing. I sat on a log beneath the tree with the bird above me and then, after a moment or two it came down to a low bush in front of me, the background was perfect and as you can see, I managed a nice picture before it quickly disappeared again!
Jenny and I had planned a trip to North Cornwall yesterday to try and photograph Gannets. I had been told by Liz and Chris Foster about Rumps Point which is just up the coast from the Camel Estuary and Padstow. We had been waiting for the weather forcast to be favourable and yesterday looked like a sunny one with a north wind which is needed because this drives the Gannets nearer to the shorline and in to photographic range. This is was a new thing for us and reminded us of how great it is to live in the West Country and have this kind of opportunity within driving distance of home. We arrived at the farm car park as directed by Liz and then walked the track to the coastal path. A Skylark was singing above the fields, and Swallows were everywhere. When we got to the Coasal Path, we were'nt prepared for the peace, tranquiity and beauty that greeted us, what a view. A Kestrel was hovering just above the track very low and then zoomed away on the wind. We followed the path to the point, a walk of about a mile, disturbing numerous Rock Pipits on the way. We found a spot out of the very strong cool wind to survey the Mouls, a small steep island just offshore, Through my new spotting scope I could see Kittiwakes on their nests as well as Herring Gulls, Lesser Black backed Gulls and Shag but sadly no Puffins which are known to breed on the island in small numbers. In total we spent a pleasant 5 hours over-looking the water. I did manage that photo of a Gannet, frustratingly I could see them further out in the bay for most of the day and just 4 times one flew past close enough for me to get a picture. The highlight of the day was a small group of Razorbill that were feeding very close in to the rocks. I decided to clamber down to the waterline, I am sure that most people would have thought this a bit extreme. It didn't seem particularly dangerous at the time but I suppose there was a risk. Once I was down there I felt as safe as houses and it was worth it. The Razorbills were feeding in the waves and in the clear water I could see them swimming like penguins beneath the surface. From this vantage point I had some great close views and I laughed at one point because I said to myself, "All I could do with now is a Guilimot" and then suddenly just seconds later there was one drifting by!
A wonderful piece of history has come to my attention. One of the most well known poems "Ode to the Fallen" was writton by Laurence Binyon as he sat on Rumps Point. This poem contains the "We will remember them" that we are all so utterly familiar with. I am incredibly moved by this and am shamed for not knowing this before. The last line of the poem is "They sleep beyond Englands foam" ............ the very foam that the Razorbills and Guilimots were fishing in and I enjoyed watching, had inspired Binyon to think of the fallen in World War 1 as he sat there, just as I did in 1914.
Rumps Point and the Plaque commemorating Binyons poem.
The day finished with a trip in to Padstow for a pint and a bar meal. Padstow has a reputation for cuisine which proved to be unfounded as I endured the worse bar meal I have had for quite a while!
In chronological order I have quite a variety of pictures today. First thing this morning I went back the fields and scattered woodland where I had seen Treecreeper yesterday. I was sure that I could get some better photographs.... unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.....but as I walked in to the meadow, there in front of me was a Roe Deer. We all know that Roe Deer are much more common in the UK than they used to be but I am always very pleased to see one. Like someone commented to me the other day, "do you realise that you are like hunter, and you have the same skills"? Well its never that easy to get close to a Roe Deer, no matter how common they are. They are incredibly wary and easily disturbed. Roe Deer are native to the UK by the way. Interestingly they have a 9 month pregnancy! They mate in August and September and the fawns are born around about now. However, they have a strategy where the young feotus does not start to develop in the womb until late December. If you look closely at the picture, you can possibly see a swollen belly?
My next picture is of a Bee Fly, at this time of the year I see them in my garden, a very interesting insects which looks a bit scary but is a harmless insect, well harmless to humans but they are a parasitic insect that uses a the nest of a mining bee as a host.
Its on a Primrose by the way and if you are not from the UK you would not know how common this flower is in the English countryside and English gardens.
We have seen this species on my Blog several times over the last few days, it's a Chiffchaff of course and I photographed it on Exminster Marsh where I wen to to try out my new latest gadget which is an eye piece that when attached to your photographic lens, turns it in to a state of the art spotting scope. It is made by Kenko, click on the link to see a video about it.
While I was there on the marsh I saw a Hobby, apparently there had been at least 6 today. I didn't get a decent enough photo but almost. I did see and photograph another couple of Shellduck.
