tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23007662679064638892024-03-18T21:31:32.040+00:00Pegler BirdingMy Occasional Photographic ForaysRichard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.comBlogger840125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-73277235634319152842024-03-17T11:02:00.000+00:002024-03-17T11:02:36.329+00:00So That's The Way To Do It!! - March, 2024<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This post is a bit technical and, if it is not of interest, you might just want to scroll down to the pictures - I will not be in the least offended!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It is almost exactly a year since I bought my current camera set-up. My kit was getting worn out, and in need of service, but it was also getting a little too heavy for me to carry about over long distances, so I looked into going mirrorless. Having been an avid Nikon user for about twenty years, that is where I first looked. I had been using a Nikon D7200 body with a Sigma 50-500 lens. I found that if I wanted to go down the Nikon route it would cost me a small fortune, and save me virtually nothing in weight. This caused me to look at Canon. I found that there was a suitable alternative from Canon in the form of their EOS R7 with their RF 100-400 lens. This came in at about a third of the price of the current Nikon offering! Yes, the lens was not quite as versatile as was the 50-500, but the set up came in at half the weight of my exisitng Nikon set-up. Furthermore, the 32.5 megapixel cropped sensor of the R7 versus the 24.2 megapixel cropped sensor of the Nikon, made up, somewhat, for the loss of reach of the lens.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Although I was immediately impressed by what I had bought, it took me quite some time to get used to the switch between Nikon and Canon. I now feel that I'm fairly well accustomed to it.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>If there is a downside to the set-up it is that the largest aperture available with the RF 100-400 is F5.6 at 100 mm (F8 at 400 mm), meaning it's a little more difficult to use at low light levels, although the lack of noise at high ISOs is rather good, and compensates for this to some extent. <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>One of the features of the Canon R7 is the AI driven focus facility. This can be set to recognise animals (including birds) and focus on the eyes. In servo focus mode, once the focus has been achieved, the focus will track the item, no matter where it moves to in the frame. I found this to be very useful, but I was having difficulty in achieving that initial focus, especially when the subject was a fast-flying small bird at a distance.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We now come forward to 4th March this year. I was aware of the facility to set up the R7 with three separate custom settings (C1, C2, C3), easily accessible from the dial on the top of the body. I had briefly played with this in the early days of owning the camera, but kept putting of actually using this facility. On this day, I decided that it was time to do something about it.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I frequently take photos of birds, etc. that are in confusing backgrounds or have intervening foliage in front of them. I therefore have my camera set for 'spot focus' for most of the time. It was only when reading up about the facilities of the camera that I found a recommendation that for moving subjects in an open background (sky, for example), the thing to do is to use 'whole area' focus. The AI looks for the nearest object in frame that conforms to the target focus (animals) and locks onto it.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I then set up C3 to incorporate this focus facility together with servo focus, which takes changing distance into account.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>So that I can quickly get back to my static subject in a confusing background, I set up C1 accordingly.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>C2 is not yet set up but I am reserving that to potentially use in the dragonfly season with settings more suited to photographing dragonflies in flight with confusing backgrounds.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The very next day, I went out specifiacally to put the C3 custom setting to the test. This is what I found.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 5th March Sence Valley Forest Park</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I set off in the ealy afternoon with Sence Valley Forest Park being only ten minutes from our home. Having parked my car, I entered the site, stopping to photograph a pair of Canada Geese beside the path by Goss Water. Here's one of them.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqaR4BlCmZXyvhlIeh7c0qHfpEn2nfmjko4XvgtZOCfyrEJh254nOYvgB2K5WMF0KxxiOqahMju-wkWgklO-PjzppcbN8CsIlXfSZmQZKYDGxVHZJBH8ul3A8vodx0IK6My4jA4uL4UT_bkwRwMq8k-B4khKeAW4YG52unCabU4khyphenhyphenFWjop-nkrbhvp4/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8521%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqaR4BlCmZXyvhlIeh7c0qHfpEn2nfmjko4XvgtZOCfyrEJh254nOYvgB2K5WMF0KxxiOqahMju-wkWgklO-PjzppcbN8CsIlXfSZmQZKYDGxVHZJBH8ul3A8vodx0IK6My4jA4uL4UT_bkwRwMq8k-B4khKeAW4YG52unCabU4khyphenhyphenFWjop-nkrbhvp4/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8521%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Out on the water, but fairly close in, were some Black-headed Gulls. This one was transitioning into summer plumage</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjT_wx_UdlwwP07EdyGhTVbEpqFa46KhujRersPvmudbRL9ohd_eXkDfX7LJzx5nWPT07qAsMnWxgs_imhQ31fB8bzmiHuiVS1E6w7R3ZOIsU-pY6kxtvsdfleYbV34eIKOA9t1yUZ5Rgu-rfHbPo8eDu476gkIlq-3QzdhFddQKzOm8uLWPCqX9S5Ezs/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8527%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjT_wx_UdlwwP07EdyGhTVbEpqFa46KhujRersPvmudbRL9ohd_eXkDfX7LJzx5nWPT07qAsMnWxgs_imhQ31fB8bzmiHuiVS1E6w7R3ZOIsU-pY6kxtvsdfleYbV34eIKOA9t1yUZ5Rgu-rfHbPo8eDu476gkIlq-3QzdhFddQKzOm8uLWPCqX9S5Ezs/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8527%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Sence Valley FP<br /></span></span></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The tern rafts, installed by the excellent Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society (LROS) were occupied by Cormorants. I love the punk 'hairstyle' of a Cormorant in 'courtship' plumage.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjCMJp6xnOPweMiH16VF59pQ_8qL1RBYxlluzNANu28uq96s49Jj_z-p_swiemWOB8Hvlo67ZuNyLKZgnoBPNld94BUVX3amE7R_bFzXRpJRLAyh6Se4YUsnLmfmKXN2B47w6u1vPugvN20WRyVZ4tPnctiHC9aWue9jAaiGmWVHlTCNNaOaDRw7LhX4/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8530%20Cormorant%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjCMJp6xnOPweMiH16VF59pQ_8qL1RBYxlluzNANu28uq96s49Jj_z-p_swiemWOB8Hvlo67ZuNyLKZgnoBPNld94BUVX3amE7R_bFzXRpJRLAyh6Se4YUsnLmfmKXN2B47w6u1vPugvN20WRyVZ4tPnctiHC9aWue9jAaiGmWVHlTCNNaOaDRw7LhX4/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8530%20Cormorant%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cormorant (<i>Phalacrocorax Carbo</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I approached the northern end of Goss Water, I saw some gulls in the air in the distance. I quickly flipped the dial on my camera round to C3 and sharted shooting. To say that I was impressed by the results is an understatement. If only I had used this setting before. Here is a heavily cropped shot - not the best in the world but it will illustrate the situation.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgPxW5ZUyagBgamN81kXm1Xt6_kPhJnc3be89nCLGWjLN8vXzlkEvx4ysEF6pcrSnM2LmKuP2SN_eAK_y2PnnVdO5-qLFjy5KJ_ONPfTi0Cudki_q1JOB2bwfhh73tDCweUIzmqTj8X1iM3RKxuuei8TebQ4sMPfg7zQWhXUIN_Wol63VaQvt6Q6OPeQ/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8540%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgPxW5ZUyagBgamN81kXm1Xt6_kPhJnc3be89nCLGWjLN8vXzlkEvx4ysEF6pcrSnM2LmKuP2SN_eAK_y2PnnVdO5-qLFjy5KJ_ONPfTi0Cudki_q1JOB2bwfhh73tDCweUIzmqTj8X1iM3RKxuuei8TebQ4sMPfg7zQWhXUIN_Wol63VaQvt6Q6OPeQ/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8540%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></span></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>- and here is the image that it was cropped from. The camera has found the subject and followed it until it was way off centre.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmu-AXTShEpRtcqbiwKTa8CpM4bpoElN13EYtX7AHmLkLAw2JL_dDA_ieQTpE5GKNgXi2JuWUbgUWyEnuL5qK6rFZdhaSrZA8AHQW6EGuWEIBAGFWLQA8495RTdyBwz8eNMRs9glqRQPjKOopFAFrgPbfDzNJfX4nXa2ucNOkGwU9RH5w9Wn-ojrJrer8/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8540%20Black-headed%20Gull-uc%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmu-AXTShEpRtcqbiwKTa8CpM4bpoElN13EYtX7AHmLkLAw2JL_dDA_ieQTpE5GKNgXi2JuWUbgUWyEnuL5qK6rFZdhaSrZA8AHQW6EGuWEIBAGFWLQA8495RTdyBwz8eNMRs9glqRQPjKOopFAFrgPbfDzNJfX4nXa2ucNOkGwU9RH5w9Wn-ojrJrer8/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8540%20Black-headed%20Gull-uc%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></span></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here are a couple more shots from that short session. The first is in winter plumage and the second in full summer plumage.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1B9uIxtPnt5To138ixUenqdcP7iwdZZrGQqeM9uUdLhSj-r6CZH63D6S76cf1crrkqhYN8qcSOGa8OGkSF-qZog5R2O0q4Ly9lltHV3_niIzZh-Er_K2mZKOpBMHw4sjIrkacq0JR1X-Z5AdoBSOT6Z4U5usKGDDJPWCjpJOYxPZmtmm-GQzmZx2ggI/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8551%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1B9uIxtPnt5To138ixUenqdcP7iwdZZrGQqeM9uUdLhSj-r6CZH63D6S76cf1crrkqhYN8qcSOGa8OGkSF-qZog5R2O0q4Ly9lltHV3_niIzZh-Er_K2mZKOpBMHw4sjIrkacq0JR1X-Z5AdoBSOT6Z4U5usKGDDJPWCjpJOYxPZmtmm-GQzmZx2ggI/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8551%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54OKBRFGQzSIiVUmYN_JjYaH9N-G9rwUyvS0fEaewa8Kaeav1iTcHaODgAQ9vyGDMu5S372nTc0HENM0ne2iVBeCYQkznikXBfuH0WX8CUWRZ4-zXmJxQLVKVweGH9DNBCrg5BE5ym38kYFiUVSKr0TppBq3l5O66zgeoq3Lewyt6WtGJW_z-H6KwWho/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8569%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54OKBRFGQzSIiVUmYN_JjYaH9N-G9rwUyvS0fEaewa8Kaeav1iTcHaODgAQ9vyGDMu5S372nTc0HENM0ne2iVBeCYQkznikXBfuH0WX8CUWRZ4-zXmJxQLVKVweGH9DNBCrg5BE5ym38kYFiUVSKr0TppBq3l5O66zgeoq3Lewyt6WtGJW_z-H6KwWho/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8569%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></span></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I made a short diversion up to Usbourne Pool, seeing nothing of interest, and then retraced my steps a while and wandered on to the ramp that leads down to the water's edge of Horseshoe Lake. A Mute Swan was here, hoping to be fed.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxxPAgGvWQjBL4PjcLHOUqNYdC6ydkycR3XkvWyjj-d4lE7UYzR58Vt5vZh4vRAqmeZPJAXxgsR02iqFpkVcwYcHSuCtNxjIIlfqRC_eTItVRe54ahdcJOac4RIyI16sPrREeemD83-p3nuSmFtWrbP-CtYSYkVMclGgQUCWDmtldIqlXhiPs2E0F32E/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8570%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxxPAgGvWQjBL4PjcLHOUqNYdC6ydkycR3XkvWyjj-d4lE7UYzR58Vt5vZh4vRAqmeZPJAXxgsR02iqFpkVcwYcHSuCtNxjIIlfqRC_eTItVRe54ahdcJOac4RIyI16sPrREeemD83-p3nuSmFtWrbP-CtYSYkVMclGgQUCWDmtldIqlXhiPs2E0F32E/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8570%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mute Swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Although the majority of gulls present were Black-headed Gulls, I am relatively positive that these two, sitting on posts out in the water, were Common Gulls - but I'm not very good at gulls! Common Gulls are not a species that I'm used to seeing in these parts.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxv16dZJILD66-6R8JhTFzDxhYN0PaWwa7Uy5DAcbkvMmvBz3Scf_KFJm_Ed9kwykcs1Swtu75jghJd2sHAzSyN0ov_g9I7eqAcC4_2WkdPRlhE2JHX238COzSDaocvl9o6-avS2cZU6owzfR4KKihK8S90Q2fSisuLIE2YxV5zbd6vSCUeMRcO2-AHtI/s881/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8575%20Common%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxv16dZJILD66-6R8JhTFzDxhYN0PaWwa7Uy5DAcbkvMmvBz3Scf_KFJm_Ed9kwykcs1Swtu75jghJd2sHAzSyN0ov_g9I7eqAcC4_2WkdPRlhE2JHX238COzSDaocvl9o6-avS2cZU6owzfR4KKihK8S90Q2fSisuLIE2YxV5zbd6vSCUeMRcO2-AHtI/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8575%20Common%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht46_7igG_5D0kA3e0i_PA_diV7ayLyPCXWtjFXYCAdJ5C9AlyKwaJqHmCJijj4qPbqFYaMNlxLy46xJ1ssztjS9YchRiU781pQtWcIzCbP_28nEcfS8Pc9ikPnnggZF1YnCyM9CvPV-Oj4Zw0Hx6OITlQpm2PQMnWXIjIdeQyYdgRd618cKbNk3Uq4FE/s860/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8579%20Common%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht46_7igG_5D0kA3e0i_PA_diV7ayLyPCXWtjFXYCAdJ5C9AlyKwaJqHmCJijj4qPbqFYaMNlxLy46xJ1ssztjS9YchRiU781pQtWcIzCbP_28nEcfS8Pc9ikPnnggZF1YnCyM9CvPV-Oj4Zw0Hx6OITlQpm2PQMnWXIjIdeQyYdgRd618cKbNk3Uq4FE/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8579%20Common%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Common Gull (<i>Larus canus</i>) - Sence Valley FP<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></b><b>Here's another shot of a Black-headed Gull, part-way through its transition to summer plumage.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDcfeOwmQPKgci5gdnCcPkYUEP4R4vksZgeKHBDMswqpvA8YQjvyfJNo4-F9dWn1kOGRGo54En0IuNzuneXvzU_uuYbl-UNT0aLkyFTXkwYYGXmYVtPHWezE_QPLEt-0F0bED7d8UYIxZCzsORAW4B-jwI1KpVQqcwkt6v69xg7wyheZqAXiN9FS0Xao/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8591%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDcfeOwmQPKgci5gdnCcPkYUEP4R4vksZgeKHBDMswqpvA8YQjvyfJNo4-F9dWn1kOGRGo54En0IuNzuneXvzU_uuYbl-UNT0aLkyFTXkwYYGXmYVtPHWezE_QPLEt-0F0bED7d8UYIxZCzsORAW4B-jwI1KpVQqcwkt6v69xg7wyheZqAXiN9FS0Xao/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8591%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></span></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table>I then headed to Stonebridge Pool and made a circuit of the pool, stopping in at the hide on the way, but seeing little of interest. The only thing I photographed was a Tufted Duck at the northern end of the pool.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsBhJQaSdaMfQQ1pLtHpWCn4EDWzQYv6j7Swzx6filfkJAGpLW6R-V8XhPG4VDliKgFoQbpBi2QzWYVe-XD8GYsSCgCwsRY3XdvRUvifbhT6RnjP81UvipmxYVMxT1wUmcG5MeyhqBYv8kWz_VWvD5dIuLN9jWIOBaN1hIZEoWknhZWjm1M9WVqUsNA8/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8594%20Tufted%20Duck%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsBhJQaSdaMfQQ1pLtHpWCn4EDWzQYv6j7Swzx6filfkJAGpLW6R-V8XhPG4VDliKgFoQbpBi2QzWYVe-XD8GYsSCgCwsRY3XdvRUvifbhT6RnjP81UvipmxYVMxT1wUmcG5MeyhqBYv8kWz_VWvD5dIuLN9jWIOBaN1hIZEoWknhZWjm1M9WVqUsNA8/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8594%20Tufted%20Duck%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Tufted Duck (<i>Aythya fuligula</i>) (male) - Sence Valley FP</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>I was on my way back to my car when I heard the distinct call of a Common Buzzard somewhere. One of the problems of wearing the sort of hearing aids that I do is that I have no sense of direction of what it is that I'm hearing. However, I soon located the Buzzard as it emerged from behind trees and made some circuits high above Horseshoe Lake. I quickly turned the dial on my camera to C3 and was back in business again!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx85oYkzqNN6OSIuUY_F-9_tGLpssodV_Pojd_hOwCqEqNZ1mDoztK8lsbxl8999VEvEalYzohc9-6sIGXdF1Beu0RBgWVTZ0lvBsxMN11p_gBsD3_vix423PffApEGDqXVjyVL8KzupV-EpulYjj6t5Zk7wTqFCiBBLUMCfdQrwIi1GqdZY18VJCmJIM/s839/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8602%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx85oYkzqNN6OSIuUY_F-9_tGLpssodV_Pojd_hOwCqEqNZ1mDoztK8lsbxl8999VEvEalYzohc9-6sIGXdF1Beu0RBgWVTZ0lvBsxMN11p_gBsD3_vix423PffApEGDqXVjyVL8KzupV-EpulYjj6t5Zk7wTqFCiBBLUMCfdQrwIi1GqdZY18VJCmJIM/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8602%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzFV-hm2Ad7t8QtNtl-oCS0cLetq1MLaqcj7Bdo8DxOHexRw9JtvIsNttkipdRc8SUzwHYjqC5PYjGZlBJwHkZyQFaHNGJVt7e1GT1LBp1x__V_fVLOOoFKvxl_Ng3X1CMFBrYbm_B1mbM0QG_Y9_wJG2TUO_gPZau1JvzPz8ryMbGHQk3axukB0GTiI/s859/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8604%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzFV-hm2Ad7t8QtNtl-oCS0cLetq1MLaqcj7Bdo8DxOHexRw9JtvIsNttkipdRc8SUzwHYjqC5PYjGZlBJwHkZyQFaHNGJVt7e1GT1LBp1x__V_fVLOOoFKvxl_Ng3X1CMFBrYbm_B1mbM0QG_Y9_wJG2TUO_gPZau1JvzPz8ryMbGHQk3axukB0GTiI/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8604%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Buzzard (<i>Buteo buteo</i>) - Sence Valley FP </span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Switching back to C1, I took a few more shots as I passed Goss Pool once more.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQQx9EjnOh5qJ2-O8QzdBmUAv4RJzhYAV-D1ZSgQh4SexvA6E3ZjtfG2CgHWqTy36GxBQjGuiLaUoh31YL9EeZm0FSCDq6zo6vJflmPALXhsgNbcgcN22-1YUCpvFYC5MI0FYrTCk6y92GZZFd3t99Z_4cjvNCCwa9EK5_DK1pl7CiEd9NuJtxtWh6zQ/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8672%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQQx9EjnOh5qJ2-O8QzdBmUAv4RJzhYAV-D1ZSgQh4SexvA6E3ZjtfG2CgHWqTy36GxBQjGuiLaUoh31YL9EeZm0FSCDq6zo6vJflmPALXhsgNbcgcN22-1YUCpvFYC5MI0FYrTCk6y92GZZFd3t99Z_4cjvNCCwa9EK5_DK1pl7CiEd9NuJtxtWh6zQ/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8672%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></span></span></b></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeke2LT4c4dGG-ymkGwg1V_2Yjg8gIJ9syTrLIS2y49ivf9rBI7xvZeOg39QMgRYK4eEqCxuVPKFRbpGH8CU81Zq5BDSAx4kXjAXZZfid_bocg29NB-WO6X2-k8C4sjtZBvuO7uP4yHUbVxiBjypFgE3c_trRXmfQfOd0tN20y6dj2YkrOSE-mKiOPScY/s825/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8684%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeke2LT4c4dGG-ymkGwg1V_2Yjg8gIJ9syTrLIS2y49ivf9rBI7xvZeOg39QMgRYK4eEqCxuVPKFRbpGH8CU81Zq5BDSAx4kXjAXZZfid_bocg29NB-WO6X2-k8C4sjtZBvuO7uP4yHUbVxiBjypFgE3c_trRXmfQfOd0tN20y6dj2YkrOSE-mKiOPScY/s16000/24-03-05%20Sence%20Valley%20PEG_8684%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I was, of course, highly delighted with this newly-found facility on the camera - my only regret being that it took me a year to find it! I suspect that there are people out there that are astounded by my ineptitude - I'll use my age, and the many distractions I have had over the past twelve months as my excuse!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My next blog post might feature another local visit - one that did not give me the ability to exercise those new settings. Or it might not!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-90354611680059358562024-03-10T12:17:00.001+00:002024-03-10T12:21:04.800+00:00The last days of February, 2024<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>At times, at the end of February, it looked as if spring was on its way as, although it was officially recorded as the wettest February on record, temperatures were quite mild, occasionally reaching double figures. This is an account of some of my (mostly garden) observations during this period.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 22nd February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was away from home for much of the day as, in the early afternoon, I had to take Lindsay to hospital for a physiotherapy appointment following her knee operation. This was a quite hazardous journey as we were having torrential rain and encountered much flooding along the way. Fortunately, our car has a very generous ground-clearance and we were able to pass through the floods, but the journey took an hour and a quarter each way, instead of the usual 45 minutes.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I did manage some photos of birds in our garden in the morning before the rain started.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We are regularly getting three Carrion Crow visiting the garden. I think that these are a pair with an all-but-adult youngster, and this theory is strengthened by the fact that that, in recent days, two of the birds are trying to chase off the third, suggesting that they think that it's time the youngster left home and find its own way. Here is one of the birds.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnspbvhVzNPdA_hf9LCnHSBMV0i0nMG4Cgl8X0guxy_OYoYVwHVMsMb66JwEfP_wzH6Ugen-py1Ok9U7x3ABRa0SylHOvbwtOKFwtw0AC_K8T4aEXc1ZuPnnBiH3_TOXFcYmozfYAT-YXJ5wungib6oV2VRlk_d49ys_M8aAXJWl_nmdnjYh5isETlpA/s825/24-02-22%20Garden%20PEG_7681%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnspbvhVzNPdA_hf9LCnHSBMV0i0nMG4Cgl8X0guxy_OYoYVwHVMsMb66JwEfP_wzH6Ugen-py1Ok9U7x3ABRa0SylHOvbwtOKFwtw0AC_K8T4aEXc1ZuPnnBiH3_TOXFcYmozfYAT-YXJ5wungib6oV2VRlk_d49ys_M8aAXJWl_nmdnjYh5isETlpA/s16000/24-02-22%20Garden%20PEG_7681%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Carrion Crow (<i>Corvus corone</i>) - our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Greenfinch is now vying with Goldfinch for the title of 'most numerous bird species in the Pegler garden'. On the previous day to this one, we had a record total of 14 Greenfinch, which exactly matched the Goldfinch total that day. However, Greenfinch rarely stop in a useful photographic position. This is one taken from my study window.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijakcs-SfrEcA6DDcGcnfIPH7JG2YZaE7-SPTOQLB6QavYbj7bnRF7XTp1zIJIKU9igaZPpPQyTM37vreb5PNdDdgzWiqLlQ3HKR_Cu3qZjgcNqA6RlYatDYlllDrc7YdgWc4AxtZKOpHR68GSah4s4wAB4JYFsu-Hmju8JRJBsTojjZjyDxUj3yY3LDk/s825/24-02-22%20Garden%20PEG_7692%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijakcs-SfrEcA6DDcGcnfIPH7JG2YZaE7-SPTOQLB6QavYbj7bnRF7XTp1zIJIKU9igaZPpPQyTM37vreb5PNdDdgzWiqLlQ3HKR_Cu3qZjgcNqA6RlYatDYlllDrc7YdgWc4AxtZKOpHR68GSah4s4wAB4JYFsu-Hmju8JRJBsTojjZjyDxUj3yY3LDk/s16000/24-02-22%20Garden%20PEG_7692%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenfinch (<i>Chloris chloris</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here's a Goldfinch from that day.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZTSPCsIkP-ZWhec5u6__2Z7pKqzBLsdZlj4d4WH6O4h-KLKvmRwaEhgoAJAIG_zuQgm_OyMOXy62L5GBWLC21FrxTFN21-mafDVohThHhPxGFr56pAwREzrlgYHltK6GbiZPI3TI1XIB_beUY5AQevAGK85w3kws2XPkSVsQTQWTkevOkjGncaA_pvc/s825/24-02-22%20Garden%20PEG_7700%20Goldfinch%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZTSPCsIkP-ZWhec5u6__2Z7pKqzBLsdZlj4d4WH6O4h-KLKvmRwaEhgoAJAIG_zuQgm_OyMOXy62L5GBWLC21FrxTFN21-mafDVohThHhPxGFr56pAwREzrlgYHltK6GbiZPI3TI1XIB_beUY5AQevAGK85w3kws2XPkSVsQTQWTkevOkjGncaA_pvc/s16000/24-02-22%20Garden%20PEG_7700%20Goldfinch%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldfinch (<i>Carduelis carduelis</i>) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 23rd February Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Fortunately, the rain stopped during the night, and the flooding had almost disappeared by the time I had to take Lindsay back to the hospital to have her sutures removed. As we arrived back home, we remarked on a fine patch of Crocus in our front garden.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_1k9GmqSkfmeQRftOleeznEy-0LmPxMyKlqiITC9UY3nVbzhws2Op-kWdpApaFfoJJKL8JfsEYe5V7SbpIlix_u0vcjICzp2bgDur4BK28F0AOMgqcfpJoHP8BMkMC8kM1u612aYBsuXY-PPQrVHkZvBmYqfnwc6EGqZYV7QdgbOyewTmL9DrBDM8sA/s825/24-02-23%20Garden%20122939%20-%20Early%20Crocus%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_1k9GmqSkfmeQRftOleeznEy-0LmPxMyKlqiITC9UY3nVbzhws2Op-kWdpApaFfoJJKL8JfsEYe5V7SbpIlix_u0vcjICzp2bgDur4BK28F0AOMgqcfpJoHP8BMkMC8kM1u612aYBsuXY-PPQrVHkZvBmYqfnwc6EGqZYV7QdgbOyewTmL9DrBDM8sA/s16000/24-02-23%20Garden%20122939%20-%20Early%20Crocus%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Early Crocus (<i>Crocus tommasinianus</i>) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 25th February Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the spirit of trying to pay a little more attention to the very common birds in our garden, I offer the Woodpigeon. This always strikes me as being one of the least intelligent of bird species that visit us. To watch a pair of them trying to banish each other from the feeding tray is nothing short of commical (note to self - must try to capture this on video!). </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5MSeUvyLef4oZsQyMv0cP6-e7oLm7BD98PH6muLxwCXqiQdjoKok17qS3htpqmz9RMCaUHvgyiVRmZpp_nd9HGjtzqYpNWurdORuccBvZ4IUpTfVlLQKH_7b0HfBvOH0xlLbrgyUH2ZSyR2Tx3g13s2rH3xzO8cJMmAW8-cqmhJDUXF_b6mK3-syNbk/s825/24-02-25%20Garden%20PEG_7718%20Woodpigeon%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5MSeUvyLef4oZsQyMv0cP6-e7oLm7BD98PH6muLxwCXqiQdjoKok17qS3htpqmz9RMCaUHvgyiVRmZpp_nd9HGjtzqYpNWurdORuccBvZ4IUpTfVlLQKH_7b0HfBvOH0xlLbrgyUH2ZSyR2Tx3g13s2rH3xzO8cJMmAW8-cqmhJDUXF_b6mK3-syNbk/s16000/24-02-25%20Garden%20PEG_7718%20Woodpigeon%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjHrZ9eRqESGMqhwRo2KQFO2Ny2NG4gbWsMHLuxXm1doF1jsd2yehCNW5ZPYGS3vlN_pi7zyjv2G4EMuS8_PlIZ2lyFFhxSc_jU2rQdwxyXOWXJdp5S_neKD4CYF5BJ5FS-ihMUGP4L5EAT3E5Svg3EBamzObMMdxVmcADMXqcK3Gv3Y72D3i1D8SXs4/s825/24-02-25%20Garden%20PEG_7720%20Woodpigeon%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjHrZ9eRqESGMqhwRo2KQFO2Ny2NG4gbWsMHLuxXm1doF1jsd2yehCNW5ZPYGS3vlN_pi7zyjv2G4EMuS8_PlIZ2lyFFhxSc_jU2rQdwxyXOWXJdp5S_neKD4CYF5BJ5FS-ihMUGP4L5EAT3E5Svg3EBamzObMMdxVmcADMXqcK3Gv3Y72D3i1D8SXs4/s16000/24-02-25%20Garden%20PEG_7720%20Woodpigeon%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj593_n4KXjfT0wRssda3FlmtLW85U3Z8N7kb37nnm9EV3LglZT6yPivUDJ2WWjGaRLRLkmy6IdGoxZUrJmhkV2lqsVGAkC5G8njNmJpuYpf8zmwIVCoWYPb5ImMPzIM8_i-uYgNbqjhlXeoHkfQ763fTGRT8G2upypuaaJ6Cvxako_rRat_2RINVKftI/s976/24-02-25%20Garden%20PEG_7724%20Woodpigeon%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj593_n4KXjfT0wRssda3FlmtLW85U3Z8N7kb37nnm9EV3LglZT6yPivUDJ2WWjGaRLRLkmy6IdGoxZUrJmhkV2lqsVGAkC5G8njNmJpuYpf8zmwIVCoWYPb5ImMPzIM8_i-uYgNbqjhlXeoHkfQ763fTGRT8G2upypuaaJ6Cvxako_rRat_2RINVKftI/s16000/24-02-25%20Garden%20PEG_7724%20Woodpigeon%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Woodpigeon (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba palumbus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 26th February Garden : Undisclosed Site : Garden</span></b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was a quite remarkable day, because of my encounter with a Kingfisher and Barn Owl, as reported in my previous blog post.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The female Blackcap was with us again this day, and has now become a daily visitor once more.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT6PypuHOrczwXItuDT0cAbalJRMyN9UaKYu4eMhJU9K8FBojQS_Cuskma-efUKfvaHudCB0_Tk0uUgRKcRNk-0tkj9H7JLTVJw37Eaxhq7cNtTFSY62J0Cnh0vsYRqXK_BFcjJE020JZpDWKAK7yC_rlEfSWxu0VBlScjHh_4Kzwt4ysX-jWa-5yNA8/s825/24-02-26%20Garden%20PEG_7730%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT6PypuHOrczwXItuDT0cAbalJRMyN9UaKYu4eMhJU9K8FBojQS_Cuskma-efUKfvaHudCB0_Tk0uUgRKcRNk-0tkj9H7JLTVJw37Eaxhq7cNtTFSY62J0Cnh0vsYRqXK_BFcjJE020JZpDWKAK7yC_rlEfSWxu0VBlScjHh_4Kzwt4ysX-jWa-5yNA8/s16000/24-02-26%20Garden%20PEG_7730%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackcap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Sorry, but I can't resist going back to the Kingfisher from that day.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7nwCB9y5GSdHQJkJKmiUQi0QJc1viH-0EInXeTrE1Ej42xWh0s9KzMhjCsxdcqGpAUabVkMbHoG8imUOBsxzlwsTkaLyHOO1szdw8h1KGEyPwCrwZFJubOAUdYdgkRNYmynmGT8P7ob9qv3hukJgBS61NX1ZE59sZ7r6ZhpfYTLnVujjf6xzlgh7qOY/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7893%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7nwCB9y5GSdHQJkJKmiUQi0QJc1viH-0EInXeTrE1Ej42xWh0s9KzMhjCsxdcqGpAUabVkMbHoG8imUOBsxzlwsTkaLyHOO1szdw8h1KGEyPwCrwZFJubOAUdYdgkRNYmynmGT8P7ob9qv3hukJgBS61NX1ZE59sZ7r6ZhpfYTLnVujjf6xzlgh7qOY/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7893%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><b><span><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Kingfisher (<i>Alcedo atthis</i>) (male) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>That night, the trail cams caught a Hedgehog visiting one of our two Hedgehog feeding stations. Hedgehogs have been visiting to feed on warmer nights, since the first one of the year was seen on 2nd January!</b></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz6zXQ87UkJnPK7dHMZcnACxKESPTIpb8Bj4MDKWSWCmzcBM5CuKQBiimyGfWSgMXpOHM0SuoDG8Hqw2fw4aQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b> </b></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b>Hedgehog (<i>Erinaceus europaeus</i>) - our garden</b></span></span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 27th February Garden</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Wren put in an appearance on this day, and this was taken from my study window, approximately 15 metres away.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qoBw7UZptbEoLr5awDQOidlboNSHNug68Dh94Dv0OIDHqC0drnvRNoDTtjUoUlUTiSdBS1dMcM7sNSzLJ0PxzT9nx8ncZb6s7Xejd6ASO5DK4BnJPhKi8BkLSjI_1FTtrmub95kvibTTechHDy22-ZwtDyn9Tjsxn5o80we9ogxlpOGGOfJY1TB5SuE/s825/24-02-27%20Garden%20PEG_8104%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2qoBw7UZptbEoLr5awDQOidlboNSHNug68Dh94Dv0OIDHqC0drnvRNoDTtjUoUlUTiSdBS1dMcM7sNSzLJ0PxzT9nx8ncZb6s7Xejd6ASO5DK4BnJPhKi8BkLSjI_1FTtrmub95kvibTTechHDy22-ZwtDyn9Tjsxn5o80we9ogxlpOGGOfJY1TB5SuE/s16000/24-02-27%20Garden%20PEG_8104%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - our garden</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 28th February Garden</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>We are still seeing a male Brambling in the garden on most days.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDD2h6H8sO7Woe5JHLYFwV-vKLVwY3XeqGJMsb-6HOxR60mbtRGLkqsaRFRptHSsZqjDTiPf80mK97PnvsD-hlp3E6Q9OTJvWwBXId-8jytIVlcP-WFA9fB7P749dmUl1okNKgzqlJ7Y5sw8s7btiZtwBLiJ3WFETAGG0CndLa5Fo3_DEsTxNlBbqF38/s825/24-02-28%20Garden%20PEG_8126%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDD2h6H8sO7Woe5JHLYFwV-vKLVwY3XeqGJMsb-6HOxR60mbtRGLkqsaRFRptHSsZqjDTiPf80mK97PnvsD-hlp3E6Q9OTJvWwBXId-8jytIVlcP-WFA9fB7P749dmUl1okNKgzqlJ7Y5sw8s7btiZtwBLiJ3WFETAGG0CndLa5Fo3_DEsTxNlBbqF38/s16000/24-02-28%20Garden%20PEG_8126%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Brambling (<i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) (male) - our garden</b></span><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 29th February Melbourne Pool</span></b></span><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>On the last day of the month, it being a leap year, Lindsay decided that she wanted to try going out for a short walk. I took her to Melbourne (Derbyshire, not Australia!) where we had a quick visit to the charity shop in the hall courtyard before heading to the nearby Melbourne Pool. Lindsay didn't get very far before she needed to sit down on a convenient low wall, but it was significant progress. </b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>I continued along beside the pool for a little while, as I had my camera with me. There was little to photograph in the short time before I needed to return to Lindsay. Here are a couple of birds that I did photograph.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbp66_UPY_fFL136U6j08lZzXZR6D1Gh38JqI8pQeZrHNskUDWqHv1saPfdjHrdEVe8FzG_PSZSmj8nvBnH-9wh-_X3DAv0Jg5agsnH2klq82z8G_-QPTimnzIJMSi0NkEOVOeBoWcvw90jEWGcuurOFhHBoEP2VwtTgGK9F7z0QtZ5CiAC3OmkNc_es/s825/24-02-29%20Melbourne%20Pool%20PEG_8168%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbp66_UPY_fFL136U6j08lZzXZR6D1Gh38JqI8pQeZrHNskUDWqHv1saPfdjHrdEVe8FzG_PSZSmj8nvBnH-9wh-_X3DAv0Jg5agsnH2klq82z8G_-QPTimnzIJMSi0NkEOVOeBoWcvw90jEWGcuurOFhHBoEP2VwtTgGK9F7z0QtZ5CiAC3OmkNc_es/s16000/24-02-29%20Melbourne%20Pool%20PEG_8168%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Melbourne Hall</span></span></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-he4KDlsUpRHDK0We7g4HIqhcuvsYsNWuL-PnJqvG8VYJL0hHEY8WwVp5vOZ6niVOYb2X5gE_8OAOvMLBTglXpTZehEAMXnhixHJGo5ZS9EunRPw-O5BtJAbmIxECCS_NCQOy50ZQEi5pRMNe7gYsqVr6EJ5zdJx9bRglSNpm8Xb98FPy1reQwM7j6M/s825/24-02-29%20Melbourne%20Pool%20PEG_8169%20Greylag%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-he4KDlsUpRHDK0We7g4HIqhcuvsYsNWuL-PnJqvG8VYJL0hHEY8WwVp5vOZ6niVOYb2X5gE_8OAOvMLBTglXpTZehEAMXnhixHJGo5ZS9EunRPw-O5BtJAbmIxECCS_NCQOy50ZQEi5pRMNe7gYsqVr6EJ5zdJx9bRglSNpm8Xb98FPy1reQwM7j6M/s16000/24-02-29%20Melbourne%20Pool%20PEG_8169%20Greylag%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #ffd966;">Greylag Goose (<i>Anser anser</i>) - Melbourne Pool</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Frustratingly, I thought that I could see a Red-crested Pochard in the far distance, but it would have added a good twenty minutes to half an hour to Lindsay's time on her own if I went to investigate, so I had to ignore it.</b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This brings me to the end of February, and this blog post. I'm hoping that my next blog post will feature a little more in the way of non-garden observations. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard </b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></p></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-45647578308224489592024-03-03T11:23:00.000+00:002024-03-03T11:23:03.322+00:00All's Well That Ends Well - February 26th, 2024<div><div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lindsay's recovery from her knee replacement is progressing nicely, and she now has enough confidence that she is happy for me to go out and leave her for up to three hours, provided that I'm at the end of a telephone and not too far away time-wise. In fact, she is now encouraging me to take time out.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>On this day, having made sure that she was well equipped with all that she might need during my absence, I set off in the middle of the afternoon for a location that is about half an hour from our home. The weather forecast was for sunny periods with occasional showers, and this is what it turned out to be.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I am not going to divulge the name of the location that I headed to, as the regulars there do not want it to become overcrowded. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I arrived to find just one other person on site. Like me, he was there hoping to get some photographs and had been there for about an hour without seeing anything of interest.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Soon after I arrived, a Wren made its presence known with its ridiculously loud voice for such a tiny bird.