#went through some cattle egret photos and there were so many that were good but ruined by blown out highlights

[neofelis----nebulosa]

Note to self: don’t photograph predominantly white animals in direct sunlight

[dansnaturepictures]

Rutland Water blog 1: 20/08/2021-Lyndon Nature Reserve Part 1 of 2: Ospreys, dragonflies, Muntjac and more 

As mentioned in my post about 19th August on 20th August we headed to Rutland Water, where we came every summer between 2008-2019 to visit the Bird Fair, rightly not going ahead this or last year due to the pandemic. But our wild year aligned for a trip to the nature reserves around this enormous reservoir to be very useful so me and my Mum came away staying Friday night and returning Saturday night to visit the Lyndon and Eglton Rutland Water nature reserves. I didn’t take my laptop on a one night stopover so the blogs about the time away are retrospectively posted so will read in the present tense of the date at the top. I have four blogs about the two days away, two each day and the part two of the days carry straight on from part one and its both part twos that have my Wildlife Sightings Summary for each day. Writing this bit at the time of posting: I shall aim to have part two up for each as soon as I can after. 

So going back to Friday now; today on a pleasant journey from Hampshire to the East Midlands I knew we were approaching this area that means so much to us when I saw the picturesque agricultural landscape of Leicestershire which is the heart of England. The landscape was painted well with an interesting summery shade of brown as it was all journey and so often is at this time of year. There were nice well grown and vegetated road verges too. Today we started this trip as we do every one here by coming to Lyndon nature reserve at the south of Rutland Water. As we came down the steep winding road towards the visitor centre which was adorned by pink great willowherb, it was great to see the stunning scenery and get tremendous views down into Rutland Water. I took the first, third and fourth pictures in this photoset here today. 

It was so brilliant to be back, and not much had really changed in the initial glances here. There were dragonflies, for me a key wild attraction of this reserve flying around from the off. I did wonder, with dragonflies being something I have focused on a lot more the past few years, whether me associating the Bird Fair with being a strong point in my year for dragonflies was because it stood out against the rest of the year where maybe I didn’t look for dragonflies a lot. But being so focused on them now particularly with the Lakeside walks working from home seeing some I can say once more as I address below this is an extraordinary and special site for dragonflies. And I was reminded how brilliant it was for them today.

Something that is new since I last came here as I said when I went to Blashford Lakes for the first time since early last year recently is the depth of my interest in and more knowledge of flowers. Today I saw so many lovely flowers, including the sweet great willowherb that was widespread today as well as purple loosestrife and water mint fitting for beside the water, with ragwort too, bee nettles, nice pink marsh woundwort in front of hide and some bright red fruited cuckoo pint looking stunning and red near the visitor centre both new for me, the similar to the woundwort hedge nettle, self-heal, Herb-Robert, red campion still going strong, rosebay willowherb, yarrow, cow parsnip, hemp acrimony, a tiny forget-me-not, scabious by the visitor centre and some nice yellow flowers by there too. It was also great to see some sloes whilst walking around a key image of this time of year.

Such a key part of our Lyndon and Bird Fair visits are going in the huge selection of varied bird hides with different habitats. In the first we went into, the first going west from the visitor centre it was great to notice a bright Great White Egret lurking at the end of the water. This has became a really key bird for Rutland Water but I believe this is the first we saw at Lyndon.

On the way to the next hide we got an early key moment of the trip when I was stunned to see a deer skulking out of vegetation, running across a field over the fence and back into the thick vegetation at the base of the water. I was amazed to get a clear view of it to be able to see it was a glorious Muntjac Deer. It was a stunning view of this sweet little mammal. I was so happy and thrilled to see this exceptional species. And there is a big history with this mammal and our Rutland trips as it’s my fourth ever sighting of one, and three of them were at Rutland Water. The first ever one we saw at our first ever Bird Fair at Egleton the part of the reserve the fair is held. And then we didn’t see one again until one at Lyndon in 2019 when we were last here. This is the third year running I have seen a Muntjac Deer now after seeing one at Blackwater in the New Forest in 2020 which is really smashing for a species I saw early on in my wildlife interest and then not again for a few years. This sighting made me feel very happy.