All in all a very pleasant day spent looking for wildlife, rounded off by the evening spent conducting Lympstone South West Teecoms Brass Band
This picture shows how well they are adappted to their environment and it also shows the key features of the species. They have very long claws which they use to hang on to bark as they creep, always vertically up the tree trunk. As well as that they have a stiff, specially adapted tail which they use for stability in the same way that woodpeckers do. If you look at the tail of a woodpecker they also have the same deep "V". The plumage is cryptic, that is to say it blends in perfectly to their surroundings. Their beak is long, thin and pointed. They use this to feed by probing deep in to bark for insects that other birds, tits for example, can't reach. Another interesting feature is the white underside which usually can't be seen as they rarely perch upright on a perch like the other "perching birds". Quite why they have this snowy white underside is a mystery to me.
As an extra, I took a nice photo of a Chiffchaff again today.
I had another go at the Tree Pipits today, I was sure that I could a bit closer and consequently get a better photo or two. It almost turned out that way but not quite. For some reason, and I don't know why, the bird that I had seen yesterday constantly singing and displaying was far less active. However it did show for me a few times and I did mange shots from a little nearer but there was always something not quite perfect. A nice species that sings beautifully and because they are not as common as Meadow Pipits, always nice to see and photograph. This is a true migrant and they arrive at this time of year from their wintering grounds in Africa. Today I also saw my first Cuckoo of the year but just couldn't get a picture of it even though it was very close.
Buzzards were displaying to each other once the sun came out and they could use the thermals. Even though this picture was a bit distant it's well worth posting to show what a spectacular sight it can be. Again though, a lot of this action takes place very quickly and you can hardly see the twists and turns with the naked eye..
It's always nice to photograph something a bit different and my quest today was to return to an area on Dartmoor where I had seen Tree Pipits last year. I have already been twice before this year but not seen any but today I had immediate success with first one bird and then another in exactly the same tree that I had seen them before. Unfortunately this tree, although only about 9 feet tall doesn't give a good background and even though I took photographs, I wasn't entirely happy with the background. I walked down to another area on the side of the valley and I was very pleased to hear another bird displaying in the scattered low trees here. The background was now perfect and I sat with my back to to a massive granite boulder hoping that the bird would perch and display from the nearest bushy tree just in front..... and that's exactly what happened. I couldn't tear myself away, trying to get the very photographs possible. I am relatively pleased with the results today but I have come to learn that whenever I return to an area to try again I usually do better and hopefully when I go back tomorrow, as long as the weather isn't too bad, I should have more success.
My friend Dick constructed a raised mirror pool to put in front of the hide. The effect is a mirror-like surface, perfectly flat and with the sky reflected back beautifully. I wanted to photograph Jays when they come to feed. It worked immediately, not Jays yet but Nuthatches and the other small Tits but especially Nuthatches. Here's a selection of images to show what it's all about.
I quite quickly saw the opportunity to photograph the Nuthatches as they flew in and out with this upside down reflections a real photographic challenge but the finished effect very appealing.
.......... not mine but in Exeter never the less. I spent the day photographing what can only be described as a "flock" of Bramblings in an Exeter garden. They have been feeding on the offerings of Black Sunflower since last November and, much to the pride and joy of the house owners, Liz and Chris their appearance has been a daily ocurrance. Very surprisingly they are still here and today, although it was hard to estimate how many still remain, there were more than 6 individulas. The males are coming in to breeding condition and I saw two that have almost solid black caps. Apparently there is another male that didn't show up while I was there. This one has an entirely solid black hood. Perhaps just as amazing was the presence of more than 3 pairs of Bullfinches all coming to the same feeding tray, Of course, Bullfinches are not rare but they are bird that I dont get to see closely everyday of the week and it was a stunning spectacle to see them, especially the spanking breeding condition males. Unfortunately, the light was far too harsh for perfect photos, I was slightly disappointed with the results in the end but I have some interesting photographs showing these males in breeding condition which is unusual in the UK.
One of at least 3 males seen (possibly even 4 or 5). This one has yet to develop the black head.
This is one of the "black-hooded" males, a real spectacle and a very unusual sight in the United Kingdom. By now these birds would normally have departed for their northern breeding grounds, probably Scandinavia but we have had such a cool spring that birds that over-winter in the UK have remained for an unusually extended period.
A pretty female.
I would suggest that this photo is one of the most unusual possible. A male and female Bullfinch, a gorgeous Greenfinch and a spanking male Brambling in breeding plumage.
I spent most of the day looking for Grasshopper Warbler, a species that I haven't managed to photograph yet. I can't be sure but I heard glimpses of song which I couldn't be sure of and it therefore goes without saying that I was not successful but I will return to the area sometime again next week.
At the caravan hide, I popped over to check the feeders. A piece of 'road-kill"pheasnt had been taken so I am assuming that a Buzzard is responsible. Fingers crossed. For a while, the sun shone brightly and I managed the nest inflight shot of a Coal Tit so far.
Squirells are a real nuisance and no matter how hard I try I can't stop them from coming to feed on the peanuts. I decided that perhaps there may some photo opportunity with them so watch this space.
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