Thursday 22 December 2016

Slimbridge

8th December
Stayed with Joyce's sister in Cam which just happens to be a stones throw from Slimbridge WWT, so while they go shopping for the day I head down there where I largely ignore the collections of wildfowl and see what shows  up in front of the hides. Always good to see the Bewicks Swans and other wild duck at close quarters, and now you have the Common Cranes which form part of the Great Crane Project which aims to restore a healthy population of these iconic birds throughout the U.K. A rather gloomy morning but brightened up a little in the afternoon.
Bewicks Swan preening

Bewicks Swans, adult and juvenile

Bewicks flyover

Bewicks Swan

Bewicks Swan

Pintail- bottoms up.

Pintail male

Pintail pair

Pintail male

Pintail male late afternoon

Pintail male

Pintail close up

Female Teal

Male Teal

Shelduck bathing

Shelduck bathing

Shelduck bathing

Shelduck wing stretch

Incoming Greylag

Greylags

Common Cranes

Common Cranes

Common Cranes

Wednesday 14 December 2016

Desert Wheatear

1st December 2016.
Good to catch up with this cracking male Desert Wheatear at Thurlestone beach in South Devon, only the second I've seen. ( the first being at Looe in Cornwall in dec 1997). This one was very confiding, favouring an area on the beach with a small boat which it used as a perch.
Thurleston beach, a bit like a desert I suppose!

The Wheatear came within feet allowing for a few close ups.

Desert Wheatear

Desert Wheatear

The Desert Wheatear spent some time on the boat preening

As did this Rock Pipit.

Saturday 10 December 2016

Frosty morning

We don't get too many real frosts in this part of the world , so I managed too get a little bit of time to get out with the camera in brief cold couple of days recently. Taken  in the garden and field.
Frosted Web

Frosted Web

Frosty Honeysuckle

Sunday 4 December 2016

Pembrokeshire

A few days with the family on the Pembrokeshire coast, staying near Nevern, an area I'd not visited before ,and a very nice area too, and good for a variety of  wildlife ( although the weather was windy and quite cold).
Dinas Head.

Dipper at Nevern

Otter on the river at Nevern, great to watch and I was all set up but would it stop fishing and plunging around in the water and just look up for a second or two?

Fungi and Fern

Cherry Oak Galls

Fallen Leaves