And then it turned into a brilliant few minutes as first of all typically for the species on the wood of a bench outside the second hide along was an excitingly red male darter dragonfly. And after photographing and examining it I was thrilled to see the jet black with no yellow on the side legs to show it was a Ruddy Darter and not Common Darter that I have enjoyed a lot this year. This was a very precious sighting for me as a year tick and I didn’t see one last year at all so this felt really good. I initially tried for photos with my normal lens which I had on at the time. I tend to use zoom lenses for dragonflies whilst my macro lens and all its closeup detail would maybe be the preferred option like all other insects. But the dragonflies land less frequently than butterflies say and after faster so I don’t normally have time to get my macro lens out or bend down to get the picture. Rare macro dragonfly pictures I’ve got in recent years have been down to luck at having my macro lens on my DSLR camera at the time. But this one was landed so frequently, always returning and settling again on the wood so I had time to get the macro lens out and take pictures possibly the extra bit of details I needed to get the ID over the line which I got the second picture in this photoset of. A brilliant view of a fine dragonfly and flipping back to the time of posting for a second I didn’t realise until I got home that Friday was ten years to the day that I saw my first ever Ruddy Darter dragonfly also at Rutland Water one I am fond of so this was special. 

Then in the hide we spotted a blue beauty of a big dragonfly parading in front of the hide over vegetation, it was the smashing species a Migrant Hawker one I see as a very notable species. I have seen these three years running now too with sightings of one on different days at Lakeside last year sandwiched by today and last time here in 2019. It was fantastic to see a couple of these together. And with that the two dragonfly targets I had for this trip big parts of it for me had been seen which I was thrilled with almost straight away. It took my year list to sixteen making my year list my joint second highest ever levelling my 2018 total and behind only my 2019 total now, with my mammal year list on the same amount and riding high when comparing to past years too and I know today will be a big dragonfly focal point in another very successful dragonfly and damselfly year for me. 

In the hide too I liked seeing a Little Grebe pair on a nest which was very interesting as I’d not seen them on a nest before unlike their cousins the Great Crested both grebe species on nests a very notable thing around the reserve lately it seems. There was a bare tree covered in Cormorants which was great to see with another one further up too as well and a Grey Heron flying over was nice.

A big event of the day occurred afterwards as we made it to the hide at the end, one of the two you can see the Ospreys within. It’s always a big moment whenever we come here and I was so thrilled today to see one as soon as we got into the hide a possible juvenile we think and it stayed sat on the Osprey pole for the whole time we were in this hide. And it was fascinating to see it had a fish in its talons. It was such a precious view of a bird that has been one of my very favourites for so long and such a key part of this usually annual trip for us. I was so delighted to see three more Ospreys join it as the time in this hide went on sitting on posts, the nest the one that has a webcam on it which I quite often watch and going through the big and prominent trees. It was wonderful to see and there was a very key moment of the whole trip when one Osprey flew out over the water in pursuit of a Grey Heron for a bit of heavy duty aerial tussle which put a lot of the ducks up unsurprisingly. This gave me some of best flying Osprey views for a few years it really was spectacular. I loved watching this and taking in the pure joy and pleasure of seeing it and taking photos as I did the whole time with the Ospreys. I took the fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth pictures in this photoset of the Ospreys still and flying today.  After being so lucky to see the Rutland Water originated bird at a local reserve for us Fishlake Meadows to keep Ospreys in our lives this year and last I was so grateful to get to see these here today.

Also from this hide it was great to see the quirky scene of some cattle in the water which is a strong memory. A Pied Wagtail made a great sighting here too and it was delightful to see a charm of Goldfinches fly down onto the shore of the water with their splash of colour a few times. Lapwings were all over the place here which was brilliant too and it was entertaining to see them together. I reflected on how I’d probably not seen the two of them together before. Common Terns sat on posts and hovering made a great sight here too as it so often does and I liked seeing lots of Sand Martins with later on seeing them at the third hide along landed in vegetation which was very interesting to see. It was a splendid day of egrets and herons with Great White Egret, Little Egret and Grey Heron all present which was very interesting to see and is always brilliant to see. On a good run I am on for them and a great year I’ve had for them Stock Doves were a highlight this afternoon too with one flying over and one by a nest box type area. I took the eighth picture in this photoset of one of a few Greylag Geese about flying in to land on the water too.