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cwUth7wAceXxfrJ9RlcolG6AVYAnPSfuUgViibNYxeRGC3G4TngwiaCJdTOare2AEZgMG8FjTOmdKyuk7JVTmut_eIOQbNpbXUVLcIW3Fv0wKcclYfjojDaOBxZGjM0TqIEuEieZSzRFZr-Nd6FH5YqJn7Tfq1w-JZH3hhPGqavs3NxQ0_4truj-Vx0/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7740%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cwUth7wAceXxfrJ9RlcolG6AVYAnPSfuUgViibNYxeRGC3G4TngwiaCJdTOare2AEZgMG8FjTOmdKyuk7JVTmut_eIOQbNpbXUVLcIW3Fv0wKcclYfjojDaOBxZGjM0TqIEuEieZSzRFZr-Nd6FH5YqJn7Tfq1w-JZH3hhPGqavs3NxQ0_4truj-Vx0/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7740%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - undisclosed location</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After I had been there for about half an hour, another gentleman arrived porting a camera. Over the next hour, I took a few photos of two of three other species of bird that came into view, mainly to check on camera settings and excercise my shutter finger.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganuPEkVJfBupCsljaKWUDj9u7kXTuJknn-1H3KqMAu86DAObGFIcgrrBWI0IgKwFu0eF6LmQ_hnX6WScHnfA0lyN4YIqEFSy0bbS5_F9q-m3CFEeQBbvQR3VctvRAtWsflisNsdtFi6FpHgJwh_aBAN5Qk86BhYG3p_ueLl-52L2FM0rbk32-gS8tSZs/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7756%20Coot%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganuPEkVJfBupCsljaKWUDj9u7kXTuJknn-1H3KqMAu86DAObGFIcgrrBWI0IgKwFu0eF6LmQ_hnX6WScHnfA0lyN4YIqEFSy0bbS5_F9q-m3CFEeQBbvQR3VctvRAtWsflisNsdtFi6FpHgJwh_aBAN5Qk86BhYG3p_ueLl-52L2FM0rbk32-gS8tSZs/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7756%20Coot%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coot (<i>Fulica atra</i>) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnjYDa07BHIKdOBD9w1JgIq1aCiBecaRtp5r0fM-rMOsVTfxpmCG1tMkPP3I_RNl164JhOM3IGE0q2TmHxVkyQ2ntJEzRJg9EIeTl16cs2WgeALUnlQr9yHR2V_RgPMgnbMxhi1jgdSUKa0fQ8J8edm7HavY87daZjiU4QMP6Ii9yTzYzmv1br51iMI0/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7762%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnjYDa07BHIKdOBD9w1JgIq1aCiBecaRtp5r0fM-rMOsVTfxpmCG1tMkPP3I_RNl164JhOM3IGE0q2TmHxVkyQ2ntJEzRJg9EIeTl16cs2WgeALUnlQr9yHR2V_RgPMgnbMxhi1jgdSUKa0fQ8J8edm7HavY87daZjiU4QMP6Ii9yTzYzmv1br51iMI0/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7762%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Little Grebe (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Tachybaptus ruficollis</i>) - undisclosed site</span></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The person that had arrived last decided that the light had gone and, as nothing was happening, he'd depart. He had only been gone about five minutes, and I had just said to my original companion that I was going to have to head off myself in five minutes, when a Kingfisher arrived on the scene and landed on a post in the middle of the water.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXJmMPBKNqZhj-kvF1QFNmo28YFJn5eLU23aSZ3L0GmCQwiBVlu55p4QLls7gEHdCq1lNIB1QYZcOmFMtZwxzXVzJcnicbrJ226faAkyIOMd_bFlzOJQ0LrTYwYtWFfiuHNFhQH3JBYFZ4O7af5lUwL9isBRpw9jZ1XED9CZLyHBUGGp5NsaoWdCMLyw/s903/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7774%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXJmMPBKNqZhj-kvF1QFNmo28YFJn5eLU23aSZ3L0GmCQwiBVlu55p4QLls7gEHdCq1lNIB1QYZcOmFMtZwxzXVzJcnicbrJ226faAkyIOMd_bFlzOJQ0LrTYwYtWFfiuHNFhQH3JBYFZ4O7af5lUwL9isBRpw9jZ1XED9CZLyHBUGGp5NsaoWdCMLyw/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7774%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPF04EfjwiBOeqcDArYODK44M35e9nCTlZvyWizXzde55eu1E63fbjNMpDJrnxBqXugu8Q6xA-1PHe_LpgLs9ooJEfWwnd0CjnC6nszMB998L5E4UBVq1qmEGZcBiBCMl7rOnQHXv2ntm7ZQnc1rPdWvyEEt0kiHIe4OCszYXLNlEbmdY2oKrv6_V7BYg/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7787%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPF04EfjwiBOeqcDArYODK44M35e9nCTlZvyWizXzde55eu1E63fbjNMpDJrnxBqXugu8Q6xA-1PHe_LpgLs9ooJEfWwnd0CjnC6nszMB998L5E4UBVq1qmEGZcBiBCMl7rOnQHXv2ntm7ZQnc1rPdWvyEEt0kiHIe4OCszYXLNlEbmdY2oKrv6_V7BYg/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7787%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Kingfisher (<i>Alcedo atthis</i>) (male) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I quickly messaged Lindsay to check that it was OK if I was a few minutes late - it was!</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Kingfisher left the post and flew into a tree at the edge of the water. Sadly it was partially obscured by branches, but the effect of the 'flowers' was rather attractive.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dP-uq-rJ5NnEYxXa4Ml4YeECdyLCJj6y6oh5jfGjivq32SV_Oco-lx8vZca1VKDmAlwd0GIz0jOQo4rCONz7QwtQ5iZpAnHeu6X70rvnbYF10gk9AbcYfSFZntXjplkQRNccWvE1pxV6kNj_5htlm8ePUqB_l-Q4xDircJPKGoiEdtiMeC23ua8fbhw/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7851%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7dP-uq-rJ5NnEYxXa4Ml4YeECdyLCJj6y6oh5jfGjivq32SV_Oco-lx8vZca1VKDmAlwd0GIz0jOQo4rCONz7QwtQ5iZpAnHeu6X70rvnbYF10gk9AbcYfSFZntXjplkQRNccWvE1pxV6kNj_5htlm8ePUqB_l-Q4xDircJPKGoiEdtiMeC23ua8fbhw/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7851%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Kingfisher (<i>Alcedo atthis</i>) (male) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It did dive and caught a fish. I missed photographing the dive, and when it returned to the tree with the fish, my camera misfocused, so those shots were scrapped.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It then flew to a stick in the water that was nearer to our position. I'm rather pleased that the light on the water was such that the distance between the bird and the water resulted in a plain background. I realise that it might look as if the background has been 'photoshopped' out, but the only processes applied (other than a crop) were altering the 'colour balance' and the 'brightness, contrast, intensity' - the light was not good at this time!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIaPppcDJLHdwoK4k0EisqrmoF_yhUCh2EC8UtApDeud1RV7kibFWrIyMg8Ob-RD1I4-uCGwv8IOB0YBwv7LtRKRRCA5tO6Oams_WYPygmkntTVFSevYltKYzA_Qv0E13sewvr1WhcvccNCGS5GXW9Zt_KGBdUL_a7D03cth8ttnCDmOEIHsAs8Q0CRU/s833/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7922%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIaPppcDJLHdwoK4k0EisqrmoF_yhUCh2EC8UtApDeud1RV7kibFWrIyMg8Ob-RD1I4-uCGwv8IOB0YBwv7LtRKRRCA5tO6Oams_WYPygmkntTVFSevYltKYzA_Qv0E13sewvr1WhcvccNCGS5GXW9Zt_KGBdUL_a7D03cth8ttnCDmOEIHsAs8Q0CRU/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7922%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSSRdU5k-HtIbcdjOToy_DaKcd1jTdvcUfX3jSxyXzzvN1wHi0IIH4KhF-jWpsTDejoxUGB7SxnBdLRdLSe4Y5GEFuVYSWbKhZglAIJBadPdSsnd1Ug4_BQ4cVv94OCclib0k5J1tlrGNxIhU8tsYjsgAXwnqqj8glqqy2ryj2pTRu-0sFqDMnHLzsoc/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7934%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSSRdU5k-HtIbcdjOToy_DaKcd1jTdvcUfX3jSxyXzzvN1wHi0IIH4KhF-jWpsTDejoxUGB7SxnBdLRdLSe4Y5GEFuVYSWbKhZglAIJBadPdSsnd1Ug4_BQ4cVv94OCclib0k5J1tlrGNxIhU8tsYjsgAXwnqqj8glqqy2ryj2pTRu-0sFqDMnHLzsoc/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7934%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Kingfisher (<i>Alcedo atthis</i>) (male) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The bird then briefly flew to another stick in the water, but didn't stop long enough for a shot, before heading back to its original perch in the middle of the water.</b></div></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNL6iJwfNvSe4oDSVzQv3A_sdnXh5CUAYUki8oow-s06gaITTm5gKHJCOme86XuavZ7tIXFRaEakGl_4uN3i5DLIjq1vVwo9iMZrmY6QQeBcp1IMLDFKr0KtxcO4ns8q9slmqruuh_Ut16ZOaQXwt98OXO87dkAwVS_tTji8h4YzeKYeqs_TdJaunok0/s838/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7937a%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNL6iJwfNvSe4oDSVzQv3A_sdnXh5CUAYUki8oow-s06gaITTm5gKHJCOme86XuavZ7tIXFRaEakGl_4uN3i5DLIjq1vVwo9iMZrmY6QQeBcp1IMLDFKr0KtxcO4ns8q9slmqruuh_Ut16ZOaQXwt98OXO87dkAwVS_tTji8h4YzeKYeqs_TdJaunok0/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7937a%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Kingfisher (<i>Alcedo atthis</i>) (male) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div><br /><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>From there, it soon disappeared behind some distant reeds, but we didn't have to wait very long before it emerged and settled in some reeds where it was visible - albeit at quite a great distance.</b></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0HVcXleumxHtFqt9ciCuOAVzQnMRPECzB-88r1G4cH3ne5IWzvHHMP2XqVnUVQGutIsGZ1_4ukuLHY90QPOQ4YQCYR7_6EsmoB299qhiwpTMjtJDdde1Re4hBe6PKb_ivCyhntW-IWhJTyqf5VihG8exGV6jbTa6ryD4wr8YpM5kE3qjxE9bQX07dlc/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7959%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0HVcXleumxHtFqt9ciCuOAVzQnMRPECzB-88r1G4cH3ne5IWzvHHMP2XqVnUVQGutIsGZ1_4ukuLHY90QPOQ4YQCYR7_6EsmoB299qhiwpTMjtJDdde1Re4hBe6PKb_ivCyhntW-IWhJTyqf5VihG8exGV6jbTa6ryD4wr8YpM5kE3qjxE9bQX07dlc/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7959%20Kingfisher%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Kingfisher (<i>Alcedo atthis</i>) (male) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It stayed there for some time before it flew, and disappeared behind reeds even further away. It was now time to head home and I was just saying goodbye to my companion when I noticed a Barn Owl, off to my left. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We both moved to a place a few metres away where we could see it more clearly, and I managed some very distant flight shots which were just about usable</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo2MA8-bfWGG289Qe17qEN771IQhfdiwlQiTJQBIJsf1UDyLybhlNKmqfbbj45-kfuC8qR6a9XYGevMfluHIF2qY2julfcbR7JwEdw2NQIwwChwHXTVrCOd5WlEw9gmwIUTYcVYITpF3kaGo8Rk0LR60Q7-4aPvBGFXbJStywvsQJa9nvMrM43-8eQVQ/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7993%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHo2MA8-bfWGG289Qe17qEN771IQhfdiwlQiTJQBIJsf1UDyLybhlNKmqfbbj45-kfuC8qR6a9XYGevMfluHIF2qY2julfcbR7JwEdw2NQIwwChwHXTVrCOd5WlEw9gmwIUTYcVYITpF3kaGo8Rk0LR60Q7-4aPvBGFXbJStywvsQJa9nvMrM43-8eQVQ/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7993%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Barn Owl (<i>Tyto alba</i>) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It then settled on a dead branch for a while.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCdx0k1EmXVg-P7MhSORTveAdB_cTbE50ExzfDLL75sHeimrkI2FIrCj9ElaelyHKnTNen8LuiYl7USl28b2xjRzKx_fR4-a_iatprXftsLLpYa5HrOuFd4GLtZP_F9zF8RSlvvwXcC43sM-ERIOa65kNxDfOd8FM_vWdcZBthwX_6P7iU2sH5081xA0/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8011%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCdx0k1EmXVg-P7MhSORTveAdB_cTbE50ExzfDLL75sHeimrkI2FIrCj9ElaelyHKnTNen8LuiYl7USl28b2xjRzKx_fR4-a_iatprXftsLLpYa5HrOuFd4GLtZP_F9zF8RSlvvwXcC43sM-ERIOa65kNxDfOd8FM_vWdcZBthwX_6P7iU2sH5081xA0/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8011%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZvmju7mk7-Zxy_YXzAQZ8FX0X_ciSkWAv0AbmG3DXOnaboalzho54qSPyBPf_zuS2P6i8m7H7XAWAffvkDUvMhNw0Ce7a9zLp9xjamVZGGU-24VT4Tuwwgz3rQjxtS82mIg5bhB72SZtSeUeEBg7-tbHR4lWb0nZJGqX6gM4XDfK037pfkoYq3TV2Pc/s956/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8025%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZvmju7mk7-Zxy_YXzAQZ8FX0X_ciSkWAv0AbmG3DXOnaboalzho54qSPyBPf_zuS2P6i8m7H7XAWAffvkDUvMhNw0Ce7a9zLp9xjamVZGGU-24VT4Tuwwgz3rQjxtS82mIg5bhB72SZtSeUeEBg7-tbHR4lWb0nZJGqX6gM4XDfK037pfkoYq3TV2Pc/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8025%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Barn Owl (<i>Tyto alba</i>) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I got another opportunity for flight shots, but didn't fare any better as it was at some distance and against trees, making focus difficult.</b></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQCeF5gjFX-knW7GVQD65Oo39j7GlBpuHMqGAmOScOktCdY1VRb2CTX46FhsxFTPLA2Rk0K7Xhn18ya-x6uyPl6u1jwas8HYXZzqwurVePbUPZFJ_GrImP6YLOw0il7amy8DDtMCZCb3vKklHe5Oxcpq24L0CYW6QTnUmbXkzhyPcpoOcQ-GZvPXCOkw/s825/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8052%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQCeF5gjFX-knW7GVQD65Oo39j7GlBpuHMqGAmOScOktCdY1VRb2CTX46FhsxFTPLA2Rk0K7Xhn18ya-x6uyPl6u1jwas8HYXZzqwurVePbUPZFJ_GrImP6YLOw0il7amy8DDtMCZCb3vKklHe5Oxcpq24L0CYW6QTnUmbXkzhyPcpoOcQ-GZvPXCOkw/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8052%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Barn Owl (<i>Tyto alba</i>) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It next settled high in an even more distant tree, before disappearing down a path that we were going to have to take in order to get to our cars.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3C4WRVIGbTBcHLkiEGXnZ9Ndf1c9xvwRdAyaeI6SW8zMQRZOHSvsy6fa7bhnLK4qMeF64rPm9cAJUCDFUZimN6iQ3NEcn6Dj2YRAlEzUSpcfP45wrbQQ43Q1MRBcf5zCzsj0vhDFjBH4KBy2hYg2vYj_61VRvNGRIUqJDob_ZCze7vPZBUqNygwilEU/s850/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8100%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3C4WRVIGbTBcHLkiEGXnZ9Ndf1c9xvwRdAyaeI6SW8zMQRZOHSvsy6fa7bhnLK4qMeF64rPm9cAJUCDFUZimN6iQ3NEcn6Dj2YRAlEzUSpcfP45wrbQQ43Q1MRBcf5zCzsj0vhDFjBH4KBy2hYg2vYj_61VRvNGRIUqJDob_ZCze7vPZBUqNygwilEU/s16000/24-02-26%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_8100%20Barn%20Owl%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Barn Owl (<i>Tyto alba</i>) - undisclosed site</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We looked out for it as we headed back to our cars, but didn't spot it.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Thus ended a visit that started off disappointingly, but ended up being one of the most enjoyable and rewarding sessions that I've had for many months.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My next blog post will probably be back to happenings in our garden, as the weather forecast is for another rather wet spell.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard<br /></b></p>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-87359453086770896392024-02-25T11:49:00.000+00:002024-02-25T11:49:15.856+00:00Soggy Situations - 15th to 21st February, 2024<div><div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It has not just been Lindsay's lack of mobility that has limited my time out in the last few weeks, but an unprecedented amount of rainfall has been a major factor too. This has rendered most of the local wildlife spots to be unpleasantly muddy and waterlogged and, in some cases, impassable. Once again, therefore, this blog post will be mainly concerned with observations from the windows of my study (which now doubles as Lindsay's bedroom, where she has an adjustable hospital bed) and our conservatory.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 15th February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the afternoon, I collected Lindsay from hospital, two days after her knee replacement. In the morning, however, I did note a good number of birds in the garden, including two female Siskins - we'd previously only seen one visiting this winter, although we'd seen singles of both male and female.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLf-ZOlz9YcqiwDtbXomg3q6d_4G57dkrCDh5jY1XQquf4UM4j85G2hQa5kxICi-cu5sVu8fUQLT0UfujC0uP_zzwhCMwNJlTqo4_jPWqDjdcM1ue_iO-NQaQKuiJOPCnjcamNTGP6sd6FL86qvwvgQMJ3km5HFFx8ASileSJ-kMkvqKFmqZKbdhPBJs/s825/24-02-15%20Garden%20PEG_7258%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLf-ZOlz9YcqiwDtbXomg3q6d_4G57dkrCDh5jY1XQquf4UM4j85G2hQa5kxICi-cu5sVu8fUQLT0UfujC0uP_zzwhCMwNJlTqo4_jPWqDjdcM1ue_iO-NQaQKuiJOPCnjcamNTGP6sd6FL86qvwvgQMJ3km5HFFx8ASileSJ-kMkvqKFmqZKbdhPBJs/s16000/24-02-15%20Garden%20PEG_7258%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (female x 2) + House Sparrow & Greenfinch - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The female Blackcap was still visiting occasionally, and she showed up on this day. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtq9_-rLYAlWg52p3DFwv8fJPK7a-S7uR5moM-qoDiYfuGNNg8kEyLtYTs7wWxf60FKCtH3kqCepPH-IWplxY5T891knc6BwWEUKQe4I_xc-jXBoER00VmTuh08mF2HBc5J4gSCCSOB3INA2IBQJOT35P5jPBdeGgN7aCVYV47p6fQudekR1dlQmcgi3Y/s825/24-02-15%20Garden%20PEG_7270%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtq9_-rLYAlWg52p3DFwv8fJPK7a-S7uR5moM-qoDiYfuGNNg8kEyLtYTs7wWxf60FKCtH3kqCepPH-IWplxY5T891knc6BwWEUKQe4I_xc-jXBoER00VmTuh08mF2HBc5J4gSCCSOB3INA2IBQJOT35P5jPBdeGgN7aCVYV47p6fQudekR1dlQmcgi3Y/s16000/24-02-15%20Garden%20PEG_7270%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackcap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 16th February Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The only bird I photographed this day was a Great Tit. Great Tit is a very common bird, but an irregular visitor to the garden. Of late, however, I am frequently hearing its distinctive calls.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBhrhYxp7yAXJJuuXksRviNQZwUtcF23c0k7RVSzm1P63tEEAcKAflBL1w1iranMiZMnRvvbWXcbFRFc8vv0dQ-yABUpFCgjJ1eQmbaecMZwMdV3yrm6mFvIXe6bs6jUwVcJmBA0CBBL6rO-xMplLzGtkGpF9qUgZnpZAGKq5QOXHG-SnDY5_JDtCHJw/s825/24-02-16%20Garden%20PEG_7287%20Great%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBhrhYxp7yAXJJuuXksRviNQZwUtcF23c0k7RVSzm1P63tEEAcKAflBL1w1iranMiZMnRvvbWXcbFRFc8vv0dQ-yABUpFCgjJ1eQmbaecMZwMdV3yrm6mFvIXe6bs6jUwVcJmBA0CBBL6rO-xMplLzGtkGpF9qUgZnpZAGKq5QOXHG-SnDY5_JDtCHJw/s16000/24-02-16%20Garden%20PEG_7287%20Great%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Tit (<i>Parus major</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 17th February Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The male Brambling returned on this day. It continues to avoid posing nicely for me.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgba5yhRapSXfzYpWIj2aDQ8pdSstKCklPbAyBzUgJ5upsVHjO6noI7aqkP9HHmlI5tesYk3j5Vpsasw7f7OegLVAfTgqnpVm0P6T2wsOCFXFBJ3PC51IdWiwmGYV7eoY6G55A3HCEp0mx1NzlJ_7XwZjZG9k5aSKk0i8O9aT9J_oF1wxNUuD91lFCMTgA/s825/24-02-17%20Garden%20PEG_7309%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgba5yhRapSXfzYpWIj2aDQ8pdSstKCklPbAyBzUgJ5upsVHjO6noI7aqkP9HHmlI5tesYk3j5Vpsasw7f7OegLVAfTgqnpVm0P6T2wsOCFXFBJ3PC51IdWiwmGYV7eoY6G55A3HCEp0mx1NzlJ_7XwZjZG9k5aSKk0i8O9aT9J_oF1wxNUuD91lFCMTgA/s16000/24-02-17%20Garden%20PEG_7309%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Brambling (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 18th February Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It's a poor shot, I know, but I include it as it does show the exquisite markings on the back of a male Brambling.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhn56lA5Tvg5tdJd9PnUSZUX6YE71OV8rX235G0XpCTHIr3bpvrFM8qx0SWRlxIBWMCZ0f2MEImnPQe2-sZcLGro2U2syeJIEnSeopzcjgxaF0owbGEdnEq6GmsusJEElQz4juKyBGzuOMqE21eY8-KxMML9-PYxFl8a3ICyR3i8xfzQ2x5YJ_uOgbeE/s953/24-02-18%20Garden%20PEG_7330%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhn56lA5Tvg5tdJd9PnUSZUX6YE71OV8rX235G0XpCTHIr3bpvrFM8qx0SWRlxIBWMCZ0f2MEImnPQe2-sZcLGro2U2syeJIEnSeopzcjgxaF0owbGEdnEq6GmsusJEElQz4juKyBGzuOMqE21eY8-KxMML9-PYxFl8a3ICyR3i8xfzQ2x5YJ_uOgbeE/s16000/24-02-18%20Garden%20PEG_7330%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Brambling (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) (male) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I have recently become conscious of the fact that I tend to overlook the most common birds that visit our garden when it comes to photography. With this in mind, I took some shots of the very common Chaffinch. They are rather beautiful birds.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IXRZuNuxWG7JIcCBXDv7LPyFl2bNNraA8JOXBsNIC8jt3LPKDPWEC2c4g2TU89137THy8_Q84aaHfR3xvLBmZLGRqs7nqODIVPx8hDNjxsP_1gfCLRqkt9vyzrrKqOEHiJNZUXTXBO180YQHmBPvttr_NfejqgltmpZHqiWO_md3zNxdBxRMAdwk4Xc/s825/24-02-18%20Garden%20PEG_7336%20Chaffinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IXRZuNuxWG7JIcCBXDv7LPyFl2bNNraA8JOXBsNIC8jt3LPKDPWEC2c4g2TU89137THy8_Q84aaHfR3xvLBmZLGRqs7nqODIVPx8hDNjxsP_1gfCLRqkt9vyzrrKqOEHiJNZUXTXBO180YQHmBPvttr_NfejqgltmpZHqiWO_md3zNxdBxRMAdwk4Xc/s16000/24-02-18%20Garden%20PEG_7336%20Chaffinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Chaffinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla coelebs</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz9roFwtVgEeo-1LmTU6_gDZwU1QH-9qK7Up9xGldBFBxVnUDNZzz6aUOKCaeyu4nOE-wK1Zt4_67scmG9v3NUcj1z2j2nL7XXMc3tzqur51oiNn1UoUKBw7ICLxqQ8iK2JzCEu3jvAxf4-HThtXG3WKtxBxdy2sv0JthlOqLqIQ20a6O5zr0Wyhs4d4/s825/24-02-18%20Garden%20PEG_7351%20Chaffinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz9roFwtVgEeo-1LmTU6_gDZwU1QH-9qK7Up9xGldBFBxVnUDNZzz6aUOKCaeyu4nOE-wK1Zt4_67scmG9v3NUcj1z2j2nL7XXMc3tzqur51oiNn1UoUKBw7ICLxqQ8iK2JzCEu3jvAxf4-HThtXG3WKtxBxdy2sv0JthlOqLqIQ20a6O5zr0Wyhs4d4/s16000/24-02-18%20Garden%20PEG_7351%20Chaffinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Chaffinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla coelebs</i>) (male) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 19th February Garden : Kelham Bridge Nature Reserve</span></b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>On this day, in the morning, we were visited by both male and female Siskin, and I managed to get a record shot of the male up in the Rowan, outside my study window.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgXo3W5BkkOwAeXWW36UOe7pF-m51iolKeK-Fce9Oz9ygTD1mXQMjTwkD5xR_yXSL-ywfBZ18GKmPYjbBF_JTN2X4hVa4VPA90rRtMcTUFqgguDCbarebJp2kle-8__blb0BfaIuHPrAdl8mIuMACVHILmM0x7dks_TPM6IwYmwjyyP_2mZybfw7j1dE/s825/24-02-19%20Garden%20PEG_7406%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgXo3W5BkkOwAeXWW36UOe7pF-m51iolKeK-Fce9Oz9ygTD1mXQMjTwkD5xR_yXSL-ywfBZ18GKmPYjbBF_JTN2X4hVa4VPA90rRtMcTUFqgguDCbarebJp2kle-8__blb0BfaIuHPrAdl8mIuMACVHILmM0x7dks_TPM6IwYmwjyyP_2mZybfw7j1dE/s16000/24-02-19%20Garden%20PEG_7406%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That afternoon, Lindsay stated that she was feeling very confident about her situation, and encouraged me to go out. I settled on a short visit to Kelham Bridge Nature Reserve as I hadn't been there for a while. I expected it to be very muddy, and so took my wellington boots. However, it was far more muddy than I anticipated. The paths were treacherous and I could see where people had skidded on the mud. In places the water on the path was quite deep and in othe places I found that the mud was deep and strong enough that, on a few occasions, I nearly lost a wellie.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I spent some time at the first hide which was devoid of people and nothing interesting was observed in the twenty minutes that I was there. The only thing I photographed was a squirrel.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD6j89c8Pa-0lnaxBhFXyarDUNX0HPtzZjA85WK0DgDwqHKo7ssWDIEKqBMWzwilGdqQjvh88yu0e0G4CWGrg2PjP9KpdKi4gGhf7oA3uIwDLsP9zFX3fIU1NFwO4iZkfyG0-SL9FbPvG-yo1k0na0HJNHCoMe_NTTCcKikmnGcptdLwPlyi8EWolHwE/s825/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7458%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD6j89c8Pa-0lnaxBhFXyarDUNX0HPtzZjA85WK0DgDwqHKo7ssWDIEKqBMWzwilGdqQjvh88yu0e0G4CWGrg2PjP9KpdKi4gGhf7oA3uIwDLsP9zFX3fIU1NFwO4iZkfyG0-SL9FbPvG-yo1k0na0HJNHCoMe_NTTCcKikmnGcptdLwPlyi8EWolHwE/s16000/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7458%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Squirrel (<i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I then made my way, gingerly, to the second hide which was busy with people and no window seats available. However, I didn't have to wait long. There was little to see on this occasion, but it was good to chat with people. Initially, I just had distant views of Coot and Little Grebe. </b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UBQh3lJRsgJF-Kr0GBfi5JUDJvxL4knj7l8VNmFZw79Vl6xsbD_-ceMhaW-e2svF0-0EZQc-DXfpYILHHeeeRqHcm6sYL0R-bbgG_rKo_OF7zDfHPCjELjbb_fJnz80oeuVxk_w7qZmdevZKhJXv_KTxzpgj5akYOrLjv18YDGvC2zitcZzzDkfz8NE/s825/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7521%20Coot%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9UBQh3lJRsgJF-Kr0GBfi5JUDJvxL4knj7l8VNmFZw79Vl6xsbD_-ceMhaW-e2svF0-0EZQc-DXfpYILHHeeeRqHcm6sYL0R-bbgG_rKo_OF7zDfHPCjELjbb_fJnz80oeuVxk_w7qZmdevZKhJXv_KTxzpgj5akYOrLjv18YDGvC2zitcZzzDkfz8NE/s16000/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7521%20Coot%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coot (<i>Fulica atra</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Eventually, one of the Little Grebes came very much closer. I do have a soft spot for this species.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLwCXETe3PUZ2ES6t2TnTtbCumgSRExKl9_4glafGC-UHcaFJi7soElj7crCDTTdjT36b7sGxctQelMcTa_mtQlEZlseewNxm8LPZqt5DzhGzCdcUZSgQ0xfC14Gf1JLduHIriePyqVm7xFv9UX7LGe5TWysx8cyEAbUSsI1wMzr0ZR1dwNrlaIOz-lM/s825/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7524%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLwCXETe3PUZ2ES6t2TnTtbCumgSRExKl9_4glafGC-UHcaFJi7soElj7crCDTTdjT36b7sGxctQelMcTa_mtQlEZlseewNxm8LPZqt5DzhGzCdcUZSgQ0xfC14Gf1JLduHIriePyqVm7xFv9UX7LGe5TWysx8cyEAbUSsI1wMzr0ZR1dwNrlaIOz-lM/s16000/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7524%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpbPKGNSHD-h0sRCGDLhjMJWQt4cVXYlU1YcKuPWpdT3jkRvhUiCap5Aopr1UIo4-jqoB0vV1vbmXs0Q5f0QN9czPXC9RukaaWqu9MzQyQdWWXWy2TsxwLfYcVTgLWBn0ghog5T3uM4gzUq0z_EHOt7WnsZ2fNYM9iOwrTrfM17VMZ_IvfMM2X58zvK4/s825/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7527%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpbPKGNSHD-h0sRCGDLhjMJWQt4cVXYlU1YcKuPWpdT3jkRvhUiCap5Aopr1UIo4-jqoB0vV1vbmXs0Q5f0QN9czPXC9RukaaWqu9MzQyQdWWXWy2TsxwLfYcVTgLWBn0ghog5T3uM4gzUq0z_EHOt7WnsZ2fNYM9iOwrTrfM17VMZ_IvfMM2X58zvK4/s16000/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7527%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLddGxtpH6CeUaWS6KqoILyEe7PtxcgBIh9-Z-DpMTvU4fggOv9tzasnMe3-ccoH-I9o17mlClf-HtBQGhO5fVCM7NyMAOOF-0oCc4v0cV9AiK_n2_L49V1Q0pBd9C1HQ2E5YPmkTMuUWanPoJEJMcbphgLHSw83o4TFcngzWm0hMIuhLiZWvA7J7y3zg/s825/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7535%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLddGxtpH6CeUaWS6KqoILyEe7PtxcgBIh9-Z-DpMTvU4fggOv9tzasnMe3-ccoH-I9o17mlClf-HtBQGhO5fVCM7NyMAOOF-0oCc4v0cV9AiK_n2_L49V1Q0pBd9C1HQ2E5YPmkTMuUWanPoJEJMcbphgLHSw83o4TFcngzWm0hMIuhLiZWvA7J7y3zg/s16000/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7535%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Little Grebe (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Tachybaptus ruficollis</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Coot also came a little closer.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMKaCVgxdqqd3RiFli8HV-bWEBUo1jX9U8f26RkZCw5sB7r-fIKL9eFi-pwecuJLLCp0eN0QDv3BIbeMkwfwYsGOmZqP4eGRuvzEB5GtcpLI_gZdQIWNn-Uv2ZJW8TeRnXHyn6fluhUhz2SPb-J660mDvw7BOAEIZI24xFsghLeNYIfsCox_8-k-l3ew/s825/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7555%20Coot%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMKaCVgxdqqd3RiFli8HV-bWEBUo1jX9U8f26RkZCw5sB7r-fIKL9eFi-pwecuJLLCp0eN0QDv3BIbeMkwfwYsGOmZqP4eGRuvzEB5GtcpLI_gZdQIWNn-Uv2ZJW8TeRnXHyn6fluhUhz2SPb-J660mDvw7BOAEIZI24xFsghLeNYIfsCox_8-k-l3ew/s16000/24-02-19%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_7555%20Coot%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coot (<i>Fulica atra</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Shortly before I left, a Kingfisher flashed through. I reckon that it was in view for less than two seconds. The consensus was that it had probably gone to the pool where the first hide is, but there was a less muddy route to the entrance gate available, and none of us wished to check out that possibility. It was time for me to get back to Lindsay and cook tea, so I took the less muddy route which turned out to be much quicker and safer.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 20th February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was greatly excited this day as, for the first time in many years, we had two Brambling visit the garden, as can be seen in the image below, with them high up in our nut tree.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCajmsFU-DWDHM86QXeU2fSxz7nNuPvZbV_BJQYu6vqWimu3R6xjn-nsvN4xaWXg3un_VrpIo7Prl3z6SvXg_2Y4rhZ_C_XjAnOY1zay4CSafZbpa408JxckbrQAAUzhJG7PqpVbxrud-s2p_Wn21mDh2RmGvNgulEN16_X1BTEt1VVt3tP3Awdv2h8oQ/s825/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7556%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCajmsFU-DWDHM86QXeU2fSxz7nNuPvZbV_BJQYu6vqWimu3R6xjn-nsvN4xaWXg3un_VrpIo7Prl3z6SvXg_2Y4rhZ_C_XjAnOY1zay4CSafZbpa408JxckbrQAAUzhJG7PqpVbxrud-s2p_Wn21mDh2RmGvNgulEN16_X1BTEt1VVt3tP3Awdv2h8oQ/s16000/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7556%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Brambling (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sadly, one soon departed and only one came down to feed. I did not get to see whether the one on the right was male or female. The male that came to feed was a little more obliging.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUiFcOIcXWmChXasuU08-LsgTclG06Fja5tgeI5cO3jjGGK0B6KJqzeu8Gx4nEevc3KyF4N4WjQ4bZw1bt-Xpv-MNKzeVIgtQwHEVDdjdvhilkmsENoAaC2rfoHLcG6XX16bTdtzb732BSvMhh5NE8Ob3dn1RxxDie4FLfqlR_tX3fAP3fP2jHYFG_EU/s912/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7601%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUiFcOIcXWmChXasuU08-LsgTclG06Fja5tgeI5cO3jjGGK0B6KJqzeu8Gx4nEevc3KyF4N4WjQ4bZw1bt-Xpv-MNKzeVIgtQwHEVDdjdvhilkmsENoAaC2rfoHLcG6XX16bTdtzb732BSvMhh5NE8Ob3dn1RxxDie4FLfqlR_tX3fAP3fP2jHYFG_EU/s16000/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7601%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqozN76MwsMwU7qOLp71woOydu3U_JTmkfw2TsZ8Flo7V3TH0XBQ4CWTnweKsPtELwMl_mYe3lfx5i9Os2eeS-Y7T4YYFI9PsqQeYSHAY0iWEjHOYyiRfYnfs_q-qW7sm06ss7g_pf43ptp2mQQ4oIn7oSMW5wzf8Rk0Y1m2jnJP9zfDwzFg1If4mCPs/s825/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7616%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUqozN76MwsMwU7qOLp71woOydu3U_JTmkfw2TsZ8Flo7V3TH0XBQ4CWTnweKsPtELwMl_mYe3lfx5i9Os2eeS-Y7T4YYFI9PsqQeYSHAY0iWEjHOYyiRfYnfs_q-qW7sm06ss7g_pf43ptp2mQQ4oIn7oSMW5wzf8Rk0Y1m2jnJP9zfDwzFg1If4mCPs/s16000/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7616%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Brambling (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) (male) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I usually find it impossible to determine the sex of a Stock Dove but, for the first time ever, on this occasion I saw the puffing up of the neck on this bird, which surely suggests that this was a displaying male.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNuAOpQ7epeYgfh5Egj8HJar3qImijT6ZbhXcq1fCPArI5wrDHgCA-sYhOmFuhPF8I6FdFtt_uGBPYSa9fAKNnn-lDOSQ23GOFtN-bbZYaiCdiQH03Iq_qzdM67TuxGj4K9_FfNOQpE6IH8navfZ6jmRuhnmZa0sCQWmxMeWWSF8vXC9uBej2sMZbo5w/s825/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7625%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNuAOpQ7epeYgfh5Egj8HJar3qImijT6ZbhXcq1fCPArI5wrDHgCA-sYhOmFuhPF8I6FdFtt_uGBPYSa9fAKNnn-lDOSQ23GOFtN-bbZYaiCdiQH03Iq_qzdM67TuxGj4K9_FfNOQpE6IH8navfZ6jmRuhnmZa0sCQWmxMeWWSF8vXC9uBej2sMZbo5w/s16000/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7625%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCIVgHfmdKUYrnBsV11aVEjVZkJE0edk18yYL4WsV2DN-3FHR4IvYe9PKLnIl52hTndzgUV17xko1H5Ca_wT4wYIZjaXV77mWFriqbx5Mr4xGu49MsG8glLo8q6nhA9oiLjG1icVlmnrxkdfz5frMY0XdMqr8_c0jTIlax8Lb24lvDnFVVh3frhDZaZ8/s825/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7642%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCIVgHfmdKUYrnBsV11aVEjVZkJE0edk18yYL4WsV2DN-3FHR4IvYe9PKLnIl52hTndzgUV17xko1H5Ca_wT4wYIZjaXV77mWFriqbx5Mr4xGu49MsG8glLo8q6nhA9oiLjG1icVlmnrxkdfz5frMY0XdMqr8_c0jTIlax8Lb24lvDnFVVh3frhDZaZ8/s16000/24-02-20%20Garden%20PEG_7642%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba oenas</i>) (male?) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 21st February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It's always good to see a Bullfinch and even better to see a Brambling, but to get two together is a real treat - even if they were on a feeder.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbraKRO7xwDkhAil5NzNh9WHGV3z59rlAegr0V-0S6TY1VG1qyDa68PkS34z5n1lfWqDpeAgnCybsCcfgmpNRiNbWc62zygKgPTln0zFyeMRBDDg2ps6P-QPFUdUmTFX9I7u0-Vblkj3cjUZEGl0xfqyhwEeo5txh-SNSraHJmvdpPHP8wsG1EzHyi_k/s825/24-02-21%20Garden%20PEG_7666%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20+%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbraKRO7xwDkhAil5NzNh9WHGV3z59rlAegr0V-0S6TY1VG1qyDa68PkS34z5n1lfWqDpeAgnCybsCcfgmpNRiNbWc62zygKgPTln0zFyeMRBDDg2ps6P-QPFUdUmTFX9I7u0-Vblkj3cjUZEGl0xfqyhwEeo5txh-SNSraHJmvdpPHP8wsG1EzHyi_k/s16000/24-02-21%20Garden%20PEG_7666%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20+%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male)</span></span></span><span><span style="color: #ffd966;"> + Brambling (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) (male)</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"> - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></b><b>- - and I'll end with a Bullfinch.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx8qgHbfUZddUgdfOB6bWQgLKEc-uP5jxAnWKxDHp4ltZ8_cprCJfj2fm7p0qXB2ZkdgI7-0U3AuMj73fE9KEGEKIqtuKP4_E4T3AlXPS-448q9HR5lLPrsqzWzUYquKMNPRn39Y9FF2Y5BUAXFzS3QqU8OSydoiZnaI5KWZA0jGAg5Cz3dZynAcBwso/s825/24-02-21%20Garden%20PEG_7677%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEx8qgHbfUZddUgdfOB6bWQgLKEc-uP5jxAnWKxDHp4ltZ8_cprCJfj2fm7p0qXB2ZkdgI7-0U3AuMj73fE9KEGEKIqtuKP4_E4T3AlXPS-448q9HR5lLPrsqzWzUYquKMNPRn39Y9FF2Y5BUAXFzS3QqU8OSydoiZnaI5KWZA0jGAg5Cz3dZynAcBwso/s16000/24-02-21%20Garden%20PEG_7677%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male)</span></span> -<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"> our garden</span></span></span></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>With luck, my next blog post will be in about a week's time but, at the current rate of progress, it might be a bit thin on material! In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard </b><br /></p></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-35483072188680304662024-02-18T11:24:00.000+00:002024-02-18T11:24:35.212+00:00More February Observations - 8th to 14th February, 2024<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I have made the decision that, even though my free time is currently limited, I will try to make the effort to continue to output a blog post on an approximately weekly basis. With my ability to get out into the wild severely limited, my observations have, primarily, been of birds in our garden, and it is likely to continue that way for a few weeks. Here's an account of some of my sightings.