Wednesday 18 March 2009

Around and About

I haven't been in the best frame of mind lately, I worry that my constant pain is causing my depression to worsen. I don't want sympathy, I am merely trying to maintain the flow of the blog, I've mentioned it before, it affects how I view things and how enthusiastic I am about my photography.

I have been mooching about mostly on my own, I was keen to try and show a few new things this time. So with that in mind I set out to get some species that I haven't shown for a while, but that weren't too challenging.
The Great Grey Shrike has been reported at Boys Grave for many weeks, I had been meaning to go and last weekend I bit the bullet. It was a glorious morning so I forced myself up early and off I went. I had lots of views of it swooping into the undergrowth presumeably in search of prey, but it wasn't going to come too close. This is a record shot really.


Another annual target is the Hawfinch. I sat cramped in my hide for two hours and saw only four. Here is the male and a female.

The male is the second of the two.

A trip to New Fancy gave me the opportunity for Siskin and Goldfinch.


I bumped into Glenn Bailes at New Fancy, I first met Glenn at Slimbridge, but have bumped into him on a number of occasions since. He has a very good website you might want to check out, you will find it in the links page on my new website, which in turn can be found on the links here. I enjoyed spending time with him.
New Fancy also gave me a chance to see the adder, another annual target.


Closer to home I found this Mistle Thrush, it was helping itself to worms. I was amazed at it's strength and determination.




Finally I went to catch up with an old friend in the Wye valley. I've been watching a family of Little Owls, I say family, I have only seen the one this year but I know that last year there was at least one chick fledged. I hope that they are successful in breeding this year.

I get a great kick out of the many species in and around the Forest, There is always something to see.