30 March 2014

It's been a while since I had a good mooch around The Orchard Centre at Hartpury and I had a feeling in my water today so I got myself down there pronto.
Right decision (and not just a bladder infection).
A patch first today: Green Sandpiper. Unmistakable with that white rump. The only downside was that when I flushed it, it flew off so fast that I didn't get time for a photo. No matter, I'll have a look again later in the week. See if I can sneak up on the little blighter and get a couple of polaroids for the family album.
Still, all was not lost. I managed a few shots of some of the "regulars" and great to see that the Mallards had produced a first brood too.

Well it is Mother's day!

Mallard Chick

From ducks to raptors: and what a devilishly handsome brute that buzzard is!

Buzzard

Kestrel

Stock doves can be somewhat overlooked, but in truth they too are quite handsome birds (no idea why this one is rolling his eyes though. Makes him look slightly simple).

Stock dove

Saturday 29th March 2014    Ashleworth Ham

A late afternoon visit resulted in a couple of photos.
Firstly, a group of Little Egrets. Thee were nine in all but I only managed to get 5 in the photo.

Little Egrets

Three Grey Herons were also in attendance and this one delighted me with a fly-past.

Grey Heron

Other birds seen; 6 Lapwing, 18 Shovelers, 40+ Wigeon and around 30 Linnets coming into roost with a small flock of Chaffinches.

Oh dear, is it March already?  I've been a bit lazy of late and have ignored the blog, but now the birding season is getting truly underway I will hopefully be posting a little more frequently.

In the meantime, some recent photos (from Ashleworth Ham and Hartpury Orchard Centre):

Mute Swan

Chaffinch

Black-tailed Godwits

Black-tailed Godwits

Happy New Year!

A recent iphoto from the Orchard Centre:

Happy new year!

and 5 months later......

To say I've had a bit of a hiatus is probably an understatement!
I'm afraid that I rather lost focus during the summer and became "otherwise engaged". Well no matter, I'm back now and just in time for a new year by the look of it!
I've decided to change the name of the blog. Limiting myself to just the Orchard Centre is also limiting my bird list. I'm unlikely to get more than 70 off this small patch.
From here on in I'll be vising 3 or 4 local sites regularly and updating the blog from all locations.

Today however, I returned to the Orchard Centre hoping to see a few migratory ducks but alas the waters were bereft of birds of the quacking variety.
No matter, it was a good day for bullfinches - 8 in all. A very good number for such an elusive and beautiful bird.

click on image to enlarge

A small group of Long Tailed Tits were also making their way down one of the hedgerows, allowing me time to fire off a couple of shots:

Good to be back!

A man needs a hobby

It's been a couple of weeks since I visited the patch - work commitments and this insufferable heat keeping me at bay.
Despite the hot weather, I thought I'd take a walk this afternoon. I reasoned that whilst the hot summer sun might not bring out many birds, I may get some good photos of the butterflies and dragonflies.
I'm glad I made the effort!
I had barely set foot onto the field leading to the hide when I saw a gorgeous Hobby swooping low over the water. As usual, I was unprepared and by the time I'd made made a cack handed effort to get my camera ready he was gone. He made a couple of return fly pasts at high altitude but the photographs that I did manage to get were little more than shaky silhouettes.
No matter, No. 61 is in the bag! (and about time).
It's a good job the Hobby did put in an appearance because there was very little other bird life around. A few Swallows and House Martins, a Tufted Duck and a family of Mallards. Otherwise, nothing to report.
Butterlies were plentiful. At least Meadow Browns and Small Whites were. A few Tortoiseshells were also on the wing. Good news as apparently this once common butterfly is now in sharp decline.

Small Tortoiseshell

I could see why the Hobby was so interested in swooping over the water. There was an explosion of dragonflies. Mainly Broad Bodied Chasers and Black Tailed Skimmers but also a few very large green/blue individuals that I think may have been Emperor Dragonflies. No photographs today though as they all seemed to be engaged in a frenzy of activity and wouldn't stay still.
However, a couple of other insect shots to round the day off:

Bumble Bee

Six Spot Burnet Moth

Take it Easy

After a 10 day hiatus I finally made it back to the patch. It was mid afternoon and a warm day so I wasn't expecting too much activity.
And there wasn't!

On the water were 3 Tufted Duck, a couple of Coots (with young), 2 Mute Swans, A Moorhen and a handful of Mallards. Plenty of Chiffchaff were evident by their song (I estimated 8) and at least 4 Reed Warblers. 2 Blackcaps, 4 Stock Dove, 2 Buzzards and a few Swallows pretty much made up the rest of the roll call.
I've always found Coots to be rather unnatractive birds. What with that black coat, spindly legs and severe white "bald patch". They look a bit like Max Wall.

Max Wall

A Coot

Although the place was a little light on birds, I decided that that I would take things at a leisurely pace today and really soak up the surroundings. I'm glad I did. You see so much more when you take your time.

With the sun out, the place was alive with dragonflies. I saw at least 30 and identified Broad-bodied Chasers, Four Spotted Chasers and Black-tailed Skimmers. 

Four Spotted Chaser

There were a few butterflies around, mainly Meadow Browns and Small Whites, but also a couple of Common Blues.

I rested for a while on the small wooden bridge that links the footpath to the field behind the Orchard Centre and saw a Red Fox trotting towards me. As I was obscured by a bush he (or she) was completely oblivious to my presence. I fumbled with my camera, thinking "this could be a really special shot" but as I raised the camera I couldn't seem to focus the lens (afterwards I realised I had accidently flipped the autofocus switch to off!). The fox got closer and closer and I realised the moment was about to pass. I attempted to manually focus the lens and got off three shots before he noticed me. Much to my suprise he didn't bolt off. He just picked up the pace and trotted casually out of view.

Two of the photos were hopeless.This is the best one but not as sharp as I would have liked!

Red Fox