#moorhen chicks swimming

[wherekizzialives]

The Small Things Spreading Joy: May 2024

[firebugseverywhere]

There is a moorhen family (Gallinula chloropus) living on a nearby pond. The babies have learned how to swim but still follow mom and dad around. :-)

As you can see their heads are bald. You'll see this in every moorhen chick, for some reason. I wonder if they can get sunburns.

My Dad made these photos by the way, so technically not mine. :•)

[dansnaturepictures]

01/08/23-Lakeside and home: Birds, flowers and views

Photos taken in this set are of: 1. A Cormorant on Concorde lake which was thrilling to see and very much in keeping with the seeing unusual things at Lakeside so far this week like the wasp spider mentioned in my previous post about it and insects seen today, I occasionally see Cormorants here more so in the autumn/winter months so it was interesting to see one today. It was nice to get good views of it swimming among the Great Crested Grebe chicks, although very much an inland bird too it was evocative of the coast seeing this dashing bird. 2. Plant across the road out the front, possibly lamb quarters. 3. Chamomile out the front which looked pretty. 4. One of a few teasels which looked splendid and full of colour. 5 and 10. Views at Lakeside. 6. Mallards. 7 and 8. A juvenile gull it was great to see on beach lake I believe a Lesser Black-backed Gull as it was calling to the adult of this species circling above, the latter the one I enjoyed flying last night here. 9. Roses on the bush out the front.

Moorhen, Greylag Geese seen well, an intimate and cheerful view of a Song Thrush, Starlings heard and seen well and House Sparrow were other key birds seen at Lakeside today, with Jackdaw, Goldfinch and Collared Dove including moody views of them enjoyed at home. Purple loosestrife, water mint, wild carrot, dock, bird vetch, agrimony and sow thistle including swathes of it looking nice in the landscape, red bartsia, broad-leaved clover and bird's-foot trefoil were other flower highlights at Lakeside with fresh red deadnettle also enjoyed out the front on my walk.

[pawelnytra]

Kurka wodna w trzech wymiarach

PL: Dzisiaj również zdjęcia zdjęcia z Łodzi, ale diametralnie inne, bo ornitologiczne - sam się takich tam zrobić nie spodziewałem.

Park Helenów w Łodzi pozytywnie zaskoczył mnie bogactwem różnorodności ptaków, w szczególności wodnych. W parkowych stawach, bogatych w hydrofity pływały zarówno kaczki i łyski (o których innym razem) jak i kurki wodne. I - jakby tego było mało - były to zarówno dorosłe kokoszki, młodsze osobniki o burym upierzeniu i pstre pisklęta, które całkiem śmiało sobie poczynały buszując w trawniku zaraz obok ludzi spacerujących alejkami.

EN: Today, once again, photos from Łódź, but completely different, because they are ornithological photos - I did not expect to take such photos in this place.

Helenów Park in Łódź positively surprised me with the rich diversity of birds, especially water birds. In the park ponds, rich in hydrophytes, there were ducks, coots (more about them another time) and moorhens swimming around. And - as if that were not enough - there were both adult hens, younger individuals with dark plumage and colorful chicks, which were doing quite boldly, browsing in the lawn right next to people walking along the alleys.

Kokoszka zwyczajna, kokoszka, kokoszka wodna (Gallinula chloropus) | Common moorhen, waterhen, swamp chicken (Gallinula chloropus)

OLYMPUS E-PL5 | Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R

150mm | ƒ/6.3 | 1/320s | ISO 200

150mm | ƒ/5.6 | 1/250s | ISO 320

150mm | ƒ/5.6 | 1/250s | ISO 200

140mm | ƒ/5.6 | 1/250s | ISO 640

2023-09-02, Łódź, Park Helenów

[usfwspacific]

Species Spotlight: Hawaiian Moorhen

Article by Elena Fischer, External Affairs Kupu AmeriCorps Intern with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

An ‘alae ‘ula wades in shallow water.  It is a dark gray bird with a black head and neck, and has white feathers on their flanks and undertail feathers. They have a red frontal shield and bill tipped with yellow.  Photo Credit: Gary Kramer / USFWS

Scientific Name: Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis Hawaiian Name: ‘Alae ‘Ula Common Name: Hawaiian Moorhen or Hawaiian Gallinule Status: Endangered

According to Hawaiian legend, fire was brought to the people of Hawai’i by the gods.  This delivery was not without a messenger though: the keeper of fire was tasked to a secretive waterbird.  Marked by its red frontal shield, or forehead, this native moorhen earned its name: ‘alae ‘ula or “burnt forehead”.  

But without its freshwater habitat, the ‘alae ‘ula may be lost forever along with its cultural symbolic presence.  It was historically populous on all of the main Hawaiian islands except Kaho’olawe and Lāna’i.  Now, it only is found in wetlands on O’ahu and Kaua’i.  These populations are protected by ongoing efforts to restore and conserve Hawai’i’s wetland habitats like James Campbell NWR and Hanalei NWR, among many others.

A closeup of the red shield and head of an ‘alae ‘ula.  Photo Credit: Dan Clark / USFWS

Habitat and Range The ‘alae ‘ula prefers lowland wetlands and river valleys, including habitats like: freshwater marshes, taro patches, irrigation ditches, reservoirs, and wet pastures.  Due to a multitude of factors like habitat loss and predation, the ‘alae ‘ula now only resides on O’ahu and Kaua’i.  

‘Alae ‘ula forage and nest in open water or shorelines less than 1 meter deep that have dense emergent vegetation, because they are more secretive.  These vegetation mats provide food sources and platforms for their nests, which require standing freshwater.  Therefore, most live in the Hanalei and Wailua river valleys of Kaua’i and between Hale‘iwa and Waimanalo on O’ahu.  ‘Alae ‘ula are territorial and defend their wetland areas.