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 8th February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The weather this day was absolutely foul, with heavy rain all day, which caused local flooding. The rain on the windows of the conservatory made it difficult to identify anything but the most obviously plumaged birds. One such bird that visited was a Pied Wagtail. I tried the technique of placing the lens hard up against the glass of the window as I have found, in the past, that this can sometimes 'see through' the rain. To some extent, this technique worked, as shown below.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpPVM2PKsoQ6jng9PSe2XepbWrWm0GPBrpmSmh73DuR8TULuGLaRAK4M5jO5rEwdwtJAXRhS2WqzW02B1z4JToP7aO_hpd68dtMUQ-3tu7Tl6KO8puNMlzVXC18M7zY4dWP-BLauO-aun0BoMJ40zZM-WRYUKUxDpqGmwwvYhMsYZjAPzD6IiEfjGGCY/s825/24-02-08%20Garden%20PEG_7004%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpPVM2PKsoQ6jng9PSe2XepbWrWm0GPBrpmSmh73DuR8TULuGLaRAK4M5jO5rEwdwtJAXRhS2WqzW02B1z4JToP7aO_hpd68dtMUQ-3tu7Tl6KO8puNMlzVXC18M7zY4dWP-BLauO-aun0BoMJ40zZM-WRYUKUxDpqGmwwvYhMsYZjAPzD6IiEfjGGCY/s16000/24-02-08%20Garden%20PEG_7004%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 10th February Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was the best day of the year so far, with 20 species of bird visiting the garden. There was, however, one disappointment and that was when Lindsay alerted me to a bird that she said was behaving like a Chaffinch, but looked wrong. I took a look and spotted a fine male Brambling. However, I had already put my camera in the conservatory, ready for the breakfast session and it disappeared before I could get to the camera. This resulted in rather a lot of time spent gazing out of the window, camera at ready, in the hope of its return. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>All I photographed that day was a male Bullfinch.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LssvtH_oX1cU9vqQvmnXkT7AFAFgF_rdxYtqlmJGyaIRRVHye2GKp35uvL443hnUYdjQEeJTrjBmOKp2PelcIFVtjBktS8sSSjY5J3N7ZTEBGqca8xzvvqIYoD6ZTyohzeJYt1lTHADpVLLr92qqLcNQwzJKCKf8UW5oq8JA_PUWQ1fyUNKTCiRzdls/s825/24-02-10%20Garden%20PEG_7042%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5LssvtH_oX1cU9vqQvmnXkT7AFAFgF_rdxYtqlmJGyaIRRVHye2GKp35uvL443hnUYdjQEeJTrjBmOKp2PelcIFVtjBktS8sSSjY5J3N7ZTEBGqca8xzvvqIYoD6ZTyohzeJYt1lTHADpVLLr92qqLcNQwzJKCKf8UW5oq8JA_PUWQ1fyUNKTCiRzdls/s16000/24-02-10%20Garden%20PEG_7042%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54NdR8RGqAbodagMRRwWDwrQoeHGT2DGAVlWYm5AHA9sMMj3bUyjXSy1JHdfyg_mYcuNLgg-LOe5gpb6g-jsgoO5qNY_HLUWhyeR0cwpki3xbnUEuksZGTl4uLaJbtcnv4UiVxREjOsTiYhvYYFYsZzpuKdBjApgaVJz0Jl_T7HpXvtQ-O53XfXh3Jdo/s825/24-02-10%20Garden%20PEG_7011%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54NdR8RGqAbodagMRRwWDwrQoeHGT2DGAVlWYm5AHA9sMMj3bUyjXSy1JHdfyg_mYcuNLgg-LOe5gpb6g-jsgoO5qNY_HLUWhyeR0cwpki3xbnUEuksZGTl4uLaJbtcnv4UiVxREjOsTiYhvYYFYsZzpuKdBjApgaVJz0Jl_T7HpXvtQ-O53XfXh3Jdo/s16000/24-02-10%20Garden%20PEG_7011%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Bullfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 11th February Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>To my absolute delight, the Brambling visited again this day, and I managed a few photos, albeit at a distance as it was approximately 15 metres away from my position in my study. These images are very heavily cropped from the original.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-0_UltMkRH3Rb1v-Yd8QduIN0B6ljyfZYWBr-4ugBsO93ifEpA-P0JyMy_7HiTp0bJRFVqwabRUjU9J2vl1YyOXBwqPPCtSXfYuS650hUTbC56BoYQKK-weSDcsPYQAS3YXwdUuYIL08F7nu0RaWOaS9D7hC1Pi-6Qu0DDTnVzHhFZkubeQ558sb7so/s825/24-02-11%20Garden%20PEG_7057%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-0_UltMkRH3Rb1v-Yd8QduIN0B6ljyfZYWBr-4ugBsO93ifEpA-P0JyMy_7HiTp0bJRFVqwabRUjU9J2vl1YyOXBwqPPCtSXfYuS650hUTbC56BoYQKK-weSDcsPYQAS3YXwdUuYIL08F7nu0RaWOaS9D7hC1Pi-6Qu0DDTnVzHhFZkubeQ558sb7so/s16000/24-02-11%20Garden%20PEG_7057%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IEuGuovMQm_YGvM_Y1ZSx3EzLMEeg8sx0EFRGMNDgmuicva5w-hjX4jxTw0Yg7oDZEDZ8xah_fDefsAfZc-6LnwDHED1wB-cd6JkH5Zyxd-l7dlB0Bcoz6mrVeJtdPCSIcXCpuW_PgJLru9Fd1x5EO3fC6AnEujyfYFHHhOGVLuUmqbNeZPSaMREza8/s825/24-02-11%20Garden%20PEG_7150%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IEuGuovMQm_YGvM_Y1ZSx3EzLMEeg8sx0EFRGMNDgmuicva5w-hjX4jxTw0Yg7oDZEDZ8xah_fDefsAfZc-6LnwDHED1wB-cd6JkH5Zyxd-l7dlB0Bcoz6mrVeJtdPCSIcXCpuW_PgJLru9Fd1x5EO3fC6AnEujyfYFHHhOGVLuUmqbNeZPSaMREza8/s16000/24-02-11%20Garden%20PEG_7150%20Brambling%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Brambling (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We finished the week with, what for us was, a remarkable tally of twenty six species of bird landing in our garden during the seven days.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 12th February Garden</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I photographed a few birds this day. Coal Tit used to be a regular visitor to our garden some years ago, but nowadays we probably only average one or two sightings in a month. This one was photographed in poor light high in a tree at the far side of the garden, but at least it is a record of its visit.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFsdqxr0EUkiNRBDrHHtqVO-g1SWaQ_rrnNxOHPJqHkpz33QQS9QMhz1ZiX1IiS5aT8VX0A1Kjyn23UQGOgt-1N5Fk0qzZXz277aHNFniaAXxQoE-dNO5wQQjSAdZQQgLmOW3tygducJLNYvL6_xlKTLykHKPkzGPW50AFnzzGDzxOCPAuXqAOit-1Z8/s825/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7158%20Coal%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWFsdqxr0EUkiNRBDrHHtqVO-g1SWaQ_rrnNxOHPJqHkpz33QQS9QMhz1ZiX1IiS5aT8VX0A1Kjyn23UQGOgt-1N5Fk0qzZXz277aHNFniaAXxQoE-dNO5wQQjSAdZQQgLmOW3tygducJLNYvL6_xlKTLykHKPkzGPW50AFnzzGDzxOCPAuXqAOit-1Z8/s16000/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7158%20Coal%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coal Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Periparus ater</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The female Blackcap is continuing to make the occasional visit. I wish she would find a mate to bring to the party.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DHBuRksn_-xhwBgVoxgo9mgvbulke7MMUwX0XVn0w6_3NfbkFrVZ6OCJujY96wLM0HYmADTZDIM4TRBGP6SpNh_GziW0HiSxv-xjxkhuxh5qROq20Tq5Xi0Epsr4WS4WvkBUVQbEsjJjN5lUfFYvHwpGm8GjPSuIEMfKMf2R3WyzTTOvMHtr8Gl3fP8/s825/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7165%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DHBuRksn_-xhwBgVoxgo9mgvbulke7MMUwX0XVn0w6_3NfbkFrVZ6OCJujY96wLM0HYmADTZDIM4TRBGP6SpNh_GziW0HiSxv-xjxkhuxh5qROq20Tq5Xi0Epsr4WS4WvkBUVQbEsjJjN5lUfFYvHwpGm8GjPSuIEMfKMf2R3WyzTTOvMHtr8Gl3fP8/s16000/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7165%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33gwdIp7q5o709RlTl_s-NgFXl-GIrL44jasF1Pm7vCDTg-qeCoTcsEcYnwZSXpiEW4Scuf7Rf5j43kia-Lpuyohaa-FkUUUWbYDDF9-aVVjr8NN6BpBzJrVvQnis_8lZ0slHCtV633pI0eejOUoEqxoDskDdVC4xii7HNbslxQB7XzcApFh7H53-Tn4/s825/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7185%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33gwdIp7q5o709RlTl_s-NgFXl-GIrL44jasF1Pm7vCDTg-qeCoTcsEcYnwZSXpiEW4Scuf7Rf5j43kia-Lpuyohaa-FkUUUWbYDDF9-aVVjr8NN6BpBzJrVvQnis_8lZ0slHCtV633pI0eejOUoEqxoDskDdVC4xii7HNbslxQB7XzcApFh7H53-Tn4/s16000/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7185%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackcap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Chaffinches are daily visitors to the garden, and I really should pay more attention to them with the camera. These birds often come to a part of the garden which is quite close to my study window. However, it seems to be the females that I manage to photograph. I really must try harder to get some images of the more colourful males.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrRuEMsILNH1hcUS67i20mb5UQelOatnGC6TXp-dWE1gY171s7yVsMDXm8RbvzfQgomXOYM3YC0vtkMrQM3WT_KhO4g0HNs_Pohq0rInj2YBZTe5PPYYMkxe1TJi9rb3GG8JL0EFWgai38JFhCnZsLmFMKly1ELDn24NRS797XHOlt_qFC_lBEQ5TuIo/s825/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7189%20Chaffinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrRuEMsILNH1hcUS67i20mb5UQelOatnGC6TXp-dWE1gY171s7yVsMDXm8RbvzfQgomXOYM3YC0vtkMrQM3WT_KhO4g0HNs_Pohq0rInj2YBZTe5PPYYMkxe1TJi9rb3GG8JL0EFWgai38JFhCnZsLmFMKly1ELDn24NRS797XHOlt_qFC_lBEQ5TuIo/s16000/24-02-12%20Garden%20PEG_7189%20Chaffinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Chaffinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla coelebs</i>) (female) - our garden <br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 14th February near Plumtree, Nottinghamshire : Garden<br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I have been backwards and forwards to a hospital near Nottingham over the past couple of weeks, in connection with Lindsay's knee replacement. On one of those journeys, I remarked to Lindsay that a group of run-down barns, close to the road in a very rurl location, looked as if they might be a place that hosted an owl. On Tuesday 13th she had her knee operation, and on the Wednesday morning I went to visit her in hospital, but decided to spend ten minutes by the barns to see if any owls might be around. I didn't spot any owls but there did seem to be a few feral pigeons.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Unlike some areas of the UK, I very rarely see a feral pigeon in our area, even in our local town. Feral pigeons are decended from Rock Dove stock which have been domesticated. This, I believe, was the first species of bird ever to domesticated - apparently over 5,000 years ago! Over the years, escapees have become naturalised and are now a regular feature of cityscapes. They are interbreeding with wild doves, and there are many variations in plumage.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Given the above, I was quite surprised to find that the only birds sighted in the vicinity of the barns were feral pigeons. I took some shots of a male making amorous advances on a female. <br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUoXWQo0rPb0QbWbZNtkqfEUuR_AI27WIH5P5WjJS_Ig3cj7oPOifExtd9l0IIRGbKWGGR7csSCgNa44HRGQOcaZKdd3RoQo3YrBkRwYRs6QppsHfKtW6fZn3MiaI-TWfu6GAj8Cu4ysWMpqXK7oT-gW9V2BO3njEkH5e_WyYq4VHh7TNCrAAaAIG8Ts/s825/24-02-14%20nr%20Plumtree,%20Notts%20PEG_7193%20feral%20pigeons%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUoXWQo0rPb0QbWbZNtkqfEUuR_AI27WIH5P5WjJS_Ig3cj7oPOifExtd9l0IIRGbKWGGR7csSCgNa44HRGQOcaZKdd3RoQo3YrBkRwYRs6QppsHfKtW6fZn3MiaI-TWfu6GAj8Cu4ysWMpqXK7oT-gW9V2BO3njEkH5e_WyYq4VHh7TNCrAAaAIG8Ts/s16000/24-02-14%20nr%20Plumtree,%20Notts%20PEG_7193%20feral%20pigeons%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Feral Pigeon (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) (male + female)- near Plumtree, Nottinghamshire<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><b>I got home, after visiting Lindsay, to find a Bullfinch and Siskin feeding together.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34m2__m5ja_naKiDlMNDBurrD623RxANB5mtQzpP1XTHwP9V694GprAxKZgBz8HFx9GUYtvhdEwNaE7isNbt6qOrAk8LRzO_vFYQvdD3C2iVWj7Cd55oSMFBDq7dyJo08ptI7HMTMJbHtKXKngrTl3vtDKen4rHLtgBvS3rbrPFJSuinyJ4t4DrEnS28/s825/24-02-14%20Garden%20PEG_7207%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20+%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34m2__m5ja_naKiDlMNDBurrD623RxANB5mtQzpP1XTHwP9V694GprAxKZgBz8HFx9GUYtvhdEwNaE7isNbt6qOrAk8LRzO_vFYQvdD3C2iVWj7Cd55oSMFBDq7dyJo08ptI7HMTMJbHtKXKngrTl3vtDKen4rHLtgBvS3rbrPFJSuinyJ4t4DrEnS28/s16000/24-02-14%20Garden%20PEG_7207%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20+%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Bullfinch (<span> (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) + Siskin (</span></span></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Spinus spinus</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This brings me to the end of this post. I am pleased to report that Lindsay is recovering nicely, although she is likely to remain totally dependent on me for support (cooking, cleaning, washing, etc.) for a week or two. She's got two return visits to the hospital, which is an hour's travel away from home, scheduled for this coming week.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Hopefully, I'll be back with another blog post in about a week's time. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard </b><br /></div><div><b> </b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><b></b></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-71290522435828126492024-02-11T12:04:00.000+00:002024-02-11T12:04:13.830+00:00The First Seven Days of February, 2024<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This blog post is a relatively short one, covering just one visit out, and some garden observations.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 1st February Bluebell Arboretum, Smisby</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The month got off to a bright start when I decided to make a visit to Bluebell Arboretum, Smisby, which is the first village you come to if you head directly north out of our home town of Ashby de la Zouch.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Bluebell Arboretum holds a sentimental attachment for me as it was the last place I visited with my mother before she died in 2004. Shortly after her death, I made a donation to the arboretum in her memory and, in return, I was offered a lifetime permit for Lindsay and I to visit the arboretum.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It had been a few years since I had last visited and, although the trees in the arboretum would be far from at their best, I thought that maybe I would find some interesting birds. I also felt the need for some quiet contemplation and was confident that the arboretum would be relatively devoid of people. This proved to be the case, but it was virtually devoid of birds too!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I resorted to photographing a bunch of Snowdrops.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOk0yn-WsV6fb03eg2lyUKBZYW9C8CgXPuOF3EvA5pS1FxkpjUdhdArFW9FVc3PurITC7J9Z_VWJ-6HKTV1Y4JLuVfA32iLrF8iI6aV6sCnei2DZvOynvmCH0asGV7DDFF_BYwzSyYPQ11YB2LlXKfrPQfOOtb2NDxTGtfCUf5mghpoVX4Y9WPKANABO0/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6833%20Snowdrops%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOk0yn-WsV6fb03eg2lyUKBZYW9C8CgXPuOF3EvA5pS1FxkpjUdhdArFW9FVc3PurITC7J9Z_VWJ-6HKTV1Y4JLuVfA32iLrF8iI6aV6sCnei2DZvOynvmCH0asGV7DDFF_BYwzSyYPQ11YB2LlXKfrPQfOOtb2NDxTGtfCUf5mghpoVX4Y9WPKANABO0/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6833%20Snowdrops%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Snowdrop (<i>Galanthus nivalis</i>) - Bluebell Arboretum</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>When I had last visited, my passion for dragonflies and damselflies had not yet developed. On this visit, I was pleased to note that there were small ponds which appeared to have very good potential for the Odonata. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>At one point a Robin came to introduce itself.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZ7aneTwh6RrtpfX6laWbUWPxejCd2nutIwn9vVqLamiyIKTH1dykHBOtATe2GbljhLlhUk5rUe_nvqJ-TQttyz25Bu4jGmmJR8e3P2wlohKjb1_USc4TBsEvbEWEokJwvLtCe-CK0PEjeXRL823oWApAHGJb_T1hcODANZg_ka90JoMjBQ2pBQZr7_Y/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6835%20Robin%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZ7aneTwh6RrtpfX6laWbUWPxejCd2nutIwn9vVqLamiyIKTH1dykHBOtATe2GbljhLlhUk5rUe_nvqJ-TQttyz25Bu4jGmmJR8e3P2wlohKjb1_USc4TBsEvbEWEokJwvLtCe-CK0PEjeXRL823oWApAHGJb_T1hcODANZg_ka90JoMjBQ2pBQZr7_Y/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6835%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Erithacus rubecula</i>) - Bluebell Wood<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>I did get a brief glimpse of a Moorhen disappearing into the undergrowth behind one of the ponds, but didn't manage any photos.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having made a circuit of the arboretum, I found myself in need of the ablutions, so headed to the exit. Having done what needed to be done, I remembered that beyond the west end of the car park there was a lake and, in the past, it had been inhabited by a collection of ducks - clearly imported and pinioned. Out of curiosity, I started heading towards this when a voice called out "are you a tree man, or a birder" - it was the proprietor, Robert, and I stopped for a chat. He told me that, since his wife had died, he'd found that keeping the collection 'topped up' with birds had become difficult, and he'd allowed 'natural wastage' to occur. The only pinioned birds remaining were a pair of Pintail and a pair of Teal. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I went to have a look, and found several ducks in the lake, including what were presumably the pinioned Pintail and Teal, but also included a few Shoveler and a pair of Mandarin. Photography was difficult as there was a high chain-link fence in front of me, and other fencing intervening too in some areas.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilULOp7VeTAt7DZO2KqqwEo3PK6ikUN_mhyphenhyphenn6q-J0XdX4H6tZ8ojqsUYFtHrGzF9qcPfWh2OxwpV4UXF4ahZ1PK_EhkY9fOGyRxMWL8lVBCga_Vsr9geNhAlFuXXxiEFFBqNNO2dJLO17m46r71fHBQtTS-_WjiQjkTzQF12_Y64rcJPyRwGcUQR6b9Ks/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6849%20Teal%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilULOp7VeTAt7DZO2KqqwEo3PK6ikUN_mhyphenhyphenn6q-J0XdX4H6tZ8ojqsUYFtHrGzF9qcPfWh2OxwpV4UXF4ahZ1PK_EhkY9fOGyRxMWL8lVBCga_Vsr9geNhAlFuXXxiEFFBqNNO2dJLO17m46r71fHBQtTS-_WjiQjkTzQF12_Y64rcJPyRwGcUQR6b9Ks/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6849%20Teal%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Teal (<i>Anas crecca</i>) (male) - Bluebell Arboretum</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuzGgFu3OkuokPcJPLIhWD4CEiXk6CTLAUwJn6WN-06enrWNUo20Ny9Gol_SXIaqOlWPfJALDdz6v3DmRGDTQzJB8qvcF9psQfqcuoGhpMO0JDcB0qBZXvbPzvCn5WFwrG_ipboRZWflfnsragTItItqr0hL2jZfgNpWl11fQs_Pluahc6b7KBW4LzEA/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6869%20Mandarin%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuzGgFu3OkuokPcJPLIhWD4CEiXk6CTLAUwJn6WN-06enrWNUo20Ny9Gol_SXIaqOlWPfJALDdz6v3DmRGDTQzJB8qvcF9psQfqcuoGhpMO0JDcB0qBZXvbPzvCn5WFwrG_ipboRZWflfnsragTItItqr0hL2jZfgNpWl11fQs_Pluahc6b7KBW4LzEA/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6869%20Mandarin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mandarin Duck (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aix galericulata</i>) (male) - Bluebell Arboretum<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>I know that I have said this before, but I sometimes find myself surprised by how thin the heads of some species of duck are when viewed from the front - or, in this case, from the back!</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbU6sBpALXVvy1ZRd8MX9GH-DXzGJQam1RKinMCvOErIDtXG1gElnPvGHsTcUGGU2K0elZi3GXsDXIlRkSDOG7Gyt8Wfcl9Fiu3_vwAI2e0I7vm4G9T3ebB_G2-y2J42s9NRFsIaI3RIgTtMENA38p2G_tVSVy6HRF6bH61tO7f8YeLRr80p008hA6ig/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6876%20Mandarin%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbU6sBpALXVvy1ZRd8MX9GH-DXzGJQam1RKinMCvOErIDtXG1gElnPvGHsTcUGGU2K0elZi3GXsDXIlRkSDOG7Gyt8Wfcl9Fiu3_vwAI2e0I7vm4G9T3ebB_G2-y2J42s9NRFsIaI3RIgTtMENA38p2G_tVSVy6HRF6bH61tO7f8YeLRr80p008hA6ig/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6876%20Mandarin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mandarin Duck (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aix galericulata</i>) (female + male) - Bluebell Arboretum</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Whereas the plumage of the male Mandarin is spectacular, I feel that the female Mandarin has a serene beauty.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>To my mind, the drake Shoveler looked somewhat sinister as it swam away.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10DLP0QM6Eaofk23GiaY6Ydq9AUOLc_Dnnp9qVj2YG4vlyj38NcZf2B3m3goKN0RdnCP9RmG8VAyT1UG0DArHnhGf6QOSaZET0wXV_B5qp61Ld9wcaj3GJEPAm6_ac7QqfqxnVZiy5vFd6xjP4pHxvsb_7p447FBX4tqjacszjY3SJwewONPQEaBhvIA/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6887%20Shoveller%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10DLP0QM6Eaofk23GiaY6Ydq9AUOLc_Dnnp9qVj2YG4vlyj38NcZf2B3m3goKN0RdnCP9RmG8VAyT1UG0DArHnhGf6QOSaZET0wXV_B5qp61Ld9wcaj3GJEPAm6_ac7QqfqxnVZiy5vFd6xjP4pHxvsb_7p447FBX4tqjacszjY3SJwewONPQEaBhvIA/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6887%20Shoveller%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Shoveler (<i>Spatula clypeata)</i> (male) - Bluebell Arboretum<i><br /></i></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The drake Pintail is one of the most handsome of ducks.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4u5sRR6RRuHRCscCA2_G1X8YOEx3EGGyOuG_iZVrjTTIhyGvCvwlGtPyFf6z16hJGNwPxUkG0bCoR3L4-N5JlbRlDKCr5hGDikCOMZTOocmrxo_Xx_m3VslOemSsjqNcGCIt8WX482vLUlfr2K-rlWYeoSxYrEh23t6PciT5mBPFaouWGq6oxVEt4yLk/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6895%20Pintail%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4u5sRR6RRuHRCscCA2_G1X8YOEx3EGGyOuG_iZVrjTTIhyGvCvwlGtPyFf6z16hJGNwPxUkG0bCoR3L4-N5JlbRlDKCr5hGDikCOMZTOocmrxo_Xx_m3VslOemSsjqNcGCIt8WX482vLUlfr2K-rlWYeoSxYrEh23t6PciT5mBPFaouWGq6oxVEt4yLk/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6895%20Pintail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pintail (<i>Anas acuta</i>) (male) - Bluebell Arboretum</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlkdi3KtE8XR6bYy7uXBRdYRyedQu_W4f7t4LMx3JeKU-m33-cqKT6uC3RvPTXod76PLXPhrH1v7BIS73xffnmDHJ81MXZ9G2TIpVhfVgKLeKny5Oag0OvABSomCFUdZrSAJG2GLCa7jXsAVtL3Xi9_QKdWWLegOrboh6Ayu1D5tqW4s26_JP05BzNzo/s825/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6901%20Pintail%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlkdi3KtE8XR6bYy7uXBRdYRyedQu_W4f7t4LMx3JeKU-m33-cqKT6uC3RvPTXod76PLXPhrH1v7BIS73xffnmDHJ81MXZ9G2TIpVhfVgKLeKny5Oag0OvABSomCFUdZrSAJG2GLCa7jXsAVtL3Xi9_QKdWWLegOrboh6Ayu1D5tqW4s26_JP05BzNzo/s16000/24-02-01%20Bluebell%20Arboretum%20PEG_6901%20Pintail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pintail (<i>Anas acuta</i>) (female) - Bluebell Arboretum</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I stopped to have another chat with Robert on my way back to the car and mentioned the Mandarins. Robert told me that he considered them a nuisance as he sometimes gets up to around fifty of them and they snaffle up any food that's put out before the other ducks can get to it. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Bluebell Arboretum is now on my list of places to look for Odonata when the season comes around.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 2nd February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The visits by the female Blackcap are becoming less frequent, but we see her most days. She has a penchant for the blitzed peanut and lard mix that I make. Here she is, just about to pop into the jar (out of frame) containing that treat.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6q4Ndc07dIriGv6Urd6bjNwHXgM80HrvmOMW0j7_FKuqvupporeGsqp_w4UsXjvuEIMn3JiNYKL1xV37l4udzNB2JwrQye-91Jhw_IkYOukcSCG69lEmYhgOafRPpYubKPKU8n5yuyvgG2-I9JMgFJ_qGFpxwVQCL4zCe3PuFsp7LuNvxAFceOIt_Yeo/s825/24-02-02%20Garden%20PEG_6944%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6q4Ndc07dIriGv6Urd6bjNwHXgM80HrvmOMW0j7_FKuqvupporeGsqp_w4UsXjvuEIMn3JiNYKL1xV37l4udzNB2JwrQye-91Jhw_IkYOukcSCG69lEmYhgOafRPpYubKPKU8n5yuyvgG2-I9JMgFJ_qGFpxwVQCL4zCe3PuFsp7LuNvxAFceOIt_Yeo/s16000/24-02-02%20Garden%20PEG_6944%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackcap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We are starting to get a few more sightings of Long-tailed Tits, but they are not easy to photograph as they are never still.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_otnCcRkAjueD7Xe8wXJY5NLvbm9e6f6CJAwE1ONLtU9nX-MrLmJ9HAR9F7Jl8qIbEB4IzUOWSiP4mZQGOfMZdTAm1TjehlS-CsrQ2lwZqrqerykaqvVGgEVtbaqcgljwn3lbYKSdFkObqNSWbUbTvWMVzBdL9_VIexHqMOQHS6LZ4V95PBZkNDeXHzk/s825/24-02-02%20Garden%20PEG_6951%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_otnCcRkAjueD7Xe8wXJY5NLvbm9e6f6CJAwE1ONLtU9nX-MrLmJ9HAR9F7Jl8qIbEB4IzUOWSiP4mZQGOfMZdTAm1TjehlS-CsrQ2lwZqrqerykaqvVGgEVtbaqcgljwn3lbYKSdFkObqNSWbUbTvWMVzBdL9_VIexHqMOQHS6LZ4V95PBZkNDeXHzk/s16000/24-02-02%20Garden%20PEG_6951%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 3rd February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Greenfinches are continuing to pay frequent visits to the garden and, currently, their numbers are second only to that of Goldfinches, with up to six being seen at a time. I think that it was fellow blogger Sonjia (blog '<a href="https://breathtaking-blog.blogspot.com/">BREATHTAKING</a>') who commented that the Greenfinches where she is in Portugal can be quite posessive and aggressive at the feeders, and I responded that this was not the case in our garden in my experience. I now find that I am having to reverse that statement as they are now exhibiting that sort of behaviour to their congeners as well as to other species. Here's one that's on its own.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2R_xI0wa-zB3k27lDPqI-aQG7OO-n4f3MEVN89bzOniyuoUPmdOeMSCrWYtwJinWtj6PVMHgwbtyludYWAXjnZig0Q_qsNdaVWxgIyMQaIxzpNNtEkwGPGIY6K1kUZCDtgvvNWqI9NU_TdFykBlk6P6Zs7cUvj3vvDLVRh7QwifelPkbOQkPyIwhe4xo/s825/24-02-03%20Garden%20PEG_6967%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2R_xI0wa-zB3k27lDPqI-aQG7OO-n4f3MEVN89bzOniyuoUPmdOeMSCrWYtwJinWtj6PVMHgwbtyludYWAXjnZig0Q_qsNdaVWxgIyMQaIxzpNNtEkwGPGIY6K1kUZCDtgvvNWqI9NU_TdFykBlk6P6Zs7cUvj3vvDLVRh7QwifelPkbOQkPyIwhe4xo/s16000/24-02-03%20Garden%20PEG_6967%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenfinch (<i>Chloris chloris</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 4th February Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We had been seeing a female Siskin on a daily basis for some time, and I had remarked to Lindsay that I wish she'd find a mate. On this day, she brought a male with her. I was unsure at first sighting as the crown was not as dark as males of the species that I'm used to seeing.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp0ZAqayKeQHvbwZcNgTJGzikcfD41OSlsTYM0iqldNRmOOIzJGDKIsZ9DmGS7aRLLgUMY5OvP4GxE1Sbn1JX3ZtVhb-pMiAUu9UFaV7vu66AX556EAXmkKYnVHE9XoETybVtu3queccl9edpvoCNdeJOjK56Aw7N9o-Sg9_VIfFM9c7y4ZBrgKKhloc/s825/24-02-04%20Garden%20PEG_6969%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp0ZAqayKeQHvbwZcNgTJGzikcfD41OSlsTYM0iqldNRmOOIzJGDKIsZ9DmGS7aRLLgUMY5OvP4GxE1Sbn1JX3ZtVhb-pMiAUu9UFaV7vu66AX556EAXmkKYnVHE9XoETybVtu3queccl9edpvoCNdeJOjK56Aw7N9o-Sg9_VIfFM9c7y4ZBrgKKhloc/s16000/24-02-04%20Garden%20PEG_6969%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><b>Here are the two together on one of our feeders.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fKUU9sVj8mjAuP6aVJ4tVGMLgFBzIHy_0G-NqeNBrbh0SF7wMIwVApgDM3y0sgBfSBQbQr19BLc9TNk2k3KH5R63ZIzMojtvwfZXxRd-3RSES0NSHtLSmlVCDnyZirc94Fr5opJ8iTMMKvmQgkja2tMo-vf3JIz43_C9Op39TAMGfihjLPIN3ed6jK0/s825/24-02-04%20Garden%20PEG_6977%20Siskin%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fKUU9sVj8mjAuP6aVJ4tVGMLgFBzIHy_0G-NqeNBrbh0SF7wMIwVApgDM3y0sgBfSBQbQr19BLc9TNk2k3KH5R63ZIzMojtvwfZXxRd-3RSES0NSHtLSmlVCDnyZirc94Fr5opJ8iTMMKvmQgkja2tMo-vf3JIz43_C9Op39TAMGfihjLPIN3ed6jK0/s16000/24-02-04%20Garden%20PEG_6977%20Siskin%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (male + female) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 6th February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was one of our better days for birds visiting the garden with 17 species being observed. However, only the male Siskin was photographed. I'm not too happy about showing photos of birds on feeders, but this is a somewhat clearer shot of the male of the species than others I have managed so far this winter.</b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IIuzJPMc5Wqex77HfGH9VJde5dQBs8bNutMJhGSM2PQ00ldasU0o6fNIR166aIXpKIC3YX5cFNkWYz0fHinex4wdWIHLwyXUMGRqDWv67uSpz44GlinBZ5WnJZt89xMr4s3ROmV4opbjv_lugdmF3UenYXQ1DJJOYQR_k-3rkkl_J7A_V_n6w7itLM4/s825/24-02-06%20Garden%20PEG_6983%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IIuzJPMc5Wqex77HfGH9VJde5dQBs8bNutMJhGSM2PQ00ldasU0o6fNIR166aIXpKIC3YX5cFNkWYz0fHinex4wdWIHLwyXUMGRqDWv67uSpz44GlinBZ5WnJZt89xMr4s3ROmV4opbjv_lugdmF3UenYXQ1DJJOYQR_k-3rkkl_J7A_V_n6w7itLM4/s16000/24-02-06%20Garden%20PEG_6983%20Siskin%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 7th February Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was away for most of the afternoon on a medical visit, but still managed to record 16 bird species putting a foot down in our garden, and took a few photos too.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XJHJiUmEMmS0cjNvugdH8TTe4rsB-pEh8d7dnVds_AjMYQECDO4cmdO0k-j4K05IIjaPdnCypDO3vXSdm2JLgK4ssqfOmBtRz0Jt1fCQ2jHp-nRXaAIzVXNmA0r_VZ6igQAPaqgNTgrOaiuHCkQljm5-JDYtZI_MOxFhGm7DCNBQGGXcIXW64-_410w/s825/24-02-07%20Garden%20PEG_6993%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XJHJiUmEMmS0cjNvugdH8TTe4rsB-pEh8d7dnVds_AjMYQECDO4cmdO0k-j4K05IIjaPdnCypDO3vXSdm2JLgK4ssqfOmBtRz0Jt1fCQ2jHp-nRXaAIzVXNmA0r_VZ6igQAPaqgNTgrOaiuHCkQljm5-JDYtZI_MOxFhGm7DCNBQGGXcIXW64-_410w/s16000/24-02-07%20Garden%20PEG_6993%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiastgk6A5279m-4NMDCF6uNgzh5qKC2PQCUcI3fTUV_SND1oSxSdmsojB_oW5xXNZgk-yAbyj7-F0N8McJIOcaSKOCvMiraWGhF-sE-ni-jppYM4oh3fMrkDcKSATY0WT_uYNp7zuQKAhlVCTHDmb5dSHlsz9y6zusnB0jfUKbk4TnJMBdeWtn58Ikhhw/s825/24-02-07%20Garden%20PEG_6998%20Chaffinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiastgk6A5279m-4NMDCF6uNgzh5qKC2PQCUcI3fTUV_SND1oSxSdmsojB_oW5xXNZgk-yAbyj7-F0N8McJIOcaSKOCvMiraWGhF-sE-ni-jppYM4oh3fMrkDcKSATY0WT_uYNp7zuQKAhlVCTHDmb5dSHlsz9y6zusnB0jfUKbk4TnJMBdeWtn58Ikhhw/s16000/24-02-07%20Garden%20PEG_6998%20Chaffinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Chaffinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla coelebs</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRiRGiDCohj9fBTfq5jWSEB_h93qGgu8XvKF5Lid_QPC5ZPwibkg7WBAFoY1aJE2qxRE6LNnbkCCo0pvJWtU48u7OLL5k72BKOfuXNeGr85UOUVRCunuvnaxfLyK_XXoeMIdiCtW2N1T67zX_tfLNxLBwrdFOVncYsrCcwVPtTGh7-Nwa8GBUVPgzsN8/s825/24-02-07%20Garden%20PEG_7003%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRiRGiDCohj9fBTfq5jWSEB_h93qGgu8XvKF5Lid_QPC5ZPwibkg7WBAFoY1aJE2qxRE6LNnbkCCo0pvJWtU48u7OLL5k72BKOfuXNeGr85UOUVRCunuvnaxfLyK_XXoeMIdiCtW2N1T67zX_tfLNxLBwrdFOVncYsrCcwVPtTGh7-Nwa8GBUVPgzsN8/s16000/24-02-07%20Garden%20PEG_7003%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This brings me to the end of this post. Busy times are ahead, so I may be away from Blogger for a while. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-53805346267288836432024-02-04T10:11:00.000+00:002024-02-04T10:11:11.811+00:00The Last Ten Days of January, 2024<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Much of my time so far this year, as in the latter part of 2023, has been spent on domestic duties, having to take on much of Lindsay's share, due to her relative incapacity. Towards the end of the month, I started to feel that I needed to get out more, if only for short spells, in order to regain some of my sanity. This resulted in me visting four local locations on three separate days. At no time was I away from home for more than two hours.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The first part of this period resulted in sightings of very common species. However, things warmed up a little in the last few days of January.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 22nd January Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Although we had the pleasure of Siskin and Blackcap females visiting this day, the only photos I took were of a Blackbird. Although a common species, we have seen a worrying decline over the past couple of years in the numbers of this bird visiting our garden. This female is on the edge of our birdbath, before taking a drink.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_TcBiv38ZkVIQ2WgVKObd-lSzPtemQuutQPInsBq2X4QhYIEeSbug65xxEAUFl6W77Rq2spe2CaSW07V2sAaAYTVkCMnxE9zsU51kGGq2A2QHdqmxnUSzynmuGkNKIaGtvtIncMKkjRFnCfvyiV2BkX-rmv-QL9-nM8Xw-IPoWCWjSFO5pXKNrNlfjk/s825/24-01-22%20Garden%20PEG_6479%20Blackbird%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_TcBiv38ZkVIQ2WgVKObd-lSzPtemQuutQPInsBq2X4QhYIEeSbug65xxEAUFl6W77Rq2spe2CaSW07V2sAaAYTVkCMnxE9zsU51kGGq2A2QHdqmxnUSzynmuGkNKIaGtvtIncMKkjRFnCfvyiV2BkX-rmv-QL9-nM8Xw-IPoWCWjSFO5pXKNrNlfjk/s16000/24-01-22%20Garden%20PEG_6479%20Blackbird%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackbird (<i>Turdus merula</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 26th January Garden : Saltersford Valley Country Park : Oakthorpe</span></b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Siskin and Blackcap were still with us but, again, no photos. I did, however, manage to grab a few shots of a Wren from my study window. As you can see, it had been a while since I last tidied up the garden!<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERBtxst8yhAzRUpNWgmV66qWtJub3qTAo6IzpRMoN4U6AtpxPeH3vcx9iSjvaRQuW1D4fbkYzljI8QiygkiacvAKDwb0rIsUtLs38VmUy5EcVg5YV9EwEZ85e2Dt5DqkHk5Bw4dHlN6LBboUYJv450IDM54mhqg3gWCrr4Bo77b4_ayKveNQg6braKn8/s825/24-01-26%20Garden%20PEG_6504%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERBtxst8yhAzRUpNWgmV66qWtJub3qTAo6IzpRMoN4U6AtpxPeH3vcx9iSjvaRQuW1D4fbkYzljI8QiygkiacvAKDwb0rIsUtLs38VmUy5EcVg5YV9EwEZ85e2Dt5DqkHk5Bw4dHlN6LBboUYJv450IDM54mhqg3gWCrr4Bo77b4_ayKveNQg6braKn8/s16000/24-01-26%20Garden%20PEG_6504%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That afternoon, I took some time out, heading to Saltersford Valley Country Park. On my previous visit, I had found the boardwalk section of the area closed off, due to flooding. I was disappointed to find this area was still closed off - with no reason visible. I did take a walk round the remainder of the area that was open and saw very little of interest, only photographing a confiding Robin, and a distant Coot.