Busy times

Its busy times in and around the forest. Lots of birds dashing around making nests or feeding young. Here are just a few birds I've photographed this last week.

I know she's just a little brown job but I quite liked this close up of the female Chaffinch.

This Great Tit is looking a little shabby, no doubt its well into the breeding season.

This Blue tit is really showing signs that it is neglecting itself to look after young.

This one doesnt look too bad. Oh, and yes before you ask it is the right way up.

This is the first Gosling I've seen its a Canada Goose chick and there's an interesting story linked to it. It was one of two chicks that were born on a pond just outside of Ross. The pond is a small fishery, I was worried that the chicks were vulnerable as the pond is neither deep or large, my concern was either predation or injury by kids. My fears proved to be well founded as within 48 hrs of leaving the nest there was only one chick left. I have no idea what happened but I do know that Mum and dad Canada Goose walked the remaining chick almost half a mile to another pond nearby. I know they walked because a) the chick is obviously too young to fly and b) they were seen by a nearby resident crossing the road approximately 300 yards from the initial pond, This is more amazing as on the opposite side of the road they crossed is another pond, also a fishery but they chose to ignore this pond and move to another which is more secure and less well known and not fished. Truly nature at its best and most amazing.

Chris Grady and I visited a favourite spot of ours for Wood Warbler and were rewarded with views of this beaut.

Most of the Warblers are rather dull little things, the Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, and Garden Warbler spring to mind immediately, but this little beaut is quite colourful with its yellow tinges and bright white chest.

I'm hoping for Redstart and Pied Flycatcher this next week, weather permitting, so keep your fingers crossed for me and pop back soon to see if I was successful.

Up Hill and.......Up more hill!

This last week was short on opportunities for photography. Tuesday I spent the day with Chris Grady, we decided to head up to north Herefordshire in search of some reported Dotterell. Thankfully I'm 24lbs lighter in weight nowadays and I was very pleased of the fact as we trudged up hill for what seemed miles.

Not a Dotterell in sight however we did see some great stuff. I saw my first ever Cuckoo up close, I say cuckoo but it was actually cuckoo's, 2 of them to be precise. It was a thrill to see what has become a rarer bird so close. We also saw, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Redstart, Red Kite, Yellowhammer, and Northern Wheatear. I managed a grab shot of the Northern Wheatear.

We also saw a lovely group of Ponies, one of which had a foal. I love these shots of them.

I enjoyed the day on the hills albeit that we didnt do much photography. We also shot off into Shropshire to the Longmynd Hills near Church Stretton after reports of Dotterell being seen and photographed there. We missed out again unfortunately. So my first attempts at Dotterell failed, Chris is getting used to it, he has failed on his last four attempts to get them. Unlucky son.

Hawfinches

I spent a great deal of time in the forest this last week, mostly after Hawfinch but also more Boar. Unfortunately I only got Grey Squirrel.

Now I know that they are vermin and that they cause damage to trees, but honestly they are cute aren't they.

A very nice surprise.

A day spent in the Forest of Dean had been pretty unproductive until I was making my way home.

Just off the side of one of the forest roads were a group of Boar. Two sows and 8 or more piglets. I managed to stop and grab the camera to get a few shots, they turned out pretty good.























This shot was both moving and amusing, moving because of the closeness between the sow and Piglet and amusing because she has a piece of bracken on her forehead.



















I love this shot of two of the Piglets.




















A chance encounter and one that I will remember for a long time. At one point the sow and the piglet in picture 3 were only 6 feet away from me. I couldnt get them in the frame on my 70-200 lens.

As usual click on the pics to see larger version.

Home for a spell.

I have been up to Chester to House and Dog sit for my mother whilst she went to visit my brother. Its given me the opportunity to see a few different things. I have also seen some regulars. The Chiffchaffs are here in numbers too.

There are quite a few Blackcaps too.

I took a visit to Inner Marsh Farm, RSPB reserve. I was pleased to see lots of the usual birds, Coots, Mallards and Teal.

But there were some less common species there too. There were a number of Avocets.

And a very distant Spoonbill, this is a huge crop, but you can see what it is.

I also saw, but didnt photograph, Reed Bunting, Willow Warbler, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Black Headed Gull, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Pintail, Shelduck, Little Egret, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Heron, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Rook, Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Swallows and Black Tailed Godwit.

I've also had chance to cover some of my old stomping grounds and I've also seen, Weasel, Bank Vole, Grey Squirrel, Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Long tailed Tit, Starling, House Sparrow and Orange tip, Speckled wood, Comma, Peacock, and Small White butterflies too. All in all a very enjoyable spring weekend. I'm Loving it.