Diet and Life Cycle Mollusks, insects, water plants or seeds, algae, and grasses make up most of their diet.  A female may lay about 5 eggs in a clutch, which hatch after 19 to 22 days.  Within a few hours, the chicks are able to walk and swim, but still need protection and food from their parents for several weeks.  ‘Alae ‘ula nest year round, but mostly from March through August, depending on water levels and vegetation growth.  Between June and September, ‘alae ‘ula molt for 25 days, during which they cannot fly.

An ‘alae ‘ula swims among water vegetation.  Photo Credit: USFWS

Threats to the Species

Habitat loss is the biggest threat to these native waterbirds.  This includes human impaction like:

filling, dredging, and draining wetlands

environmental contaminants from fuel or oil spills

altered hydrology, or modifying wetlands for flood control, agriculture, or municipal usage 

These threaten the habitats, reducing Hawai’i’s wetlands.  Predators like feral dogs and cats, mongooses, rats, Cattle Egrets, bullfrogs, and Barn Owls are all introduced species which prey on chicks.  The only natural predators are the Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) and Short-eared Owl or Pueo (Asio flammeus).  Some invasive plant species reduce the water from wetlands, and avian diseases like botulism affect ‘alae ‘ula.  

Reason for Hope

Because many organizations like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources collaborate, 23% of Hawai’i’s remaining coastal wetlands are protected.  Not only are existing places being protected and restored, but more research is being done about these secretive birds so successful translocation and re-introduction of ‘alae ‘ula to other islands and wetlands may occur.

Where You Can See Them

James Campbell NWR

Pearl Harbor NWR

Hanalei NWR

Hulēʻia NWR

[diellemusicuk]

Saturday morning travel story. Bit closer to home this week 🏡 It’s tough at the moment to find a suitable break, and lots of people are disappointed that they have either had trips cancelled or have not been able to book something. I can be a bit of a last minute Annie with a summer break, so we had nothing booked. Given the situation, during lockdown I thought it would be a nice thing to have a mini break or something to look forward to. @AirBnB is a great way of finding quirky places to stay. I just found myself perusing one night to see what was around within a safe travelling distance. There’s some beautiful stand alone cabins and I thought something like this would be easy travel and low risk of transmission. We’ve had to quarantine our daughter due to the remaining effects of her cancer treatment. (She’s in remission and really well now, just some things we have to be careful about). What are you looking for in a holiday? I like to see new places and have great experiences, but sometimes you just want a change of scenery and to relax. So much of the time for me this is a state of mind, it’s just an exciting location helps me get there. We found a beautiful log cabin in the New Forest, really not far from where we live, and it was the perfect retreat. The Hunting Lodge is on a farm, but all you can see is the view over a gorgeous little lake which was full of ducklings and moorhens. I spent several hours out on the decking in the shade of a gorgeous oak tree watching the birds swim, feed and go about their avian business. It was a beautiful spot to enjoy a bottle of bubbly given to us by some friends before we left (thanks Kim and John 🙂 ). ‪A highlight was being able to hear all the animal noises and the visits from the pea hen and her chicks. Look at their cute little head feathers 🦚 After only a couple of nights I felt like we’d been there a week, in the best possible way. Restful, peaceful, quiet, restorative and beautiful. I’m thrilled to have found it so close by and am looking forward to becoming a regular. 🦚🦚🦚 If you’re new to AirBnB, visit my blog to get discounts here 👉 👉 diellemusic.com/the-lodge-by-the-lake/ (at New-Forest-Nationalpark) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDVr5RLJjiQ/?igshid=1y1atadxy3yey

[crowbirding]

Tiny moorhen chick having its first little swim! 

[childrenssafetyflooring]

