Random Poppys.

A poppy field that I snapped on the way to work today,

a bit of sunshine wouldve changed everything

to Bee or not to Bee?

Spent a few minutes in the garden yesterday, trying to get some close up Bee shots..

A lot of pollen on the legs..

Feeding time at the Great Crested.

A few things spotted today at Mapledurham Locks.
A Great Crested Grebe & an Egyptian Goose family. Common Tern and some Kingfishers. etc.

A good day.

The parent was very successful at fishing.

A hobby for some - tea for others.

Sunday afternoon and after working for the last two days in the heat and burning sun, plus a hangover that prevented any decent cycling, decided to go for a walk up Snelsmore via Sainsburys for a proper cooked brekkie!

After Sains decided to hit the Hide in Newbury and see what was there.. before I knew it 2 hours had passed as I sat watching Hobbys take Dragonfly etc. over the lake.

Amazing to watch them fly at high speed then throw their talons at a Dragonfly, sometimes just inches above the water..

The shots are blurred, but im happy with the results... fast and in the distance - but you can see the feet up, just before the catch..

Not a bad afternoon!

Ahhhhh

Snapped this cute family on Greenham Common yesterday.

Where's Woody?

Stumbled across a Great Spotted Woodpecker nest one day at work, so returned with camera and am quite pleased with the results.

Birthday Bonus

No update for a while due to moving house...

With my birthday on Wednesday I decided to head down to Normandy Lagoon, Lymington, searching for the Osprey, Long tailed Duck and a few others that had been recorded in the area.

No luck there, but I managed to increase my year tick list from 99 to 103, the new additions being a Lesser Whitethroat, some Little Gulls, Dunlin and a Reed Warbler.

Also managed to snap a few Tern shots and a Dartford Warbler..

Fledglings too.

A quick walk around the Lakes this morning and noticed a rather noisy Grey Wagtail on one of the Mill streams.

Every 5 minutes or so - a parent bird would arrive and ram a beak full of flys into its gaping mouth.

Hatchings!

Friday 30th April and Spring has arrived at Rooksbury.
The meadow areas of the Reserve are yellow with flowering Cowslips and finally some newborns to see.










Coots on the main lake, ugly but you cant help going 'Ahhh' at something so small.
Moorhen chicks that look no larger than a black 'pingpong' ball. Its amazing how something so small can survive in a worlds where many things would consider it a quick snack!

The Cetti Warblers can still be heard, and occasionally seen.. as well as a pair of Sedge Warblers that are nesting on the edge of the lake. (better pic to follow, hopefully)

Too cute..

Saw his little fella on Greenham Common yesterday and had to snap it.
Was hoping to capture the Dartford Warbler and 2 Little Ringed Plover that I saw on Friday, but no luck.

Cetti capture

Pleased to kick off the blog with a capture of a Cetti's Warbler....
Many hours (probably minutes) have been lost wandering around Rooksbury, hunting for the small but very noisy bird..
Well today - SUCCESS!!