This Olympic lark is certainly getting in the way of my wildlife watching and photography. I am usually quite prepared to spend hours and hours waiting for a good opportunity but knowing that I am missing the once in a lifetime of a UK Olympics has been hard to resist. Over the last few days I have erected a new Kingfisher hide close to home. I am not sure that this year will be as successful as the previous 3 because I am certain that the local Kingfishers suffered badly when their nests were flooded out earlier in the season and I am 99% certain that the two breeding pairs that I know of, didn't produce youngsters. The new hide is certainly in a good spot and right smack where I have seen birds before in previous years so I am optimistic of some success. I am planning to post some photos of the hide and will give you a running commentary of activity, or otherwise, as and when it happens. At the wood hide I topped up the feeders and sat for an hour watching the comings and goings. Thankfully the birds have returned in numbers again including a couple of Nuthatches, I love them. I think this one (above) is a female and almost through the moult now that takes place after they have finished breeding. I heard, nearby, both Green Woodpecker and Jays but neither came in front of the hide. Greater Spotted Woodpecker soon I hope? I find it hard to understand why the Jays haven't shown this last few days, but surely they will again soon. I have been using a decoy lens which pokes out of the hide so that when I am "in residence" my camera repalces the dummy and the clever species like Crows and Buzzards are fooled. This certainly worked with the Crows today who came very close to the hide for the first time. But it wasn't the Buzzards (yet), that I want.
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