Blog Post: Learning Through Lockdown with Wild Challenge Award

This Spring and Summer terms of 2020 brought a very different learning landscape. One in which teachers used a great deal of resourcefulness, flexibility and resilience to continue to deliver the best learning outcomes for their children. Read, in her own words, how Year 2 teacher, Helen Pearson, used Wild Challenge Award to enrich her remote teaching and learning... https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-teachers/schools-wild-challenge/ Helen Pearson, Class Teacher, Beech Class, Year 2 at Woodcote Primary School "Like so many teachers in Spring 2020 as I waved the last pupil goodbye on Friday 20 th March I scratched my head at the new challenge of online learning. I felt passionately that the Year 2 children, who had been such enthusiastic and collaborative learners in the classroom, should continue not only with their education but also develop their appetite for the world and learning, and maintain their wonderful class community where their shared learning was a supportive and integral part of their wellbeing, growth and development. How could we keep children connected to ‘school’ and each other while they were remote and isolated from their usual interactions? As a school we converted immediately to online working, with every colleague across the school embracing the technology and opportunities available through Microsoft Teams. We embarked on planned classroom projects, tweaking them to online and remote learning with children’s submissions of work promptly marked and commented on to ensure that, although we were remote, we continued to be interested and invested in each piece of work. It struck me that sending something in via a computer could feel empty and of little value to a seven year old (or indeed to parents working as their children’s educators, actioning and supporting our plans) unless they received valuable and personal feedback – echoing both the academic support that would be given in the classroom and the social interaction that accompanies it. As Easter passed by and school closure continued, I found myself looking for ways to enrich this remote learning, for a shared project and experience that could maximise hands-on learning, be practical, take children into the fresh air and be of enjoyment to the whole family. This led me to find the Wild Challenge Award - these fabulous resources became the catalyst for our Home Learning projects and offered a real endorsement of hard work through the progressive Bronze to Gold awards possible. Not only would the award activities support our curriculum aims but they would take us outside, making the most of this unique opportunity to enjoy and explore our environment while the world seemed to pause. We are lucky - as a village school atop the Chiltern Hills, we are surrounded by woodland, picturesque views and sweeping landscape, while only a stone’s throw from the River Thames. We began by encouraging families to register for the award and then set activities as a focus for our learning through the coming weeks. Our first project was to turn our attention to birdlife. The children undertook a survey of the birds in their gardens. They recorded their observations using tallies which they then converted to block graphs, utilising their data handling skills they wrote statements and questions based on their data. This exercise gave them real experience of data and statistics supporting their Year 2 Maths curriculum and offering far more purpose and excitement than a paper exercise in the classroom. Practical activities of bird feeder and bath building proved highly successful and suddenly some of the more reluctant classroom learners were recording their learning alongside photos and pictures of their creations – taking pride in the sighting of hungry visitors to their feeders. The bird project also saw the start of our shared photo albums and the sense of excitement of shared experiences while separated by lockdown demonstrated its value immediately. In Teams video calls the children were keen to talk about their activities. Children and their families submitted amazing photographs and stunning film of the birds they had encountered: a moorhen chick taking its first swim, blackbird hatchlings being fed in their nest, red kites swooping and feeding. I joined them (with my own family) recording a red kite feeding at our bird table and the development of a nest of robins from eggs to fledging as they enjoyed their nest in our gas barbecue. We moved on from birds, focusing over the weeks on different groups of activities from minibeasts (using Shake a Tree and Bug Safari ), through woodland (identifying trees: Trees, Leaves and Seeds ), plants ( Fabulous Fungi and Wild Flower Foray ) and even space (night sky through Nature Wow and Wild Sleepout ). Each topic area allowed us a platform to extend our learning in the Year 2 curriculum areas: Science, Maths English, Art and DT. With each project children were able to accompany their outdoor experiences with curriculum objectives. While working on birds we linked our observations and work with Science by labelling body parts, identifying species, life cycles, with Art by drawing birds and creating related pictures, with Maths by working on data-handling. Grouping Spring activities from the challenge we turned our first-hand observations into artwork and poetry, identified plants and seasonal changes for our Science. Helping creatures by building bird baths, feeders, hedgehog cafes and bug hotels, we considered animal food chains, habitats and survival and developed our practical DT work. Work on minibeasts, trees and plants fulfilled objectives in our Science curriculum and gave us a catalyst for instruction writing. Gazing into the night sky and sleeping out in the dark provided an incentive to contemplate space exploration and the solar system. Spurred on by real experiences in nature, the children observed closely, wrote, produced artwork, composed music, made comparisons between creatures, habitats and plants. As the weeks passed children happily revisited their projects reporting on bugs that had taken residence in their bug hotels, birds visiting their feeders, plants that were growing and flowering, hedgehogs enjoying garden cafes. Children enjoyed the fruits of their labour and developed their experiences of nature and learning. Throughout lockdown the additional value of their work was recognised as the children achieved first their Bronze, then Silver and, finally in our last week of the summer term, Gold awards from RSPB. Not only were school marking and commenting on their work but they were receiving acknowledgement and value from the RSPB and they grew in pride in their achievements. All children were able to access the projects, nobody was limited by perceived ability. Using the Wild Challenge as the foundation for our Home Learning was invaluable for us all, as a teacher it supported my planning, helping to focus topics and give us a route map through lockdown. It was truly inspiring and uplifting to use the Wild Challenge resources and learn and explore alongside the class (albeit while isolated and distanced), sharing experiences brought us together and has given real joy. Extending so many activities outside and giving our lockdown exercise or outdoor time real purpose supported the wellbeing not only of the children but of many family units who enjoyed the activities together. It was fabulous to achieve so many awards and Gold as a class, serving as another way to maintain and acknowledge our community while we were distanced." To find out more about our free Wild Challenge award or to get started visit; https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-teachers/schools-wild-challenge/ from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8239592 https://community.rspb.org.uk/getinvolved/learning/b/learning-blog/posts/learning-through-lockdown-with-wild-challenge-award via IFTTT

[cathkaesque]

Do you have an opinion on marsh hens? And do you call them marsh hens or moorhens?

The Moorhens (I’ve never heard them called Marsh Hens before) I’m mostly familiar with are these guys

I think they’re great. Particular highlight is when there’s a territorial dispute between two of them, they have a fight, realise that this fight is probably too much effort, and swim off flashing their white tail feathers at each other. They can be assholes to each other and other birds when they get territorial though. Their chicks look adorable until you reach their bald head (which looks a bit  strange). If you see a brown moorhen-y kind of bird in the summer it’s probably a juvenile moorhen. Apparently they can fly but I’m skeptical. All in all good dudes. 

[dansnaturepictures]

Visiting the Global Bird Fair and Rutland Water nature reserves 14th-16th July 2023

On Saturday we had a brilliant day in the second Global Bird Fair at Rutland Showground, it was great to see and chat to some familiar faces and new ones and go to some inspiring and entertaining talks. In particular standing out was hearing from Simon King (whom we had met at every British Birdwatching Fair we attended between 2008 and 2019 so it felt good to restart our tradition of having a photo taken with him!) and others about the making of Wild Isles for BBC One and wider conservation issues around some of its stars and landscapes which was fascinating. The ‘This Is Your Life’ for (as we guessed as it was a well kept secret as to who it was) co-founder Tim Appleton was also fantastic, and emotional. It really got to the core of his amazing achievements and what he and others have done for nature as well the importance of having a Bird Fair and the values that it was born from. Nick Baker, Mike Dilger, Jonathan and Angie Scott, Nigel Marvin and David Lindo were other great well known faces we caught up with/saw/heard from. Another Bird Fair favourite of ours watching the BTO bird ringing demonstration was a little hindered by the dramatic stormy weather but we still enjoyed seeing Great Tit and Chaffinch being ringed and it was really interesting to hear about ringing again. All in all year two felt ever more like this event we love and I’ve grown up with and it was sad to lose is back, and I come home feeling inspired and heartened by spending time with inspirations of mine and like-minded people.