I also had a great moment with my macro lens again when I saw two sweet orbweaver spiders very intimately on webs over the hide windows. It was interesting taking one spider picture and seeing the shadow of a prominent clump of trees which I always enjoy when coming to Lyndon across the lake behind it and this was the tenth and final picture in this photoset that I took today.

[tagamark]

The Flying Lions of Busanga Plains

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The Flying Lions of Busanga Plains

During the dry winter season, most of Zambia is on fire. Local people living in rural areas set the dry grassland alight, so that when the summer rains arrive, their cattle can graze on the succulent new growth.

The smoke from the fires casts a drab veil over everything. It’s a thin grey soup that fills the air up to 3 000 metres.

Sunrise view from the hot-air balloon – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

We were flying in a small four-seater plane from the town of Livingstone near Victoria Falls, and were headed north to Busanga Plains in the north of Kafue National Park. Our little plane bounced around on the thermals like a drunken bumblebee.

Kafue in central-west Zambia is just over 22 000 square kilometres. Created in 1924, it’s surrounded by so-called game management areas of another 43 000 square kilometres. At more than 6 million hectares, the area is one of the biggest wild places on the continent.

Flock of white storks – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Our flight was during the middle of the day. The hot sun and smoky air quickly evaporated any of the romance of flying low over an African wilderness in a small plane.

The miombo woodland below seemed endless, even relentless; kilometer after kilometer of Brachystegia trees that had shed their leaves, waiting with unending patience for the summer thunderstorms that will arrive in November, when everything will turn verdant again.

And then, as our bumblebee dropped down out of the dreary haze, Busanga revealed herself to us. I forgot about the heat, dust and smoke, and pushed my nose up against the small window and stared out, entranced.

Early morning at Shumba – – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Busanga’s Wildlife Experience

I’d heard good things about Busanga from others who knew her well. Her reputation was tantalizing, but this was unlike anything I’d seen before in Southern Africa.

Hippos fighting over the receding waters. Newton explained that one of these was a female who wanted to get to her calf, which was nearby. But the male wouldn’t let her pass for some reason. Note the nonchalance of the jacana and little egret in the foreground – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Extending for about 600 square kilometres, the grassy flats of Busanga are an exception to the rule of miombo woodland in Kafue. The Lufupa River, a tributary of the Kafue River, sustains the vast fertile grasslands in this northern sector of the park.

In summer these plains flood, leaving only islands here and there. In winter, the waters recede to reveal massive open grasslands, known as “dambos”. Like veins and arteries pumping blood through the body of a thoroughbred, the narrow water channels spread out across Busanga, where thousands (and thousands) of red lechwe and puku antelope come to graze.

Usually rare in Southern Africa, roan antelope are common in Kafue – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Within half an hour of landing on the small airstrip, and being plonked onto a game-viewing vehicle, we were surrounded by hordes of these antelope, which dotted the plains in huge numbers.

Kafue has 20 antelope species, the most of any park on the continent. We drove past herds of sable and roan antelope, usually rare in Africa, but relatively common in Kafue. We spotted several groups of oribi, which surely get the prize for being the daintiest, prettiest of them all.

As one of the males crosses the plains, red lechwe keep careful watch – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Over the next few days, my guides Newton Mulenga and Isaac Kalio introduced me to the wonders of Busanga. We found a Cape clawless otter foraging in a channel of water, near to two fighting hippos. At dusk, a spotted hyena came cantering past us, intent on its nocturnal mission for food. We regularly came across flocks of fifty or more crowned cranes, and several pairs of wattled cranes.

The water channels are clear to see from the air…these swell to flood the plains almost totally in summer – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

One evening, just after enjoying a cold beer under a blazing red sky, we saw a serval, stalking in the grass just thirty metres from us. We followed it and almost drove right past it, as it hunkered down. It stood up, scampered off, then stopped and looked back at us for a few seconds before melting into the blackness.

Flying Lions of Busanga

The two six-month old male cubs. Doing what cubs do – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

And then there were the lions. On the first morning at Busanga Bush Camp, the local pride passed through the unfenced camp. I didn’t see them, but as I walked out my tent, I could see fresh lion tracks everywhere on the soft, sandy substrate.