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kKscpb6eHmTDPb4yGaYCG-fZpHUsXCLvc_ig85HJwbb1nHdUdgdpregnc_RuDbpj6R703r-vyq_dWji2LPTSnLtMECCVeVdOb5c_A9NKt_aFg-feEv0zgfxh5vu2hcyJFT_nWW6IqpXagnGTm9VmZCP5eUiPkUGRPdvah4TmdWGO8rFcfr_ierPsJFs/s825/24-01-26%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_6509%20Robin%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kKscpb6eHmTDPb4yGaYCG-fZpHUsXCLvc_ig85HJwbb1nHdUdgdpregnc_RuDbpj6R703r-vyq_dWji2LPTSnLtMECCVeVdOb5c_A9NKt_aFg-feEv0zgfxh5vu2hcyJFT_nWW6IqpXagnGTm9VmZCP5eUiPkUGRPdvah4TmdWGO8rFcfr_ierPsJFs/s16000/24-01-26%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_6509%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Erithacus rubecula</i>) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2qf-h3KzCS73ZFsXzXYnSzhsxE3kbnIMSmPG49vei2CmfOgMy7RswNUsyk6ZLRuXas9jfic74iVY2C44-HdUZg-71jDYr2ABE-eRHM9jQeHGfwRjD4kKJGMAQuqcIa9VSYUNR4ccz9sPb07zQBDxLhaKnmvh6-VzrXFXFsH4lScgsCZGXGGTMw8kI3c/s825/24-01-26%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_6538%20Coot%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2qf-h3KzCS73ZFsXzXYnSzhsxE3kbnIMSmPG49vei2CmfOgMy7RswNUsyk6ZLRuXas9jfic74iVY2C44-HdUZg-71jDYr2ABE-eRHM9jQeHGfwRjD4kKJGMAQuqcIa9VSYUNR4ccz9sPb07zQBDxLhaKnmvh6-VzrXFXFsH4lScgsCZGXGGTMw8kI3c/s16000/24-01-26%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_6538%20Coot%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coot (<i>Fulica atra</i>) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Being a little dischuffed with my visit to Saltersford Valley, and having only been out for a short while, I set off to visit the nearby location, by Oakthorp, where I'd recently seen the Yellow-browed Warbler and more recently photographed Fieldfare, in the hope of getting better Fieldfare images. I only saw one Fieldfare in the distance, which fled when a couple with a dog passed by it. I did, however, spot a Goldcrest, and spent about half an hour trying to photograph it, but failing miserably. The best that I could do was get a couple of record shots of it in flight.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8DuB-swcml7QCiKCAgjM3uhgHYe3E41ZbOcWdUyo3RXXekIXcBNL9xnudy_XFjlrm3amXyx9r8nyqqH6UZrh9EPIWr7w1mrdVKD8QAbzTGY2-36o4nnohxwf339bclgaenqCGLyoPdAvcvbxGiHiJX04Wf69G7EK3ciHv-09NjxxJO5CTopQyECJLq0/s825/24-01-26%20Oakthorpe%20Rail%20Trail%20PEG_6549%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8DuB-swcml7QCiKCAgjM3uhgHYe3E41ZbOcWdUyo3RXXekIXcBNL9xnudy_XFjlrm3amXyx9r8nyqqH6UZrh9EPIWr7w1mrdVKD8QAbzTGY2-36o4nnohxwf339bclgaenqCGLyoPdAvcvbxGiHiJX04Wf69G7EK3ciHv-09NjxxJO5CTopQyECJLq0/s16000/24-01-26%20Oakthorpe%20Rail%20Trail%20PEG_6549%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywZP95lpA_22FIwoG4XS8Qu_ouKYQMSxHrYrS5w68OR-Uu2uyY7BfbihwnsSGFLp3RBMAubl6QddlEBLxehPGAjQiX3AYJjfHvPslQFc4mqyMy9Y9exNRXYSGAOReguPCuDgV9p-4d8O5eMQsPoxEn58T_EdhLyMX4EEFM93Y9JZm7L4u9FjRWP2ym88/s825/24-01-26%20Oakthorpe%20Rail%20Trail%20PEG_6565%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywZP95lpA_22FIwoG4XS8Qu_ouKYQMSxHrYrS5w68OR-Uu2uyY7BfbihwnsSGFLp3RBMAubl6QddlEBLxehPGAjQiX3AYJjfHvPslQFc4mqyMy9Y9exNRXYSGAOReguPCuDgV9p-4d8O5eMQsPoxEn58T_EdhLyMX4EEFM93Y9JZm7L4u9FjRWP2ym88/s16000/24-01-26%20Oakthorpe%20Rail%20Trail%20PEG_6565%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldcrest (<i>Regulus regulus</i>) - near Oakthorpe</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />It was then time to head back to Lindsay, only 10 minutes away.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday 27th January Donisthorpe Woodland</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The following day I paid a short visit to Donisthorpe Woodland, just down the road from home. Part of this area is alongside a now isolated section of the old Ashby Canal. I passed alongside the canal for a while, only spotting a Mallard on the far side of the canal and a Great Tit in the edge of the woodland, opposite the canal.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOR0yBxQq5c081jGRzOhZ6K70XBFNbXFRAmte_sE96r7PaDIKkQ33niGpXVtBlFWt_hez7kWIpVw2DAnIxtj7WHIHnWF0_PO_6yVux6IAudeLnrFwgPxKi1QRP2KiQpRZKXouizTElI50iODflViEdMbthY8QcWg6LyveDhJhmAwYsLCGbbDpPt-lg2M/s825/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6577%20Great%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOR0yBxQq5c081jGRzOhZ6K70XBFNbXFRAmte_sE96r7PaDIKkQ33niGpXVtBlFWt_hez7kWIpVw2DAnIxtj7WHIHnWF0_PO_6yVux6IAudeLnrFwgPxKi1QRP2KiQpRZKXouizTElI50iODflViEdMbthY8QcWg6LyveDhJhmAwYsLCGbbDpPt-lg2M/s16000/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6577%20Great%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Tit (<i>Parus major</i>) - Donisthorpe Woodland</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPGZ9PdSjHxa70moe5Iq1w-9VByoXZ60d1XAnrVtpUGZgkuz0SQxqCrjFIkOKwVZ-6QMY1qvtWpgwDZ_GKX0P1qB8mxGSdDTkuSxPyesymX4M4rFrZaKMviTSbqVpDpQYjw5KNcfhEz6UIkYvKTzNKwZBUQB4ktBs6Yil0QIl2ylHYq8YHME05iaGKl0/s825/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6585%20Mallard%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPGZ9PdSjHxa70moe5Iq1w-9VByoXZ60d1XAnrVtpUGZgkuz0SQxqCrjFIkOKwVZ-6QMY1qvtWpgwDZ_GKX0P1qB8mxGSdDTkuSxPyesymX4M4rFrZaKMviTSbqVpDpQYjw5KNcfhEz6UIkYvKTzNKwZBUQB4ktBs6Yil0QIl2ylHYq8YHME05iaGKl0/s16000/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6585%20Mallard%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mallard (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e">Anas platyrhynchos) (male)<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>I then took a circuitous route which took me along the edge of the Moira Furnace site, and then back to my car. I saw disappointingly little during my walk, only stopping to photograph some teazels, a Blackbird, and another Great Tit, which I shan't bother you with here.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Teasels are the dead flowerheads of plants of the genus Dipsacus. They are still used by some people for carding wool but, for me, they are an architecturally atractive plant<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0EMDFIUSFS6_rCv36_Ho0mXRAyixIjtnrbY_BJkRFtijcWsimTBmv7GVtb5Yi09UZRmozjR2x-PccAIrxGeo61CQ_O8kNCnsrHcN6Hxt-vGN12we1Qii0WZ_-c3kRxKj4uJw0o32Gyl9Bv-UFu5wyoUHpJzCIvFBawCwDs7PLJuxklPrS4yppcZM7GA/s963/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6587%20Teasel%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp0EMDFIUSFS6_rCv36_Ho0mXRAyixIjtnrbY_BJkRFtijcWsimTBmv7GVtb5Yi09UZRmozjR2x-PccAIrxGeo61CQ_O8kNCnsrHcN6Hxt-vGN12we1Qii0WZ_-c3kRxKj4uJw0o32Gyl9Bv-UFu5wyoUHpJzCIvFBawCwDs7PLJuxklPrS4yppcZM7GA/s16000/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6587%20Teasel%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Teasel (<i>Dipsacus sp.</i>) - Donisthorpe Woodland</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENmqw1YY73ogWSBt5Gj3DGqcS1nqujZhsbENrrKFl2grptF0LjJrDHGeck8ATttlNt2NP9C7aEcgadTuyGOq7V3vUsV9JvUFpTCERwyseKGzJKnu8Q-vy4tYFR0kT-3s523KUnn8wcnxsnH8Qfk2MqhhN5Q90OkuIsj_4bWFGOvFGTN_xAGuyztyVErM/s825/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6592%20Blackbird%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENmqw1YY73ogWSBt5Gj3DGqcS1nqujZhsbENrrKFl2grptF0LjJrDHGeck8ATttlNt2NP9C7aEcgadTuyGOq7V3vUsV9JvUFpTCERwyseKGzJKnu8Q-vy4tYFR0kT-3s523KUnn8wcnxsnH8Qfk2MqhhN5Q90OkuIsj_4bWFGOvFGTN_xAGuyztyVErM/s16000/24-01-27%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_6592%20Blackbird%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackbird (<i>Turdus merula</i>) (male) -Donisithorpe Woodland<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Sunday, 28th January Garden : Longmoor Lake</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was a good day for visits by birds to our garden, with 18 species setting a foot down. These included 8 Long-tailed Tits - always fun to watch.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgET94KH2VZte2AqiMBY9m0QGXu-89G-EpauueHhkS3IsbPa9MrouJJtnuxydtagy4sxeOyuXmQVEVcGWjYiwoAezCRN3ANAA7ivuw6ucfQg7L3YFCN_0NEDfqK7jfW6mpGt1rgslKmwmYjnbB29ObSVh8E9OIcN1CEWb9lJ1oxKYw5pA5X9_2MNOqW_U0/s825/24-01-28%20Garden%20PEG_6606%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgET94KH2VZte2AqiMBY9m0QGXu-89G-EpauueHhkS3IsbPa9MrouJJtnuxydtagy4sxeOyuXmQVEVcGWjYiwoAezCRN3ANAA7ivuw6ucfQg7L3YFCN_0NEDfqK7jfW6mpGt1rgslKmwmYjnbB29ObSVh8E9OIcN1CEWb9lJ1oxKYw5pA5X9_2MNOqW_U0/s16000/24-01-28%20Garden%20PEG_6606%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Most exciting, however, was the appearance of a Reed Bunting. We last saw this species in the garden in February 2023, when a female visited. These shots were taken from my studty window.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6md5jW50g0hCUHrQJW6LW4rhJZPGHXOB6uGVYMp8BhVadliOkQMToZJyIB2iRZlxvnImjvMgspEOykNSic0WvAkucxa_796ZqSA86_-mhYFFB2aHRRw99zVXG1d_NKaojTw9l435dM2F7ZG5rQIeIWtMdoKZwi-qm8-hJ0anIcv8_4h25wGoTT5vMh90/s825/24-01-28%20Garden%20PEG_6610%20Reed%20Bunting%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6md5jW50g0hCUHrQJW6LW4rhJZPGHXOB6uGVYMp8BhVadliOkQMToZJyIB2iRZlxvnImjvMgspEOykNSic0WvAkucxa_796ZqSA86_-mhYFFB2aHRRw99zVXG1d_NKaojTw9l435dM2F7ZG5rQIeIWtMdoKZwi-qm8-hJ0anIcv8_4h25wGoTT5vMh90/s16000/24-01-28%20Garden%20PEG_6610%20Reed%20Bunting%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSAUqgwt5RTrBIYqqSV7nfUf9124Q8NzO2URPvuNGRX_-TtJfsI12_gw3yAbGr_sOh266CQMM4GlvPLOwkVW-0ygKX6wXDFuXHwZBd8G6tex5OajqkkaNh-YhMFWTwJk8G-1LMf4XyMCEWA2DZZ42KvkQrYRcUiSzZe3fClTFnNH4boZntVgBTDY9Kwg/s825/24-01-28%20Garden%20PEG_6648%20Reed%20Bunting%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSAUqgwt5RTrBIYqqSV7nfUf9124Q8NzO2URPvuNGRX_-TtJfsI12_gw3yAbGr_sOh266CQMM4GlvPLOwkVW-0ygKX6wXDFuXHwZBd8G6tex5OajqkkaNh-YhMFWTwJk8G-1LMf4XyMCEWA2DZZ42KvkQrYRcUiSzZe3fClTFnNH4boZntVgBTDY9Kwg/s16000/24-01-28%20Garden%20PEG_6648%20Reed%20Bunting%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Reed Bunting (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Emberiza schoeniclus</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />That afternoon, I made a quick visit to Longmoor Lake. This lake is situated in the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Wood, which is close to our home. In the early days of this wood, when the trees were mere saplings, the area was good for birds, including Barn Owl and Tawny Owl. However, the trees have grown rapidly, and are so densely placed that it seems to have made it unattractive to the birds. I saw virtually nothing until I reached the lake, some one and a half kilometres from the car park.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I spent a few minutes in the hide and saw that Canada Geese and Greylag Geese were there in good numbers, as were Wigeon. I took some photos from the hide but didn't stop long as my time was limited.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUKDJ0w_uKeZoeWuoFn-twBCGWjLJtQD9qjeRzQwxhG4hMCNq2LlUz4ny_sbY-L8n9tqeTTrSpsOF80KMoUMoiOe3alC2jp-V946mOhBEcORIO2QFSZxl6AmhmDs7MupFSIBlTwMeAAmPLHKs_3fSxfGtrRqyovoREXGcM_w2fcu9o3rsbv82eQIj_Vc/s825/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6667%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUKDJ0w_uKeZoeWuoFn-twBCGWjLJtQD9qjeRzQwxhG4hMCNq2LlUz4ny_sbY-L8n9tqeTTrSpsOF80KMoUMoiOe3alC2jp-V946mOhBEcORIO2QFSZxl6AmhmDs7MupFSIBlTwMeAAmPLHKs_3fSxfGtrRqyovoREXGcM_w2fcu9o3rsbv82eQIj_Vc/s16000/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6667%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_s3ptrTGrK9j3CzqdQibLyv-lSTomDygVYxhOvlTegZhEDgXGHuLvvxYiWvIzDwXbjQqXFCDdWQHWqXXfgtyuduWXHInnNLhCirGO-Uoy56Kl_AzGhzPW8FxKeZ3e3pPijgBj0m9gPcz0QR2r8-JzBKyUxsbgI3ozU6FlMIcWjVj9j0PjD1xluhvsZ4/s825/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6672%20Greylag%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_s3ptrTGrK9j3CzqdQibLyv-lSTomDygVYxhOvlTegZhEDgXGHuLvvxYiWvIzDwXbjQqXFCDdWQHWqXXfgtyuduWXHInnNLhCirGO-Uoy56Kl_AzGhzPW8FxKeZ3e3pPijgBj0m9gPcz0QR2r8-JzBKyUxsbgI3ozU6FlMIcWjVj9j0PjD1xluhvsZ4/s16000/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6672%20Greylag%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greylag Goose (<i>Ansa ansa</i>) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I then walked to the far end of the lake, taking a few more photos as I went.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueEVl2QDkiwyrOwuEZn0l9G86TvMomW6XqVMSa_3yToP_selWudJVg-Vpb9dW5K_qGrvWCL1RDDJBpiu5jNjdN__j_Li6Ja6OwDhusxKYQXd6IIjJusMXpYp-2shzicZNlk7M1HU8VF2ruABH_MQ7XOeoW897kopYKMhCy7UNPxU1vyI2dGqQGMvN51M/s825/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6703%20Wigeon%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueEVl2QDkiwyrOwuEZn0l9G86TvMomW6XqVMSa_3yToP_selWudJVg-Vpb9dW5K_qGrvWCL1RDDJBpiu5jNjdN__j_Li6Ja6OwDhusxKYQXd6IIjJusMXpYp-2shzicZNlk7M1HU8VF2ruABH_MQ7XOeoW897kopYKMhCy7UNPxU1vyI2dGqQGMvN51M/s16000/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6703%20Wigeon%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wigeon (<i>Anas penelope</i>) (male + female) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>I went a little beyond the far end of the lake, before turning back. Immediately I did so, some Long-tailed Tits moved through the hedge beside me. The light was poor, but I did manage a shot that is just about useable. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVE4J3WXdV-8M3Xv_vuMJ9GP9X7_NEphEpaUgy1IPTDgm6YSv_4Y9mBCVfm8feFOKaNnFSshC5V_LKveoMWhLA2hEkaOXO3EFTAK3XV-n9rkkpA0H2oPgvp3EXUyfa_OJqE3PVTUeaq2g4wnA1KjvSIgSdO34-Tfivk-19b4Pn6rJn5qRbt8BNE-tdTc/s825/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6710%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVE4J3WXdV-8M3Xv_vuMJ9GP9X7_NEphEpaUgy1IPTDgm6YSv_4Y9mBCVfm8feFOKaNnFSshC5V_LKveoMWhLA2hEkaOXO3EFTAK3XV-n9rkkpA0H2oPgvp3EXUyfa_OJqE3PVTUeaq2g4wnA1KjvSIgSdO34-Tfivk-19b4Pn6rJn5qRbt8BNE-tdTc/s16000/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6710%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Long-tailed Tit </span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"> (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) -by Longmoor Lake<br /></span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>On the way back, dusk was beginning to fall. I photographed an immature Mute Swan that looked as if it was hoping that I'd feed it, but it soon gave up.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-8XzNpaks1pzkhQyVYPAZhEpHY0pIh2EGFZNtUr8_jFvdqiVCEKS52PZQsc5oI3TJiVZ0ePyYxY2EcVm9Pc-Puc8HEkrr1pYgfDmRf2Kvv5EJ8EGKV4JyTUphBRv1NiYO2PJP3Ya1e8QuqZdjCC69lXLNU4zsmwlSqCIgZ3GiF-nPsuYGiyvh2S3eDg/s825/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6754%20Mute%20Swan%20-%20im%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-8XzNpaks1pzkhQyVYPAZhEpHY0pIh2EGFZNtUr8_jFvdqiVCEKS52PZQsc5oI3TJiVZ0ePyYxY2EcVm9Pc-Puc8HEkrr1pYgfDmRf2Kvv5EJ8EGKV4JyTUphBRv1NiYO2PJP3Ya1e8QuqZdjCC69lXLNU4zsmwlSqCIgZ3GiF-nPsuYGiyvh2S3eDg/s16000/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6754%20Mute%20Swan%20-%20im%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mute Swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>) (immature) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>It was that time of the afternoon when the geese decide that it is time to return to their night roosts. There is plenty of warning when this is going to happen as their calls build up to a very noisy crescendo before they take off in groups.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcC1Sp25q8hb0fhrvOupJgDL_KTZMN_z2J4Z7TJC3Ios2aI-1EUfSPULf49wrj3CIxJaaRRRCLsiYr9chEY5FcJWODSZ_ms8YyfbweRpyIpGhyphenhyphenph7WAqhV0_mWtVWBy6GP0zqQmMwU_2APe1lBZu80Q74xRRE9cKTF5BgeVwoc-MQ02Z43uWmEvm18g4/s825/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6758%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcC1Sp25q8hb0fhrvOupJgDL_KTZMN_z2J4Z7TJC3Ios2aI-1EUfSPULf49wrj3CIxJaaRRRCLsiYr9chEY5FcJWODSZ_ms8YyfbweRpyIpGhyphenhyphenph7WAqhV0_mWtVWBy6GP0zqQmMwU_2APe1lBZu80Q74xRRE9cKTF5BgeVwoc-MQ02Z43uWmEvm18g4/s16000/24-01-28%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_6758%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>I took a shorter route back to my car, arriving home at the expected time.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 30th January Staunton Harold</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was only two days before I managed another brief trip out, prompted by a report of a Cattle Egret in a pasture with sheep, opposite the hall at Staunton Harold, and less than ten minutes from our home.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having parked my car, I walked up the road past the sheep pasture, and a little further, before turning back without seeing the egret. Arriving at the public footpath that leaves the road and goes uo the hill through the pasture, I decided to give it a try in case the bird was skulking over the brow of the hill - it wasn't.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I descended on this footpath, I scanned over the nearby lake, looking at the swans and gulls that were on the grass on the far side of the lake - and there, to my surprise, was the egret, at the water's edge, in a position where it would be clearly visible from the road that leads to the hall.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I crossed the causeway between the two lakes, I took a shot of a Coot.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThtx5nZXqTkpfwyLQ_rK188RZ4rs2dCEngSpjev0Awz1BZu_AkFf4sNiCidVPd1IQpfDqpxYDDbVmGCz3Kgr5-nVNlYYwwtHtXsdKuGjeVuIJpg53GL4SET-oEM2cR2gNrjCb0e2zuu1Gm1WLsNWIpx6a6ONG4CHrey41c-DMdKV4OjMkAiouys8NxuY/s850/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6769%20Coot%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThtx5nZXqTkpfwyLQ_rK188RZ4rs2dCEngSpjev0Awz1BZu_AkFf4sNiCidVPd1IQpfDqpxYDDbVmGCz3Kgr5-nVNlYYwwtHtXsdKuGjeVuIJpg53GL4SET-oEM2cR2gNrjCb0e2zuu1Gm1WLsNWIpx6a6ONG4CHrey41c-DMdKV4OjMkAiouys8NxuY/s16000/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6769%20Coot%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Coot (<i>Fulica atra</i>) - Staunton Harold</span></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>A little further on, the road takes a curve to the right that brings it closer to the lake, and the egret was clearly visible from there. I got in quite a few shots before it decided to return to where it had originally been seen - the sheep pasture. You may be able to detect that this bird is showing a hint of colour on the forehead - the start of breeding plumage.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LNAhj-yqfsVJ8o5Y15ULYvt8wjvvlwqZEeYhp8IB7U3UboJWzx5Y9NktHVcHRxfXXiIRGvfed_k5qjlKDYxTVCuY6XRa7vVBGNZ3k7ZfzLDFY8AVOxLXRnbe0ScaoTNmo1cMqL5iBrxHyYq2IK-FL2TFZABd3zGE5PQr7q7J9vXQdMsvV9WMI-MCKFI/s825/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6792%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LNAhj-yqfsVJ8o5Y15ULYvt8wjvvlwqZEeYhp8IB7U3UboJWzx5Y9NktHVcHRxfXXiIRGvfed_k5qjlKDYxTVCuY6XRa7vVBGNZ3k7ZfzLDFY8AVOxLXRnbe0ScaoTNmo1cMqL5iBrxHyYq2IK-FL2TFZABd3zGE5PQr7q7J9vXQdMsvV9WMI-MCKFI/s16000/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6792%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCQ9XYS-CmKO5vBhCwW5DZi8dgaa4pEeS1us0_UuyPN6QFE3ivTdYAyD7RTtIxpoGzZi99N_bodGLJXcJBPFTMDFdSAjglY9zAUSUhQwyYgxDu2Hck3RjCTDdwCRV8cYeOAgZsnWBJfoCBeKqWuw1fDqApHw452BhpvGpjzRnifEOgP5nugCaUo38dA0/s825/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6799%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCQ9XYS-CmKO5vBhCwW5DZi8dgaa4pEeS1us0_UuyPN6QFE3ivTdYAyD7RTtIxpoGzZi99N_bodGLJXcJBPFTMDFdSAjglY9zAUSUhQwyYgxDu2Hck3RjCTDdwCRV8cYeOAgZsnWBJfoCBeKqWuw1fDqApHw452BhpvGpjzRnifEOgP5nugCaUo38dA0/s16000/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6799%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTswMRl09N_CpZFHkHXr5zCajxZntH0NeJn2gCqC1UWZl-a35T5eSfSuJNsF85FlwurzwU3-Ib3pMfBxH_6VhCs3wuvIz1iCK0k6ZCmLePEZ3CJFZcvD5Omji-q68M_lQKJ6PbDI_Rrm5zU7Uwk-5B44vaETKlqVZ6QIK6aGPTO5jDorTW3qvCG3U60s/s825/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6803%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTswMRl09N_CpZFHkHXr5zCajxZntH0NeJn2gCqC1UWZl-a35T5eSfSuJNsF85FlwurzwU3-Ib3pMfBxH_6VhCs3wuvIz1iCK0k6ZCmLePEZ3CJFZcvD5Omji-q68M_lQKJ6PbDI_Rrm5zU7Uwk-5B44vaETKlqVZ6QIK6aGPTO5jDorTW3qvCG3U60s/s16000/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6803%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToCp-TO9d_gbksMHl0dOzcPOnsaSmwMN29z59BfnHfttan4uLD6VMQRWiSx_IxumPdJTtU9CudYPczen0TCsh5YO1d-b6B6GkMFtjVdvKwGtddg7CTjD0IADsE-Ym91Doi6xSlvIrNhRolw3yokBp62JwbAr08VgiEhKg5IdSOy1OmRJWdYpNSJk9QX4/s825/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6827%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToCp-TO9d_gbksMHl0dOzcPOnsaSmwMN29z59BfnHfttan4uLD6VMQRWiSx_IxumPdJTtU9CudYPczen0TCsh5YO1d-b6B6GkMFtjVdvKwGtddg7CTjD0IADsE-Ym91Doi6xSlvIrNhRolw3yokBp62JwbAr08VgiEhKg5IdSOy1OmRJWdYpNSJk9QX4/s16000/24-01-30%20Staunton%20Harold%20PEG_6827%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cattle Egret (<span class="w8qArf"></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bubulcus ibis</i>) - Staunton Harold<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Given more time, I would have walked up the road to take some photos of it in the sheep pasture, but I needed to get back to base to check that all was OK with Lindsay.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>No photography was attempted on the last day of the month, although we had a good number of birds visiting the garden.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Currently, I have no idea when my next blog post will be as we have a plethora of medical visits coming up in the next fortnight, culminating, if all goes to plan, with Lindsay having a second replacement knee on 12th February. I can see that I'm going to be rather busy for a while!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-53147002395955595572024-01-28T12:01:00.000+00:002024-01-28T12:01:39.844+00:00The Third Week of January<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My last blog post was a bit of a marathon event, so I am trying to keep it down to a shorter length by just covering one week.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Monday, 15th January Garden : Peggs Green</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>At this time, we were still being visited by the Pied Wagtails, although their visits now seem to have dried up. They tended to arrive as a pair, the female of which had a distinctly black crown. However, we also had a grey-headed female visiting occasionally, as on this day.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijb7rpft-eKCLpRm1d0Fhse9bZ2WsrvcCPOW_ssPTwgma-4eNdbuOlrNtV8u24mJ_PaE1qINY8FdacCis6DD_jTZ7SHksHoaxyouLYLo0jyvJvSJzDMPF1gEQ5TKPeT7aAuEWAnxDlzqewQscI4aoQHd77TURXKXaTKsXE2N3B-z7yPAI_C7oanc6eGGY/s825/24-01-15%20Garden%20PEG_5756%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijb7rpft-eKCLpRm1d0Fhse9bZ2WsrvcCPOW_ssPTwgma-4eNdbuOlrNtV8u24mJ_PaE1qINY8FdacCis6DD_jTZ7SHksHoaxyouLYLo0jyvJvSJzDMPF1gEQ5TKPeT7aAuEWAnxDlzqewQscI4aoQHd77TURXKXaTKsXE2N3B-z7yPAI_C7oanc6eGGY/s16000/24-01-15%20Garden%20PEG_5756%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The weather brightened up in the afternoon, and I went to have another session with the relatively local Waxwings. I didn't fare much better than on my previous visit to this location. I'd been hoping to get some side-on shots clearly showing the yellow tips to the primaries and the red appendages on the secondaries, but failed on this count. I think that these were probably a group of 1st year birds (maybe females?), which would explain my failure.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This will probably be my last experience with Waxwings this winter, so here are a few more shots than usual!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb79goDJKMHXz3sXRrRSSQwMy2iR8E5olkEDKiMJZjglC596qCaQaVGlkoXLKzwawKlIcsTHrgiocInsk94dUaWt0DgdWmk3REH-xu9uLm2ISCpi8AyGXkpAB8p474WDzEI4TJHMz_V7e5YJg33JKlBBYvcBds4YOp8f3tDx0vAXjBZuE1bdwk9p-tBZM/s825/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5770%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb79goDJKMHXz3sXRrRSSQwMy2iR8E5olkEDKiMJZjglC596qCaQaVGlkoXLKzwawKlIcsTHrgiocInsk94dUaWt0DgdWmk3REH-xu9uLm2ISCpi8AyGXkpAB8p474WDzEI4TJHMz_V7e5YJg33JKlBBYvcBds4YOp8f3tDx0vAXjBZuE1bdwk9p-tBZM/s16000/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5770%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59MykW5ar3Nuq1__B0Tiyu0VMfIzmf1ZmAF9zCXEOr7Nd0xE_5toA6KE0BoV7caTHAE18ZXVPkWXR88mvq1GCt44_ZJrefbQGVuFzknuZEzESoxK4cCzX-TQNgaSaPAWkn2mkfOSutFjSr6nSjGgpq7-e91PD5lKWOfO8tEvDEOXmT05SbX6odJ4wqeA/s907/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5798%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59MykW5ar3Nuq1__B0Tiyu0VMfIzmf1ZmAF9zCXEOr7Nd0xE_5toA6KE0BoV7caTHAE18ZXVPkWXR88mvq1GCt44_ZJrefbQGVuFzknuZEzESoxK4cCzX-TQNgaSaPAWkn2mkfOSutFjSr6nSjGgpq7-e91PD5lKWOfO8tEvDEOXmT05SbX6odJ4wqeA/s16000/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5798%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0TPvi1EZtKwJpsYecPqXv1TqcdWZq-k8QAgb2sCSbEPH9Fy982a1Vp_ChypAX1JGsKZpL-ZdXNwqDhH-mt6J4dXGvGdDjwG6N9oBVNFZEFMx1OevBUALjUm4bhGeECeXFUBALSmaqH-AnfS4onBrB97qMiJy2CEHAr_uhXen-h998Bew9PykS_jVJMY/s901/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5834%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0TPvi1EZtKwJpsYecPqXv1TqcdWZq-k8QAgb2sCSbEPH9Fy982a1Vp_ChypAX1JGsKZpL-ZdXNwqDhH-mt6J4dXGvGdDjwG6N9oBVNFZEFMx1OevBUALjUm4bhGeECeXFUBALSmaqH-AnfS4onBrB97qMiJy2CEHAr_uhXen-h998Bew9PykS_jVJMY/s16000/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5834%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHahOHSTH5PzYmBCUCaGZPf9q9UCKGwGs-aA4XPSPjYqwvOrn-o0Z3TqVOpsE2muXmv1g6BsLrMrmbbZfzvyi_W9geVtwOnH2aSXY6sFpZ8uR8nSIcDkDZ40OFTTB3nZnzbYrJ80xIGTcGqjeyyZEMWvdcStgp46NtqGfN8P9vNBB948rVVgaPCwRK-es/s825/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5924%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHahOHSTH5PzYmBCUCaGZPf9q9UCKGwGs-aA4XPSPjYqwvOrn-o0Z3TqVOpsE2muXmv1g6BsLrMrmbbZfzvyi_W9geVtwOnH2aSXY6sFpZ8uR8nSIcDkDZ40OFTTB3nZnzbYrJ80xIGTcGqjeyyZEMWvdcStgp46NtqGfN8P9vNBB948rVVgaPCwRK-es/s16000/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5924%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcpODB-BJz6-NedW2KaFht1alqQUfJEUNky3oF5Ro0TqyYgWw8jE7EGjZYDDPx3uUY2jqvutm672TzA3aeG12vn1Me8vFEcC8NsQWzYBa5IonUTPGe8asnjMEuZkhX0cwVH98FFcx9vtM4M-T9v8LtGCE4UCEPGI2JXiHHXDvSdondI9drCKZfBB-AEM/s860/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_6078%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcpODB-BJz6-NedW2KaFht1alqQUfJEUNky3oF5Ro0TqyYgWw8jE7EGjZYDDPx3uUY2jqvutm672TzA3aeG12vn1Me8vFEcC8NsQWzYBa5IonUTPGe8asnjMEuZkhX0cwVH98FFcx9vtM4M-T9v8LtGCE4UCEPGI2JXiHHXDvSdondI9drCKZfBB-AEM/s16000/24-01-15%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_6078%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Bohenian Waxwing (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bombycilla garrulus</i>) - Peggs Green<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was rather pleased by the fanned tail-feathers in that last shot.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 16th January Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The female Siskin has become a regular visitor to the garden, but I guess she'll be gone when the weather improves. On this day she obliged by spending a little time just a few metres from my study window.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGCdpVephX1ML4kQd58xuCtACEwhHR1wsJ2IRry1GfKmr86meckOpHEBODbMUOUh80WTDxhiUispmFuBTOFdc1JvhBn1FSfJwkRUIjD1oed_wCaGuijdf4c1tHMYBdyryFhXutvRmyry1lj_4KHCH5jzxAXrZaWKkNY_s43sf2yIbWXp6NbtOoki2Uls/s825/24-01-16%20Garden%20PEG_6281%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGCdpVephX1ML4kQd58xuCtACEwhHR1wsJ2IRry1GfKmr86meckOpHEBODbMUOUh80WTDxhiUispmFuBTOFdc1JvhBn1FSfJwkRUIjD1oed_wCaGuijdf4c1tHMYBdyryFhXutvRmyry1lj_4KHCH5jzxAXrZaWKkNY_s43sf2yIbWXp6NbtOoki2Uls/s16000/24-01-16%20Garden%20PEG_6281%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJWcK9D4bO993J9n2mYoAkdBs57MYhymybb6P3AwEkRY3G8LDVyXdDUIDCriqjzjb4VcQ_3wplgkNPuDARCnKYSfu9vdWiF6d2tBLh6BO5W-xcPAV3RfhioED4Wyjr9H3iknVHt-sxh1mU_mrXYnYFaLesAwR1DhscK9uBu8-5l4kSAvlYSFiQixV73Q/s825/24-01-16%20Garden%20PEG_6283%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggJWcK9D4bO993J9n2mYoAkdBs57MYhymybb6P3AwEkRY3G8LDVyXdDUIDCriqjzjb4VcQ_3wplgkNPuDARCnKYSfu9vdWiF6d2tBLh6BO5W-xcPAV3RfhioED4Wyjr9H3iknVHt-sxh1mU_mrXYnYFaLesAwR1DhscK9uBu8-5l4kSAvlYSFiQixV73Q/s16000/24-01-16%20Garden%20PEG_6283%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 17th January Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was a good day for bird sightings in the garden but, sadly, I failed to get a shot of the briefly visiting Grey Wagtail.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here are a few shots of some of our other visitors that day, all taken from my study window.</b></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzXD_ItNfxyHEl1f1J0YOEmYQNLT00kBwdOw06mrYgngyPL7trD5rqbM1U1M_AdxgzUKfP4D5EUCQq0_CkRWIwkgdbzJhsVr7Q7OuAWw1nBoe1LiTdiBcDnPb_y6rIWmSnP42D63bXotHgQ3z9C75xRgotJmw3ipfkmvxXtN1ZwF_LNF1o6zxWN6hLwM/s825/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6310%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzXD_ItNfxyHEl1f1J0YOEmYQNLT00kBwdOw06mrYgngyPL7trD5rqbM1U1M_AdxgzUKfP4D5EUCQq0_CkRWIwkgdbzJhsVr7Q7OuAWw1nBoe1LiTdiBcDnPb_y6rIWmSnP42D63bXotHgQ3z9C75xRgotJmw3ipfkmvxXtN1ZwF_LNF1o6zxWN6hLwM/s16000/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6310%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba oenas</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rLIZ6FqfESK8wQ6as8beGTdwCPU-IbHTBVUJU9SiAZcnPopuhMyY_1TMukBLmmxshldxuh7TCzKAgZYml0vUrpogh4AAzpS_HniUmYq17lZoANU0mbymUNRrDXwcBqU8BDENrTKETUsPVgdKEZmLPh9ej7ohs0e17k9aENl7sxOYqUUkiTbVohMft-Q/s825/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6321%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rLIZ6FqfESK8wQ6as8beGTdwCPU-IbHTBVUJU9SiAZcnPopuhMyY_1TMukBLmmxshldxuh7TCzKAgZYml0vUrpogh4AAzpS_HniUmYq17lZoANU0mbymUNRrDXwcBqU8BDENrTKETUsPVgdKEZmLPh9ej7ohs0e17k9aENl7sxOYqUUkiTbVohMft-Q/s16000/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6321%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blue Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSevG4RjzsEsblZooxYOh1WhQBuE56x4dXzB_5_A4u7VFT-jDLc8hy548RrgdF140pPwiGo4zJHh9DZnWHpPs0zIldBdGUuw2JFRvu061XmAkBxG9d3fwfE_NGbGhyphenhyphenhChaSBBrh93pmhK9tpi8d1BBGP9dqBjrL6apZq0grzzOr49DIXZ6jNtCJIY-og/s825/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6358%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSevG4RjzsEsblZooxYOh1WhQBuE56x4dXzB_5_A4u7VFT-jDLc8hy548RrgdF140pPwiGo4zJHh9DZnWHpPs0zIldBdGUuw2JFRvu061XmAkBxG9d3fwfE_NGbGhyphenhyphenhChaSBBrh93pmhK9tpi8d1BBGP9dqBjrL6apZq0grzzOr49DIXZ6jNtCJIY-og/s16000/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6358%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Siskin (<i>Spinus spinus</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Pied Wagtail I photographed this day was the female with the black crown to her head, usually accompanied by the male.</b></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pb-_rQb_YgHkOgvMWCnbhpgCYubXdTGen0HzkoYh89clZle6ZrvSL5B9O_z40XmpdzTAJTIuQJtsahRURUjQ9Qqxaj30OJN4gkO-vSFh6_q2dCmF1IH2LjLJGjEmfEScFJsLdVqqzGhUKk4YWF5mQMpwtuhUgNC8pjOjasGbOT0mwJtio7h4svxAikU/s825/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6369%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pb-_rQb_YgHkOgvMWCnbhpgCYubXdTGen0HzkoYh89clZle6ZrvSL5B9O_z40XmpdzTAJTIuQJtsahRURUjQ9Qqxaj30OJN4gkO-vSFh6_q2dCmF1IH2LjLJGjEmfEScFJsLdVqqzGhUKk4YWF5mQMpwtuhUgNC8pjOjasGbOT0mwJtio7h4svxAikU/s16000/24-01-17%20Garden%20PEG_6369%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 18th January Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A female Blackcap has recently become a frequent visitor to the garden, but remains rather elusive photographically. This day, I caught her out in the open, but not well posed or in a photogenic location.<br /></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIpD_gX7Q47WYKecDSgopcLcru11eLz65G6t7pWalekzRVXPsxUS_jtSnsIBjjWTnVb5AiQogBQ-mo3ge3xxNmtLEQvkG0wVW5d7mxy3yjxrAPD-UBPS3YgwufDXyLU0SqQxrDNLk5IzETaZ_-I8CrMXoAv7ir8H8o4h6-IzY9glonnyO_s7Y_g72XZk/s825/24-01-18%20Garden%20PEG_6387%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIpD_gX7Q47WYKecDSgopcLcru11eLz65G6t7pWalekzRVXPsxUS_jtSnsIBjjWTnVb5AiQogBQ-mo3ge3xxNmtLEQvkG0wVW5d7mxy3yjxrAPD-UBPS3YgwufDXyLU0SqQxrDNLk5IzETaZ_-I8CrMXoAv7ir8H8o4h6-IzY9glonnyO_s7Y_g72XZk/s16000/24-01-18%20Garden%20PEG_6387%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Blackcap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) (female) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Starlings are now starting to appear in the garden on an almost daily basis, but only in small numbers.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT_vn2q3aWAl0AhEohguNhZMahsBcYKnpCoKNCeaZgTWBwaDKzM9wVWrz-wd95L3n-YpIFtOnEDncUckBTR6o062rSwasqTypIzz94-zmZBMFvJFAX3zbs9RPNC12Qldg4Kr6zlPus57-9apIaWlzxZf5HpDglfnX27sGBfKEi5g4f01YGdUvCgdVkR4/s879/24-01-18%20Garden%20PEG_6402%20Starling%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGT_vn2q3aWAl0AhEohguNhZMahsBcYKnpCoKNCeaZgTWBwaDKzM9wVWrz-wd95L3n-YpIFtOnEDncUckBTR6o062rSwasqTypIzz94-zmZBMFvJFAX3zbs9RPNC12Qldg4Kr6zlPus57-9apIaWlzxZf5HpDglfnX27sGBfKEi5g4f01YGdUvCgdVkR4/s16000/24-01-18%20Garden%20PEG_6402%20Starling%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Starling (<span _ngcontent-rspb-frontend-app-c267="" class="info latin"><i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>) - our garden</span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 19th January Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The only bird photographed this day was a Greenfinch on a frosty morning. Greenfinches went through a really hard time a few decades ago, due to </b><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b>trichomonosis, a parasite-induced disease that prevents the birds from feeding properly. Just recently, however, they seem to be bouncing back and we are seeing greater numbers than I recall from any previous years.</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b></b></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHLzL2gaZvdrXnVOrc5iThz3A9iLz9SoQSMUEXDBuLrmBIGGN0tCIJhv_paUeLpEH0jKolPEzdoJtNLbvq9bISryE-qTs1EdzL0R3CVR2lYiLaz6AoXV3C28-kK3mQ6tkNf9VGB4w3dBSKWQhxqh16JxAKPdwZMQPPCnzkV9OruljPTwT-xVj93kxvKA/s825/24-01-19%20Garden%20PEG_6421%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHLzL2gaZvdrXnVOrc5iThz3A9iLz9SoQSMUEXDBuLrmBIGGN0tCIJhv_paUeLpEH0jKolPEzdoJtNLbvq9bISryE-qTs1EdzL0R3CVR2lYiLaz6AoXV3C28-kK3mQ6tkNf9VGB4w3dBSKWQhxqh16JxAKPdwZMQPPCnzkV9OruljPTwT-xVj93kxvKA/s16000/24-01-19%20Garden%20PEG_6421%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenfinch (<i>Chloris chloris</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 20th January Garden</span></b></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b>An exciting start to the day was given by our second visit of the winter by a Redwing. Sadly, only a single record shot was obtained, as it departed as soon as I managed to get to my camera.</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b></b></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCYt4Y35VOR1In9UrpduJCyebm2J0sF-tK8ixUBsJuYMOwaZnc08H9npg6u7SZI2zj9BEvKgAJIAU_3OawPmgjj7pgCa5BmlQYKrlebMwFyY3NFwzdma1VV32G6hTpkgAWwQM71G1SkuDpUZH3SDQVPtNSoN6P84WQ84_cBZm0stQlvbCinKt6pMh9n0/s825/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6426%20Redwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCYt4Y35VOR1In9UrpduJCyebm2J0sF-tK8ixUBsJuYMOwaZnc08H9npg6u7SZI2zj9BEvKgAJIAU_3OawPmgjj7pgCa5BmlQYKrlebMwFyY3NFwzdma1VV32G6hTpkgAWwQM71G1SkuDpUZH3SDQVPtNSoN6P84WQ84_cBZm0stQlvbCinKt6pMh9n0/s16000/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6426%20Redwing%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span><span style="font-size: small;">Redwing (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Turdus iliacus</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b>We have seen little of the Sparrowhawk of late, but it did put in an appearance this day. It departed without succeeding in taking prey from our garden.