A big part of this annual trip for us since 2008 is of course seeing the wildlife in the Lyndon and Egleton Nature reserves at Rutland Water and we visited them on Friday and Sunday respectively. It was sensational to watch the star of the show at both, Ospreys. We got astonishing views of the two adults and three chicks at Manton Bay seen in the rain at Lyndon with a lot of action observed, and got some thrilling views of them at Egleton especially watching for an extended time as one fished which is always spectacular at the end of the day and trip. A fellow raptor also starred as after not seeing one at Rutland Water before this weekend I don’t believe we got some phenomenal views of rustic and agile Hobbies at both reserves. It really was quite something watching them sail through the air, seeing one successfully hunt which was great. Two of my favourite birds that I’m having a top year for. As hoped we saw our first Green Sandpipers of the year at Egleton, we got stunning views of a fair few of these iridescent wading beauties some of my best ever views I loved seeing them. In the same spot as we did on our visits here the last two years we also saw some splendid Yellow-legged Gulls which was charming, also my first of the year taking my year list to 212.

Ospreys at Lyndon 

Other bird highlights over the weekend were many Sand Martins and Common Terns seen, Great White and Little Egrets, Great Crested and Little Grebes including seeing both flying which I don’t often see, Shelduck, Egyptian Geese including with young, a trio of warblers Blackcap, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler seen well, Teal, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Linnet, Stock Dove, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Coot, Moorhen and many Cormorants and Song Thrush heard with Buzzard, Red Kite, Yellowhammer and Grey Heron on a pond in one of the pretty settlements I loved passing through on journeys as I always do Preston seen nicely when going from the hotel to the places and back and Red Kite, Jackdaw and Woodpigeon seen well at the fair.

A young Shelduck at Egleton 

As we have had a lot on Rutland trips over the years there was a moment of mammal magic on Friday when thanks to guidance from the kind volunteer we got chatting to in a hide we saw a Water Vole swim back and forth into a channel several times. This was an amazing moment seeing a species I adore and is very close to my heart for the first time in over four years. Seeing this superb and adorable species added gloss to my already personal highest ever mammal year list, and I think it meant a lot to me to see one the same year I finally saw an Otter. Seeing these two stars of the water this year feels exceptional. This was a big unexpected and amazing moment of the weekend.

The wonderful Water Vole 

It’ll become tradition us being in Rutland for the start of the Big Butterfly Count what with when Global Bird Fair is and I got to do that on Sunday at Egleton as we saw some more brightness before and mixed in with showers as the weekend went on. Butterflies came into their own with Painted Lady, many Red Admirals it’s their year to have a numbers swell it seems, Small Tortoiseshell, Ringlet, Green-veined White and many Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Small Whites ones we got outstanding moments with. We also saw Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Comma and a Small Skipper. Possibly a Brown Silver-line and also my first Bird Cherry Ermine moth of the year with a few of these pretty white ones great to see were nice moth moments at Egleton.

Gatekeeper at Egleton

Red Admiral at Egleton on yarrow

The trip is always good for dragonflies at these reserves that are rich in them at this time of year. Not the weather for it on Friday but on Sunday at Egleton we got some breathtaking flying and landed views of varied coloured Southern Hawkers which was so good. We also saw Brown Hawker a key species here and of my last two weekends, Common Darter, Black-tailed Skimmer which I’m having a memorable year for, Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselfly. It was a good weekend for beetles and other insects with my first ever Violet ground beetle seen at Lyndon, ladybird at Egleton and the Bird Fair, Common Red Soldier beetles seen well at Egleton, Marmalade and Long hoverfly there as well as fruit flies and bee and wasp. In the hides of Lyndon as I have seen before were some fabulous spiders including Harvestman with one seen at Egleton too.

One of the Southern Hawkers 

The Violet Ground beetle 

There were many summer flowers to enjoy on the trip. Some rich and vibrant bits of meadow at Egleton where we enjoyed a wealth of butterflies boasted gems such as bird aka tufted vetch shining in the sunlight, lady’s bedstraw, wild carrot and scabious. Great willowherb, ragwort, St. John’s-wort, terrific thistle, yarrow, self-heal, marsh woundwort seen nicely at Lyndon, herb-Robert, red campion, dark mullein, meadowsweet, dock, forget-me-not, oxeye daisies painting the landscape on the bits of land on lagoon four at Egleton as I enjoyed last year, mallow and so much white clover including alongside chickweed seen in tents on the show ground at the fair were other highlights across the weekend. Finally Rutland, Rutland Water and the surrounding area is very picturesque so it was great to take in panoramic, wetland, water, meadow and rural views with some lovely buildings observed. The changeable and ferocious weather creating a good dramatic background to the landscape this year. Such a fun weekend, I am excited for next year already.

Some bird vetch 

A rainy day at Lyndon 

A meadow scene with that dramatic backdrop of an approaching shower at Egleton.

[dansnaturepictures]

5/6/22-Post 1 of 2: Lakeside and home

With news of the Great Crested Grebe pair on the lake with their chicks now I snuck another quick walk over Lakeside into this long weekend, with me working in the office Monday and Wednesday to reduce pressure on Tuesday a little when I’ll be aiming not to take many photos to help being to bed earlier. This would be beneficial tonight too of course but I kind of accept a weekend days are harder to control and I do have the benefit of travelling time to type up posts before getting home which I don’t on a Tuesday and Tuesday is a day any lunch time walk/photo taking I do are generally alone so it’s easier to run away with myself for taking photos.