Then I heard shouting and screaming. Soon after I learnt that two six-month old cubs had started scratching playfully on the canvas of one of the safari tents, to the consternation of the sleepy guest inside who got the fright of his life. The barrel-chested Newton came to the rescue, chuckling, shouting and waving his arms at the cubs, chasing them away.

Who says animals don’t understand what fun is? If you’ve ever watched lion cubs, all they want to do is have fun! – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

For two days we followed the pride across the plains as they crisscrossed their kingdom: two big males in their prime, plus a sensuous lioness and those same scoundrel cubs, which had scared the hell out of the poor guest in his tent. They were full of trouble, stalking their mom and the two big males, jumping on them and causing havoc wherever they went.

My camera worked over time. The lions posed like models at a fashion show, staring into the distance at the lechwe and puku which kept well away. When the big cats came to the narrow water channels on the plains, they’d launch themselves through the air, manes flowing backwards, clearing the water like unlikely ballet dancers at an opera.

A hunter turned photographer called Francois d’Elbee wrote and photographed a beautiful book about Busanga, called simply “Busanga”. HIs photos of the lions here inspired me to do justice in my own way, photographically, to these icons of Africa – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Busanga is breathtaking, mind-blowing stuff for anyone who loves Africa and its wildlife: the uncluttered horizons, the endless plains, the thousands of antelope and the jumping lions. We were alone mostly, and witness to all of it, with just one or two other game-viewing vehicles on the plains.

Wilderness Safaris operate two small, spectacular camps – the more basic, yet still comfortable Busanga Bush Camp and the larger, more luxurious Shumba Camp. (I prefer Busanga, as it’s smaller, simpler and more connected to the surrounding wilderness).

The accommodation, food and service at both camps hits just the right note. My guides – Newton at Busanga, and Isaac at Shumba – are brilliant : they love what they do, and they want nothing more than to share their wilderness with their guests.

How’s that flowing mane? How can anyone shoot an animal like this? – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

One morning, as the other vehicles headed back for breakfast after their morning drive, Isaac asked me whether I wanted to skip breakfast and stay with the lions. Of course! We ended up spending seven hours with the big cats. That’s how I like to spend my days: thank you, Isaac.

After a day, I’d already resolved to come back here soon, to spend several weeks, perhaps months, absorbing Busanga into every cell of my body. I was spellbound.

Floating Over The Plains

And then on the last morning, like some goofy, clichéd climax, we were whisked away into the sky on a hot-air balloon, floating low over the plains and the woodlands, where fish-eagles perched on the treetops, throwing their heads back as they called to their mates.

Early morning flight in Eric Heseman’s hot air balloon. One of my most memorable experiences of recent times – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Depending on the weather and the wind, all guests get a chance to ride on the balloon. You’re in safe hands. Owner and operator Eric Hesemans has been doing this his whole adult life, mostly in Namibia, but more recently in Busanga.

Eric told me how he’d become good mates with famous Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado, who a few years ago had flown with Eric over Busanga every morning for several weeks, taking aerial photographs. Salgado has spent the last few years documenting the wildest places on the planet. Busanga cleary made an impression.

“Sebastiao loved it here,” Eric told me. Of course he did.

A hippo on his home turf… – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Below us, large pods of hippos grunted in the water channels, and all those lechwe and puku looked up at us. We were hovering so close to them that I could see the sunrise reflecting in their big amber eyes. As I write these words, I just want to be back in Busanga.

Beauty at Risk

But for all the serendipitous natural wonder of Busanga, this wild beauty is on a knife-edge. Like so many other wilderness areas in Africa, it’s wildlife and habitat face serious challenges.

Throughout the days and nights while I was there, bush fires raged on the horizons. As part of their traditional fishing rights, locals are allowed into the park to fish in the rivers, and they set the land alight to rid lions of their cover in the grassland, and to keep elephants away. Satellite images show that up to 80% of the park burns ever year. (When the park was established, most of the Nkoya people were evicted from their land, and their fishing rights are a key source of livelihood and protein).

The water channels are clear to see from the air…these swell to flood the plains almost totally in summer – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

While fire is a necessary and natural ecological occurrence in savanna, if the land burns too often it can reduce species diversity, and eventually disrupt the balance of the whole system.

Although the recent Great Elephant Census notes that Kafue’s elephant population may be one of the few that is stable or even increasing, poaching continues to be a serious problem, according to the guides. (In the 1960s, Zambia had about 250 000 elephants. Today there are only 10 000 elephants, of which Kafue has about 2 300. Kruger National Park, similar in size, has about 17 000).