</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqoDOPeHWlbeDT9qXWbJ-OKc2Bo603l_dTkoYZURG8-K9i4WMhLlagB38kZ_5r4UBfYTVj2zqyz1gLi9RhAqubvq7DYg_x9tp4q1CTXpcu7L7VWd4SR1XcW079ufx2wyzpF7hyphenhyphenEcYxnCH-bQe_8i2zw5t_XXFE6TL_Iz3CH9ESZJwfsn3CjrSLJlxWIc/s946/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6442%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqoDOPeHWlbeDT9qXWbJ-OKc2Bo603l_dTkoYZURG8-K9i4WMhLlagB38kZ_5r4UBfYTVj2zqyz1gLi9RhAqubvq7DYg_x9tp4q1CTXpcu7L7VWd4SR1XcW079ufx2wyzpF7hyphenhyphenEcYxnCH-bQe_8i2zw5t_XXFE6TL_Iz3CH9ESZJwfsn3CjrSLJlxWIc/s16000/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6442%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEiyWD4oGFsy3G4QVL303MqsU9GD6KoymAC-xp4S9Ot_IYcRr5dnNUhBf41DihQeG_vobWMh-90PcGogiBzKaT4Hml3jonPaUJ5i9Kyqs1t4too__6PSviHLP5Pc5lrTzLy7_qpyJ483JuoMiN0R3evIsnl__l4MH1IkDa1fj3Dvt0wrQFyRpgBkm88E/s952/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6450%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEiyWD4oGFsy3G4QVL303MqsU9GD6KoymAC-xp4S9Ot_IYcRr5dnNUhBf41DihQeG_vobWMh-90PcGogiBzKaT4Hml3jonPaUJ5i9Kyqs1t4too__6PSviHLP5Pc5lrTzLy7_qpyJ483JuoMiN0R3evIsnl__l4MH1IkDa1fj3Dvt0wrQFyRpgBkm88E/s16000/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6450%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQJ9Tpln4UfAodUeTcVmTRd2i7-czrnN2ZHwR6mEGh3qw5nC8QSAVeLIaMJknF1i9JJ43N6YKjfIdw-oXUEpLHbsqdNjs47ACWxmulPPUNfRstbd2FX2lO5JkQSC7rgxIR4jRvoEd2OFVat7OV5VnUNr11YhIw-hPI2mnzuMQNPEakI3PhvnnKLSxKr4/s825/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6470%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQJ9Tpln4UfAodUeTcVmTRd2i7-czrnN2ZHwR6mEGh3qw5nC8QSAVeLIaMJknF1i9JJ43N6YKjfIdw-oXUEpLHbsqdNjs47ACWxmulPPUNfRstbd2FX2lO5JkQSC7rgxIR4jRvoEd2OFVat7OV5VnUNr11YhIw-hPI2mnzuMQNPEakI3PhvnnKLSxKr4/s16000/24-01-20%20Garden%20PEG_6470%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 21st January Garden<br /></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b>Nothing was photographed this day, but we did end up with a healthy total of 22 bird species seen visiting the garden during the week.</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ILfuVd" lang="en"><span class="hgKElc"><b>I expect that my next blog post, featuring the remainder of the January observations, to be in about a week's time. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-52892807120508224142024-01-21T19:44:00.000+00:002024-01-21T19:44:19.843+00:00The First Two Weeks of January, 2024<div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Header image while this post is current - Yellow-browed Warbler - Oakthorpe <br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Well, my prediction in my last post that my output, and attendance at other blogs, might be a bit limited at the start of the year came true, and will probably stay that way for the next couple of months or so. The reasons are mainly concerned with Lindsay's condition, for which steps are now in hand to rectify, but also due to some issues with my own health which have been under investigation since mid October, with answers not expected to be forthcoming until late February. In the meantime, please bear with me if I am slow to visit your blogs, or to reply to your kind and much-appreciated comments on my blog.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>For my own sanity, I am trying to get out with the camera on an approximately weekly basis, if only for a couple of hours. I am however very busy with extra household duties, but still finding time to occssionally look out of the window to observe and photograph birds and, maybe occasionally, other wildlife.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here are a few of my observations. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 1st January Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The year started a bit slowly with bird observations in the garden, with just 13 species of bird seen putting a foot down in the garden. A female Pied Wagtail was amongst the visitors. Here she is, sitting on the garden bench - note the cob nut shell left by a squirrel.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMVq91QOkb8tlTzlbPO47U4IYeH-pufG5gXjQ9s_EqXspYPWZd3vUsEtL9npZrfTxASs4r0q7Rl_dFxJvg3AoKRwGQhCiX4mnAzD6AUWmP2ub6fgttNgYXng1KDjDL2WMGSZO3HX0pOSnf8s5mLjwErBhzip0LU0xCG1dCaHLR2ngs9BtrtpjwpTexT4/s825/24-01-01%20Garden%20PEG_4827%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMVq91QOkb8tlTzlbPO47U4IYeH-pufG5gXjQ9s_EqXspYPWZd3vUsEtL9npZrfTxASs4r0q7Rl_dFxJvg3AoKRwGQhCiX4mnAzD6AUWmP2ub6fgttNgYXng1KDjDL2WMGSZO3HX0pOSnf8s5mLjwErBhzip0LU0xCG1dCaHLR2ngs9BtrtpjwpTexT4/s16000/24-01-01%20Garden%20PEG_4827%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 2nd January Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We were down to 12 species on this day, and I only photographed a common Blackbird. At one time, I could have been complacent about visits from this species as it used to be a daily visitor and one memorable day we counted 24 together (a pie's worth - as in 'sing a song of sixpence'). Nowadays, we can sometimes go for weeks without one</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxtHksjt7_X8SwzGNUJhdoOQAwMR4hwmNOwZ3HhaIlp2IGJ6pIyMRcRlRosobhQEEZ8JlzDXbXAM4AiCna2bT7cUpAgzTvtRNa01d2HnSBizr5RN4ffDHLt1T879D7OThKZ9jlkeqoYctRkIgDJC9GoYZ695f1IyMmCTWEJrUbvRtESs9g5IeWMkMqM4/s825/24-01-02%20Garden%20PEG_4844%20Blackbird%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxtHksjt7_X8SwzGNUJhdoOQAwMR4hwmNOwZ3HhaIlp2IGJ6pIyMRcRlRosobhQEEZ8JlzDXbXAM4AiCna2bT7cUpAgzTvtRNa01d2HnSBizr5RN4ffDHLt1T879D7OThKZ9jlkeqoYctRkIgDJC9GoYZ695f1IyMmCTWEJrUbvRtESs9g5IeWMkMqM4/s16000/24-01-02%20Garden%20PEG_4844%20Blackbird%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackbird (<i>Turdus merula</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 5th December Garden : Oakthorpe<br /></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We had 7 Long-tailed Tits visit the garden on this day. We do not see these delightful birds very often in the garden, although they are quite common in the surrounding countryside. I only managed a poor shot of one of them at lunch time on this dull day.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0RWArAUE9Dz4BUuC0UzkmiDShPzMP9r2g9_aqjvIOHI1ycv0c1OG7lyfUZpgsIIBpsPCtZEyXrM7ItqA2tRDpj9T8OUwfRaiNNoGlGOsYFvHdrrWNfF8q0fPRKiPVgRLTeIrWJZfm0nvoGydjpDUuOGco5Xp1lG0XNX04j6xEp4P5i-sRyuPUgU_oA8/s825/24-01-05%20Garden%20PEG_4853%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0RWArAUE9Dz4BUuC0UzkmiDShPzMP9r2g9_aqjvIOHI1ycv0c1OG7lyfUZpgsIIBpsPCtZEyXrM7ItqA2tRDpj9T8OUwfRaiNNoGlGOsYFvHdrrWNfF8q0fPRKiPVgRLTeIrWJZfm0nvoGydjpDUuOGco5Xp1lG0XNX04j6xEp4P5i-sRyuPUgU_oA8/s16000/24-01-05%20Garden%20PEG_4853%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Drawn by reports of a Yellow-browed Warbler at Oakthorpe, which is less than five minutes from our home, I decided to try and see it. I have only seen this species twice before - once in Northumberland, when I failed to get any photos, and once on the Isles of Scilly, when I got a distant record shot.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I arrived to find two people in attendance and was soon put onto the bird. It was not easy to photograph as it was constantly on the move in an area that was full of intervening branches. I did, nevertheless, get a few shots which I find acceptable. I'll probably never see this species again, so I'm including several shots<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8pLE6VNi7e3Rj15TzIJlxBBx5XN1bRLtk2D0NxFtc0KUYbpI0E9l4bHNv0A65dq0IWbToZaO5i4rThpIJaxw5f_XMrEGuzl6YsgF9Yvs9z-JDYH8AReMzQ_S-L8lV60J9lsaLJEDj8Cnn_mfgV9ZN5ZGj2S4V_4rvXhAnzHHN62QMIEOfxPejjuIIJI/s825/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_4884%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8pLE6VNi7e3Rj15TzIJlxBBx5XN1bRLtk2D0NxFtc0KUYbpI0E9l4bHNv0A65dq0IWbToZaO5i4rThpIJaxw5f_XMrEGuzl6YsgF9Yvs9z-JDYH8AReMzQ_S-L8lV60J9lsaLJEDj8Cnn_mfgV9ZN5ZGj2S4V_4rvXhAnzHHN62QMIEOfxPejjuIIJI/s16000/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_4884%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7oxRY_mi9hFrmKc2tuyxqVVQuONAkdqgpqHQpKW00O25N0V9Dn9PGpOpCJoKOlW_gkrZeVvKpedd10K66kzzjT2_2nghk5QMy-5Xjf9TcD6r5l5yRGKgO_srs3wq5qvdDky-ozHJ6h-0bVnj0rQOaH2bFLMrOyVGMsh0O-e6ZyAp9lzvqulMzwOJNbg/s825/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_4891%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7oxRY_mi9hFrmKc2tuyxqVVQuONAkdqgpqHQpKW00O25N0V9Dn9PGpOpCJoKOlW_gkrZeVvKpedd10K66kzzjT2_2nghk5QMy-5Xjf9TcD6r5l5yRGKgO_srs3wq5qvdDky-ozHJ6h-0bVnj0rQOaH2bFLMrOyVGMsh0O-e6ZyAp9lzvqulMzwOJNbg/s16000/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_4891%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6pnK_50NwvVeROL9Cp8iGv3yBTtfacnmogbBjnBn1uW5MxNqxtuMMmaXnWzMxcwUVopAJ5NFLc20WE4vq95geDdYL9E_UMPTrHjffG0d_Evfnj_IOQSArz24aex2FpOOrcY7alg35BCP73nZA8XX6RI-pNFazPzHVx3E-VF7U4atwcn1Yb4G8Vsg7Ok/s825/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5004%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6pnK_50NwvVeROL9Cp8iGv3yBTtfacnmogbBjnBn1uW5MxNqxtuMMmaXnWzMxcwUVopAJ5NFLc20WE4vq95geDdYL9E_UMPTrHjffG0d_Evfnj_IOQSArz24aex2FpOOrcY7alg35BCP73nZA8XX6RI-pNFazPzHVx3E-VF7U4atwcn1Yb4G8Vsg7Ok/s16000/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5004%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHUUWSwul2tUo4T6vaoFlkqGxsxJNAlzASs-jRert9JIHICuDIGRhZLPhdfHF_lmm9LIILJlcYxA5lk_5MYr81OcxnZISSn8swjburPnb3U2CZBSmQay8eFnpIaJTIP8cMm77KoYHIX9SWrthaTVgt4gMTNP-9CAdt7CDFDL9Jf7CkGKG9rXgs7XUaI0/s825/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5079%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHUUWSwul2tUo4T6vaoFlkqGxsxJNAlzASs-jRert9JIHICuDIGRhZLPhdfHF_lmm9LIILJlcYxA5lk_5MYr81OcxnZISSn8swjburPnb3U2CZBSmQay8eFnpIaJTIP8cMm77KoYHIX9SWrthaTVgt4gMTNP-9CAdt7CDFDL9Jf7CkGKG9rXgs7XUaI0/s16000/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5079%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnnkSyjcX8v28i8OE1K-Rpan5eg3bhfLpYB_QsIbynvEVyDqFt-7R_B1P8IhUZPWGz9pD4z0H5z0dPUsZ9lXgJe8rwH4Qu5pbLR-2H9e0_CbNMKOzDnGc-kRNm-5WPjURYzpyyWMn-e1XKULXtxwmAw_byj2mebc6EgW3ooPfhcda0X0u8ZZ965tH-8M/s825/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5047%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnnkSyjcX8v28i8OE1K-Rpan5eg3bhfLpYB_QsIbynvEVyDqFt-7R_B1P8IhUZPWGz9pD4z0H5z0dPUsZ9lXgJe8rwH4Qu5pbLR-2H9e0_CbNMKOzDnGc-kRNm-5WPjURYzpyyWMn-e1XKULXtxwmAw_byj2mebc6EgW3ooPfhcda0X0u8ZZ965tH-8M/s16000/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5047%20Yellow-browed%20Warbler%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Yellow-browed Warbler (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Phylloscopus inornatus</i>) - Oakthorpe<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>While there, a small group of Long-tailed Tits came through. This is one that afforded me a better view than those in the garden that morning - I wonder if they were the same birds?!</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHm7vFa_l34pw-VQ3aSKD7bmwP7QqVmfwGC-1RlZDYkq48qWDXnTiOBLAb787yK8Ye-KekKkmQaKUxXfA-f3FwgTAeVxmL1wBChT2_NIBBOR8RpvFA1JxLhgpdE-HH1CEHEWl7HQEIkwro75aKI-3lQOyQJAdtk9eehTHoa5Eb9mg-MgLfqfVOTRNKMwg/s825/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5087%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHm7vFa_l34pw-VQ3aSKD7bmwP7QqVmfwGC-1RlZDYkq48qWDXnTiOBLAb787yK8Ye-KekKkmQaKUxXfA-f3FwgTAeVxmL1wBChT2_NIBBOR8RpvFA1JxLhgpdE-HH1CEHEWl7HQEIkwro75aKI-3lQOyQJAdtk9eehTHoa5Eb9mg-MgLfqfVOTRNKMwg/s16000/24-01-05%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5087%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - Oakthorpe</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 6th January Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>At one time, in 2023, Jackdaw was almost a daily visitor to the garden, but in recent months it has been a a bit of a rarity. This day, one stopped off in our <i>Sambucus</i> which, sadly, seems to have died over the past year. This will be a significant loss at it is a main stop-off point for birds visiting our garden.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8RzuzGw7sc4GBN52NXHcfD3a971D9m6EOZYHpPOULqB3tiXq0fBmBV06IdBb4qA79MaBaf75ATM17kxiCcPEjKlbzlcqHpApknTVJRtAT6Oa68RxqfWXcKqr4ODO3MNvHpn9mOzAmCTg39XTt6kokMs7YtJFzxM2RqGAFU59yjhmlHxF1uYb6cYyjO8/s825/24-01-06%20Garden%20PEG_5125%20Jackdaw%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8RzuzGw7sc4GBN52NXHcfD3a971D9m6EOZYHpPOULqB3tiXq0fBmBV06IdBb4qA79MaBaf75ATM17kxiCcPEjKlbzlcqHpApknTVJRtAT6Oa68RxqfWXcKqr4ODO3MNvHpn9mOzAmCTg39XTt6kokMs7YtJFzxM2RqGAFU59yjhmlHxF1uYb6cYyjO8/s16000/24-01-06%20Garden%20PEG_5125%20Jackdaw%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Jackdaw (<i>Corvus monedula</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We also had another visitor that had been noticable by its absence. Starlings can congregate in large numbers and be most disruptive in the garden to the extent that we tend to be greatly relieved when they disperse. We were starting to believe that we should be more careful as to what we wish for as we were now missing them. This one was also in the top of the <i>Sambucus</i>.</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiis_I573IPOKtuoBT3W52wYXE6M427WeFVTPBESRvSg-V9Nce9pW6cM883UzRutg0eu2DadxbywYXdhjZ6Z_l0LjoX7qUlh8SpSvO0Kbti4Qx-VCa5KHRJVsimujCj0U_qQaL-w_GVC30WDxT3l5E7C092tpl7WtVaCiw12YsGl3u5dfhQtjtcFgRtYD8/s825/24-01-06%20Garden%20PEG_5131%20Starling%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiis_I573IPOKtuoBT3W52wYXE6M427WeFVTPBESRvSg-V9Nce9pW6cM883UzRutg0eu2DadxbywYXdhjZ6Z_l0LjoX7qUlh8SpSvO0Kbti4Qx-VCa5KHRJVsimujCj0U_qQaL-w_GVC30WDxT3l5E7C092tpl7WtVaCiw12YsGl3u5dfhQtjtcFgRtYD8/s16000/24-01-06%20Garden%20PEG_5131%20Starling%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Starling (<i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 7th January Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I end the week with the female Pied Wagtail, that continued to visit regularly.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCmTM3Jgy-LuiZzqnK_5FpPuES4s4yxuR9edH_1RcHaIou3lhM5WWJTybOHJY9rZHfvcypc2hGMVTcvlCuR1-qH4wvvBV5UeWkkjeeN2KFsnJs0w819YqaV0A7aeqARWyDVjwWtypmk656n-jBrS6BltNYX1G4HoCbKCtnNcXFtEKO-qT3L4M_4Eujv8/s825/24-01-07%20Garden%20PEG_5150%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCmTM3Jgy-LuiZzqnK_5FpPuES4s4yxuR9edH_1RcHaIou3lhM5WWJTybOHJY9rZHfvcypc2hGMVTcvlCuR1-qH4wvvBV5UeWkkjeeN2KFsnJs0w819YqaV0A7aeqARWyDVjwWtypmk656n-jBrS6BltNYX1G4HoCbKCtnNcXFtEKO-qT3L4M_4Eujv8/s16000/24-01-07%20Garden%20PEG_5150%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We ended the week with a healthy tally of 20 different species of bird having been seen visiting our garden during the week.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 8th January Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had only just finished bemoaning to Lindsay the fact that we'd not seen a winter thrush (Redwing. Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush) visit the garden this winter, when I noticed a bird up in the top of our nut tree - which turned out to be a Redwing! I only managed a record shot before it departed without stopping for a snack</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypKZdytp7v6sHWmmrtMEQI6cACpu7cPXUyDkQxN5RxANnX9u9_jllX2ftwSTY0CLRcpVDzwjVKqvI9E4NjUJ4-dYJ3ApaHdjXjbObaXJ9cO8pwoUdhe1tsi4NAdiT9LccCTb7Jgc5hwQn-B2q0wz3qf9Ua7jwqaGsoRYjBQknA7eAMGB25iiCcjZCbmE/s825/24-01-08%20Garden%20PEG_5179%20Redwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiypKZdytp7v6sHWmmrtMEQI6cACpu7cPXUyDkQxN5RxANnX9u9_jllX2ftwSTY0CLRcpVDzwjVKqvI9E4NjUJ4-dYJ3ApaHdjXjbObaXJ9cO8pwoUdhe1tsi4NAdiT9LccCTb7Jgc5hwQn-B2q0wz3qf9Ua7jwqaGsoRYjBQknA7eAMGB25iiCcjZCbmE/s16000/24-01-08%20Garden%20PEG_5179%20Redwing%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Redwing (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Turdus iliacus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had previously noticed a Grey Squirrel in the garden that had unusual white patches behind the ears. It was with us again on this day.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthFT3Nt5rehHaI6ZCfiP99nG_W-Ti6seCl_9bx0GTgarzquhxLNCOY7sJMBbkn4CMGg_NiZqURhbe22HRlynpqJRgAn2imzeUuVAJ0mn4MBVUbbPYiqVEHdbAdLDIy7QAouoZaOH1ZKfhQqGV8_oo78ehXKG1dmRbGF1y5EqSIV_ICE1O7epJMbmy1EU/s825/24-01-08%20Garden%20PEG_5188%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthFT3Nt5rehHaI6ZCfiP99nG_W-Ti6seCl_9bx0GTgarzquhxLNCOY7sJMBbkn4CMGg_NiZqURhbe22HRlynpqJRgAn2imzeUuVAJ0mn4MBVUbbPYiqVEHdbAdLDIy7QAouoZaOH1ZKfhQqGV8_oo78ehXKG1dmRbGF1y5EqSIV_ICE1O7epJMbmy1EU/s16000/24-01-08%20Garden%20PEG_5188%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Grey Squirrel (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 9th January Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Pied Wagtails were still visiting regularly, and this time I got some shots of the male.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5HUtWVF_ffZaj7pKHKi418MrTCIMPpv_FrlWSOxb8R3kauGJFveX3w9UExvHmBWOWH5EnwMn8ZZOmBB8FuyrzK0RjxDUoKrRKUIqAbAUdvlYbEAwcH89x5KKSYMn2mt_d9dKVqClwNhbH914S33CWOo4x3QB_6bJH0iLmyDb-qZx0rstctCQIKsrii0/s825/24-01-09%20Garden%20PEG_5205%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5HUtWVF_ffZaj7pKHKi418MrTCIMPpv_FrlWSOxb8R3kauGJFveX3w9UExvHmBWOWH5EnwMn8ZZOmBB8FuyrzK0RjxDUoKrRKUIqAbAUdvlYbEAwcH89x5KKSYMn2mt_d9dKVqClwNhbH914S33CWOo4x3QB_6bJH0iLmyDb-qZx0rstctCQIKsrii0/s16000/24-01-09%20Garden%20PEG_5205%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was also quite pleased to get this shot of a Blackbird with the light allowing some feather detail.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1VutDH5e2kRV_BavDtXDhbHloORS5ECKIyjYjSy8Aqd7wM-dN3cEqnnSq0SFkKGPnSI1e-rtV6SYWzjqexkRQObHlp2WJJ-porU4doHuPjGDb1cQ2-r6DjTeS5xy4uf-tH4fg8aQlrfgqAGrzRP2HU8fSb-WMABmZWXDDAs0zhP8Dfse5elYegM7mjc/s825/24-01-09%20Garden%20PEG_5219%20Blackbird%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1VutDH5e2kRV_BavDtXDhbHloORS5ECKIyjYjSy8Aqd7wM-dN3cEqnnSq0SFkKGPnSI1e-rtV6SYWzjqexkRQObHlp2WJJ-porU4doHuPjGDb1cQ2-r6DjTeS5xy4uf-tH4fg8aQlrfgqAGrzRP2HU8fSb-WMABmZWXDDAs0zhP8Dfse5elYegM7mjc/s16000/24-01-09%20Garden%20PEG_5219%20Blackbird%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackbird (<i>Turdus merula</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 10th January Oakthorpe</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The news came through on the county Rare Bird Alert WhatsApp Group that there were now two Yellow-browed Warblers at Oakthorpe, and that just a few hundred metres away, a Waxwing was feeding at a crab-apple tree. I was in need of a trip out, so went to investigate, taking the shortest driving route, but by far the longest walking route, to get there.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>On my way there, along the course of a long-disused railway line, on the far side of one of the flashes to the west of the track was a tree with Black-headed Gulls roosting. While I was taking some shots of this, some of the gulls took to the air.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-oMUq7vLhXW04_VwMC5I5RCDKK2C_69aljkb04ntWkxEwEtYbslRS0YHyRVfFGQ7CqpeIZJJcpBjrtqNYhtH_TAM5kt0mZ00geLsXkdHL1k9Q9w66dc2KryNgl742JYI6E0rrJ4WYpD-ce1lwKgOdJ2dCbDJqyZ7z-yYk5YPJ_iq2ZN2jtvRgw38eSM/s825/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5236%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-oMUq7vLhXW04_VwMC5I5RCDKK2C_69aljkb04ntWkxEwEtYbslRS0YHyRVfFGQ7CqpeIZJJcpBjrtqNYhtH_TAM5kt0mZ00geLsXkdHL1k9Q9w66dc2KryNgl742JYI6E0rrJ4WYpD-ce1lwKgOdJ2dCbDJqyZ7z-yYk5YPJ_iq2ZN2jtvRgw38eSM/s16000/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5236%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - near Oakthorpe<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I never found the Waxwing, and I only had two very brief views (no photos) of one of the Yellow-browed Warblers at the original site. I did, however, get my first photos of this winter of Fieldfare, although the light and locations were not good. These two shots at one location were the best that I could manage.</b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdgs1O_KcTrgWKnMSoaUYEUWO5cS1VimCAm_uGweGh39mPYpQD_EwjHmMG3fGhA_VFmrjMJSHk3oAuwv7zvqi2ZxbAmizXpPrPD-8ag9vC9ECKf67WZjm8ewjyP4WyTva9-NltRhxHBtuR8Jw5qBN0PSf71wj5NUM9CSAc_6XkSf_Z7aWhkiReImgJMs/s825/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5289%20Fieldfare%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdgs1O_KcTrgWKnMSoaUYEUWO5cS1VimCAm_uGweGh39mPYpQD_EwjHmMG3fGhA_VFmrjMJSHk3oAuwv7zvqi2ZxbAmizXpPrPD-8ag9vC9ECKf67WZjm8ewjyP4WyTva9-NltRhxHBtuR8Jw5qBN0PSf71wj5NUM9CSAc_6XkSf_Z7aWhkiReImgJMs/s16000/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5289%20Fieldfare%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDYBgjG9BOK8VJrCjfRIy2IgrndO6XY7p86hhiLyQi-fM8zKEIeKY53leGVYFeWweWWew9xPDLGhlV2SJTy7RQuPV_PH7BF3_tOM6dZuMJJyQYzTvnjjsCmxlQjWOmIxnvjCXK5m-9y9TIcYPzEj6WXTw-4I7VGtaZlqklvGwQXshy6ItZuG2gfT_Lgo/s836/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5293%20Fieldfare%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDYBgjG9BOK8VJrCjfRIy2IgrndO6XY7p86hhiLyQi-fM8zKEIeKY53leGVYFeWweWWew9xPDLGhlV2SJTy7RQuPV_PH7BF3_tOM6dZuMJJyQYzTvnjjsCmxlQjWOmIxnvjCXK5m-9y9TIcYPzEj6WXTw-4I7VGtaZlqklvGwQXshy6ItZuG2gfT_Lgo/s16000/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5293%20Fieldfare%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Fieldfare (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Turdus pilaris</i>) - Oakthorpe<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>At the Yellow-browed Warbler location, I only managed shots of a Robin that seemed very interested in what I was doing, keeping close to me for much of the time. Perhaps it thought that I was going to offer some tasty titbits.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-n55c7atQfXPsEJRsFFZECvIisppotf-hL0BzWcR3WGt4TE8uvPvsV55wwe1m33flljwRGZ04EwrveupNFjFZBtu6iuRK6hAbv3L48Fq_fhDiIUDAqzPkafxJlKPkQKE58JKxg2nsNuOpOKjjnOApiJenH7umpAIpGwcEwnwiK_arB0sbMw7WqEojm7U/s825/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5319%20Robin%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-n55c7atQfXPsEJRsFFZECvIisppotf-hL0BzWcR3WGt4TE8uvPvsV55wwe1m33flljwRGZ04EwrveupNFjFZBtu6iuRK6hAbv3L48Fq_fhDiIUDAqzPkafxJlKPkQKE58JKxg2nsNuOpOKjjnOApiJenH7umpAIpGwcEwnwiK_arB0sbMw7WqEojm7U/s16000/24-01-10%20Oakthorpe%20PEG_5319%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Erithacus rubecula</i>) - Oakthorpe<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 11th January Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was a joyful day as we had our first Siskin of the winter. This was a female - although the male Siskin is very brightly coloured, I favour the subtle beauty of the female. Here she is, in the company of a somewhat less subtly plumed male Bullfinch.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw0LYO72nm8QUCHL0AHQmGYLlji3ybyjW1DMUjNXBsFGxOnUbizln803XHxkby4F4tm_lPBx5rm3_j-_iyfSpLm8zOgdkhKiWwoqlzRVxaEi0VH5ufJHmD98cB5_MC9xUihLlkE20GjZfaZwSfHjDVibbbZ1rZO5WK6VL29-IN7bAwm6A_ffvdm5s-wU/s825/24-01-11%20Garden%20PEG_5364%20Siskin%20-%20f%20+%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVw0LYO72nm8QUCHL0AHQmGYLlji3ybyjW1DMUjNXBsFGxOnUbizln803XHxkby4F4tm_lPBx5rm3_j-_iyfSpLm8zOgdkhKiWwoqlzRVxaEi0VH5ufJHmD98cB5_MC9xUihLlkE20GjZfaZwSfHjDVibbbZ1rZO5WK6VL29-IN7bAwm6A_ffvdm5s-wU/s16000/24-01-11%20Garden%20PEG_5364%20Siskin%20-%20f%20+%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Siskin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Spinus spinus</i>) (female) + Bullfinch (</span></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Stock Doves, which used to visit us several times a day, have also become somewhat sparse with their visits. This one was observed from my study window.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgmFL8ECiaX5vblixtG6VKTJh7VUq_URSlIQd02AN2XdU9xctUYIRCGaItgSsj1Ju3Oi6T6WmF141V5Zd1zXg4XCVQOXpjFWmnIYJ4i1rXecYo5TiSif2r3gOXCjr6Hv55BRzSJ0fgv3wBU8hCa6tatcOAdsR9MT9CBCZ8UWxCFqZ2chr-xafh57xob0/s825/24-01-11%20Garden%20PEG_5378%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgmFL8ECiaX5vblixtG6VKTJh7VUq_URSlIQd02AN2XdU9xctUYIRCGaItgSsj1Ju3Oi6T6WmF141V5Zd1zXg4XCVQOXpjFWmnIYJ4i1rXecYo5TiSif2r3gOXCjr6Hv55BRzSJ0fgv3wBU8hCa6tatcOAdsR9MT9CBCZ8UWxCFqZ2chr-xafh57xob0/s16000/24-01-11%20Garden%20PEG_5378%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba oenas</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 12th January Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Although Lindsay reckons that the Wrens live behind the brick wall at the end of our garden, I'm not convinced. We don't often see Wren, but when we do, it tends to be omnipresent for a few hours. This is one of several shots I took this day.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk2FIrTabriXjryV3QRMu2XkzFIJj87N3_lb67V5zQuYusFRGtF3iTy91NPjrHRLSwoNjrPwOxJRdJ92_2h8Rr-7oais6Ujlmt7Ai6dw3rm8VSxpLivIuC3EF7fw8AhFGvza7jqVX5rcdaXmp8Hbt1rxIgVexP-nYXW8u0_nwW9ahQ4mGMXvaKbPF6KM/s825/24-01-12%20Garden%20PEG_5395%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpk2FIrTabriXjryV3QRMu2XkzFIJj87N3_lb67V5zQuYusFRGtF3iTy91NPjrHRLSwoNjrPwOxJRdJ92_2h8Rr-7oais6Ujlmt7Ai6dw3rm8VSxpLivIuC3EF7fw8AhFGvza7jqVX5rcdaXmp8Hbt1rxIgVexP-nYXW8u0_nwW9ahQ4mGMXvaKbPF6KM/s16000/24-01-12%20Garden%20PEG_5395%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b> <span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 13th January Peggs Green : Garden<br /></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'd been hoping for reports of a Waxwing sighting closer to home than those that were currently being reported in the county. I then saw that four Waxwings were at a location that is just 10 minutes from our home, so off I went on a bright sunny morning. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The birds were all present when I arrived. In spite of the fine weather, there were limited positions to view them from, all of which were less than ideal for the direction of the sun, and the birds were either up in a tree almost above the viewing locations, but largely behind intervenig branches, or down in a 'Pink Pagoda' <i>Sorbus</i> that was against the house, the drive to which we were at the entrance of, about 15 metres away. I did manage some photos before, after about 40 minutes, something spooked them and the birds departed.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The first image, below, is a poor one, but I find it interesting because it shows the markings on an outstretched wing. <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHxrnGefUcO1cLMKMA7N90tdyAdpGtOKnHraVmNKT0NDrzV0YaUjSoUAIKOiAw_zOvilEegq-UwHRMq8aWmLmxnR0svJ0KWBu2XwSYMlIDRr44r-6juTq4RN8MjJAACNnJvJW8rd6EjBEbvOdjOJfLCrEIPsh-1kt6hUmnTCn8BPN_ocVkCi1s4dB6ME/s825/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5483%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHxrnGefUcO1cLMKMA7N90tdyAdpGtOKnHraVmNKT0NDrzV0YaUjSoUAIKOiAw_zOvilEegq-UwHRMq8aWmLmxnR0svJ0KWBu2XwSYMlIDRr44r-6juTq4RN8MjJAACNnJvJW8rd6EjBEbvOdjOJfLCrEIPsh-1kt6hUmnTCn8BPN_ocVkCi1s4dB6ME/s16000/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5483%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5qgSJm5q4ct13OKgyMINWbQ583o1pujIH9xoKEb52MyyzwYzziA27daXYOIvQNGWEEK7FETAXsU3ElTLI_YNy6WmhZddOpJhxr8bUTjicZZUi3x1e4SMVcyakX-n5h3cOi5UNpvOZ6lvQecNmnadZ1UwnDu6VXSaeFg1IjroYOYYpGAvT16bmqAoczo/s825/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5624%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5qgSJm5q4ct13OKgyMINWbQ583o1pujIH9xoKEb52MyyzwYzziA27daXYOIvQNGWEEK7FETAXsU3ElTLI_YNy6WmhZddOpJhxr8bUTjicZZUi3x1e4SMVcyakX-n5h3cOi5UNpvOZ6lvQecNmnadZ1UwnDu6VXSaeFg1IjroYOYYpGAvT16bmqAoczo/s16000/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5624%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH97a1b8y6CRvR0otGZus88s3t_Tv47vcGvum1zflUf4TDu3cuJbOdb-fYJ9nfg57Qqd3dl4j_s1FfhlD2Zu0LWK8ljY-Swsaxbj82MgWp1pVguXpKUoGX1yfbIml6CrYo2PJgwHRQgZA0GPXKFPkjI4yM7omQbN-2ekezFbK5JRYswaZ4AFaldvOUcM/s939/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5629%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifH97a1b8y6CRvR0otGZus88s3t_Tv47vcGvum1zflUf4TDu3cuJbOdb-fYJ9nfg57Qqd3dl4j_s1FfhlD2Zu0LWK8ljY-Swsaxbj82MgWp1pVguXpKUoGX1yfbIml6CrYo2PJgwHRQgZA0GPXKFPkjI4yM7omQbN-2ekezFbK5JRYswaZ4AFaldvOUcM/s16000/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5629%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzNDdGDcXo7FDpxZ75-h7RoI0549oW2Icuz2n1c-mfC78GUTWDe6aZK0MZIuBER3AxYL47hDnI_xlRqVIKcg5JJGsjmuqBbvCKO38P_PZLsQ3_KpbA5bMMWsinkhhQVnkE7WTGvMBaFNIRRYt0XXF7pjUdDbUakLHJnzsCTzmsbdF3Kt65DcA4cdCrXY/s825/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5644%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzNDdGDcXo7FDpxZ75-h7RoI0549oW2Icuz2n1c-mfC78GUTWDe6aZK0MZIuBER3AxYL47hDnI_xlRqVIKcg5JJGsjmuqBbvCKO38P_PZLsQ3_KpbA5bMMWsinkhhQVnkE7WTGvMBaFNIRRYt0XXF7pjUdDbUakLHJnzsCTzmsbdF3Kt65DcA4cdCrXY/s16000/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5644%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrvsyT1i1j0mjbjtvhBVdKpvywZOEnTbLHRHQlKZs1iNKM936BIab4OWXHQhN0RmlLLewsO9nxJnVZRnGAsLZEcGWcfPzNR5h6ELTKXoXF4ridBWr7VUxgQW0NPLjkFIJlFl7EryIA3lsT_TblEaOKWbW3VTVi_muOGUbPo-k4Wob2PGUgk3rL0LRf8M/s825/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5666%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrvsyT1i1j0mjbjtvhBVdKpvywZOEnTbLHRHQlKZs1iNKM936BIab4OWXHQhN0RmlLLewsO9nxJnVZRnGAsLZEcGWcfPzNR5h6ELTKXoXF4ridBWr7VUxgQW0NPLjkFIJlFl7EryIA3lsT_TblEaOKWbW3VTVi_muOGUbPo-k4Wob2PGUgk3rL0LRf8M/s16000/24-01-13%20near%20Peggs%20Green%20PEG_5666%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Waxwing <span>(<i>Bombycilla garrulus</i>) - Peggs Green<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>In December, 2010, we had Waxwings on our short cul-de-sac, just 60 metres from our home. These were feeding on <i>Sorbus</i> 'Pink Pagoda'. I was so taken by this sight that I was determined to source this tree to plant in our own front garden. I eventually found one. It has been very slow-growing and has not fruited very proficiently - until this year. This year it has been so laden with fruit to the extent that we feared it would break. Fortunately, it has not done so, but it seems that it is still too small to attract the birds.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Anyway - back to this day! The female Siskin had become a regular visitor to the garden, and this day I managed some slightly better shots.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskLyiFU22a7vZYpOo5Jy1ng2U-kW_ZGx1oGLZD_YnHQbQCBRycm62AZ1q0wiVH1gnNj-5VC_lA8FLitJbI6G99IaXd4VENq6X55zceXOMCbqYkOmlUdg5DyLNmexvzZGwdTp0Hhjbt81XT4PyviF_GT450pAFIUdJUfF35IK2W6Mv64EDaBIlEyg_NMI/s825/24-01-13%20Garden%20PEG_5716%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskLyiFU22a7vZYpOo5Jy1ng2U-kW_ZGx1oGLZD_YnHQbQCBRycm62AZ1q0wiVH1gnNj-5VC_lA8FLitJbI6G99IaXd4VENq6X55zceXOMCbqYkOmlUdg5DyLNmexvzZGwdTp0Hhjbt81XT4PyviF_GT450pAFIUdJUfF35IK2W6Mv64EDaBIlEyg_NMI/s16000/24-01-13%20Garden%20PEG_5716%20Siskin%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Siskin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Spinus spinus</i>) (female)</span></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"> - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Coal Tit also put in an appearance.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1Rn11Lm0icByW8nNGnqpahGLUxUBzZrnpFvUGUsKF1h4tV5JHr06FfNgfBnWuJKoNgfwDEveMV7S59s5a_zA57nilsdeHYfrZmGd2KPmtNa07Km7hzJSvahyin0lq-fpn9PRGBa_o5URuAlNqx5iXRX5Z4pp7XaS1NCNZR5AjkmcEczPZ5Wbg1tFYb8/s825/24-01-13%20Garden%20PEG_5684%20Coal%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1Rn11Lm0icByW8nNGnqpahGLUxUBzZrnpFvUGUsKF1h4tV5JHr06FfNgfBnWuJKoNgfwDEveMV7S59s5a_zA57nilsdeHYfrZmGd2KPmtNa07Km7hzJSvahyin0lq-fpn9PRGBa_o5URuAlNqx5iXRX5Z4pp7XaS1NCNZR5AjkmcEczPZ5Wbg1tFYb8/s16000/24-01-13%20Garden%20PEG_5684%20Coal%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coal Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Periparus ater</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 14th January Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Wren was with us again this day. This time, it was rummaging around in the leaf litter outside my study window.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEDXezMfmpnFVrmIW18mmSC1t8z8-4WT821v-ns19kT82H5OJsi20g5PuPRh1HVNiTprw0wl4WDY-q6PP1NrCXpd_nCgagoxExFkmR-i2PNvSzhg8TEsQDtDTtNUys0tYhqBjJSH5rvDHDpb2Vog4ddRfyntsKlB7_CvyBvcPrpRoIdDKW9-ZnAd4o4Y/s825/24-01-14%20Garden%20PEG_5748%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEDXezMfmpnFVrmIW18mmSC1t8z8-4WT821v-ns19kT82H5OJsi20g5PuPRh1HVNiTprw0wl4WDY-q6PP1NrCXpd_nCgagoxExFkmR-i2PNvSzhg8TEsQDtDTtNUys0tYhqBjJSH5rvDHDpb2Vog4ddRfyntsKlB7_CvyBvcPrpRoIdDKW9-ZnAd4o4Y/s16000/24-01-14%20Garden%20PEG_5748%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That brings me to the end of the second week in January, when the tally of birds observed setting foot in our garden came in at 21 species for the week. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I suspect that my next blog post will not be much before about two weeks away as there's a lot going on in our lives at the moment, but time will tell. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-12587141892782142202024-01-07T21:08:00.000+00:002024-01-07T21:08:16.728+00:00December 2023, Pt.2<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year to my readers.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>With this post, I bring an account of some of my sightings, both at home and at relatively local locations, for the second half of December.</b></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 15th December Garden : Bagworth<br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>During breakfast in the conservatory, I took a few photos of Bullfinch and a female Pied Wagtail.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZzJ11uMDcVWBE_z59xHkF49MwcPXnpHRAQ4FGx_ANn-LGX4qDNKc2Jrs5YTan-wDnK1r5EFlnnzT4XZPAmJ1zMACeGdtvCwkPXI9TuBeSsrxL8bvkGEfYTuo1hvuZ03uMbxhwAZp6XLyC0-PtjJXS13ckUp8zBoGEPR0khzIK8BQuLiICySl3LHlRgs/s825/23-12-15%20Garden%20PEG_4490%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZzJ11uMDcVWBE_z59xHkF49MwcPXnpHRAQ4FGx_ANn-LGX4qDNKc2Jrs5YTan-wDnK1r5EFlnnzT4XZPAmJ1zMACeGdtvCwkPXI9TuBeSsrxL8bvkGEfYTuo1hvuZ03uMbxhwAZp6XLyC0-PtjJXS13ckUp8zBoGEPR0khzIK8BQuLiICySl3LHlRgs/s16000/23-12-15%20Garden%20PEG_4490%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQgeXZgz694UkV1phCMKgYNI3EZNOl_Odd_MbpXLE7502ZMTLqDPZGNlkDqSJmr-oxci1BFjPE2oxZ0f7LPaSzS8VIq7befHncNIhEqkVMo0yYJbhP8a2um3qS48eEfTtexEMn3ioOYEiwJqCCT89IBC3o6_mMQ53ywJtTwVOtuZQhavcrBg4aMmYGlU/s825/23-12-15%20Garden%20PEG_4494%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQgeXZgz694UkV1phCMKgYNI3EZNOl_Odd_MbpXLE7502ZMTLqDPZGNlkDqSJmr-oxci1BFjPE2oxZ0f7LPaSzS8VIq7befHncNIhEqkVMo0yYJbhP8a2um3qS48eEfTtexEMn3ioOYEiwJqCCT89IBC3o6_mMQ53ywJtTwVOtuZQhavcrBg4aMmYGlU/s16000/23-12-15%20Garden%20PEG_4494%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOamBJUPpnF8DrCSSKUf9DVhtqkWO2CfVc28J56diKOcfTP1gFtWtQVravvYhKPlcwyG-30tc4OUDyT_TaYQ9A1xhl2j4xn8C-UXzH5vGbGF5Kw1zS5EfT5Z_H0gOk0qrYtnyba5nx1XsjLhVplgsdQDoiHpUnX9Gcjm7Z3dbuZWkXpRRBbFl1ibTEsJ8/s825/23-12-15%20Garden%20PEG_4498%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOamBJUPpnF8DrCSSKUf9DVhtqkWO2CfVc28J56diKOcfTP1gFtWtQVravvYhKPlcwyG-30tc4OUDyT_TaYQ9A1xhl2j4xn8C-UXzH5vGbGF5Kw1zS5EfT5Z_H0gOk0qrYtnyba5nx1XsjLhVplgsdQDoiHpUnX9Gcjm7Z3dbuZWkXpRRBbFl1ibTEsJ8/s16000/23-12-15%20Garden%20PEG_4498%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>With