I was thrilled at Lakeside this morning/early afternoon to see the two Great Crested Grebes with their chicks. Getting smashing views of the stunning humbug chicks on the mother’s back and on the water, with the father bringing in a fish and plucking its white belly feathers which it feeds to the chicks to aid their digestion. It was so nice to be captivated by this amazing natural sight again, I am in aw of these birds I love and their offspring. I took the second, third, seventh and eighth pictures in this photoset of these birds. 

It turned into a brilliant spring time walk of birds with young ones and seasonal species, as I got brilliant views of Moorhen chicks on Kornwestheim lake with an adult which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of, two sets of Greylag Geese goslings with a whole line of them swimming along looking really grown up now and some foraging under the wood of a fishing jetty, a stunning young Robin I saw well again and I got cracking views of two special male Blackcaps one of my species of the weekend. I also loved taking in the group of Tufted Ducks on Concorde lake the main one I explored today with the grebes on I took the fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset of them with one of them preening nicely and got a top view and chance for a photo of Greylag Geese on beach lake. I also saw Mallard and House Sparrow on the walk as well as a Moorhen on the pool in the northern fenced off area seeing the cows nicely in the southern and a Woodpigeon in the front garden when home. To tag onto the walk of young bird photos I took another couple of a young Starling in the garden once back and enjoyed seeing these as well as House Sparrow, Collared Dove and Herring Gulls out the back, with Goldfinch and Woodpigeon seen well on the balcony tonight. I took the tenth picture in this photoset of the Starling. 

I saw some nice flowers on the walk including my first definite hogweed of the year as the first picture in this photoset shows, a type of vetch, scarlet pimpernel, black medick, cress type flowers, speedwell, roses, yellow iris and water dropwort. It was nice to see lavender, roses and dog roses and oxeye daisies and more roses in the front and back garden respectively today. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of a nice view over Concorde lake with the I believe water dropwort looking nice.

I enjoyed seeing my first Hedgehog of the year in the garden last night, one that has been regularly visiting, what a special moment. Tonight I liked seeing a snail the other side of the window out the front. 

[dansnaturepictures]

10/09/2021-Lakeside and home 

I took the first picture in this photoset of a great splash of varied colour in the garden in a hanging basket in the back garden. The fuchsia, fleabane, hebe and sunflower looked good together too as I tweeted a picture of. I was excited to see a Blue Tit on a feeder in the garden tonight. I then went out for my Lakeside lunch time walk, getting nice views of more fleabane along the central path through the two fenced off nature reserve areas as well as great willowherb including the two in the second picture I took in this photoset and some nice purple thistle. 

I took the third, fourth and fifth pictures in this photoset of views over beach lake and a rare for me flying Mallard shot as I stood at the lake’s shore they always seem to fly close to the water and I haven’t often had the chance for a photo. 

On Concorde lake when I got round there I had another fantastic audience with the three young Great Crested Grebes as they were on the water more centrally in this large lake by the buoys across the lake which was great to see as these adorable humbugs get stronger and swim around more. Another smashing time with them in a strong week for seeing them. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of them with my big lens and DSLR camera. I reflected at how Great Crested Grebe was a key part of a fantastic four for birds at Lakeside for me at late dominating many lunch time and occasionally evening birdwatching whilst working from home alongside birds I maybe don’t see on patch super regularly but certainly do which have excited me a lot Sparrowhawk, Ring-necked Parakeet and Stock Doves. But maybe that should be a fantastic five as at the same time the grebes have reinvented the 2021 Lakeside breeding season with this new pair with chicks there have regularly been some sweet brown Moorhen chicks around which I’ve had got some splendid views of. I saw them again a bit further along the lake when walking south to north along the grassy path between the lakes and I was delighted to. I got some smashing views taking the seventh picture in this photoset of them with one squealing at the adults and another I was pleased with lately showing the chicks with adults which I hadn’t done a lot of before the other week. This squealing was prolonged as I walked along the path north of it past the lake and it echoed a bit whilst snatching precious glimpses of the Great Crested Grebe chciks as they had a fairly big swim making the most of it as we have a week off next week. We’re doing a week off of day trips like the April one and June last year. In the April one as well as Easter a bit before and our Anglesey week off when home on Friday I did do Lakeside walks and it obviously played a big part in my first week off to start the New Year when I had my usual Lakeside bird year list foundation laying walk but I am not as sure this will definitely happen this time so I probably won’t be back at Lakeside until 20th September whilst I obviously live so near and can see and hear it when the steam train is running anyway from home so arguably never truly leave in a sense. 

Walking off also I took the eighth picture in this photoset of another unique looking purple loosestife at Lakeside lately as their flowers are rather more reduced lately with a fantastic season coming towards the end for this flower I do admire so much and have known so long. I had two great and valuable conversations on my walk today with the gentleman I quite often see and a fisherman who had landed a good catch.

My week off began with a soothing and very refreshing Lakeside walk with it a tad cooler than it had been this week it did blow away the getting towards end of week cobwebs a little bit. It was a brief walk to look at the bowl area and eastern meadows and I took the ninth picture in this photoset of white pansies in the flower pot at the front of the house still looking great at the start of the walk. I then enjoyed dramatic sky scenes and autumnal leaves scenes alike as I took in the grass of the meadows still so high and full of flowers like carrot still. I also made the most of House Martins softly gliding through the air by a block of flats as the evening was lit well. Not long ago I noticed another fantastic Silver-sided sector spider in the kitchen which I got a picture of which I was pleased with after seeing one the other night outside my window. A perfect dose of Lakeside today before having the week off where we plan to do some top day trips and have a lot of brilliant stuff we hope to do. I hope you all have a nice weekend. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourites birds the Great Crested Grebe, one of my favourite dragonflies the Southern Hawker, Moorhen, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Goldfinch, Starling, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, House Martin, Small White, Speckled Wood well along the northern path again, Box Tree moth, I let one of my favourite moths the Small Dusty wave that starred yesterday night out the window seeing it drift off into the new night nicely, Silver-sided sector spider, a lovely cranefly at Lakeside and another little moth.