We didn’t see one elephant in my (admittedly short) stay of four days, and very little evidence of their movements on the plains. An old dung ball here and there, but that was it.

Cape clawless otter, spotted in the early morning in one of the water channels – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Apparently, when elephants do emerge from the miombo woodlands at sunset, they move quickly across the plains to drink at the rivers, and then head back into the safety of the trees long before morning arrives.

And then there are the lions themselves. Increasingly, because of rampant bushmeat poaching by hungry people on the peripheries, the lions are inadvertently snared. Some survive, some die from the wounds and pain. I interviewed lion researcher Dr. Neil Midlane after my trip, and you can read my interview with him here.

Staying at Busanga Bush Camp and Shumba Camp

I had to leave Busanga after just a few days, but I didn’t want to. Even with the bushfires burning on the horizons, and the poaching problems, I get the feeling that there is much hope, that Busanga could be even more spectacular, if it receives the help it needs. Like most other wilderness areas in Africa, there is so much to admire.

Busanga Bush Camp is the simpler, smaller of the two camps which Wilderness Safaris operate. I prefer it to Shumba, as it’s more open to the surrounding plains – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

NOTE: From a conservation perspective, Busanga (and the rest of Kafue, although I haven’t explored all of it) is one of Africa’s finest wilderness areas. And from a photographic perspective, it ranks as one of my favourite places for wildlife photography. Wilderness Safaris deserve plenty of credit for investing in this remote, wild place. I can recommend Busanga Bush Camp and Shumba Camp to anyone who wants a unique, unforgettable wildlife safari. And by travelling there, you’re making a real difference to its conservation. The camps employ mostly local people, and a percentage of your money goes to anti-poaching operations in the area.

Early morning on the plains, and the usual suspects are up and grazing already – Photograph by Scott Ramsay

Written and Photographed by Scott Ramsay

Scott Ramsay of Love Wild Africa is a photographer and writer in protected areas, national parks and nature reserves in Africa.

Post courtesy of Wilderness Safaris

[marcalanpen-blog]

Travels in Birdland (France) 2  The Vendee.

After Noirmoutier we headed off to the Vendee, to the small town on Mervent. The weather as hot and summer was definitely here. 

The campsite was at the foot of a small hill below the town, which in turn was at the top of a steep hill on the other side leading down to the rivers, the Vendee and the Mere, both of them deep and green and very wide, and where there was a water sport and leisure centre which encouraged us to do some sight seeing by canoe. 

We went out on the rivers two days running, and because of the heat of the day, we invariably finished off with a swim in the lovely warm waters of the Vendee beside a small cafe restaurant. 

Butterflies seen on the campsite.

Me on the Vendee River.

The canoe trips gave us a chance to try out our rowing, use up some holiday calories and see a bit of countryside we would never have seen otherwise. We did see several herons in the process, but didn’t managed to get many photos, as putting down the paddles safely, without letting them slip overboard, then picking up and readying the camera took too long, and by the time that was all done the heron would be a speck in the distance. 

But we did hit it lucky now and then. Firstly by a jetty where this heron had landed as we paddled past, and the next day on the other branch of the river, on a tree branch as we went by.

The Vendee is well signposted for cycle paths, or at least has many cycle paths and they have signs up: we didn’t actually find them easy to navigate however, as they tended to be in one direction and we always seemed to be coming from the other way, so had to try to read the map routes backwards. We didn’t always succeed, or maybe it would be truer to say hardly ever for very long. But we did cycle anyway, and found the experience worthwhile.

A field of sunflowers 

One day cycle ride led us to an exhibition of tree carving in a small town a few kilometres from Mervent. The sculptures were in the park and we had our lunch at the picnic benches amongst them.

So although the signposted cycle routes escaped us we still managed to find interesting things to see and photograph. This leg of our trip was maybe not successful as far as bird watching went, but it was a good few days and my camera had plenty of other subjects to capture. 

Plus the cycle ride back from the river to the town was a kilometre long uphill haul that was a real challenge and having accomplished it, felt I could open a cool beer (or two) without any feelings of guilt.

We were now almost halfway through our trip and on the way to our next stop visited the nearby nature reserve for more water tourism around the Poitevin marshes.