notice that Waxwing had been seen ten miles (16 km) from our home,
although it was very dull weather that morning, I decided to go and have
a look to see if I could find them. It is not often that we get an
irruption year for Waxwings and I wanted to make sure that I did not
miss out.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Very specific directions as to where the Waxwings had
been seen had been given, and I spent half an hour or so looking without
seeing them. I had given up and started to walk back towards my car
when I heard a shout from behind me. A lady who was about a hundred
metres or so away waved and then turned and started walking away. I was
not entirely certain that the wave was intended for me, so was a little
concerned about following her and kept my distance in case she was spooked by me. A couple of hundred
metres or so further on I saw that she had rejoined a small group with
long lenses - they were onto the Waxwings! Having thanked the lady
profusely, I set about trying to get some photos.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Initially, I was
watching them high in some tall Rowan trees on the west side of the
road, and with the poor light, photography was extremely difficult, and
the results were not up to much and have been discarded.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>After a
while, however, some birds flew over the road into some shorter Rowans
on the east side of the road, and here I managed some better images,
although far from good - I've had to do a fair amount of manipulation on
the ones below. I had not seen Waxwings since 2019, and that was in Scotland, so you're going to get rather a lot of images!<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVpU8B5ZxjZCC_uXFSUSSmKmEoScbN5i4MwNMBACUZ-EPlzpgjaYMKM-NBmyGRY3vnhLjhu7f_lyFtGmvYeSQNRZnv4CeylZbM0Y-0bKpWWN7YkLbUulK4T09YEL4oe_bHQlL1i-ClRhGNisY4Re41nPKzgUqr2qJrW-Y5M6LqXhi316LGIIYUF60254/s825/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4512%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVpU8B5ZxjZCC_uXFSUSSmKmEoScbN5i4MwNMBACUZ-EPlzpgjaYMKM-NBmyGRY3vnhLjhu7f_lyFtGmvYeSQNRZnv4CeylZbM0Y-0bKpWWN7YkLbUulK4T09YEL4oe_bHQlL1i-ClRhGNisY4Re41nPKzgUqr2qJrW-Y5M6LqXhi316LGIIYUF60254/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4512%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6YcmofXrVa6lAiA6LI81LreklyEV8772bso7_M5OUs_0g4YXlm4zpyvOB8DM7c9zTIQNxysfUKMs3pFz3SUT_hB5E4rLXUxyvDAIrxRQIt821KGHfLjW_yaZaAE_pEzQNS1GtHUV0KgNG06n9StykazoV0AZxf1bgVMJaHKkV4ULeeTpGt-M6JvYgh8/s825/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4513%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6YcmofXrVa6lAiA6LI81LreklyEV8772bso7_M5OUs_0g4YXlm4zpyvOB8DM7c9zTIQNxysfUKMs3pFz3SUT_hB5E4rLXUxyvDAIrxRQIt821KGHfLjW_yaZaAE_pEzQNS1GtHUV0KgNG06n9StykazoV0AZxf1bgVMJaHKkV4ULeeTpGt-M6JvYgh8/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4513%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFB34oARUj-or48DAE3lnXkk96BeEIWI7VkPPFf0DnYkFwbE5JwQrcQqXqaAYslKY7sWNS6m60qStOo8VWndA7q8BTdyC5jCvQMLnqjunJbPk_WGsnPVEKbOgw_nNYBym2Ptmueum77iQeLvM_rV9ovKMZ45nt0gASMIDGDYR_22EMYDFLd6uMBso7iA/s825/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4520%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFB34oARUj-or48DAE3lnXkk96BeEIWI7VkPPFf0DnYkFwbE5JwQrcQqXqaAYslKY7sWNS6m60qStOo8VWndA7q8BTdyC5jCvQMLnqjunJbPk_WGsnPVEKbOgw_nNYBym2Ptmueum77iQeLvM_rV9ovKMZ45nt0gASMIDGDYR_22EMYDFLd6uMBso7iA/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4520%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzgS4P5KX5sTV7KSVE7O0a64oxYnxAtFsfWxyusWcJjGeyRDgYVmCfiNGUBZdDe9C4WlY4VIt7FQgTt_OKYzU86Wd0bKGeloSWFc8HCnCF_XEWwEBFZLUF7VYYtT1m08eCbemE-5dtwoLfYx42c0liiuCIrr3U9mwIP77VDtgDnE9RhKHgUKX2DmP17Q/s825/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4536%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzgS4P5KX5sTV7KSVE7O0a64oxYnxAtFsfWxyusWcJjGeyRDgYVmCfiNGUBZdDe9C4WlY4VIt7FQgTt_OKYzU86Wd0bKGeloSWFc8HCnCF_XEWwEBFZLUF7VYYtT1m08eCbemE-5dtwoLfYx42c0liiuCIrr3U9mwIP77VDtgDnE9RhKHgUKX2DmP17Q/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4536%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVWzD9JDNgY1Ae_Clt22NnQRUZ3CPbg14UjGM4F-A2mfmkJfcZjQVJRPP9D_lwBFy_ozIbqzCZYN9ZLgCleK_Kacs4KgxqQVZ5Vj2hhsG4WVWfvzv1MiuTfRxdDWHKuIJb5jToD1BKP86TNpFZkdMZnG4HPI4cD29noMXw6LmZHn8-p6E1FYckOo2uto/s825/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4544%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVWzD9JDNgY1Ae_Clt22NnQRUZ3CPbg14UjGM4F-A2mfmkJfcZjQVJRPP9D_lwBFy_ozIbqzCZYN9ZLgCleK_Kacs4KgxqQVZ5Vj2hhsG4WVWfvzv1MiuTfRxdDWHKuIJb5jToD1BKP86TNpFZkdMZnG4HPI4cD29noMXw6LmZHn8-p6E1FYckOo2uto/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4544%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBzmmWurQNBYqM-bQrWvc9Tk5SAuZdDmCReCwuVWthVcxrdEWeE18x7fvziAN2SY-Ir8XRzMnNhOlRDdkWstqGZBYsIt7mHcWIubAD_BkbvKhh-lvycWVDBZdxSeAMJGD08Je6J33s9qJSs-WKmM3Itbcn0YM4odSQPDwEn213BNEdry8DCQhfB72Tew/s825/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4552%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBzmmWurQNBYqM-bQrWvc9Tk5SAuZdDmCReCwuVWthVcxrdEWeE18x7fvziAN2SY-Ir8XRzMnNhOlRDdkWstqGZBYsIt7mHcWIubAD_BkbvKhh-lvycWVDBZdxSeAMJGD08Je6J33s9qJSs-WKmM3Itbcn0YM4odSQPDwEn213BNEdry8DCQhfB72Tew/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4552%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnnhzvdJDPsNITmqJdhy6Us9R0zxAzz_UcwD-lTAgKrZzogwFzOvqPZRrjVPI0JcUfwg6KPFUgbAgDJ5oZ5g5faP-fUZoe1fKcIYJqbClPDHicjyPZsOgjuwpImOsBbdomrx4b5CvXAvXjc-4FB_u6PmLvILs6tB1mIq-sWkAh9YlfNOuIUBsWrB88z8/s966/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4574%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnnhzvdJDPsNITmqJdhy6Us9R0zxAzz_UcwD-lTAgKrZzogwFzOvqPZRrjVPI0JcUfwg6KPFUgbAgDJ5oZ5g5faP-fUZoe1fKcIYJqbClPDHicjyPZsOgjuwpImOsBbdomrx4b5CvXAvXjc-4FB_u6PmLvILs6tB1mIq-sWkAh9YlfNOuIUBsWrB88z8/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4574%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm1ORxuILY0F6nLGMVi2kPBIikFWZdvWLixcUVZhcUXu90_Npi8qRViCnD4YtEmMN4zqd0MGw-soJgK78-LaFkTxY5o1IVlDDkxB6KK5raj-TFyE-3nAqTkQ0BkA-agoBq5Txw8ON6S-cCeQWH0L7RSgUJU1676pJ4RpbCUhMENzadztCEQsykkGXk40/s825/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4582%20Waxwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipm1ORxuILY0F6nLGMVi2kPBIikFWZdvWLixcUVZhcUXu90_Npi8qRViCnD4YtEmMN4zqd0MGw-soJgK78-LaFkTxY5o1IVlDDkxB6KK5raj-TFyE-3nAqTkQ0BkA-agoBq5Txw8ON6S-cCeQWH0L7RSgUJU1676pJ4RpbCUhMENzadztCEQsykkGXk40/s16000/23-12-15%20Bagworth%20PEG_4582%20Waxwing%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bohemian Waxwing (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bombycilla garrulus</i>) - Bagworth<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The birds stayed for just five minutes before
departing south and disappearing into the distance. They probably would have
returned eventually, but I needed to anwer the call of nature and head
home for lunch so departed. It seems that, by mid-day next day, they had gone.</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Hopefully, I might get another chance to photograph Waxwings this winter - I'll keep my fingers crossed!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 16th December from the House<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was a bright sunny day with, unfortunately, too much to do at home. Lindsay alerted me to a rather fine sunset, with aspects leading me to believe that they were probably Nacreous clouds - clouds, that form in very cold conditions over the poles and in the stratosphere, up to 19 miles (31km) high, far above normal clouds. These unusual clouds were being reported in many areas of England at this time.</b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yu4XsCwovoIqZ2_IcJhvTionPCFrrk_fnCyaIPmqkFQbBRwC1LtvLkc2iSvr87yPR9I5UGE1Dk08X1eIx33JtCCYtU5MdP_fawPFv1_U7dq-t2G2jvzCU4KW9Wy980esi7Ys_ROSw2nku568zVVJJrQfYaSqwSa18Sod6vjFOSKE4eq7N9b25aJENGI/s825/23-12-16%20Fm%20HousRP2_8115-001-Sunset%20nacreous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yu4XsCwovoIqZ2_IcJhvTionPCFrrk_fnCyaIPmqkFQbBRwC1LtvLkc2iSvr87yPR9I5UGE1Dk08X1eIx33JtCCYtU5MdP_fawPFv1_U7dq-t2G2jvzCU4KW9Wy980esi7Ys_ROSw2nku568zVVJJrQfYaSqwSa18Sod6vjFOSKE4eq7N9b25aJENGI/s16000/23-12-16%20Fm%20HousRP2_8115-001-Sunset%20nacreous.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sunset - from our house</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 19th December Dadlington</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>There were reports of nine Cattle Egret at Dadlington. That day, I was committed to take Lindsay to meet up for lunch with a dear friend of hers that she'd not been able to see for well-over a year. As Lindsay is currently unable to drive and barely able to walk, even with a walking frame, my input was necessary. Knowing that they would be in the restaurant for at least two hours, I had time to kill before needing to pick her up again. As I'd last seen Cattle Egret in February, 2018, it was an obvious choice as to how I would spend my time!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I found the place quite easily from the description given, although there were no other birders present. However, someone arrived as I was getting out of my car, and we were instantly looking at the nine Cattle Egrets. Unfortunately they were in the far side of a pasture that had been partitioned off with many fences, so getting a clean shot was virtually impossible. There was, however, one bird that was a little closer and I did manage a few shots that were not behind a wire fence.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHabjjiZ9JHEmG10GXYw_ZEOvpB6e5JgK5YMgL7rPErLLwGaiB9eN_74-ftnkpXnsRNIZoEzk9p519BMncFF4Mi3Dgx46eCRcxeKg6sDDJ5vsMcttnI8Kyk3duOZeqyUifTId9HbTU1cADVAPiYEoNclb7dY2PCViCN0V2j12_sfY8FwU-25BVWNHCYo/s825/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4682%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHabjjiZ9JHEmG10GXYw_ZEOvpB6e5JgK5YMgL7rPErLLwGaiB9eN_74-ftnkpXnsRNIZoEzk9p519BMncFF4Mi3Dgx46eCRcxeKg6sDDJ5vsMcttnI8Kyk3duOZeqyUifTId9HbTU1cADVAPiYEoNclb7dY2PCViCN0V2j12_sfY8FwU-25BVWNHCYo/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4682%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_6jYgTGVIz7eFl2TED22N5NEzA0w3-Z_VGvb-WsqharhYaYz_optIikaL0JRVEGLxld4_5ZeS2EZWJpUPUk_XVJAsp38DVcViL9gNN_4mUsM3G5RGR1O98cP7kxuVpnUNnCyh9XPjAikO4KyJTGY-prwC5v4L-Ev6HV4FzYjLR2lxlMWTh8z6EB0k3k/s825/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4688%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_6jYgTGVIz7eFl2TED22N5NEzA0w3-Z_VGvb-WsqharhYaYz_optIikaL0JRVEGLxld4_5ZeS2EZWJpUPUk_XVJAsp38DVcViL9gNN_4mUsM3G5RGR1O98cP7kxuVpnUNnCyh9XPjAikO4KyJTGY-prwC5v4L-Ev6HV4FzYjLR2lxlMWTh8z6EB0k3k/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4688%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cattle Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bubulcus ibis</i>) - Dadlington<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This next shot, of some of the group where most of them were foraging, gives you an idea as to the problems the fencing was giving.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQiZ1qK8O6tax8sww5tXOmZeps5N7gm3aAVW_QdahMqNic-Rz8lcFspWE9m2S4jIxeZIanJDLtNZCqZ9kIFEs41HhD-ZaQKYlf3qWvNuipljLXA49GHI5SYySoM7Y5jMdpB-m6PyzjlBZg2G5haRGYzn1A_9JGLy25U1ZE4ERWGsTkvHlQJ3GFyrGQuA/s825/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4710%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQiZ1qK8O6tax8sww5tXOmZeps5N7gm3aAVW_QdahMqNic-Rz8lcFspWE9m2S4jIxeZIanJDLtNZCqZ9kIFEs41HhD-ZaQKYlf3qWvNuipljLXA49GHI5SYySoM7Y5jMdpB-m6PyzjlBZg2G5haRGYzn1A_9JGLy25U1ZE4ERWGsTkvHlQJ3GFyrGQuA/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4710%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cattle Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bubulcus ibis</i>) - Dadlington</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />One of the group seemed a bit restless, and occasionally took to the air, flying round in a wide circle before landing back with the others. The first time it did this, I missed getting a shot, but I did get a few on its subsequent forays.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXrt16spHqkyJhWExlfy93Q3z0K3siSNTPro9vxuaLn6huIU3qxWZ3KWjZyktXu9U1VkP-HHCfHZTK72z0GrFtOJp0JmS7H0IrKtkQKDIaXxpFF4Wq-LqzpxMmnGDIpLofKtOKWY7GMNxFmtliTNLadES504j03TK03fvLfcoMZWyMC27FQ55x9gDpPk/s825/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4714%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXrt16spHqkyJhWExlfy93Q3z0K3siSNTPro9vxuaLn6huIU3qxWZ3KWjZyktXu9U1VkP-HHCfHZTK72z0GrFtOJp0JmS7H0IrKtkQKDIaXxpFF4Wq-LqzpxMmnGDIpLofKtOKWY7GMNxFmtliTNLadES504j03TK03fvLfcoMZWyMC27FQ55x9gDpPk/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4714%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyt6Xrj8rzF-No1fEHUCmXoS13BihT1x4iwLpAGqp6ynvPHZc-JcmwhhM4F57k2CH-9rm_OjMasN8rksawC26L-mcOLSQxRTN_VUyr8KoClAIgrWh-AbexqSCNrdNhFSfHzh_J5KvzfccaiOFiG8jsFpvBxk0I9Z8PPyrcEKivaG7PhiO5xferEuqo1Fw/s825/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4720%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyt6Xrj8rzF-No1fEHUCmXoS13BihT1x4iwLpAGqp6ynvPHZc-JcmwhhM4F57k2CH-9rm_OjMasN8rksawC26L-mcOLSQxRTN_VUyr8KoClAIgrWh-AbexqSCNrdNhFSfHzh_J5KvzfccaiOFiG8jsFpvBxk0I9Z8PPyrcEKivaG7PhiO5xferEuqo1Fw/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4720%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cattle Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bubulcus ibis</i>) - Dadlington</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>At one point, it landed briefly on a fence post.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBTq5lll4mOkOZPtxACmNNw3Cdrvlk-s7f4LFDiUPp9niuXhMinx0Tyc4-jRYvd5pA2Oncs_4lM6oGaBLmAHtG8EP8ogZVt7dlhz6awvefU79Sxf8pH4DHrdcYNbbmaOHEc5GumF5TTOPVD0cEzI-zcwXdZvR8lO4CZ14gkO2aG8KcS-QM4DGsMavyo8/s896/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4730%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBTq5lll4mOkOZPtxACmNNw3Cdrvlk-s7f4LFDiUPp9niuXhMinx0Tyc4-jRYvd5pA2Oncs_4lM6oGaBLmAHtG8EP8ogZVt7dlhz6awvefU79Sxf8pH4DHrdcYNbbmaOHEc5GumF5TTOPVD0cEzI-zcwXdZvR8lO4CZ14gkO2aG8KcS-QM4DGsMavyo8/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4730%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cattle Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bubulcus ibis</i>) - Dadlington</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table>Three more people arrived and we chatted for a while. I was about to pack up and go to retrieve Lindsay when two of the birds left the pasture and landed in the arable field to the east.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zcNIRvWZkBRL7IE2ZCCTxTNwD1vYgGpLJyB75P2xr8a2sW26no9QM3EBwb365BclB6QQe0x39aFsPTuiimaVOO1by0mAePF2PHKIjSLbYaUHekx7khcNqPPtZE1y38QFxwGL4vsCniQndEHrPoqLNvzeo4MalIPvI968-YV-PnIeun0ea4x8Ubl_5mc/s825/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4771%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zcNIRvWZkBRL7IE2ZCCTxTNwD1vYgGpLJyB75P2xr8a2sW26no9QM3EBwb365BclB6QQe0x39aFsPTuiimaVOO1by0mAePF2PHKIjSLbYaUHekx7khcNqPPtZE1y38QFxwGL4vsCniQndEHrPoqLNvzeo4MalIPvI968-YV-PnIeun0ea4x8Ubl_5mc/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4771%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuxhpNFwC7LITR6plW1r6e8GP2cuHb6czR9Lmol0gIAYqjZVMqkO8GIu89a2o6OFJsMt2PkZ8Z9BbyXeUHepCRQkY6a0x-IV0jeQLmjVpDsnguluG_pRGqdrZ6yPa-kTnxQWQ2771_rijllcNIKj51iqvuQOt6AnoyBTHWzzDn30SAYqUON1qlWutrvM/s825/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4759%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuxhpNFwC7LITR6plW1r6e8GP2cuHb6czR9Lmol0gIAYqjZVMqkO8GIu89a2o6OFJsMt2PkZ8Z9BbyXeUHepCRQkY6a0x-IV0jeQLmjVpDsnguluG_pRGqdrZ6yPa-kTnxQWQ2771_rijllcNIKj51iqvuQOt6AnoyBTHWzzDn30SAYqUON1qlWutrvM/s16000/23-12-19%20Dadlington%20PEG_4759%20Cattle%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cattle Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Bubulcus ibis</i>) - Dadlington</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Lindsay had forgotten to take her phone with her, so was unable to ring me to tell me when she was ready. My timing was perfect, however, as they were just finishing as I arrived.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 22nd December Garden</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The garden trail cams captured an unwanted visitor in the early hours of the morning, in the form of a large Brown Rat. If I have a phobia, it is for rats!<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxMeVUEs6M2hg8H89JAKD5jA5Ki-rtoMqfkwzSSrcQMsgOQ4uZAm1UIsEn3I9BTzMHxPe7wMeTPDdisSvi1sg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">Brown Rat (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Rattus norvegicus</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 23rd December Garden</span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b>We are currently getting three crows visitng our garden on most days. On this day, I took some photos of one of them. I think that their appearance exudes intelligence.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3_z9IS1Lf_nnK2iAAs9KC5LmpqbkjDWqAxPvPtGJ9Cq4YSPmJ9Tqy80Y86-gwVA70ykfacniXJsreaevAF5b2bNcDToiV0ml17WYB033KdgLZQKjOnoNyFZWTeH8__PiCTCm4obWkUr_q-xDMi8G2vLs0bKG58tYaZ22YLXRP-oQlD4alnowpzVgtTg/s863/23-12-23%20Garden%20PEG_4800%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3_z9IS1Lf_nnK2iAAs9KC5LmpqbkjDWqAxPvPtGJ9Cq4YSPmJ9Tqy80Y86-gwVA70ykfacniXJsreaevAF5b2bNcDToiV0ml17WYB033KdgLZQKjOnoNyFZWTeH8__PiCTCm4obWkUr_q-xDMi8G2vLs0bKG58tYaZ22YLXRP-oQlD4alnowpzVgtTg/s16000/23-12-23%20Garden%20PEG_4800%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-qXQoEFAHYeOI2V737QymPoiYB3FuK5ov4OAFYcELNJCypqSd0IQpIXaJoquxzrs85nnhsmmt-dTmCxGMz_ZZagMliGI2lKlnZzcrphLu7Y6-jZcA6FWt4yaDTSQQFkCszoM1HbJQwsp8AO3zTc37_jVZUSodXVSnAHg1xYxx-26CkdSFjdprg1rUmE/s827/23-12-23%20Garden%20PEG_4802%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-qXQoEFAHYeOI2V737QymPoiYB3FuK5ov4OAFYcELNJCypqSd0IQpIXaJoquxzrs85nnhsmmt-dTmCxGMz_ZZagMliGI2lKlnZzcrphLu7Y6-jZcA6FWt4yaDTSQQFkCszoM1HbJQwsp8AO3zTc37_jVZUSodXVSnAHg1xYxx-26CkdSFjdprg1rUmE/s16000/23-12-23%20Garden%20PEG_4802%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Carrion Crow (<i>Corvus corone</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Late that night, the garden trail cams showed that we'd had a visit from a Fox. It was a very welcome visitor, and it had been a long while since we last saw one in the garden.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzyG9Dpbqv9AN5MxByAGpVWaIRs1Nf60JVUTIxuhvX-fV1O7oVyvIHqbe0Sn9ejrs5kJwWyu2P4d7wqkaO0jQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Fox (<i>Vulpes vulpes</i>) - our garden</span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 25th December Garden</span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b>It was Christmas day and, when I looked at the output from the garden trail cams, I found that we'd been visited by a Hedgehog in the very early hours of the morning. I did, check, but I couldn't spot its sack of presents.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b> </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwNLlGSQMYjzIGKn9esD26Z6s2t7eNyx3myeNshBUQuamQCa2I3Gpfjbm7j8Jq-0cXSb0fT3sygg6A-48vxuw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Hedgehog (</span></b></span></span><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b><span><i>Erinaceus europaeus</i>) - our garden</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;"><span>Sunday, 31st December Garden</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><span><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span>New Year's Eve, and a Blackcap just managed to squeeze in a visit before the end of the year. Once again, it was a female - we haven't seen a male since early February.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpusKDowelfyvqrWZW2jI5-aJUtgPln63oVtPrYheIvVG6wSjrBF_PNvgry9eH1TdyH6zmpCPcvNBhPB4038k9zQDxlygtUdu2B6iHyPyC6mAroXDB5OEiL-28-yIerYGNogdeE_FJTk6_fP6HXVKwCFNtHKzwVojpOqrpXhdxopyczSsDn4mBV647iQ/s825/23-12-31%20Garden%20PEG_4810%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpusKDowelfyvqrWZW2jI5-aJUtgPln63oVtPrYheIvVG6wSjrBF_PNvgry9eH1TdyH6zmpCPcvNBhPB4038k9zQDxlygtUdu2B6iHyPyC6mAroXDB5OEiL-28-yIerYGNogdeE_FJTk6_fP6HXVKwCFNtHKzwVojpOqrpXhdxopyczSsDn4mBV647iQ/s16000/23-12-31%20Garden%20PEG_4810%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nMvtXEyjPDNLT28UMPCWW0eb1o-N8XTiWkmmIBUt8vVUlNn-y5sPQ3OJH3_Tjp9F1NMDoZyaqMNEzMEu9U0ZnTzW3s5_3PaisCHUEZOujz21sRQ9o6GsHr-7BHbXvio31XmoXrGIaFxa4DV1-1sbhK5LQ3wX0QWc0X3lDSfKfpHXxPImOzU67tSmgQ0/s825/23-12-31%20Garden%20PEG_4812%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nMvtXEyjPDNLT28UMPCWW0eb1o-N8XTiWkmmIBUt8vVUlNn-y5sPQ3OJH3_Tjp9F1NMDoZyaqMNEzMEu9U0ZnTzW3s5_3PaisCHUEZOujz21sRQ9o6GsHr-7BHbXvio31XmoXrGIaFxa4DV1-1sbhK5LQ3wX0QWc0X3lDSfKfpHXxPImOzU67tSmgQ0/s16000/23-12-31%20Garden%20PEG_4812%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Blackcap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><br /><span></span></span></b><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b>That brings me to the end of December and the end of 2023. For various reasons, my blog output might be a bit limited in the next couple of months or so. However, I expect my next post to feature a bird that I have only had the pleasure of encountering three times in my life - in South Shields at a great distance in 2009 (no photos), on the Isles of Scilly at a closer distance in 2014, and recently locally, and at quite close quarters, in 2024.</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b>I hope to return soon. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature, and have a wonderful 2024 - - - Richard<br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><b> </b></span></span><b><br /></b></div><div> </div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-4907088333288171782023-12-31T14:01:00.000+00:002023-12-31T14:01:30.661+00:00December, Pt.1 - 1st to 14th December, 2023<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I hope you had a great Christmas, and take this opportunity to wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'm ending the year with an account of my wildlife sightings and photography in the first part of December. This almost exclusively consists of sightings of birds in our garden! I hope that you don't find the lack of variety too boring!</b> <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 1st December Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was a frosty day starting at -3°C and only rising to 0°C, but sunny for most of the day.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>During most winters, we get a little fed up with the Starlings that tend to arrive in great numbers, consume all the bird food, and noisily frighten away the smaller birds. It is a relief when, eventually, they depart to somewhere else. However, this year we are seeing very few and are now getting excited when they do appear.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PZvv85UVQU8WIe7A73TmdvsauNrds8O1oXn6o0j78-AC9bhe4Zm4ValSjOw0jNJ1oYI3Zno3wCams5DF_v1Ve6AVi33uBKIqfkFjpvVRNc5S1YKZVHTq7ZmhpW70Gf3tK7Sze4qWJWHMijU-T06cEuooMpPtXNa9W2TrhniYJnv7N0e2QxShATCANz4/s825/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4153%20Starling%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PZvv85UVQU8WIe7A73TmdvsauNrds8O1oXn6o0j78-AC9bhe4Zm4ValSjOw0jNJ1oYI3Zno3wCams5DF_v1Ve6AVi33uBKIqfkFjpvVRNc5S1YKZVHTq7ZmhpW70Gf3tK7Sze4qWJWHMijU-T06cEuooMpPtXNa9W2TrhniYJnv7N0e2QxShATCANz4/s16000/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4153%20Starling%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Starling (<i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We were still getting regular visits from Pied Wagtail.</b></p><p><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTqyWkh_PZbKiTl0fhnmwEbAK-BwzGfhA9iJGhqe9mnpAwsTRtaLhKIYQSgXHUn1cJVyHghYFjX6OaS1QE2Ig6WCw8e7mfns2LwtXcdQiP_CnhRCADx7sxQcrvBPNokPtFctb0Jwh-ogJ64wXaXw9fmTKi2_n_25tPTRH-9EyQmrCNZUvWYnIQSCcR7A/s825/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4162%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTqyWkh_PZbKiTl0fhnmwEbAK-BwzGfhA9iJGhqe9mnpAwsTRtaLhKIYQSgXHUn1cJVyHghYFjX6OaS1QE2Ig6WCw8e7mfns2LwtXcdQiP_CnhRCADx7sxQcrvBPNokPtFctb0Jwh-ogJ64wXaXw9fmTKi2_n_25tPTRH-9EyQmrCNZUvWYnIQSCcR7A/s16000/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4162%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The above photos might make it look as if the weather was pleasantly warm and sunny but, where the sun wasn't shining, it looked a little different. Below, in photos taken in the afternoon, you can see the depth of the frost.</b></div><p></p><p><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUd0bsuDFxJRjSrFKacrqgXXp-vaVSTERCx4vkPWCXx2R3E7rg8sbIp72nm3u_SL_mLD9IzFR_SQnwPadl4Fa-rsH0VmLJhXSDxEFoNVeL5mJe5dbik4r9dp6fpKWYZNTP_q-m7WJltWKtwC47ttMJbbl5xCxcdLiUxlh7eQqDYDqxSNY_fPpEsd7DLE/s825/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4188%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUd0bsuDFxJRjSrFKacrqgXXp-vaVSTERCx4vkPWCXx2R3E7rg8sbIp72nm3u_SL_mLD9IzFR_SQnwPadl4Fa-rsH0VmLJhXSDxEFoNVeL5mJe5dbik4r9dp6fpKWYZNTP_q-m7WJltWKtwC47ttMJbbl5xCxcdLiUxlh7eQqDYDqxSNY_fPpEsd7DLE/s16000/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4188%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE_KzRe-vVOHR3jJROWk6FjtzVIdo3tpT6CeL-QIF79y4alVgXdxWv0btwFADUqhpeRKxcQHO0uPgiHWQEbNueZpFy6tnpGYcyEHZVKCkQJ2Bt102yjvsZHGUw-qxhx0OqA0HIwkRHRzYSf0CCOgR2-2WojHAoF_UE2e_J0MgxP7bXD3vI5KRxYQWb5k/s825/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4190%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE_KzRe-vVOHR3jJROWk6FjtzVIdo3tpT6CeL-QIF79y4alVgXdxWv0btwFADUqhpeRKxcQHO0uPgiHWQEbNueZpFy6tnpGYcyEHZVKCkQJ2Bt102yjvsZHGUw-qxhx0OqA0HIwkRHRzYSf0CCOgR2-2WojHAoF_UE2e_J0MgxP7bXD3vI5KRxYQWb5k/s16000/23-12-01%20Garden%20PEG_4190%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 2nd December Garden</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was frosty again, with -3°C rising to 0°C, but freezing fog and mist for much of day. We were out visiting our son for much of the afternoon. I did manage to get some shots through my study window of a male Pied Wagtail on a frost-free perch only about 7 metres from my seat.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7yarQzB_lonpVHwVdUTUETyVvuIUVgdQu3foQyPtkzHt1a5bJ2NFEwvEHmapKxug74BiDGq56_99L3_hpGVgAkWp6sC12RVpCdqRSdlOzCVos2RtYqd3OETV-Lq9L6Eyq67oMfoJTHMYIZJOWe2dxLetPe2N86xgotCKB-SlOsV-ButfCMmSFbFDgdE/s825/23-12-02%20Garden%20PEG_4200%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7yarQzB_lonpVHwVdUTUETyVvuIUVgdQu3foQyPtkzHt1a5bJ2NFEwvEHmapKxug74BiDGq56_99L3_hpGVgAkWp6sC12RVpCdqRSdlOzCVos2RtYqd3OETV-Lq9L6Eyq67oMfoJTHMYIZJOWe2dxLetPe2N86xgotCKB-SlOsV-ButfCMmSFbFDgdE/s16000/23-12-02%20Garden%20PEG_4200%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYaO4B7HDxoxfjlhw0SfxTmPNt_5wBiJFo0jmbMatBhWSceZaL1cj2nusVUX3vdqct22Z__b2gmkGfo5pXpIQ25sOFHg__pdysWPNATliHPlAb0JxMgyfrZAS9-rpxEJaNOKzeOqQHZO23CoPrXp2LP6C-en3nrZZnoAaYlyAGRq8NUV1j87ffKPe-ZY/s825/23-12-02%20Garden%20PEG_4203%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYaO4B7HDxoxfjlhw0SfxTmPNt_5wBiJFo0jmbMatBhWSceZaL1cj2nusVUX3vdqct22Z__b2gmkGfo5pXpIQ25sOFHg__pdysWPNATliHPlAb0JxMgyfrZAS9-rpxEJaNOKzeOqQHZO23CoPrXp2LP6C-en3nrZZnoAaYlyAGRq8NUV1j87ffKPe-ZY/s16000/23-12-02%20Garden%20PEG_4203%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 3rd December Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We awoke to a light covering of snow. The birds were impatient for me to go out and feed them. It warmed a little during the rather dull day, through which it drizzled with rain for most of the time, although some of the snow remained until the end.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYPBMFe2g65XTOTmHoIaAGdb0USaY42efapcGMkEzPvq7Kb0TwHcJPWeUsJ-w5tIs09YkXJvwL5mnOch1afZ0NyINgpsWtPoenyscckOxVQC7S_10gcSfaaNeOk-abB3Ly2FK6QBkpMtTm755f005H_11_OllLPI3gdG1IveXqWRxtsDc2QqoM1wln4M/s825/23-12-03%20Garden%20PEG_4214%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQYPBMFe2g65XTOTmHoIaAGdb0USaY42efapcGMkEzPvq7Kb0TwHcJPWeUsJ-w5tIs09YkXJvwL5mnOch1afZ0NyINgpsWtPoenyscckOxVQC7S_10gcSfaaNeOk-abB3Ly2FK6QBkpMtTm755f005H_11_OllLPI3gdG1IveXqWRxtsDc2QqoM1wln4M/s16000/23-12-03%20Garden%20PEG_4214%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldcrest (<i>Regulus regulus</i>) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ9PYM89O6xvKdzxefpUzu9Re7lhGpibJI7PWHAanXLVvT1LrkyOlCQPBOr9tZ50Xu5yLL457Kpx5xbDI8aP1fzUxvFta017BUxw3chEDCzsmqFk2alfOGWnMnrkhvzTsJzQuvq1sM24VxX3VmHca5olX7aKB69-A8JJJ2zdxPk6UYhulqIyMYoI9bVY/s825/23-12-03%20Garden%20PEG_4217%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ9PYM89O6xvKdzxefpUzu9Re7lhGpibJI7PWHAanXLVvT1LrkyOlCQPBOr9tZ50Xu5yLL457Kpx5xbDI8aP1fzUxvFta017BUxw3chEDCzsmqFk2alfOGWnMnrkhvzTsJzQuvq1sM24VxX3VmHca5olX7aKB69-A8JJJ2zdxPk6UYhulqIyMYoI9bVY/s16000/23-12-03%20Garden%20PEG_4217%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blue Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLjxWjdv7PFslh8eXOimpSyXO4fle1nPzgGuebRo272pdSY-8tYjyynct3Uogf1vGlVm8_Yia6nyXzqwuNbXSLSJNFgQxVMTpnj4Tuyu6XREYRHnZaI5oCrlxREmyUc33DClXL-ffZqstq2rMhjfb9V6qM_L4E7xAvgFPX_pApQLJKsJDz00gHQmSXWE/s825/23-12-03%20Garden%20PEG_4232%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLjxWjdv7PFslh8eXOimpSyXO4fle1nPzgGuebRo272pdSY-8tYjyynct3Uogf1vGlVm8_Yia6nyXzqwuNbXSLSJNFgQxVMTpnj4Tuyu6XREYRHnZaI5oCrlxREmyUc33DClXL-ffZqstq2rMhjfb9V6qM_L4E7xAvgFPX_pApQLJKsJDz00gHQmSXWE/s16000/23-12-03%20Garden%20PEG_4232%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Bullfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table></b><p></p><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 6th December</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>There was a very heavy frost in the morning, but the day was sunny, which raised temperature from -5°C to 1°C.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We had two Stock Doves visit on this day. Here is one of them.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvHReg6TxWdto2t6l-wIJRRkGKqREB0-P4ownSt9zBjYQx8dsGEMKKv6Inw9OpPmdxEZl45Jc-uu_0f2BMPUlXaXadzKU1gHGonVXPglzHclyuYf4jbAptFS3KOSn49hHj87R4qEmgDu4J77Z6KkONL8sVn8WF78OF0c2_9uMrfwFGlvxOK7KD5INHf0/s825/23-12-06%20Garden%20PEG_4241%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvHReg6TxWdto2t6l-wIJRRkGKqREB0-P4ownSt9zBjYQx8dsGEMKKv6Inw9OpPmdxEZl45Jc-uu_0f2BMPUlXaXadzKU1gHGonVXPglzHclyuYf4jbAptFS3KOSn49hHj87R4qEmgDu4J77Z6KkONL8sVn8WF78OF0c2_9uMrfwFGlvxOK7KD5INHf0/s16000/23-12-06%20Garden%20PEG_4241%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e">Columba oenas) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A male Bullfinch was still a regular visitor.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzkWSI1keC0hGSbWnQfpUGfrjt9YN1MEF89b-VMZBe2YLaPprDO2lDxpTCzyErtjFroLhxRYjh-ZWgnMe84XPGlCZgNzpHNvkKptW56G6lFkvV7ufheA9j9uCTMCMKZOqQlIkJ0ZMP48THuD1qHXWUpjHGapQPfOK76W_Qtn7fxiOtUB7KMflzS2372M/s825/23-12-06%20Garden%20PEG_4243%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzkWSI1keC0hGSbWnQfpUGfrjt9YN1MEF89b-VMZBe2YLaPprDO2lDxpTCzyErtjFroLhxRYjh-ZWgnMe84XPGlCZgNzpHNvkKptW56G6lFkvV7ufheA9j9uCTMCMKZOqQlIkJ0ZMP48THuD1qHXWUpjHGapQPfOK76W_Qtn7fxiOtUB7KMflzS2372M/s16000/23-12-06%20Garden%20PEG_4243%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Bullfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden</span></span></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That night, the temperature was forecast to rise to 5°C during the night</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 9th December</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>After two very wet days, the day again started wet, but a few degrees warmer than it had been, rising to 8°C by mid day, when we had some sun. I photographed the Sparrowhawk that alighted briefly in our Rowan.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhYSfdiwoKTAbpOCpOAkUM9G6Vy5TtoYmTiJxiPcLufQTA78Z7anySBmuPcNWg1-xxerekGP9CLZlt-pHLXGCDMvrshl4PaeWp9P09j1hInVIJ603ccsUwlL_S5sl2Ccgr7TwUN743I75ABc0FrSqKBr_95FVhCJoB_-rJxk8fidKQDAVZ9DmvLfbbhs/s825/23-12-10%20Garden%20PEG_4246%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhYSfdiwoKTAbpOCpOAkUM9G6Vy5TtoYmTiJxiPcLufQTA78Z7anySBmuPcNWg1-xxerekGP9CLZlt-pHLXGCDMvrshl4PaeWp9P09j1hInVIJ603ccsUwlL_S5sl2Ccgr7TwUN743I75ABc0FrSqKBr_95FVhCJoB_-rJxk8fidKQDAVZ9DmvLfbbhs/s16000/23-12-10%20Garden%20PEG_4246%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>However it soon turned windy, with wind speeds up to 45 mph (72 kph).</b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 10th December</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The day started quite bright. In the late afternoon I went to the location of my most recently found Little Owl site, which I had not visited since the spring, and was disappointed to see that the nest tree, and all the other trees on that particular edge of the field, had been completely removed. I had hoped to see some winter thrushes here too, but I only saw about half a dozen Fieldfare as they noisily flew across the road in the far distance.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The only thing I photographed was a heron that had been behind a fence on the far side of a horse paddock, but took flight.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cA515xPfNfYF4IfqBbYEM2aRRTYZPS3vtBcZrmKEXtouc8JnXbBARbNax-dQylL41bkuN4Zh6lcU1q69M3aAasFKYY5-gwW2CiakptYVhHewKfBkj8Mm13ywgosP_UNtpTpzwgj7riV5O94OQSzOxbInCabQVV0a2dnS8TcFqSmCj3kIrrggT32-xqQ/s825/23-12-10%20Babelake%20Street%20PEG_4259%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cA515xPfNfYF4IfqBbYEM2aRRTYZPS3vtBcZrmKEXtouc8JnXbBARbNax-dQylL41bkuN4Zh6lcU1q69M3aAasFKYY5-gwW2CiakptYVhHewKfBkj8Mm13ywgosP_UNtpTpzwgj7riV5O94OQSzOxbInCabQVV0a2dnS8TcFqSmCj3kIrrggT32-xqQ/s16000/23-12-10%20Babelake%20Street%20PEG_4259%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Grey Heron (<i>Ardea cinerea</i>) - near Normanton le Heath</b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 12th December Garden </span></b><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A very dull damp day, but having three male Bullfinches visit was exciting. We've had five Bullfinches before (male, female, and three juveniles), but three adult males together was a first. I managed just one record shot with all three in it!