[dansnaturepictures]

27th August 2021: Ring-necked Parakeet, Great Crested Grebe and Moorhen with young, Migrant Hawker and more at Lakeside and home 

Sunshine greeted me once more as I got up this morning and I took the first picture in this photoset of a scene out the back and a nice sky scene as the morning went on. Before getting out for my lunch time Lakeside walk I enjoyed Woodpigeon, Collared Doves, Starling and House Sparrow in the garden and on the roof visible from my room with Woodpigeon and Starling combining nicely which was great for a photo once more I tweeted some photos of them on Dans_Pictures tonight. I took the second and third pictures in this photoset of berries by the entrance to Lakeside and a view there as I made my way towards the field north of the steam railway station and cut through the wooded area seeing a great Robin along the way in the southern fenced off nature reserve area where I’d not been for a little while. 

Coming through here out towards the gate to the path south of this area and I was delighted to hear the high-pitched trill of a Ring-necked Parakeet. I walked up some steps and into the car park area and the sound became more prominent, not knowing if it was one bird first of all I pinpointed to a quite bushy and in full leaf tree. I stood there and walked around a bit for a fair few minutes and eventually was so excited to see this emerald beauty pretty well camouflaged within the tree just getting a view of it. It seemed to be alone. And I got the record shot in the fourth picture in this photoset of this bird I do really like which I was happy with. One of my best birding whilst working from home moments lately and one of my standout bird moments this month. 

I have gone a bit quiet on the parakeets on here not seeing any since late spring, but as a brief recap these are birds that up until 2020 I only ever saw yearly on trips to Richmond Park and Bushy Park in autumn part of their London stronghold. But early last autumn I was amazed to spot some flying from my bedroom, but not totally unexpected as I knew a colony in the Southampton area was rather developing in a bit of a spread of the birds in the south. This made me extremely excited though and I photographed one at a distance the next time I saw them whizzing by. I just about saw one at Grantham Green a place I visited a lot when younger in the town too where others had spotted them. Then fast forward to this March 2021 and I was thrilled on a special spring day to see some at Lakeside my first on patch a very exciting moment. And I did have a decent sized handful of sightings of them at Lakeside this spring, flying and still with some intimate moments as it became surreal I was seeing them with some nesting nearby it was felt. But for one reason and another I’d not managed an outdoor local photo of one since they’ve been around and it became a bit of a quest to take a picture of one at Lakeside and with my big lens on my DSLR this year I was determined today and I was so happy to get the record shot. 

Around here also I saw a lovely small brown butterfly a possible White-letter Hairstreak or something else. I took the fifth picture in this photoset looking over Concorde lake which I’d made it to and it did look so beautiful, as did the purple loosestrife still adorning the areas around it. I had come around here in the hope of another precious glimpse of the Great Crested Grebe family and very young chicks on this lake. 

And I was over the moon to get to see them from the grassy walking area between the lakes and a vacant fishing jetty. I got exquisite views of this immensely beautiful group of birds with the two adults and three chicks. I really made the most of seeing these and appreciating them, and managed the sixth picture in this photoset among others of some. It was comical and quirky to see the adult who’s back the greblings were characteristically sat on have a little shake and inadvertently I am sure spilled their offspring onto the water surface. There was no need to worry with them soon clambering back on and I am sure it is good swimming practice too. An exceptional moment to observe with these phenomenal birds for me.

A deliciously blue Migrant Hawker darted past me over the water, a dragonfly that I saw for the first time in 2021 a week ago at Lyndon nature reserve at Rutland Water a star sighting today. 

Then I loved seeing some little Moorhen chciks which were fluffy and adorable and they made a sweet little squeeky sound. Its been great to discover this fresh batch of chicks this week too in a week the Great Crested Grebes have dominated. I enjoyed taking in these lovely Moorhens a couple of times. I took the seventh picture in this photoset of the youngster and enjoyed seeing with its parent well getting a picture of them together which I tweeted. 

I have to say my lunch time walk today was a brilliant bit of escapism in my day as it always is and it all of a sudden felt a lot busier for seeing wildlife, with maybe the variety of butterflies about decreasing and being in an in between stage in the bird world with the nesting season seemimgly all but over and autumnal migrants coming through lately and that’s not a criticism just what happens naturally. But this week new life has literally been breathed into the breeding season here and butterflies even to a lesser variety are still very much about, and of course dragonflies are really in their peak season now as I’ve observed so much this week. So this combined and all of a sudden I felt I saw a great deal at lunch time. On my way out I took a photo looking up towards the northern path area I needed to get to in order to walk back out and I just managed to photograph the steam of the passing train into a picture which was interesting to use. 