Again as it was a lovely hot, sunny day the thought of being chauffeured around the canals of the Poitevin was an attractive one, and there was the promise of more potential birds to spot as we went let ourselves be taken around the green vaulted canals by young men with long poles.

As we passed these cows we could se Cattle Egrets in amongst the ones furthest from the canals and out of camera range, unfortunately.

The canals were sometimes very narrow and the skills of the guides with their poles impressive. 

[paulakaymason]

Cattle Egrets in Allen?  That seems crazy!  The other day, I was walking around this beautiful little neighborhood lake, trying to get some pictures of a Great Egret and some wood ducks swimming and hunting in this local pond.  I noticed some strange sounds coming from across the pond every now and then – it sounded like an owl and a bobcat having a fight.

I was very curious, but there was not a bridge to cross over to the other side.  After hearing the sounds several times, I hopped in my car, and quickly wound my way through the neighborhood trying to get to the other side of this little pond.  I finally found an entrance to a path, that I assumed would lead me back to the pond.  I could still hear the crazy animal sounds coming from somewhere close by, so I headed in the direction I thought they were coming from.

As I walked toward the crazy loud animal sounds to see what was going on, I passed several people on my way, and none of them seemed interested in what was going on or even wondering what was making these crazy, loud noises.  Hmmm…what did I not know?  As I got closer & closer to the sounds, I realized it was the same animal sounds repeating over and over.

I looked up, and there it was – a small speaker up in one of the trees playing these wild animal sounds every few minutes.  The speaker was attached to the tornado warning siren tower for this neighborhood.  I could not figure out what this was all about, so I made my way back to the pond, to try and get some good photos.  I figured some kids were playing some sort of a prank on this community. All in good fun, I thought.  So I went about my business.

Here is one of the ducks I was trying to take photos of. I was able to get a few pictures right before the fireworks started!

Just as I was about to get in the perfect spot to shoot the wood ducks and the Egrets, someone set off a firecracker just a few feet behind me on the trail.  I just about jumped out of my skin!  Not only did it totally frighten me, but it also scared away ALL the ducks and Egrets that I was there to take photos of!  Ugh…

And even worse, just as I calmed myself from the loud firecracker sound, someone blew an air horn from the same area!  Oh my goodness…what was going on?  I was so annoyed by the teenagers that I assumed were on their bikes behind me on the trail.  I figured they were watching me through the trees and having a good laugh at the old lady who had just been scared half to death!  Little hoodlums!

I figured they had gone on their way, when another firecracker went off, followed again by another air horn!  What in the world.  I decided that there was no need to stick around – every bird and duck for miles was now gone, so I started back towards my car.  Every 2-3 minutes as I walked back, I heard another firework being exploded followed by an airhorn.  As I was cursing the teenagers who messed up my perfect shot, I saw an Allen Parks & Recreation truck parked up on the grass near the trail entrance.

Hmmm…had someone called about these teenagers?  They must have.  But why would they send Allen Parks & Recreation after them?  Shouldn’t it be the police?  After all, it was in the middle of the day, during the week.  These little trouble-makers should’ve been in school, right?

As I was telling my husband about all of this excitement from my adventure, he and I both agreed that it seemed strange that Allen Parks & Recreation were there.  As we started talking more about it, we realized that there must be some kind of crazy animal trouble in that neighborhood.  Why else would they be trying to scare things away?  Bobcats?  Snakes?  What could it be?

After talking with a friend who lives in that neighborhood, we discovered that they are having a terrible time with Cattle Egrets nesting there.  Apparently, they create quite a mess, and they are very stinky!  Who knew??  I’ve seen Cattle Egrets before, but they’ve always been near farms and ranches that have cows!  I’ve never seen a Cattle Egret that isn’t right next to a small herd of cows.   Crazy little birds!

This is where I usually see Cattle Egrets – hanging out with a herd of cattle!

I decided to look up these Cattle Egrets for a couple of reasons.  I wanted to know about them, and I wanted to check to see if this guy’s story about Cattle Egrets causing trouble in their neighborhood was true.  Apparently, this guy new what he was talking about.  The problem with Cattle Egrets is so bad in this neighborhood that it made the local news!