<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt6AVKAaUgbyPRSlv0rniRDxyh0y9YC3dMEHYVEyyXTqvYdT66ay1eQ603SgFYbKBci404zhYYvYH2Xb4FEBhEWqh9zDMjmRR7dNvgFAZdjFu6QMCyWr6Cg9NsnORO3UI8JPT2kID0swYQME6JRWo36Y8KpSxwr6Gd4lHsm89if6SwsHvXVvjIDGQWnM/s825/23-12-12%20Gardent%20PEG_4273%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt6AVKAaUgbyPRSlv0rniRDxyh0y9YC3dMEHYVEyyXTqvYdT66ay1eQ603SgFYbKBci404zhYYvYH2Xb4FEBhEWqh9zDMjmRR7dNvgFAZdjFu6QMCyWr6Cg9NsnORO3UI8JPT2kID0swYQME6JRWo36Y8KpSxwr6Gd4lHsm89if6SwsHvXVvjIDGQWnM/s16000/23-12-12%20Gardent%20PEG_4273%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuDviTAZ5KpeVKuFSYEbH8arWZn0hzdHPDYLOSQSqRQ9uRssvaliIPAULzzcQjijXU9ZIxAUnPPV7cgfZgw31v6ZPycFjD8rlvd5bEyox5ZkvrgKaz6GUNcRzddwNbcinRmx8U1GiXmOfG8F2qbKkED5ywzEbDo9RORg27KWEp2FV3a-GlvaSe7Q4Mk0/s825/23-12-12%20Gardent%20PEG_4275%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuDviTAZ5KpeVKuFSYEbH8arWZn0hzdHPDYLOSQSqRQ9uRssvaliIPAULzzcQjijXU9ZIxAUnPPV7cgfZgw31v6ZPycFjD8rlvd5bEyox5ZkvrgKaz6GUNcRzddwNbcinRmx8U1GiXmOfG8F2qbKkED5ywzEbDo9RORg27KWEp2FV3a-GlvaSe7Q4Mk0/s16000/23-12-12%20Gardent%20PEG_4275%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 13th December Garden<br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A dull, but mild day. The Sparrowhawk was back.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS0vzGBwXztK-WJGRlZMbLZzQUK9oIzeB66jMM0Q_HbQC9ICgxco7xiyUZi2ZCHuRH9OH-Pu5ViEkgSYx6ksEo2VN4ZT5dNFEu6FeBdRXRK02r28N-avy0W7g2fhNo-E8rw-JTNoaEAbDN7oVwcA6YJB6WG9rlE3GFk_NI9MrNkm0_qwlCcdLEj6qEMY/s1084/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4285%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRS0vzGBwXztK-WJGRlZMbLZzQUK9oIzeB66jMM0Q_HbQC9ICgxco7xiyUZi2ZCHuRH9OH-Pu5ViEkgSYx6ksEo2VN4ZT5dNFEu6FeBdRXRK02r28N-avy0W7g2fhNo-E8rw-JTNoaEAbDN7oVwcA6YJB6WG9rlE3GFk_NI9MrNkm0_qwlCcdLEj6qEMY/s16000/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4285%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We get visits from Greenfinch most days at the moment - usually just one or two, but we have had up to four. This is a species that seems to be recovering. having been devastated by a virus a few decades ago.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio35Vke65fedCBb3yfmgYtJCtXiDzL3PbXk7-idr2zRaZivQpy5wOZoBv-ZRMZy1MWzeNebTyQJx7LhyJ6JWGMdquN3qJjcXN3gCeHgOd3RrdVk_qzxn1pGCrRH8ZFN5_V1jKLD-eOd_C6QRQkKx4r7fc8d-r_WwN42LRf9lck003OvQvjGHdUY18ZPYI/s825/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4307%20Greenfinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio35Vke65fedCBb3yfmgYtJCtXiDzL3PbXk7-idr2zRaZivQpy5wOZoBv-ZRMZy1MWzeNebTyQJx7LhyJ6JWGMdquN3qJjcXN3gCeHgOd3RrdVk_qzxn1pGCrRH8ZFN5_V1jKLD-eOd_C6QRQkKx4r7fc8d-r_WwN42LRf9lck003OvQvjGHdUY18ZPYI/s16000/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4307%20Greenfinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></i></div><b></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOysIIFZ7O4YPt9wJx2bsesCKzvUjKeSR8v-01YMoifsllC83gdz3WF503cIdANtpmXEB7yJj_c-fLU_gO_1L-QtSFXhrzwwvlwOjU1XAA2m_1-OfEHDL9xKUH5jNDvY-j7qymr0tQml6nV0-B5XV9M-m0g7bo5Ozgp9Y03dEENL9iTGA082PPwP-vPwM/s825/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4304%20Greenfinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOysIIFZ7O4YPt9wJx2bsesCKzvUjKeSR8v-01YMoifsllC83gdz3WF503cIdANtpmXEB7yJj_c-fLU_gO_1L-QtSFXhrzwwvlwOjU1XAA2m_1-OfEHDL9xKUH5jNDvY-j7qymr0tQml6nV0-B5XV9M-m0g7bo5Ozgp9Y03dEENL9iTGA082PPwP-vPwM/s16000/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4304%20Greenfinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenfinch (<i>Chloris chloris</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Just the one Bullfinch was spotted this day, but it did pose for a photo. It is a long while since we last saw a female Bullfinch in the garden, but fingers are crossed.</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1CSYFyWjy1xSfU6Yl144DNPKiYylgQG9vUZNMHwL4VQI6Cc2msS6K5wS7Cuse5YGt9U_h-wqXsK8t1zz3EAp6mXE6jar2tsV20Xtwhl7BgPN6hOrX5BAAenjQIRbY4_LXm4SwAB-JswqHXv60FxXIdzybGI3-Bh_End92pQse8eWAYkk9Li0xjDMKHE/s825/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4309%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1CSYFyWjy1xSfU6Yl144DNPKiYylgQG9vUZNMHwL4VQI6Cc2msS6K5wS7Cuse5YGt9U_h-wqXsK8t1zz3EAp6mXE6jar2tsV20Xtwhl7BgPN6hOrX5BAAenjQIRbY4_LXm4SwAB-JswqHXv60FxXIdzybGI3-Bh_End92pQse8eWAYkk9Li0xjDMKHE/s16000/23-12-13%20Garden%20PEG_4309%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b></b></div><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 14th December Garden<br /></span></b><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Dull and wet weather removed any incentive to go out, and I was glad that I stayed at home as we had four wagtails visit that day. The first item that I photographed, however, was a heron on the back neighbours' roof, while we were having breakfast.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_VqiBnM6mmDZXHtLuWZLj2FNOhcCUGqqOfYxJpRg4NL8ZHw7tOrPyKqiZ_esCvyGzG-VUowLrNQZ0Y6YRshQiH-boKW5gQ-oMsMRHjUf4ofmy3VqKzVRxOK1f2IsdS-1PyetvPpGHWEtjmg6P1iInBBbZN9R7HTR1hrX7F_ggkd7686znbIZQH6VyP8/s815/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4317%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="815" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_VqiBnM6mmDZXHtLuWZLj2FNOhcCUGqqOfYxJpRg4NL8ZHw7tOrPyKqiZ_esCvyGzG-VUowLrNQZ0Y6YRshQiH-boKW5gQ-oMsMRHjUf4ofmy3VqKzVRxOK1f2IsdS-1PyetvPpGHWEtjmg6P1iInBBbZN9R7HTR1hrX7F_ggkd7686znbIZQH6VyP8/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4317%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Grey Heron (<i>Ardea cinerea</i>) -from our house<br /></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Later in the morning, a Bullfinch visited. Without a shadow of doubt, Bullfinch is the most messy eater of all the garden birds!<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNsJ08lHguPkJRgIkqqzEJfIk6RrfWHsJqg2hzLiZF_czzl1Y1FO9KmR7WqmLVBvx_XQcJb6jL2be0wn7HuDGIyt4Ins22yatnJ7fI0T1Vpp0nRxl4ykdWK3yAQxVYwsVzK5_mPzukAJDfGw8qyc8OEpw-W42aG5d53x9CmanrlqVs4es1dmXRB-aB_Q/s825/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4336%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNsJ08lHguPkJRgIkqqzEJfIk6RrfWHsJqg2hzLiZF_czzl1Y1FO9KmR7WqmLVBvx_XQcJb6jL2be0wn7HuDGIyt4Ins22yatnJ7fI0T1Vpp0nRxl4ykdWK3yAQxVYwsVzK5_mPzukAJDfGw8qyc8OEpw-W42aG5d53x9CmanrlqVs4es1dmXRB-aB_Q/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4336%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>A few minutes later, the Bullfinch was still here when what I originally thought was a White Wagtail arrived, but my local birding expert, Rhys Dandy reckons it was a female Pied Wagtail. Assuming this is the case, it would appear to be a 1st winter bird. White Wagtail is the nominate bird of this species, with Pied Wagtail being a race of the species, largely common to the UK.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe4Q0U96zH2fSBIz1QYtop3S5rV8ubKCx3MaEM_DiUSRrx4DzvUKZJKgieJ03mqynC8zQOwNo-Q_wNci-EQ7Js2jIsvRIcNRfHTEwGQ6XeYEsPWEc8JxkWgElvL4yUlU9-LvBZcKUOi7HtdG6WA7M42FzLRvbIkm-lQmR_2ZxNpYBM-EP2SNVOTAyrYQ/s863/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4362%20Pied%20Wagtail%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe4Q0U96zH2fSBIz1QYtop3S5rV8ubKCx3MaEM_DiUSRrx4DzvUKZJKgieJ03mqynC8zQOwNo-Q_wNci-EQ7Js2jIsvRIcNRfHTEwGQ6XeYEsPWEc8JxkWgElvL4yUlU9-LvBZcKUOi7HtdG6WA7M42FzLRvbIkm-lQmR_2ZxNpYBM-EP2SNVOTAyrYQ/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4362%20Pied%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTff2FBwHzBUuG2AW6D93E3yiB3s_6RKwDNEKCWSlGjHv1-C3n_FB9_TzzyD0aCdjdVdipTmR2UegzK0gV7wnETc2E8Fjzdii8xsLtOIxfOhFrMBuxXi0Bvr1zBTZ-1ZLodbvi_2HZNfTlgVYmMX7XTAl_DeF1bD5Hr-LKMtUttbGK7QZVDYpz0YZZlr0/s825/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4397%20Pied%20Wagtail%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTff2FBwHzBUuG2AW6D93E3yiB3s_6RKwDNEKCWSlGjHv1-C3n_FB9_TzzyD0aCdjdVdipTmR2UegzK0gV7wnETc2E8Fjzdii8xsLtOIxfOhFrMBuxXi0Bvr1zBTZ-1ZLodbvi_2HZNfTlgVYmMX7XTAl_DeF1bD5Hr-LKMtUttbGK7QZVDYpz0YZZlr0/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4397%20Pied%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Almost immediately, it was joined by a Grey Wagtail, and this time I got a few more shots than I managed on its previous visit. This one seemed to have a much darker breast than I'm used to seeing. I think that it is a 1st winter bird.<br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFnYvyKQqA2mS8j3iV7rl7wiCxMyqqrgi3Cpesnk0Dkx-FtKWJZysL5Wmy401jTAqS5vi5fiO4GxjW-kJyk0xirygIu1nVitx7gFmXt0ERuufVTFnMW0-vaUEyA88mv2SpEipnZU4tmjIZ86c-VpVY5FXza_qwYoYO3Mm2qOQUdxkqUSIYGiMs5m-wJA/s825/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4411%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFnYvyKQqA2mS8j3iV7rl7wiCxMyqqrgi3Cpesnk0Dkx-FtKWJZysL5Wmy401jTAqS5vi5fiO4GxjW-kJyk0xirygIu1nVitx7gFmXt0ERuufVTFnMW0-vaUEyA88mv2SpEipnZU4tmjIZ86c-VpVY5FXza_qwYoYO3Mm2qOQUdxkqUSIYGiMs5m-wJA/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4411%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0Z1foX706WnlXKGisi8sIfQNjjO823dVCD8odukIlR-iLIAqeJ8xlCHLovPtdlfXjsHGG3dohIuupMncYhSsyTkV5lRDGo2Bd5BjyrWe4oM53PmWzppzVo-Jm7K-9saC-ZG8KLPe5UhvNYi0ajON7Twso9zuzpOEjPvBXSUvMEREleq4DQCKsgVuQjc/s865/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4413%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0Z1foX706WnlXKGisi8sIfQNjjO823dVCD8odukIlR-iLIAqeJ8xlCHLovPtdlfXjsHGG3dohIuupMncYhSsyTkV5lRDGo2Bd5BjyrWe4oM53PmWzppzVo-Jm7K-9saC-ZG8KLPe5UhvNYi0ajON7Twso9zuzpOEjPvBXSUvMEREleq4DQCKsgVuQjc/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4413%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rk3a2EuXtmH2eP9Nki98fftOiner5_FIz_DtdxZ8V0XEWY6Ngpl2-682OMB5fy7HG3NjfFOqpodUIzWWCBQwrGw7-N0L4O1_nhwcdD3btCoevZLb6mvPQGSqN2CXBRz629YspZO-dXTtfB9ExgNs6IcHS_zsjmfWJCZDGCUsLwVMkE-dnFYYckwNVL0/s825/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4433%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rk3a2EuXtmH2eP9Nki98fftOiner5_FIz_DtdxZ8V0XEWY6Ngpl2-682OMB5fy7HG3NjfFOqpodUIzWWCBQwrGw7-N0L4O1_nhwcdD3btCoevZLb6mvPQGSqN2CXBRz629YspZO-dXTtfB9ExgNs6IcHS_zsjmfWJCZDGCUsLwVMkE-dnFYYckwNVL0/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4433%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Wagtail (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Motacilla cinerea</i>) (1st winter) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Later in the day, a pair of Pied Wagtail arrived, with the female being a different bird to the earlier bird as it had a black (rather than pale grey) crown. However, I only got shots of the male on this occasion.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01Z1OOjVMFeAePkeGc2_JH6ygQWofUaRCQ134N_WwOeRqOSPumb8Yb77OPUm9y0aT0_267WfiHVS52-AGgSV8aeRfurk4u9YVkFZkAKgJaUy7wNwtTSLoDV9_JBECIbiZMqlma6iG9ecu_jaGkeKbvWxVJlezgXm8SxF7ZoOJvpalLA-whFLOVARMaqA/s825/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4467%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01Z1OOjVMFeAePkeGc2_JH6ygQWofUaRCQ134N_WwOeRqOSPumb8Yb77OPUm9y0aT0_267WfiHVS52-AGgSV8aeRfurk4u9YVkFZkAKgJaUy7wNwtTSLoDV9_JBECIbiZMqlma6iG9ecu_jaGkeKbvWxVJlezgXm8SxF7ZoOJvpalLA-whFLOVARMaqA/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4467%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table>We also had a Stock Dove pay us a visit.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tbLPQX33E6_tPW9RWnViVM9fK2nzqQDaVojJMxW5X24-1Kjkce3frK6-lhFzl2jlbzxSzgUpO6LA_43bpB34ztD8ae-YELWZXO0iTxjeLQO71csZW4yZ4W9WFN-2bD86GsADXoNn9sN-xneUJpHwUwD6d93SBlyUraMrpLcN19U-NR2QJBQzQWfBspA/s825/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4486%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tbLPQX33E6_tPW9RWnViVM9fK2nzqQDaVojJMxW5X24-1Kjkce3frK6-lhFzl2jlbzxSzgUpO6LA_43bpB34ztD8ae-YELWZXO0iTxjeLQO71csZW4yZ4W9WFN-2bD86GsADXoNn9sN-xneUJpHwUwD6d93SBlyUraMrpLcN19U-NR2QJBQzQWfBspA/s16000/23-12-14%20Garden%20PEG_4486%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba oenas</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />This brings me to the end of what (for us) was a rather special special day, even if the weather was lousy.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It also brings me to the end of this blog post, which I hope has not bored you with too many images of Wagtails and Bullfinch (both of which are rather special for us) and it just remains for me to wish you all the very best in health and happiness for 2024. Please take good care of yourselves and Nature - - - Richard<br /></b></p><br /></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-401293984545270312023-12-21T14:42:00.000+00:002023-12-21T14:42:06.584+00:00Merry Christmas!<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I take this opportunity to thank my readers for your visits and your much-appreciated support during 2023, and wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This year has been a bit difficult for us, with Lindsay struggling with her mobility. Recently it was looking as if things were improving and then, on 17th December, she woke up in the morning, unable to straighten her left leg - not the one she had a replacement knee in a year ago. An x-ray has shown that she's had a serious deterioration of the arthritis in her 'old' knee, and until she can get that one replaced, she will have very limited mobility. This effectively means that it looks as if I'm going to be responsible for virtually all household duties for an extended period. As a result of this, you may find that the scope of my output on this blog is rather limited in the New Year - time will tell!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGV9IlC00dSF4Zkcj7baa_RRu16H3p8ECPW2dsuU0-oHFDuj2QS2p2512O0HSpZNtVSVLNsisSyA4PUGa793D6gW-s1krLgTKvvMMe9DVnIdHFsIaf64k6y6CTTAFrMM_T_p_7KO78eFhRYjYI_Ks5UaY89QJQAD_z0gUV5LFQOcm3c9q7bV1vfCwiR4/s985/23-12-21%20photo%20for%20blog%20PEG_5411-125-Snowy%20Owl%20-%20f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGV9IlC00dSF4Zkcj7baa_RRu16H3p8ECPW2dsuU0-oHFDuj2QS2p2512O0HSpZNtVSVLNsisSyA4PUGa793D6gW-s1krLgTKvvMMe9DVnIdHFsIaf64k6y6CTTAFrMM_T_p_7KO78eFhRYjYI_Ks5UaY89QJQAD_z0gUV5LFQOcm3c9q7bV1vfCwiR4/s16000/23-12-21%20photo%20for%20blog%20PEG_5411-125-Snowy%20Owl%20-%20f.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Snowy Owl (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e">Bubo scandiacus) (female) - Tresco, 27th March, 2018<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The Snowy Owl that features above, and on the header while this post is current, represents what, for me, is the greatest highlight of my wildlife photography so far. The photos were taken on Tresco, in the Isles of Scilly, where snow is even more rare than Snowy Owls!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I look forward to visiting your blogs during the coming year. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My very best wishes - - - Richard</b><br /></p><p><br /></p>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-25928710866666001672023-12-14T13:09:00.000+00:002023-12-14T13:09:30.389+00:00The Second Half of November, 2023 - Pt.2<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This blog post will be a little shorter than my previous one, and only feature observations of birds in our garden.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 25th November Garden<br /></span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A cold dull start to the morning brought us the exciting experience of three wagtails visiting together. The most remarkable aspect of this was that one of them was a Grey Wagtail. Sadly, the pair of Pied Wagtails saw off the Grey Wagtail before I had a chance to get a decent shot of it. This was taken looking down to the ground through my study window.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqy5ZE7iVW_-1tgNyK9-7SZQDztxwgzst1Fj_fU88or1544xBj5t1Ntggh_Zr2rNpUhkkiUrEjBZsA1sLWjrYqV7AENk9uTPhlJzAUgS9y9EMDvnj8ztnxkd1lW0P91waeKCS9lE3N4RDIMhELGaGYBMG2sLxKP8zH22Anwic3co6yHugP1LhsNJNhRbw/s825/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3860%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqy5ZE7iVW_-1tgNyK9-7SZQDztxwgzst1Fj_fU88or1544xBj5t1Ntggh_Zr2rNpUhkkiUrEjBZsA1sLWjrYqV7AENk9uTPhlJzAUgS9y9EMDvnj8ztnxkd1lW0P91waeKCS9lE3N4RDIMhELGaGYBMG2sLxKP8zH22Anwic3co6yHugP1LhsNJNhRbw/s16000/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3860%20Grey%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Wagtail (<i>Motacilla cinerea</i>) (1st winter) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here are the two Pied Wagtails.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35nlAfXTAbJ2kq87snphB-IFLAlBWJTkslnkAv7q0TzJx2ekMbyZQZt-aOSDJzkOsccY5TMufkU0GEgUVi303ICM7rAc-RS6I6LmTMzRjm7vVJJ7k8i4mJPdGfOODGgF8yE_NHvxN6eSlrM2ERhHz2mj5lQimhKqzXVw6JugK0VKpcJwv6OWM4cVu9AQ/s825/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3806%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f.%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35nlAfXTAbJ2kq87snphB-IFLAlBWJTkslnkAv7q0TzJx2ekMbyZQZt-aOSDJzkOsccY5TMufkU0GEgUVi303ICM7rAc-RS6I6LmTMzRjm7vVJJ7k8i4mJPdGfOODGgF8yE_NHvxN6eSlrM2ERhHz2mj5lQimhKqzXVw6JugK0VKpcJwv6OWM4cVu9AQ/s16000/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3806%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f.%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQS6T32X95ZsGf439_5mJAqy9Vbmm4erI4-OtKR4ihUzMkTGsE9lP7fvF2GXqrzpVqUn14lgn3F8pwq4NKYS3Ujy6NafsP3lsQ7qgeCEh0d4Mx8Sk4d_cBJyfBQpI_qogl4N1HWMTqltAGK_Nh_2T5DreDk2fCkyKM0VNFLa2JDlkUI7bHyKxt20HdGQ/s825/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3837%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m.%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQS6T32X95ZsGf439_5mJAqy9Vbmm4erI4-OtKR4ihUzMkTGsE9lP7fvF2GXqrzpVqUn14lgn3F8pwq4NKYS3Ujy6NafsP3lsQ7qgeCEh0d4Mx8Sk4d_cBJyfBQpI_qogl4N1HWMTqltAGK_Nh_2T5DreDk2fCkyKM0VNFLa2JDlkUI7bHyKxt20HdGQ/s16000/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3837%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m.%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Robin also entered into the mix.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PAE8o4nnas2ko_fInFes-QqzPBp2TPOwcbeFQ3VYucW9G8LodnpZHmZ7SF94TZ-5j1XPO_s-ukwoFKKfsCsE86ZtwrL4a0LBJ8p-nsHMHcB-Orul4HFtpJdw44MhWtO3raCsEhOdHqDPI1fk599dn09VomMvjeUjyGR4EEFlkAa1Xelb2ffg2sU7bao/s825/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3851%20Robin%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PAE8o4nnas2ko_fInFes-QqzPBp2TPOwcbeFQ3VYucW9G8LodnpZHmZ7SF94TZ-5j1XPO_s-ukwoFKKfsCsE86ZtwrL4a0LBJ8p-nsHMHcB-Orul4HFtpJdw44MhWtO3raCsEhOdHqDPI1fk599dn09VomMvjeUjyGR4EEFlkAa1Xelb2ffg2sU7bao/s16000/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3851%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Erithacus rubecula</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Later in the morning, the sun came out. The Pied Wagtails were still with us.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugjXEskla4w6yRIkaXbfdf0OwBQ7zW9Dj_1Yh6qZGlv55RFCDotqwdhSMAEtsR6bCnjMBMwbPemzCByvdXDxBnXXC8krQ0wVXn4Yz41qzeWRgfwxV9aTL8xvG-qR30a4cvhfzvG8uZ7ZoMwT7_-7fi13EoXSFl1pMrH33VWvW3hisuziWaD_cnrGkI7Y/s825/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3875%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m.%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugjXEskla4w6yRIkaXbfdf0OwBQ7zW9Dj_1Yh6qZGlv55RFCDotqwdhSMAEtsR6bCnjMBMwbPemzCByvdXDxBnXXC8krQ0wVXn4Yz41qzeWRgfwxV9aTL8xvG-qR30a4cvhfzvG8uZ7ZoMwT7_-7fi13EoXSFl1pMrH33VWvW3hisuziWaD_cnrGkI7Y/s16000/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3875%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m.%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Blue Tit is, thankfully, a regular colourful visitor.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uMFQ51nNeoSodpnQqnH2wfZ2mra_MglAvEHlHBWnGTKXXq8oe_UvY8N4tUC7zbuB4penrEJs1dQuhwyJ3dR_1wpdf2lKxv7-eN17AK4p_3piswme6ocCcTdcVQCIVyL_xcOvyAPVIYCbJyId6IidI8FvMKK8HZr7TSQRryaUiMPTJCB2WdHby4wuEVc/s825/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3894%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uMFQ51nNeoSodpnQqnH2wfZ2mra_MglAvEHlHBWnGTKXXq8oe_UvY8N4tUC7zbuB4penrEJs1dQuhwyJ3dR_1wpdf2lKxv7-eN17AK4p_3piswme6ocCcTdcVQCIVyL_xcOvyAPVIYCbJyId6IidI8FvMKK8HZr7TSQRryaUiMPTJCB2WdHby4wuEVc/s16000/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3894%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blue Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We are sure the Wren is present much more frequently than the occasions that we see one on.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOK32v5iShnCSVjTLsZNMzgqB8zUv3OVDVl7AYAfiB5Sc1_ixgYFJpeKWtTTKWDKTCqJzFVo7EYZui5rdo2AExEOJ4x6ydOO0d-D_Kx-j_4TQc0_8KGlvqGykDxPW6yLCmjNAN6zuv56QEiUydyLixRBQZRMyFYs-mP4-5Np8Z478pWil4532Y0cwudM/s871/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3903%20Wren%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOK32v5iShnCSVjTLsZNMzgqB8zUv3OVDVl7AYAfiB5Sc1_ixgYFJpeKWtTTKWDKTCqJzFVo7EYZui5rdo2AExEOJ4x6ydOO0d-D_Kx-j_4TQc0_8KGlvqGykDxPW6yLCmjNAN6zuv56QEiUydyLixRBQZRMyFYs-mP4-5Np8Z478pWil4532Y0cwudM/s16000/23-11-25%20Garden%20PEG_3903%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - our garden </b><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 26th November Garden</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;"> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Pied Wagtails were back again and I'll ask you to excuse more images of them, please, as their visits are far less frequent as I write this, and I'll make the most of them while I can.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYc4DkJfERamgGFH-l38caEUmFnH-Jn3_kfLki7RergpQv3SG_jiEuL4XZf7Q_kp79Ne_pSszGomzUfbUdJJWkRDNqe3ITwKugZdipH4BhTEdBsJyNKTBqPsNf6sOh1MqYXL4t2UNq2ExEBDO-z1hvgGwlyAZFqdngRIDdgjtHTUV77aT7fsBojs6d6A/s938/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3915%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="938" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYc4DkJfERamgGFH-l38caEUmFnH-Jn3_kfLki7RergpQv3SG_jiEuL4XZf7Q_kp79Ne_pSszGomzUfbUdJJWkRDNqe3ITwKugZdipH4BhTEdBsJyNKTBqPsNf6sOh1MqYXL4t2UNq2ExEBDO-z1hvgGwlyAZFqdngRIDdgjtHTUV77aT7fsBojs6d6A/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3915%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YbqasjelMzIVhGwqMv5s1NumsOf4bxzC2EANZAR96ky0f5MGT-jJCutF9S0CNbgiyOV0lpJq8h6NUeZ2oNZ-yHBpwfVJ5xHJqX0Nz7mAfOUhpFPvK52J9CAXu8k8uYZiOtlow2_JGHBSJV0YU0cuWdnVP4Zc6JNpHA3hRspPqFmZTmPUF7ESjCOMy4c/s825/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3959%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6YbqasjelMzIVhGwqMv5s1NumsOf4bxzC2EANZAR96ky0f5MGT-jJCutF9S0CNbgiyOV0lpJq8h6NUeZ2oNZ-yHBpwfVJ5xHJqX0Nz7mAfOUhpFPvK52J9CAXu8k8uYZiOtlow2_JGHBSJV0YU0cuWdnVP4Zc6JNpHA3hRspPqFmZTmPUF7ESjCOMy4c/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3959%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLHtJt4gEqJVp8QXFdr0doMWbU5oDVhr6jPY4rdvmq8dnVn4IFd5FIjmE6EyGzAIizpexJsBFVJ0KV4KASlluJAvsEG7_YyisNa3xGR5vt7Wm8cRWG7T7OpPQ8YpEYjiMLmbbbR9I7BigRTL00zjivLayO5IijbmwK0nE-UAE2Sroy-FItdpiovU1E8E/s825/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3917%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLHtJt4gEqJVp8QXFdr0doMWbU5oDVhr6jPY4rdvmq8dnVn4IFd5FIjmE6EyGzAIizpexJsBFVJ0KV4KASlluJAvsEG7_YyisNa3xGR5vt7Wm8cRWG7T7OpPQ8YpEYjiMLmbbbR9I7BigRTL00zjivLayO5IijbmwK0nE-UAE2Sroy-FItdpiovU1E8E/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3917%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ledxsCim5MIYlN9oLpMz1Hvo9v2hs1BhXVZA-8aDI0Q810U0Gc43HjSKV3rnsVoBhHyz_e8XQxtCgg4sC9I26okCAUQoChNNA-WndAvTrBmVq_8j9xcc8BKeRly013RfEXZeze6P_8SJd2LA1dqD5d6TX7mAgkI_a429iPPsYIl0kyFXSkz6gVE7iw8/s825/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3950%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ledxsCim5MIYlN9oLpMz1Hvo9v2hs1BhXVZA-8aDI0Q810U0Gc43HjSKV3rnsVoBhHyz_e8XQxtCgg4sC9I26okCAUQoChNNA-WndAvTrBmVq_8j9xcc8BKeRly013RfEXZeze6P_8SJd2LA1dqD5d6TX7mAgkI_a429iPPsYIl0kyFXSkz6gVE7iw8/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3950%20Pied%20Wagtail%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span></b></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A male Bullfinch has been visiting us for a while now, but has been far more difficult to photograph as it usually makes straight for the feeder trays.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNpQt0ibmwrWS5Yc7UZPLwGUQLxTelP5B1-53xfNfahOrA5jdqmhNOg9oJChopcjdhU4i7WJf_Naj1s-4vA1m-Vz4KEdR2gyfhA1AWObHyGrs8P65ferPNZHvyrpNw0hXYCsY4UY7QhEIx43hv840lz5LT3cGHdB7PiyysKKpB4wZiqC7IBQyWEqMYgI/s845/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3976%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNpQt0ibmwrWS5Yc7UZPLwGUQLxTelP5B1-53xfNfahOrA5jdqmhNOg9oJChopcjdhU4i7WJf_Naj1s-4vA1m-Vz4KEdR2gyfhA1AWObHyGrs8P65ferPNZHvyrpNw0hXYCsY4UY7QhEIx43hv840lz5LT3cGHdB7PiyysKKpB4wZiqC7IBQyWEqMYgI/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_3976%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Sparrowhawk is still visiting, but its visits are a little less frequent than they were. In the second image, taken from my study window, it is on the neighbours' garage roof.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPycIUuNcNQaHH7Bai8WMyEMkIzTt1dMLFAYrzjx8Pq2xI-rSQIG818O232YbiuyZ0_HtoRA_UEf7cGduu2KC4ls82KZf5ehAepuPRYjponhKXt1WXcigFI8QwYUKxv2iU-rfsqsP0BZ9-Khjw_aorU8lvbMo-jJM0CVqDRkcc5-VAvw7QW_fW281aYiE/s825/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_4008%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPycIUuNcNQaHH7Bai8WMyEMkIzTt1dMLFAYrzjx8Pq2xI-rSQIG818O232YbiuyZ0_HtoRA_UEf7cGduu2KC4ls82KZf5ehAepuPRYjponhKXt1WXcigFI8QwYUKxv2iU-rfsqsP0BZ9-Khjw_aorU8lvbMo-jJM0CVqDRkcc5-VAvw7QW_fW281aYiE/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_4008%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhncmTV26j0ZsMmpyGikHRUdv82pNpn3Lf0KQb_aYPN3-xu07XA9dK_ptcMfiUkZQVooeTQ8acm3DrQdDMUfF6UVvkBAAGp84LKPH55FHCZCUESFpBG18nIZh1ojJK2D2KQCR7B5x2BN39BDT8GjfNolarrTepkozB1G0gQ5Kl83CoWi4hBDts0TZbdKc/s825/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_4017%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhncmTV26j0ZsMmpyGikHRUdv82pNpn3Lf0KQb_aYPN3-xu07XA9dK_ptcMfiUkZQVooeTQ8acm3DrQdDMUfF6UVvkBAAGp84LKPH55FHCZCUESFpBG18nIZh1ojJK2D2KQCR7B5x2BN39BDT8GjfNolarrTepkozB1G0gQ5Kl83CoWi4hBDts0TZbdKc/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_4017%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>)<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><b> I also managed another shot of a Goldcrest, slightly better than my previous recent efforts.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZX4Xb1FzUaiOp85hweiVtnwrH0Ekf7XP0oin2HKmP6PiiY7v6QSEM_374h76XWko4J0GGC7QI3Vd5BBv-WqPfXS0Qf9T4LJ4hTuLFXdId32a-OSRV93W-xsqMY07aNkBcacmNUPjdasJ21CKqb9ck4mey0Hi6bbSs5x86q1IyOC8hUNL6yhtUwW2hIFk/s825/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_4046%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZX4Xb1FzUaiOp85hweiVtnwrH0Ekf7XP0oin2HKmP6PiiY7v6QSEM_374h76XWko4J0GGC7QI3Vd5BBv-WqPfXS0Qf9T4LJ4hTuLFXdId32a-OSRV93W-xsqMY07aNkBcacmNUPjdasJ21CKqb9ck4mey0Hi6bbSs5x86q1IyOC8hUNL6yhtUwW2hIFk/s16000/23-11-26%20Garden%20PEG_4046%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Goldcrest (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Regulus regulus</i>) - our garden</span></span></b></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></b><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 28th November Garden</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Our over-the-back neighbour has a feeding box attached to the back of our back fence which he fills with monkey-nuts. This is a great favourite with the squirrels, but seems to be totally ignored by anything else. Here's a squirrel enjoying a free meal.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU79HYNCoFynbn6IqaAeAvIDjRrsYbAch4mzMiHbM4Zsc4iUfUji1ZK-nwUy8c0MOiI0PohMsXtrVidU-LjC_8GyOWH2e-QaXeaOzsuhZ5ZghTXFjW_6jDxE8i_UNrK95dwy4Z7Jtiux_pCKEHxSxpj9OsPuEA0jh-pB0MlUdfCirUUY50tTerpzW3dc0/s825/23-11-28%20Garden%20PEG_4092%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU79HYNCoFynbn6IqaAeAvIDjRrsYbAch4mzMiHbM4Zsc4iUfUji1ZK-nwUy8c0MOiI0PohMsXtrVidU-LjC_8GyOWH2e-QaXeaOzsuhZ5ZghTXFjW_6jDxE8i_UNrK95dwy4Z7Jtiux_pCKEHxSxpj9OsPuEA0jh-pB0MlUdfCirUUY50tTerpzW3dc0/s16000/23-11-28%20Garden%20PEG_4092%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Squirrel (<i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 29th November Hicks Lodge</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The report of a Short-eared Owl being seen roosting at Hicks Lodge in the morning had me visiting in the late afternoon. I spent a while there, in the company of a very experienced birder, but no owl was seen, and we left as darkness fell. No photographs were taken, other than of a military transport aircraft which I will not bother you with here.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 30th November Garden</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was a relatively good day for sightings in the garden, but only a couple of common items were photographed.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWszCTsthACFacx6XJRIAbgOOtM4bo9R5x8xAkkjzjxSpQn6zgdCx72IZvJ_ZnzIYmLfYFEHS-5Jl5k9dbRqvzZe65XHeMRreroCa3hpl0dyc3o3wAWKzlhCC_aqCBu4hdDDaXKoN54Z3_9Q-ZiwchzCv_itiITIJ4LGz6u31H6Fmo2byjIWRYQLTVG4/s825/23-11-30%20Garden%20PEG_4111%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWszCTsthACFacx6XJRIAbgOOtM4bo9R5x8xAkkjzjxSpQn6zgdCx72IZvJ_ZnzIYmLfYFEHS-5Jl5k9dbRqvzZe65XHeMRreroCa3hpl0dyc3o3wAWKzlhCC_aqCBu4hdDDaXKoN54Z3_9Q-ZiwchzCv_itiITIJ4LGz6u31H6Fmo2byjIWRYQLTVG4/s16000/23-11-30%20Garden%20PEG_4111%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Carrion Crow (<i>Corvus corone</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYO7h7jrb6RloE65jiS0VDXHWreJlNRNee2c9NYxgGNG-YhR6PyyUd9m1amk_gpDjUjwASGsx0_u2RAIjguhdNbGHBnkSYaqfC7CxxLN4yn2Uuztewhxkd3xVbCGgLfOsttF2l3aixY8MP_PwGrSQdV3fwHfylhaXq_2xv4s22O0lTVZ6Upv28QmdIf4/s990/23-11-30%20Garden%20PEG_4121%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYO7h7jrb6RloE65jiS0VDXHWreJlNRNee2c9NYxgGNG-YhR6PyyUd9m1amk_gpDjUjwASGsx0_u2RAIjguhdNbGHBnkSYaqfC7CxxLN4yn2Uuztewhxkd3xVbCGgLfOsttF2l3aixY8MP_PwGrSQdV3fwHfylhaXq_2xv4s22O0lTVZ6Upv28QmdIf4/s16000/23-11-30%20Garden%20PEG_4121%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This brings me to the end of November. My next post will probably be, as usual, in about a week's time. </b><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-9340318376145275502023-12-08T14:13:00.000+00:002023-12-08T14:13:20.145+00:00The Second Half of November, 2023 - Pt.1<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had, originally, intended to make this blog post cover the whole of the second half of November, but have come to the conclusion that it would be far too long for the comfort of my readers! This post, therefore, features my observations from 16th to 24th November inclusive.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 16th November Garden : Sence Valley Forest Park</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the morning we had the pleasure of visits from Goldcrest (UK's smallest, and least dangerous, garden bird), and the male Sparrowhawk (the most dangerous!).</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I am still struggling to get a good shot of the Goldcrest. This, at that time, was the best of a bad bunch. <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DgxyhmkugiLnlyuen0Yb7XXum7YiiVuD6l8UE89x6vG64Sa7rjJXNE0a4ngmGIXcrEAlE9awNWhSk1dDvdjqB2JZ8-TE0HFZCsNSTA4YViUciyd9SJgYCrjwx_2l7DGMGIXKYCzNo1oCPJXQZAqeCL5_ydd3N5C2KjSlrIZamhLQfE2hCYoNmPx0oto/s825/23-11-16%20Garden%20PEG_3137%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8DgxyhmkugiLnlyuen0Yb7XXum7YiiVuD6l8UE89x6vG64Sa7rjJXNE0a4ngmGIXcrEAlE9awNWhSk1dDvdjqB2JZ8-TE0HFZCsNSTA4YViUciyd9SJgYCrjwx_2l7DGMGIXKYCzNo1oCPJXQZAqeCL5_ydd3N5C2KjSlrIZamhLQfE2hCYoNmPx0oto/s16000/23-11-16%20Garden%20PEG_3137%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldcrest (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Regulus regulus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This day, the Sparrowhawk took one of our visiting Goldfinch. This may sound heartless, but I'd sooner the Sparrowhawk took a Goldfinch than any other species, as Goldfinch is by far the most numerous of our garden visitors. I am now doubting my original assessment of the sex of this Sparrowhawk. I thought it was an immature male, due to the rufous marking on the throat and white patches at the nape. However, the brown underside striping is showing no signs of turning rufous, and the bird seems rather large, and even attempted to take a Collared Dove, so I think that it's possibly a female.</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyf7cG2wmRldbTI4K16tTFwYWGvaUp8Tc7iT_ag-1szPiWLpv-kGh7V3GYBvZU64gCvAs4FxYF7QvX0gWHyM1MaCdF1Lh2duF4P4JpjaQ6u6yFYbbzQ-eezu6vSmDM5OFrxLOp8-rnkbWHZjGGxU0HGarPurgqN_F7IvBveiO2pO721MaOOtBLOA5UPM/s1015/23-11-16%20Garden%20PEG_3140%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyf7cG2wmRldbTI4K16tTFwYWGvaUp8Tc7iT_ag-1szPiWLpv-kGh7V3GYBvZU64gCvAs4FxYF7QvX0gWHyM1MaCdF1Lh2duF4P4JpjaQ6u6yFYbbzQ-eezu6vSmDM5OFrxLOp8-rnkbWHZjGGxU0HGarPurgqN_F7IvBveiO2pO721MaOOtBLOA5UPM/s16000/23-11-16%20Garden%20PEG_3140%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7XJRQJbQtah01tLG11nuWUgPbqeEDmMjV_1tgppVwqCmekQFCt2-ReyUR0WbPa28StfenICLY9sVMEOnlYSUevRUOVw95VZ3Cu8fwU4deS5JcwD8CAjfxja41jXOCVPMpU1AfwPrmp4Xs4UNX412QuemlLoAQ5PF8w888t-qeyfrtd5xG7zhALCHIJI/s825/23-11-16%20Garden%20PEG_3142%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7XJRQJbQtah01tLG11nuWUgPbqeEDmMjV_1tgppVwqCmekQFCt2-ReyUR0WbPa28StfenICLY9sVMEOnlYSUevRUOVw95VZ3Cu8fwU4deS5JcwD8CAjfxja41jXOCVPMpU1AfwPrmp4Xs4UNX412QuemlLoAQ5PF8w888t-qeyfrtd5xG7zhALCHIJI/s16000/23-11-16%20Garden%20PEG_3142%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lindsay wanted to try out her new three-wheeled walking assistance on sloping terrain and asked if I would like to accompany her - which, of course, I was delighted to do. We decided on a visit to Sence Valley Forest Park as it is well-supplied with benches for her to rest on. I took my camera with me 'just in case', but only found Black-headed Gull to photograph, which was a little unusual for this location. Two other birders on site also commented on this aspect.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjqZkUV3_5t1TMF5zbTwVCDoSUwOdV9EV9CYL1qBrU0750lQZmVd6fCmUba86Vd5oa-VVYuMLDt9892o7qYO9MUjieSikHBd6Se7358Xvt6OYbwp2bv4ZTnI3J-zTd8K30YaTpWOCTWaXi0yVt7QyStRhmmeIRl-7iQXfQ41JWOV8BUyxzRxX3et6dxQ/s825/23-11-16%20Sence%20Valley%20FP%20PEG_3147%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjqZkUV3_5t1TMF5zbTwVCDoSUwOdV9EV9CYL1qBrU0750lQZmVd6fCmUba86Vd5oa-VVYuMLDt9892o7qYO9MUjieSikHBd6Se7358Xvt6OYbwp2bv4ZTnI3J-zTd8K30YaTpWOCTWaXi0yVt7QyStRhmmeIRl-7iQXfQ41JWOV8BUyxzRxX3et6dxQ/s16000/23-11-16%20Sence%20Valley%20FP%20PEG_3147%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVfCqEMIMdh_MZqWkSA4_fxqsXoYuhGFVdYz2y195vHnhXCgWlpDsrWsH3wjU9OuzTvrV71eSk-1EwWkppjmesJqLdjvJNo9b-vsE0r1kBeyiC8gJ_fMwNsAig8DRZosCbguUL-BH3666J3ZDAsL57T1pr4pwu7JvdfGtxaocOUEgIVp472BNSa4FKZ0/s825/23-11-16%20Sence%20Valley%20FP%20PEG_3153%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVfCqEMIMdh_MZqWkSA4_fxqsXoYuhGFVdYz2y195vHnhXCgWlpDsrWsH3wjU9OuzTvrV71eSk-1EwWkppjmesJqLdjvJNo9b-vsE0r1kBeyiC8gJ_fMwNsAig8DRZosCbguUL-BH3666J3ZDAsL57T1pr4pwu7JvdfGtxaocOUEgIVp472BNSa4FKZ0/s16000/23-11-16%20Sence%20Valley%20FP%20PEG_3153%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5Ig9uzM2wWiAjdGd0urxgs0Mcr3gia0qWOTmSSVif8KfloUW3bTWrmAIHRkVSzxrIj1xVy2duVb30E7BMbG2RlVHuOj5aUUH8xSTNrkUCWnzNs7SMp19scD00xAEX8fNB0alpwrB8x-zxF5nIFkPcWT8D9LLS-Lz770nPOQAub61_56cXHBdzbj1abw/s825/23-11-16%20Sence%20Valley%20FP%20PEG_3157%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5Ig9uzM2wWiAjdGd0urxgs0Mcr3gia0qWOTmSSVif8KfloUW3bTWrmAIHRkVSzxrIj1xVy2duVb30E7BMbG2RlVHuOj5aUUH8xSTNrkUCWnzNs7SMp19scD00xAEX8fNB0alpwrB8x-zxF5nIFkPcWT8D9LLS-Lz770nPOQAub61_56cXHBdzbj1abw/s16000/23-11-16%20Sence%20Valley%20FP%20PEG_3157%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Sence Valley FP</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the afternoon we had our next-door neighbour arrive at our front door, carrying a trug with a hedgehog in it. He'd found it wandering around the garden in daylight, and being worried by their dog. It was a small hog, and looked very much like the hog that I'd been keeping my eye on in our garden. I placed it in the hedgehog house that I was confident was not occupied - we have two in our garden, one of which was definitely being used - but it did not stay in there for long. It came out, and wandered across the back of our garden, disappearing into a corner where it had access into the garden of one of the properties at the rear.</b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>That evening, I stepped into the gap when the speaker (Alan Cann) booked to talk to the Blackfordby Wildlife Group was unable to attend, due to catching Covid for the second time in three months! I was given enough time to revise my talk 'Speyside - a Place for All Seasons'. I'm pleased to report that it was well-received.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 17th November Donisthorpe Woodland : Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My first-thing-in-the-morning trip into the garden to top up the bird and hedgehog feeders revealed a Hedgehog sleeping in one of the feeding stations, on top of the tray of Black Soldier-fly larvae. This is something that has never happened before. I had to assume that this was the hog that our neighbour had brought round the previous day. The garden cameras had revealed it feeding well in the other feeding station that night and moving around, seemingly OK, but maybe a little slower than usual.</b><b> As it was a sunny day, I decided to leave it there as the feeding