After intending to do my frequent second walk in a day on a Friday when I finished work I was quite a way delayed as I was engrossed in some huge football news for my club. But this did prove useful as the sun rather disappeared around mid-morning and despite snatches of it starting to poke through didn’t really fully return until well after I had intended the walk so I did a bit of a later evening one in just like Wednesday’s evening walk in divine sunshine. It was really amazing to see and make the most of a lovely summer’s evening at the beautiful Lakeside. And around the estate and in Lakeside there were wonderful scenes such as the tarmac path which I have seen lit up by streelights and sunlight on a wet surface before lit simply by the sun with the landscape as a whole different to what I might normally see with angles of shadows tonight. It was a brilliant start to the weekned doing this which is what the second Friday walk is all about and it was great to see some wild carrot flowers looking stunning and bright around the estate on the way back which I got a picture of. I took the final three pictures in this photoset tonight of the steeplebush in our front garden and views at Lakeside looking gorgeous in the sun. A beautiful spider which I took and tweeted a photo of tonight awaited me in the living room when home a nice view of a lovely one and after seeing it in the morning again the bright blue sky before it got a bit overcast I enjoyed taking a photo of a very compelling and bright moon tonight a memorable one for sure. I hope you all have a nice and safe weekend. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Ring-necked Parakeet, Woodpigeon well at Lakeside and home, Collared Dove, some of the growing group of Feral Pigeons beyond the regular pair we nickname Violet and Rex now again, Starling, House Sparrow, Robin, Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood well, Small White, Migrant Hawker, a lovely hoverfly, fly and spider. 

[dansnaturepictures]

24th August 2021: Great Crested Grebe with chicks, Brimstone and more at Lakeside and home photos 

I took the first two pictures in this photoset of one of a few great views out the back I loved taking in as I worked on a very sunny and hot day and the bright pink geraniums on the balcony. I took the third, fourth and fifth pictures in this photoset on the way down to and at the calmly and beautifully blue lake. I saw some lovely red male Common Darters on the walk with one nicely out the front on the way here always great to get a dragonfly around the estate I find adding a bit of wildlife flair. 

I then inspected both the Black-headed Gulls on beach lake to see if any terns had dropped in as they did around this time year last year some of my best walks whilst working from home memories and the long-standing pair of Great Crested Grebes on Kornwestheim lake which I had noticed still nesting this week and they were still around the area together again. I then was delighted as I crossed the bridge like others which was nice to see taking in stunning views on this hot day to see the Mute Swan in the sixth picture in this photoset. I was just thinking earlier how I hadn’t seen any here for a while and I got a great intimate view of it swimming around and felt the light landed almost angelically on it which was great and I enjoyed this for photos. 

Rounding Concorde lake shown in the seventh picture I took today in this photoset taking the path to the west of it south to north and looking back over it from the north scanning in the binoculars I was thrilled to see I was monitoring the wrong pair if I wanted to see some more Great Crested Grebe chicks at Lakeside this year after seeing the pair of chicks from a pair on beach lake in April and May that didn’t survive long ultimately. As there with a pair of Great Crested Grebes I could just make out the distinctive sight of young chicks safely tucked into the back feathers of an adult. And from afar I noticed these striped like a humbug beauties go onto the water very briefly. I walked around to a spot to look out on the water closer to them and they were so well hidden compared to other baby Great Crested Grebes I have had the pleasure of seeing on their parent’s backs especially this year and last and especially here that I wondered if I’d imagined it. But sure enough after using the minutes I just about had enough of to spare at lunch time thanks to getting round the rest of the walk fairly fast I noticed when the other adult came to pass food the beaks and feathers of the young ones so I did get more precious views of these exceptional baby birds. I feel so happy that with multiple pairs of Great Crested Grebes around a real valued asset for the wild side of this country park and after one pair unfortunately didn’t succeed ultimately there is another chapter to the Lakeside Great Crested Grebe story of 2021. I took the eighth picture in this photoset with a chick visible as well as others that I tweeted on Dans_Pictures tonight. There was a sense of atonement as I was so lucky with seeing really young Great Crested Grebes a few places all together this year to see some on an adult’s back at Rutland Water’s Egleton reserve on Saturday. In dark conditions in the midst of the quite heavy rain we saw for the second half of that day I tried for a bridge camera photo but it did not turn out well and it was one of the very few ideas for photos I didn’t pursue when home from the big trip away for us.

On the way out going back past beach lake and up the central path between the two fenced off nature reserve areas I enjoyed seeing a bright Brimstone flitting about quite closely, as I reflected in my mind lately about the start of spring when these and Peacocks were flying around enriching the landscape. I noticed a nice tree with yellow autumn leaves too and before seeing the grebe family saw another species with a late baby bird with a a great fluffy Moorhen chick which was nice.

I had a great quick session at the flower bed area around the estate with my macro lens on the way home, seeing the oxeye daisy and my first ever parsley water dropwort (but not first dropwort I’ve seen) aka water celery shown in the ninth and tenth pictures I took today in this photoset respectively as well as viper’s-bugloss which I’d not seen in this specific area before, crimson flax, the orange poppy tangled with some of the lots of white clover around nicely which I tweeted a picture of tonight, chamomile and others. A great day today I hope you all had a good one. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Black-headed Gull, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon by the water’s edge at beach lake nicely, Magpie and Jackdaw well along the fence posts of the central path where I’m seeing a lot of them lately, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Brimstone butterfly and moth. 

[dansnaturepictures]

14th May 2021: Part 1 of 2-The wildlife: Lesser Black-backed Gull, Buzzard, my first Moorhen chick of the year and more

I took the first picture in this photoset of a Lesser Black-backed Gull one of two seen out of my bedroom window this morning and this one is a second summer bird which I don’t think I’ve ever seen before so that was very interesting to see with its back half juvenile feathers and half the characteristic slate grey. This was brilliant to observe and it rather disproved a theory I talked about yesterday that there are only a regular pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls around here as both of the pair are adults the ones I often see at Lakeside. I enjoyed seeing a Buzzard soaring very close over the house before the working day was out, a cracking view of one it really was amazing to see it so well. 

I had an evening walk at Lakeside to start the weekend after unintentionally doing something a little different at lunch time today. As I had intended to do on the lunch time walk I didn’t plan a route beforehand and let my senses and urges lead me on the walk. Things like hearing a Robin and seeing a young water bird that I felt the natural urge to go towards. This led me along the northern path where the other side of the railway track I really enjoyed seeing some bluebells and buttercups together which I took a photo of and tweeted on Dans_Pictrues tonight a sweet scene in moody light. 