Not just any news station, but NBC News!  Check out the article by Catherine Ross titled Allen Dealing with Cattle Egrets Again.  And you can see the news story below…

I decided to do some reading on Cattle Egrets and found out some interesting facts about them on the  All About Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology website.

I read on their website that a Cattle Egret spends most of its time in fields rather than streams. It forages at the feet of grazing cattle, head bobbing with each step, or rides on their backs to pick at ticks. This stocky white heron has yellow plumes on its head and neck during breeding season.

Originally from Africa, it found its way to North America in 1953 and quickly spread across the continent. Elsewhere in the world, it forages alongside camels, ostriches, rhinos, and tortoises—as well as farmers’ tractors.

On many of my adventures lately, I have run across some beautiful pastures filled with cattle, and almost always, the cattle are surrounded by Cattle Egrets.  I love watching them, because compared to the cows, they are so small.  But…the Cattle Egrets have no fear.  They just walk along beside the cows, or perch on their backs, and peck at their legs!  Very entertaining!

Now that I know what’s going on in that neighborhood, I might have to go back and see if I can get some good pictures of them nesting!  What fun?  Well…maybe not if you are living in that area, but it sure is fun to be able to visit!  And then leave…  Let me know about your encounters with Cattle Egrets!  And send some pictures if you have some.  Until next time…

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And there they go! Right after the air-horn went off!

Surprised I caught this photo. He was off flying away so fast after the first firecracker!

These birds are crazy! Not even worried about getting stepped on!

    Cattle Egrets in Allen? What? Cattle Egrets in Allen?  That seems crazy!  The other day, I was walking around this beautiful little neighborhood lake, trying to get some pictures of a Great Egret and some wood ducks swimming and hunting in this local pond.  

[dansnaturepictures]

29/08/2020-Yellow Wagtails and more at Workman’s Lane and Cowes Lane at Hook-with-Warsash and Farlington Marshes: These pictures different to the ones I tweeted 

I came to new spot for me off of Workman’s Lane here today I had been to Hook-with-Warsash before, as one of my primary bird targets this year Yellow Wagtails had been here this week seen by my Mum and her husband yesterday, we checked out cowes lane later on to no avail for a Pied Flycatcher seen which we couldn’t. There were some nice views here over the farmland and also over the coast to Fawley Power station and an in-flower New Forest heath was visible as the sun came in and out with it feeling a little autumnal again in places which was nice. I took the first, second, third and fifth pictures in this photoset of views over this place. All of these ten pictures for Twitter friends are seperate to the ones I tweeted earlier as I produced over 30 again today between the two locations and at home this evening.

Very soon into our walk along Workman’s Lane today we studied a group of cows in a field through a fence the Yellow Wagtails are very typically found around grazing animals especially cattle. And sure enough as well as Starlings we spotted some Yellow Wagtails flying and on the ground in long grass. I was happy to see them again getting binoculars views. Yesterday and as reported on the goingbirding site today though they had been with horses in the fields so we walked through a gate onto a public right of way quite a few other birders were about at a safe social distance. We were delighted to see some more and seemingly a bigger group of these handsome yellow birds which have become a cornerstone of my late summer/early autumn. We got some great views getting photo opportunities too I took the fourth in this photoset of some and rather comically every time we looked at them in the optics they seemed to be right in front of the horses’ faces picking on the ground and it looked funny as the Yellow Wagtails were so dwarfed by these relatively small ponies. A fantastic sight to see. 

It is one of my birds of the year a crucial one to see my sixth ever sighting of one in my life after a nine year gap of seeing them that’s now four year lists in a row I have recorded one in which I am very happy with we are doing well with scouting and finding them now. It continued my surge in seeing birds for the first time in my year lately to take my year list to 173 at that time as I write below I did end the day on 174 birds for the year, this was bird 183 at Pennington in September of my 2019 and bird 182 of my 2018 at the same place. Like 2019 Yellow Wagtail came as a year tick after Manx Shearwater and Chough on the Cornish coast last year the day after our September Cornish holiday this year a week after the Cornish piece in our Devon long weekend away so a little earlier seeing them this year.