I reached the westernmost lake and was delighted to hear a sweet chirp from and see a lovely little Moorhen chick that young waterbird swimming along my next species with chicks to see this year which was great. I didn’t get a picture as this and the adult stuck close to an occupied fishing jetty but that is a lunch time goal for next week. It was just nice to see it. As I walked along towards beach lake I heard another little chirp and saw the brilliant young Great Crested Grebe which I took the second picture in this photoset of another great and close view of this and an adult. As I walked on between the lakes I saw the Canada Goose family which I took the third and fourth pictures in this photoset of, the chick looking a little bit bigger it was a great view and nice to see how protective the parents were as I passed by. 

The Greylag Geese were protective as I passed them east of beach lake too with that hiss coming out of their beaks again and like the Great Crested Grebes their gaggle of goslings were looking very big now they’ve really come on so well its smashing to see. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of one of these Greylag goslings. It was a gorgeous bit of light as the sun started to poke through and I spotted how nice the male Mallard in the sixth picture in this photoset looked in it so I was really eager to get this photo and I was thrilled when I did. I enjoyed taking the seventh picture in this photoset of one of the many Mallard ducklings too always great to see close up one that I tweeted a photo of looked nicely bigger too. 

On the way out of Lakeside I took the final three pictures in this photoset of a Carrion Crow I have seen a lot here lately on a really good run of crows in recent days, another cow picture here and the front garden when home. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: Two of my favourite birds the Buzzard and Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Starling, Goldifnch, House Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Feral Pigeons, Carrion Crow, Magpie in the garden well on the shore of beach lake and I heard Robin. 

I took so many pictures today that I wanted to do two blogs with some different photos to those tweeted to reduce the number of tweets so next I shall have another blog with ten of the landscape pictures I took today all different to those I tweeted tonight. 

[dansnaturepictures]

Monday 16th August 2021: Lakeside and home 

On a day when the sun was in and out I enjoyed seeing a nice few flowers on the balcony and in the front garden before leaving for my Lakeside lunch time walks, a pink and red geranium each looking quite lonely in their respective pots now with not as many flowers about in the balcony pots and some in a pot hanging off of the balcony and in the garden the delights of a dandelion clock, the first andryala I recall seeing a sweet yellow one and more lovely poor man’s weather glass aka scarlet pimpernel looking lovely there are so many about at Lakeside and home lately with a great little carpet of them in the front garden I took the first picture in this photoset of one. Just before getting into Lakeside I enjoyed seeing blackberries as shown in the second picture I took today in this photoset and a nice patch of ragwort I’ve enjoyed a lot lately entangled with rich green oak leaves which I tweeted a photo of on Dans_Pictures tonight. 

I took the third picture in this photoset looking over the southern fenced off nature reserve area on my way down to the lakes and also loved seeing pink great willowherb and yellow fleabane mixing nicely. I reflected today how lucky I am to have such a variety of special flowers so close to us at Lakeside. For butterfly purposes primarily we spent the weekend in perhaps the best place to see lots of wildflowers in summer meadow downland and it was amazing as I charted in my posts about the three sites. I reflected at Magdalen Hill how when seeing meadow crane’s-bill there it was quite something as probably the first place I’d seen one outside of Lakeside. And it hit me today I’m not sure I’ve seen the great willowherb or fleabane for that matter at many other places. The great willowherb especially Lakeside is a brilliant varied habitat for and I am lucky to see so many in the summer I have loved learning them the past couple of summers one I do like looking out for. 

Reaching beach lake the Black-headed Gull in the fourth picture in this photoset was a delight to see a great intimate view. I walked around Kornwestheim lake shown in the fifth picture I took today in this photoset and it became a great walk of little flowers with speedwell, chamomile and perhaps the first scarlet pimpernel I’ve seen actually in Lakeside all shinning out nicely and I enjoyed getting pictures of them. 

Alongside Coot and Moorhen well at lunch time I’ve not seen much of the former lately I was happy to get smashing views of the Great Crested Grebe pair on this lake. I saw one very closely before looking at the flowers swimming on the lake and then I was thrilled to notice the pair seem to have a nest not where I saw one last week but the usual spot at the north of the lake where they raised the three chicks from last year which is quite protected. So it may be a bit late now but its hopeful and it was good to see the pair around the nest together. A late resurgence in another dramatic and captivating breeding season I loved observing so much whilst working from home at Lakeside is hinted with all of this so we’ll see what happens. On the western shore of Kornwestheim lake the sun came out a little bit and deliciously lit the scene and my bridge camera on a rare lunch time walk with it proved a good tool to photograph a scene I have a lot with my DSLR in a different way getting more of the scene in with some reflected leaves in the sun looking especially nice. 

Walking back west of Concorde lake then along the northern path it turned into a foray into fungi with some by where I stood next to Kornwestheim lake too it was great to see a few ahead of the autumn when I love seeing so many they are certainly coming out in numbers now and it seems to be a good time for them. This included the lovely shaped mushrooms in the sixth and seventh pictures in this photoset and a nice redish one which I enjoyed here last year and another too. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of lovely watermint which I’ve seen a fair bit of across Lakeside lately and ninth of concorde lake. A bright red male Common Darter flying along the northern path was symbolic of later summer starting to replace the Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmers that I enjoyed seeing so much this of year. On a great sunny evening with nice sky scenes again I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of this. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Greylag Geese still nicely about they stop being here daily at some point around now as has appeared to happen with the Canada Geese, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Carrion Crow well at Lakeside, Starling, House Sparrow, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Common Darter and fly.