We then moved onto Farlington Marshes where we do rather frequent in August and September today where Whinchat was a target we had looked for them here previously this year, some nice views of the landscape seen again here in patches of sun I took I took the sixth and eighth pictures in this photoset of some great to see swatches of red in the landscape with so many red berries on the trees like at Lakeside lately. As we walked around I was delighted to see a Wheatear my second of the year after seeing my first of 2020 two weeks ago at Hayling Island nearby meant I had seen my bogey bird for this year. A nice second of the year for me I am having a good autumn migration for them. An interesting bird to see today too as when I saw my first ever Yellow Wagtail at Keyhaven/Pennington in 2008 I saw my first ever Wheatear that day too. I have also had a close relationship between Wheatear and Whinchat over the years seeing them together and rather associating them with each other like with Yellow Wagtail. 

As we walked on to the corner just beside the lake where there are loads of fence posts as we had done for three years prior to this one we caught sight of a spectacular and well marked Whinchat flying from post to post. I had seen it again, my first of the year another crucial bird in years for me and I love seeing them. I got very nice binocular views of it but could not quite get a photograph. We walked round and you often see them all along the fence posts and on shrubbery and grass here. We soon saw another but it didn’t seem to look my day for a photo of one with at quite a distance in a bit of wind neither my DSLR with big lens or bridge camera could focus. But as we saw a few more along here in the vegetation and grass I was pleased to get some pictures of this really special bird including the seventh in this photoset. 

There were cows nearby in this area and something spectacular happened next when we spotted some more Yellow Wagtails at Farlington Marshes flying and scuttling at the cow’s feet. We spent a glorious few minutes marvelling at them and watching them, they did upstage the Whinchats here slightly but we still got nice Whinchat views afterwards. I must have expected this with Yellow Wagtails reported at Farlington too actually but I assumed over the other side had I not been successful at seeing them earlier on at Hook-with-Warsash I may have looked harder. It was exceptional to see both together in the grass. I have noticed the last few years getting a year tick and then seeing that bird again as the year went on. Yellow Wagtail this did happen with last year as we saw some at RSPB Lodmoor, Weymouth in September too. But I don’t remember the last time other than in early New Year with very common birds ticked off that we actually saw a day’s year tick at a different place on the same day! Reflective of the fact there is a big influx of these birds in Hampshire currently which it was great to be a part of today. 

Linnets adding to a good stock of traditional farmland birds I loved seeing today. I also liked seeing a Kestrel landed as we often do at Farlington fairly close I took the ninth picture in this photoset of one. When home I had a delightful evening, firstly I managed to notice my first great sunset in a few days with the sun crawling back to the area I love seeing it set lighting up the distinctive trees visible from my room the further right it sets the closer we get to 21st June from my room then it goes back left and its now setting between the buildings that can block out the best bits of the sunset so its nice to see it. I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of that among others. 

But the best moment was when my Mum excitedly told me a Sparrowhawk was in the garden. This is something I have been waiting for for months as my Mum saw one in the garden earlier in the year before coronavirus even hit the UK really showing how long ago which I just found spectacular and longed to see them. I’d seen a Sparrowhawk in the garden as a boy at my Dad’s house but never here even though I’ve long known of and seen one in the neighborhood including over the garden. So I just longed to see this and really had an strong wishing to see this bird in the garden. Being downstairs with my memory card in my laptop and my big lens upstairs I rushed to get everything together and by the time I could join my Mum in the back room it had flown. But luckily not too far and it landed on a neighbouring fence. A bit further away I then used my bridge camera which I used for the Kestrel luckily sat downstairs at that time having had images from that taken to process. This is one of my most amazing garden birds and wildlife moments this year and ever and almost should have been expected really due to the amount of Starlings and House Sparrows so potential prey we have coming in the garden. What a fantastic day of birdwatching this late summer/autumn today was with other great moments too. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary for Hook-with-Warsash: My first Yellow Wagtails of the year, nice views of one of my favourite dragonflies the Southern Hawker with one looking us in the eye as they are famous for in summer and a gorgeous Small Copper butterfly, Meadow Brown, Large White, lots of Starlings and Swallows, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Robin and I heard one of my favourite birds the Buzzard. 

And for Farlington Marshes: My first Whinchats of the year, one of my favourite birds the Little Egret, Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, Linnet, Starlings gathering looking close to murmurating really which was nice, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Kestrel, Lapwing, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, early Teals, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose, Black-heeded Gull, Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Small White butterfly, rabbit, moth and wasp.