station is made from a large clear plastic storage box which would warm
up a bit like a greenhouse would. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lindsay is making good efforts to try and rehabilitate herself and, in the morning, I was pleased to accompany her to an area that she was not familiar with, and that was Donisthorpe Woodland. Little was seen, except by the isolated section of the old Ashby Canal.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauFffTvqgFAvT-VS6KjGICA_Ds0oe2m9KwyB5ua79xgVhHQkQxIHIKS5lR1rEcebafjkRxot90eHA_-MOpUyPaAqNn_shMsUNeX11wOFghyphenhyphenflCM6edVCaS8CZhQCwSoXhinJFLXyZ8y-qdxUOKw_LRpxSFQVMQ9NT2NgPJFILpJnMdqV21IiL9yttnLw/s825/23-11-17%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3167%20Moorhen%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauFffTvqgFAvT-VS6KjGICA_Ds0oe2m9KwyB5ua79xgVhHQkQxIHIKS5lR1rEcebafjkRxot90eHA_-MOpUyPaAqNn_shMsUNeX11wOFghyphenhyphenflCM6edVCaS8CZhQCwSoXhinJFLXyZ8y-qdxUOKw_LRpxSFQVMQ9NT2NgPJFILpJnMdqV21IiL9yttnLw/s16000/23-11-17%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3167%20Moorhen%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: small;">Moorhen (<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) -Ashby Canal, Donisthorpe Woodland </span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0y1XhZWQ3RVGKOKJQ7kiIMeb3YpAxV1J0xqrQ7Py_Qgi7DkuWJmWqPsZK6sSOoohtPfLE6b1fX8_A6dJ55rfigSsXRHm59TA8_bRRzNTjneY1y5231w6jOu67JAtT4-Upy05nJiDeB_keIIvPT5nQgyN1bIfoUwiz1wIdOdqL-KVhSgp-OoVYGeAagw/s825/23-11-17%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3177%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0y1XhZWQ3RVGKOKJQ7kiIMeb3YpAxV1J0xqrQ7Py_Qgi7DkuWJmWqPsZK6sSOoohtPfLE6b1fX8_A6dJ55rfigSsXRHm59TA8_bRRzNTjneY1y5231w6jOu67JAtT4-Upy05nJiDeB_keIIvPT5nQgyN1bIfoUwiz1wIdOdqL-KVhSgp-OoVYGeAagw/s16000/23-11-17%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3177%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mute Swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>) -Ashby Canal, Donisthorpe Woodland </span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That afternoon, I kept a relatively close watch on the garden in case the Hedgehog appeared, and even took a few shots while I did so.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqa5U1BZ3slzzUOm9vp7i0y5NfljzGyimxWwDG47N1svBYvasxG0TYGNX2BheARkE7896io4zkL3p2K01Cgd8z8NYAsp6k6bXMyShmso2OxyWUPHF3C90ED7_hkonVPtPbXppvdBDsScMiZ6dAeXCKH9UWc5vOfFBJgfoRqFmoCfuYqAGJN14MW3Qwyc/s825/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3201%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqa5U1BZ3slzzUOm9vp7i0y5NfljzGyimxWwDG47N1svBYvasxG0TYGNX2BheARkE7896io4zkL3p2K01Cgd8z8NYAsp6k6bXMyShmso2OxyWUPHF3C90ED7_hkonVPtPbXppvdBDsScMiZ6dAeXCKH9UWc5vOfFBJgfoRqFmoCfuYqAGJN14MW3Qwyc/s16000/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3201%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlQtW02Ra-cTMT09iQvJHQPYh2Uu_Nfo1-HG4GmHNdJ4IMf0WmizQaHJZpZ1ojn4Ag134qd289_7G8S1DQp6JzuPnOLecGWxMzRF1DdbEaCM-s_1MV0i9-ndlIoGs1D5DcWKsc8VMjZI-4T7teX9wHONoI2jxhl1ZmYxWTV5V_uUzkshpQ93qtUkTVQ4/s825/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3198%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlQtW02Ra-cTMT09iQvJHQPYh2Uu_Nfo1-HG4GmHNdJ4IMf0WmizQaHJZpZ1ojn4Ag134qd289_7G8S1DQp6JzuPnOLecGWxMzRF1DdbEaCM-s_1MV0i9-ndlIoGs1D5DcWKsc8VMjZI-4T7teX9wHONoI2jxhl1ZmYxWTV5V_uUzkshpQ93qtUkTVQ4/s16000/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3198%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Squirrel (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOzQkmqKPUSSHGvpYwBOlivug-1L7zADHLBk49vq6KMh-GesPmEaWdntHUixsRl_T_eP0Vh2AGe9v4lT-NHjvjueaRs8a5_aBVzgYQ59iKHUzBAkYD-1FjWzIQnWfumasrYNJcAe4Wh7pYZ2H5VbP8OoQr656Bo6DmZER-Mp8_4nnjbNqjXSU4FfTP0s/s825/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3223%20Goldfinch%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaOzQkmqKPUSSHGvpYwBOlivug-1L7zADHLBk49vq6KMh-GesPmEaWdntHUixsRl_T_eP0Vh2AGe9v4lT-NHjvjueaRs8a5_aBVzgYQ59iKHUzBAkYD-1FjWzIQnWfumasrYNJcAe4Wh7pYZ2H5VbP8OoQr656Bo6DmZER-Mp8_4nnjbNqjXSU4FfTP0s/s16000/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3223%20Goldfinch%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Carduelis carduelis</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Towards dusk, the Hedgehog emerged from the feeding station and, with an exceedingly unsteady gait, made its way to the hedghog house that it had so industriously built a nest in over the past few weeks. I could see no damage to the Hedgehog, but I was extremely worried, and made up my mind the I would seek help and advice the next day. Here is the hog at the entrance to its nest, just before it turned in.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FurmTm-5uGkOESN0Y81g_cMuf4JQQ-5CKjLVs7OJ_xsjVSkoILwD3fmY1nC2HdqxIKIpgExn4wLqLbPdBHJUjATweFwUK9ZzVbMr62385eCY3gU-BaxsFSo1JuZN-J3pMLIrpvE7y5H2g5mp1nU-Anqi3Pz2qTAF3UzaMKKUoN7sVPGNqdgNEo2Ypow/s825/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3231%20Hedgehog%20-%20poorly%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FurmTm-5uGkOESN0Y81g_cMuf4JQQ-5CKjLVs7OJ_xsjVSkoILwD3fmY1nC2HdqxIKIpgExn4wLqLbPdBHJUjATweFwUK9ZzVbMr62385eCY3gU-BaxsFSo1JuZN-J3pMLIrpvE7y5H2g5mp1nU-Anqi3Pz2qTAF3UzaMKKUoN7sVPGNqdgNEo2Ypow/s16000/23-11-17%20Garden%20PEG_3231%20Hedgehog%20-%20poorly%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hedgehog <span>(<i>Erinaceus europaeus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 18th November Garden</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The garden cameras revealed that the worrying Hedgehog had not left its nest in the night. A call to The British Hedgehog Preservation Society, who were wonderfully helpful, had me removing the Hedgehog from its nest, and weighing it. I cannot remember what the weight was but it confirmed my suspicions that its weight was less than that required for it to safely survive hibernation. I was advised to take it to my nearest Hedgehog Rescue Centre for which contact details were given and, fortunately, was only 20 minutes away. It was received there by Shannen who kindly reassured me that it would be taken care of and I would be updated with its progress.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That afternoon I photographed some of the avian visitors to our garden, still, frustratingly, not managing to get a good shot of Goldcrest. One day, one will visit when it's not dull weather. I do love the glum appearance of a Goldcrest</b><b> head-on.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0oICePm_PAxdL00XcfjFtP6WaSxdQ1hn5jXcprjyvX9KJvf6z7gMe0RytWiQDYe-MaCtVH9Z50TXnP9zaUY7RdwTHeCq_BC4CxFcAJaId3SpjT9bmYv-iNKK1SZZauwcQmPKK87zWHGZHMJUBtoePCCT8Z1Yq1eE0BtZVu_D03HYb6GhuHrgFZsRFH4/s825/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3242%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0oICePm_PAxdL00XcfjFtP6WaSxdQ1hn5jXcprjyvX9KJvf6z7gMe0RytWiQDYe-MaCtVH9Z50TXnP9zaUY7RdwTHeCq_BC4CxFcAJaId3SpjT9bmYv-iNKK1SZZauwcQmPKK87zWHGZHMJUBtoePCCT8Z1Yq1eE0BtZVu_D03HYb6GhuHrgFZsRFH4/s16000/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3242%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLYCvcIc28GA5LJ5u4GT7KctXoOs6VdcORd2FOSQVP59qtZyFwLuRdTWpenQ4M6bgszaYAGze6scKQPnVghnbnk_tiwFX-3830CQz5CYrZdiWL5qiaaqjVShLQvmjIY_Jk8LjhR8v7MnlFSV8EnAx6nGdXeRCrOPgRRtbFEoCxQVQpyK7CbjFPqSn46Q/s825/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3243%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLYCvcIc28GA5LJ5u4GT7KctXoOs6VdcORd2FOSQVP59qtZyFwLuRdTWpenQ4M6bgszaYAGze6scKQPnVghnbnk_tiwFX-3830CQz5CYrZdiWL5qiaaqjVShLQvmjIY_Jk8LjhR8v7MnlFSV8EnAx6nGdXeRCrOPgRRtbFEoCxQVQpyK7CbjFPqSn46Q/s16000/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3243%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldcrest (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Regulus regulus</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMKrTvny33x4cxHLMG8JIosq9NAaWqpOEh4JbrHgKFF-EsgJvwjqB4dTMe_VvcaH42CR-RkPURl6IE6aGRZrsCIPIEJY_SQbBG_pse-GTq-engu4A8VLTY1W3GV0f6hNtY63DZ_rNQp1sLgI3-fXd1E4ksBSLpKxPuYSOBxyG09UKOqm_DQENeh2N5qA/s825/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3312%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMKrTvny33x4cxHLMG8JIosq9NAaWqpOEh4JbrHgKFF-EsgJvwjqB4dTMe_VvcaH42CR-RkPURl6IE6aGRZrsCIPIEJY_SQbBG_pse-GTq-engu4A8VLTY1W3GV0f6hNtY63DZ_rNQp1sLgI3-fXd1E4ksBSLpKxPuYSOBxyG09UKOqm_DQENeh2N5qA/s16000/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3312%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3HDK4LQIFFDRJt1ayH8EMGKoYxNSbvP7wNuF97ng0anzoq3KJu7xoRe8tycr6jjd8sdaRFGDRJxTk4dYFTr32jw67V2ttHinJSk7RkVSOjj6fx1JDdYdNoWhD5qazO94Y9EYsP7rqesppGEK2TQ9TYXASvbLxpDZjuPlsOnaMn4jSTmw4fzafmbTjQA/s825/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3333%20Coal%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3HDK4LQIFFDRJt1ayH8EMGKoYxNSbvP7wNuF97ng0anzoq3KJu7xoRe8tycr6jjd8sdaRFGDRJxTk4dYFTr32jw67V2ttHinJSk7RkVSOjj6fx1JDdYdNoWhD5qazO94Y9EYsP7rqesppGEK2TQ9TYXASvbLxpDZjuPlsOnaMn4jSTmw4fzafmbTjQA/s16000/23-11-18%20Garden%20PEG_3333%20Coal%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Coal Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Periparus ater</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Early the following day, I had a message from Shannon to say "Sadly the hedgehog didn't make it over night, I was very shocked this morning". She had fully expected it to be OK.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 20th November Donisthorpe Woodland</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I returned to Donisthorpe Woodland, accompanying Lindsay on another of her short walks. At one point, I found myself needing to sneak off into the trees to answer the call of nature. This resulted in me finding two Treecreepers. Some of my best finds, including a Long-eared Owl, have been due to me having to disappear off the beaten track to answer the call - age does have some benefits!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sb61lTPkDnoqwRYX1UvWCNcYIvrxwX_p2o1gBMJvToKqqGRmxkMyn9b3LcWsBZkzvPIiDzRgp3YMegbkX7z45j56FK6uO8o4ZEvwGIxMJS05k2vbYMlt4NYn6NARp7SLMwJiuSdtIlPIWFrvhsyIS2n83fGP5V831jGmeD7te3b0O11-Ng2Q3noE99U/s945/23-11-20%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3373%20Treecreeper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sb61lTPkDnoqwRYX1UvWCNcYIvrxwX_p2o1gBMJvToKqqGRmxkMyn9b3LcWsBZkzvPIiDzRgp3YMegbkX7z45j56FK6uO8o4ZEvwGIxMJS05k2vbYMlt4NYn6NARp7SLMwJiuSdtIlPIWFrvhsyIS2n83fGP5V831jGmeD7te3b0O11-Ng2Q3noE99U/s16000/23-11-20%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3373%20Treecreeper%20.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOQzyrbiKhnOR-YbaKqsW5vt59S_Ya23lQzhA5HPCFhUMc0niKqL_ITn0M0K6wT57VikxGqTuMlqdVW7mVTQgb2wjUimcRphkoSVscUg7qxvqiXBrPkz_ahiy8emEU6rGM08HWUAP1QXajL36_VAQKMshE9WAZ23T3FNxoVflJTdt2gMzh_r04hoXUWw/s832/23-11-20%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3389%20Treecreeper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOQzyrbiKhnOR-YbaKqsW5vt59S_Ya23lQzhA5HPCFhUMc0niKqL_ITn0M0K6wT57VikxGqTuMlqdVW7mVTQgb2wjUimcRphkoSVscUg7qxvqiXBrPkz_ahiy8emEU6rGM08HWUAP1QXajL36_VAQKMshE9WAZ23T3FNxoVflJTdt2gMzh_r04hoXUWw/s16000/23-11-20%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3389%20Treecreeper%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuGH8bOr8w5CdStQNAOdDPLg37kRKkuCTQUUtsBiRaf90QBCAl1mkwXYPbXTcIxIh4LegWnRQkyfFQBnsS3a12AqWcn9f7QJaLSGfc58oAR9Wo25rNHzOus6zZ3L7qmYodHvBC-v8xtgywsycCL_540L9C0QsyiwPof-GhUbLKqUafe2Mqls3o7OXaZo/s964/23-11-20%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3406%20Treecreeper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuGH8bOr8w5CdStQNAOdDPLg37kRKkuCTQUUtsBiRaf90QBCAl1mkwXYPbXTcIxIh4LegWnRQkyfFQBnsS3a12AqWcn9f7QJaLSGfc58oAR9Wo25rNHzOus6zZ3L7qmYodHvBC-v8xtgywsycCL_540L9C0QsyiwPof-GhUbLKqUafe2Mqls3o7OXaZo/s16000/23-11-20%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_3406%20Treecreeper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Treecreeper (<i>Certhia familiaris</i>) - Donisthorpe Woodland</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 23rd November Hicks Lodge</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Prompted by reports of Mealy Redpoll, amongst larger numbers of Lesser Redpoll, I set off for Hicks Lodge, which is only about 2 miles (3 km) from our home. I parked at Oakthorpe Colliery and walked in from the south of the site. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I didn't find any redpolls, but there were other birds to be seen, although nothing of great note.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>From the trail in, there were Canada Geese in their usual foraging/roosting field to the west of the trail. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJ1qEofQQxatU1zN7z-3q8HjtDhRsx5KJrDi78voB5D9r8NMNjeIYNE-fIxm-8bvWgOfLwgHStQM7JacMvoGQJJrF9QbQz4jL03nsjTMiJDnLvXZHrz86VnJnaKz9dmuJuO8NNvBQcygY4Y9iFoiMAuFuJIiLQHqLKWUKWvfXNaipm6EnVnOZDBZGvNs/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3428%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJ1qEofQQxatU1zN7z-3q8HjtDhRsx5KJrDi78voB5D9r8NMNjeIYNE-fIxm-8bvWgOfLwgHStQM7JacMvoGQJJrF9QbQz4jL03nsjTMiJDnLvXZHrz86VnJnaKz9dmuJuO8NNvBQcygY4Y9iFoiMAuFuJIiLQHqLKWUKWvfXNaipm6EnVnOZDBZGvNs/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3428%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Hicks Lodge</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>As I reached the lake, a group of Canada Geese headed towards the lake from their foraging/roosting field.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH36ju5lqLRxiLCRwuvMFAjsAUv7K8Y-s5MwVu5-jIEP1lt6ByumoA5eeuO4xgsH_Bh87zdyLOtFvLejtG0N-A_dUA0HYlhff-g6vb33i21gHzMT6w9EiHkTxf6CFswhIG0-cfTG7chOf51cwGmHEtQRcZZo5whU0DPNaNbte9VmundlLi6GyLTK5Z69g/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3453%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH36ju5lqLRxiLCRwuvMFAjsAUv7K8Y-s5MwVu5-jIEP1lt6ByumoA5eeuO4xgsH_Bh87zdyLOtFvLejtG0N-A_dUA0HYlhff-g6vb33i21gHzMT6w9EiHkTxf6CFswhIG0-cfTG7chOf51cwGmHEtQRcZZo5whU0DPNaNbte9VmundlLi6GyLTK5Z69g/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3453%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Hicks Lodge</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>The birds on the lake were mainly quite distant, and the weather was dull, so photography was a challenge. This is the best I could manage of a drake Pochard.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Rc-hcGI2W8-2wCSQ1qsdSEQIZLFdzFtDBA7h_L-IogSoWLdkz6SFEQO4CE57JINPkZVBwYTnlWJBfYCqg_Cn2McvMNY43V3IhqqOKM3agKq51K-Wr6QCnzNGP6Hh1qyCsOtzVZUmC-Pic9cSqKY1C85EwXqZjD9T6-2DIkx66RwBby-7i7tvb7er1_w/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3458%20Pochard%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Rc-hcGI2W8-2wCSQ1qsdSEQIZLFdzFtDBA7h_L-IogSoWLdkz6SFEQO4CE57JINPkZVBwYTnlWJBfYCqg_Cn2McvMNY43V3IhqqOKM3agKq51K-Wr6QCnzNGP6Hh1qyCsOtzVZUmC-Pic9cSqKY1C85EwXqZjD9T6-2DIkx66RwBby-7i7tvb7er1_w/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3458%20Pochard%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Pochard (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aythya ferina</i>) (male) - Hicks Lodge<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><b>There were a few Great Crested Grebe around, but they stayed very distant.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7oZicG66z2fTYOtrIx3nS6NqnpTMOG-5ilEsvkWOWZFeiMMhCMdFABBIX7Trnm42XPfLBmmt-0httF9viFkqvJeOspP8AkZYXFx_lZEErPUA_xEG5M3ljdt8DEjVbFd7Ea52Th-Ee7LlYCQ07wfzvOKXTAm7jwadcRHoP4GOEWJM-34bVDB-QRygzGg/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3459%20Great%20Crested%20Grebe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7oZicG66z2fTYOtrIx3nS6NqnpTMOG-5ilEsvkWOWZFeiMMhCMdFABBIX7Trnm42XPfLBmmt-0httF9viFkqvJeOspP8AkZYXFx_lZEErPUA_xEG5M3ljdt8DEjVbFd7Ea52Th-Ee7LlYCQ07wfzvOKXTAm7jwadcRHoP4GOEWJM-34bVDB-QRygzGg/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3459%20Great%20Crested%20Grebe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Crested Grebe (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Podiceps cristatus</i>) - Hicks Lodge<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>A group of four Little Grebe were somewhat closer, staying close to the near side of the northern island.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSwlpC38RoOcPzQlNsELWyOU_5bBUyHcHdnz4SCKeQQyegP9xTFkV3Db5i3hkCDNukpyoOJWB60gH1OvFBA3Cu_-7KkWQlTpenDo9mnPRVtTvX7NH6kEGSLCfhJ1i6w03-WfxZafduB8UPcRdXSAajJPN1dXz2MFEi_P9z-VFk8zEInXdnjKDuBdEG0Y/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3488%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSwlpC38RoOcPzQlNsELWyOU_5bBUyHcHdnz4SCKeQQyegP9xTFkV3Db5i3hkCDNukpyoOJWB60gH1OvFBA3Cu_-7KkWQlTpenDo9mnPRVtTvX7NH6kEGSLCfhJ1i6w03-WfxZafduB8UPcRdXSAajJPN1dXz2MFEi_P9z-VFk8zEInXdnjKDuBdEG0Y/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3488%20Little%20Grebe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Little Grebe (<span class="w8qArf"></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Tachybaptus ruficollis</i>) - Hicks Lodge<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b>I thought that I could see something on the near bank of the island, and wondered if it was a lurking Snipe as they have favoured this location in the past. However, I could not make it out properly with my binoculars, so took some shots with the camera that I could zoom in on. I soon saw that it was just a bit of pale shrub. I don't know what made me scan along these photos, rather than discard them, when I got home but I did, and found a Snipe!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The photo, below, is an uncropped in width (but resampled to fit on the blog page) image with the lens at 400 mm, so you can see that it was a distance away. Can you see the Snipe?</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIRlJyBFe6mPJiAjW-Ik3r9Unv8aHE51Wvf8WpG1Gt7W7vovjExis_bXz9VKzSog9rZWJUlvffbE2Tq77xMDgmTEsW8Z4ZuApNgDJk46e9hrXYtHIr2uN-JIs7NxOL6gos2Mh1HX1Ig6AZL6zo379KwMdE_cI2hPbpUihwQxUA_wjh1cXctHy6BbRB2Q/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3505%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIRlJyBFe6mPJiAjW-Ik3r9Unv8aHE51Wvf8WpG1Gt7W7vovjExis_bXz9VKzSog9rZWJUlvffbE2Tq77xMDgmTEsW8Z4ZuApNgDJk46e9hrXYtHIr2uN-JIs7NxOL6gos2Mh1HX1Ig6AZL6zo379KwMdE_cI2hPbpUihwQxUA_wjh1cXctHy6BbRB2Q/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3505%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a><b>Here's a cropped image, so you can probably find it now.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInWFb_S_N_1X_V2cf7FQ3LgWDCV1OVicO0tx6vAXSBZxSXYIMqrZRWbcXUYAZ00k9nW5v7K5o5RYm5LgtbjCEsDNJTsMrLnzizMjRkyf7999zUiTq27bf4c8LcH76RccUHDqLBFoE5w9hJZ5l0bHpn1Z5cfXhbxx367bb3Oay1xPrTeXlnlYZNxf9Qqs/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3504%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInWFb_S_N_1X_V2cf7FQ3LgWDCV1OVicO0tx6vAXSBZxSXYIMqrZRWbcXUYAZ00k9nW5v7K5o5RYm5LgtbjCEsDNJTsMrLnzizMjRkyf7999zUiTq27bf4c8LcH76RccUHDqLBFoE5w9hJZ5l0bHpn1Z5cfXhbxx367bb3Oay1xPrTeXlnlYZNxf9Qqs/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3504%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Snipe <span>(<i>Gallinago gallinago</i>) - Hicks Lodge<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>As I started back towards my car, I took some shots of a Mute Swan.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovFYotfh9xT9FuiERR28fjSCgnmFADBIno0LRnHWjUrMGX3PVsgFvZd_QOaJuXev-7x90nT9BphyphenhyphenkDo8i4PrC6asvUWcBMH-e2TrGOvyV3CvAl20SknNx0G5S2pWeq7jTrBfmMNAG4QC6kbJdVThWNpw5qjGpYU7ro8HigXAY5B3J8acG9DiQUWZ1VJI/s825/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3509%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovFYotfh9xT9FuiERR28fjSCgnmFADBIno0LRnHWjUrMGX3PVsgFvZd_QOaJuXev-7x90nT9BphyphenhyphenkDo8i4PrC6asvUWcBMH-e2TrGOvyV3CvAl20SknNx0G5S2pWeq7jTrBfmMNAG4QC6kbJdVThWNpw5qjGpYU7ro8HigXAY5B3J8acG9DiQUWZ1VJI/s16000/23-11-23%20Hicks%20Lodge%20PEG_3509%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mute Swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>) - Hicks Lodge</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>I was a little disappointed by the lack of Redpoll sightings and the dull weather, but I'd still had an enjoyable time.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;">Friday, 24th November Garden</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the morning, I had another attempt to photograph Goldcrest in the garden. Although it turned out to be a sunny day, the sun had not yet got round to being on the bushes favoured the Goldcrest. Nevertheless, I did manage some slightly better images than those that had resulted from my previous recent efforts.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96KbIQ6K0Ze1rwY1mR3CFq1w0mDGB53I_46Xlv_6OOr1y6YEFkjpcYwMyDyAm6aOeCcYvgSetMDBTg6nHzejGxMCM4jGDslZ0vgQDEYCQ4K58A67sClJw1reiSOQN2VOImVSN8zL_zsPabymaB18olD1YJivGx_-VztbvZT1eVuugwp1r1us_y4d_-dc/s800/23-11-24%20Garden%20PEG_3535%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96KbIQ6K0Ze1rwY1mR3CFq1w0mDGB53I_46Xlv_6OOr1y6YEFkjpcYwMyDyAm6aOeCcYvgSetMDBTg6nHzejGxMCM4jGDslZ0vgQDEYCQ4K58A67sClJw1reiSOQN2VOImVSN8zL_zsPabymaB18olD1YJivGx_-VztbvZT1eVuugwp1r1us_y4d_-dc/s16000/23-11-24%20Garden%20PEG_3535%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyg7wI2lEIX8stwB0cYFP9LLs_NXt2sE8MU_IzyhtRweQT4TCdEIMxyeAVSqACkf5vYoaxXu7TqePUm44UNTvq7IIKtHNVkqfMca7kDr3gQJurtraya0Bll_I14tdzFGomq2YDwGf1kjPdTvgROU79OYJQwXu3SU9GiU7KFa9AkbssSzawOeaR9kBoxE/s825/23-11-24%20Garden%20PEG_3538%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyg7wI2lEIX8stwB0cYFP9LLs_NXt2sE8MU_IzyhtRweQT4TCdEIMxyeAVSqACkf5vYoaxXu7TqePUm44UNTvq7IIKtHNVkqfMca7kDr3gQJurtraya0Bll_I14tdzFGomq2YDwGf1kjPdTvgROU79OYJQwXu3SU9GiU7KFa9AkbssSzawOeaR9kBoxE/s16000/23-11-24%20Garden%20PEG_3538%20Goldcrest%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldcrest (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Regulus regulus</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>That afternoon, I made a visit to Rutland Water - an event which was covered by my previous blog post.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>If all goes according to plan, my
next post will feature garden observations from the last few days of November.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard </b></p></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div><p></p></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-19641951296338529292023-12-02T12:00:00.003+00:002023-12-06T14:19:34.441+00:00An Afternoon at Rutland Water - 24th November, 2023<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Largely due to the situation at home, I have not been able to get to Rutland Water as much as I would have liked to this year. However, on this day, the weather was forecast to be sunny, if a little chilly, and the situation at home was relatively stable.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I managed to get away late morning and took my usual cross-country 'owling route' with no expectations of seeing an owl, and this turned out to be the case. It's makes me sad to reflect on past travels on this route when, occasionally, the out and back journey would result in Little Owl sightings just reaching double figures, over the 17 Little Owl nest sites that I passed. Virtually every one of these sites has decayed to the point that they are no longer habitable. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>By one of my old sites, however, I was lucky enough to spot two distant Red Kites, one of which came a little closer to the point that I had stopped at.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAjNHHIhP7ZzEoKMnfwgII-KBljzJs_2er0fYiCc5eXdhq_Hyj8fm2SqOWxb1QJKi3a1S4hMbTKwEu-Vp5ebgP6ntLAM8bpG1178zVyNbTlXW4FN-9wWgsB0jgAMolt6_lpRFl6e0SosOkabzZC-9PNhTP6ERrbuXy1HQNBpQ3FjA6u8G08Ug8SMswQw/s825/23-11-24%20Skeg%20Hill%20PEG_3543%20Red%20Kite%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAjNHHIhP7ZzEoKMnfwgII-KBljzJs_2er0fYiCc5eXdhq_Hyj8fm2SqOWxb1QJKi3a1S4hMbTKwEu-Vp5ebgP6ntLAM8bpG1178zVyNbTlXW4FN-9wWgsB0jgAMolt6_lpRFl6e0SosOkabzZC-9PNhTP6ERrbuXy1HQNBpQ3FjA6u8G08Ug8SMswQw/s16000/23-11-24%20Skeg%20Hill%20PEG_3543%20Red%20Kite%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEgYHwuYPr7WCs2w8kWUl98uabeHFHIv_Ibzd507lWrIQyLDw_Yr8_74wlZ84psSogTPSCtW5nntQ1_yJ6RmdjKhGEyxgVuiafGuQ841xbBjxlmEgf70Nf5neNmAHj516yB8LFMjX4_UeHNe9CiOB-erhTj-jPq4TtJpJMM3HDTmIGbXL3eJpZTkjvn4/s825/23-11-24%20Skeg%20Hill%20PEG_3558%20Red%20Kite%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmEgYHwuYPr7WCs2w8kWUl98uabeHFHIv_Ibzd507lWrIQyLDw_Yr8_74wlZ84psSogTPSCtW5nntQ1_yJ6RmdjKhGEyxgVuiafGuQ841xbBjxlmEgf70Nf5neNmAHj516yB8LFMjX4_UeHNe9CiOB-erhTj-jPq4TtJpJMM3HDTmIGbXL3eJpZTkjvn4/s16000/23-11-24%20Skeg%20Hill%20PEG_3558%20Red%20Kite%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Red Kite (<i>Milvus milvus</i>) - Skeg Hill</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I pulled into my usual picnic spot for a late lunch. This is a location where at one time, while sitting in my car, I could monitor three of those Little Owl sites.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Nothing more of interest was seen before I arrived at Rutland Water - again, this route used to yield good sightings of farmland birds, and I have noted a worrying decline in this aspect too.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having parked in the Visitor Centre car park at the Egleton side of Rutland Water, I checked in by Tree Sparrow Hide to sort out my camera settings, just finding a Blue Tit as a subject.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53xy_3IwzfufsCWNb5TwGFXbFwRkl5ZGLeHeSmJu2SF_J19u7kqMAp7WYXfVtGNIKLrnyiuem8Rn7yGD5e1O_E5gUhexfyzJpeSv9dlW3vl86Afxwdi672T3Miq8RZM7jfyuLGdS7DQMCCoi_Zhx_0YCTU9f2yzWFSHOHuF5va3w-HDDS2hNMPEXsVSc/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3565%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53xy_3IwzfufsCWNb5TwGFXbFwRkl5ZGLeHeSmJu2SF_J19u7kqMAp7WYXfVtGNIKLrnyiuem8Rn7yGD5e1O_E5gUhexfyzJpeSv9dlW3vl86Afxwdi672T3Miq8RZM7jfyuLGdS7DQMCCoi_Zhx_0YCTU9f2yzWFSHOHuF5va3w-HDDS2hNMPEXsVSc/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3565%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blue Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i>) - from Tree Sparrow Hide</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had made up my mind, as my daylight time was going to be limited and the best prospects were towards the far end of the trail to the north, I would make my way directly to the northern end of the reserve and work my way back.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I ascended the ramp to Plover Hide, which overlooks Lagoon 4, I was closely observed by some sheep. Here's one of them.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGNW6jPOT845yD5Dl8afyV39i45zV16sjUBXZexnxpSCSfPd1QAL9ywoWwUxkMlkxrIjmzylRsK4TdVFZkRKY2_NHpIf5p9LH7idwv5z4ICEtTVqnyFEiLO4bS1-4xWmsL1VSNyWVbufZEfSi4h-wlo4KJiBsZ75KQDrEUDi7htJfzZ0ndbs706qlQvM/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3576%20Black%20Sheep%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGNW6jPOT845yD5Dl8afyV39i45zV16sjUBXZexnxpSCSfPd1QAL9ywoWwUxkMlkxrIjmzylRsK4TdVFZkRKY2_NHpIf5p9LH7idwv5z4ICEtTVqnyFEiLO4bS1-4xWmsL1VSNyWVbufZEfSi4h-wlo4KJiBsZ75KQDrEUDi7htJfzZ0ndbs706qlQvM/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3576%20Black%20Sheep%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hebridean Sheep (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Ovis aries</i>) - by Plover Hide</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had Plover Hide to myself, and found plenty to entertain me although most was rather distant, and the direction of the sun was unfavourable.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Most impressive from this location was a line of a few hundred Golden Plover, interspersed with a few Lapwing. The first image, below, shows a part of the line with the lens at 400mm.The second image is a heavily cropped image of a smaller section of the same group.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_BqEFlwXHIyhThpK_OqXPFjQgODmXwnXMRaOb3BG87nopM3LitEW-N2v6RZ1vJlHedQOEdP8ChLQncSBflLocoBqGsHriNyfhPqCf30bHMksvHEOuoQknRczrskSVrV1BZT2RW5fdGroP3_1CqDpjcF4F3vm4CaQ4QD0vJMKZ3c1ZtAbwIrwKjCIPAA/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3584%20Golden%20Plover%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk_BqEFlwXHIyhThpK_OqXPFjQgODmXwnXMRaOb3BG87nopM3LitEW-N2v6RZ1vJlHedQOEdP8ChLQncSBflLocoBqGsHriNyfhPqCf30bHMksvHEOuoQknRczrskSVrV1BZT2RW5fdGroP3_1CqDpjcF4F3vm4CaQ4QD0vJMKZ3c1ZtAbwIrwKjCIPAA/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3584%20Golden%20Plover%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg508CyTvy27Pxw2XMJ3cSRM-jQ34WeNlLwAGmPZJ931zgOPdMukUua2NSZ0ru5G68m-wkEHjvcrGNaL2DGRuPvxns9rNLXULDJ2-PliBHD7WrFdus4DOTPCkh7mCgCyzbKflaNVmQWrskS0-Ha78LclpmYfPrd8ny4GWn7Ko0z2MKmOzvrP59mMwamajc/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3581%20Golden%20Plover%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg508CyTvy27Pxw2XMJ3cSRM-jQ34WeNlLwAGmPZJ931zgOPdMukUua2NSZ0ru5G68m-wkEHjvcrGNaL2DGRuPvxns9rNLXULDJ2-PliBHD7WrFdus4DOTPCkh7mCgCyzbKflaNVmQWrskS0-Ha78LclpmYfPrd8ny4GWn7Ko0z2MKmOzvrP59mMwamajc/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3581%20Golden%20Plover%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Golden Plover (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pluvialis apricaria</i>) - from Plover Hide<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Much closer, and on the edge of an island opposite the hide, were some Wigeon which were resting, and a male came drifting by.</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElQqlegSWZ9xu1rTTeccgSgzj-Lz4actzAvXqwslNXfjb5NWo3XSLThp7_c0GntNVmYsLboPEb9Ar9U9mLKHD27OUxyI59JaCcTYPKoY_VZpWWAeK5KuBbK-7TDgUKiQ2xeYIWQWEFKqODLGsNnalR7jxi6Lb9sicdiLVljHoRCUtBgKahGXcDUPeybw/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3591%20Wigeon%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElQqlegSWZ9xu1rTTeccgSgzj-Lz4actzAvXqwslNXfjb5NWo3XSLThp7_c0GntNVmYsLboPEb9Ar9U9mLKHD27OUxyI59JaCcTYPKoY_VZpWWAeK5KuBbK-7TDgUKiQ2xeYIWQWEFKqODLGsNnalR7jxi6Lb9sicdiLVljHoRCUtBgKahGXcDUPeybw/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3591%20Wigeon%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wigeon (<i>Mareca penelope</i>) - from Plover Hide</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwFZ4NYZMfdhKo4fKBhCab-YQzzSlqfkSpvcTmCLpCdaAyFWrOzkLeJ-NlG-f9cAbxy6erozqGPH8Lk_JePwRu1vDFP2DHLVRsvL1cuShJ4mrUPbsb2J0t-78SvMt84SpVclFp1SXIu-tHs6QArwXdXW1iSQ3ZY71D0XaH9b_TbyS06q6opNRd0vEGRM/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3610%20Wigeon%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwFZ4NYZMfdhKo4fKBhCab-YQzzSlqfkSpvcTmCLpCdaAyFWrOzkLeJ-NlG-f9cAbxy6erozqGPH8Lk_JePwRu1vDFP2DHLVRsvL1cuShJ4mrUPbsb2J0t-78SvMt84SpVclFp1SXIu-tHs6QArwXdXW1iSQ3ZY71D0XaH9b_TbyS06q6opNRd0vEGRM/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3610%20Wigeon%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wigeon (<i>Mareca penelope</i>) (male) - from Plover Hide</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Unfortunately distant, I spotted a pair of Pintail. I'd have loved to get a closer shot of the handsome male of the species.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXZoupkYnlO4ExgBfkrCc5STKvMEcrJPNOxp9oINdz6Hh4Xd7hj_ZBmLsi0gg1w-Y2fJCvLhIVVEBTsEdZyjwBsuBTPrtrUCVbjripigHxYRn-S0cCteOTG6uT8tEIRcnBmq9CyqbMr2hJ6tkYlt1g_Im1UsnMZ25gdmRvkVjoonFSzm4iOFo1VP2UoU/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3601%20Pintail%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTXZoupkYnlO4ExgBfkrCc5STKvMEcrJPNOxp9oINdz6Hh4Xd7hj_ZBmLsi0gg1w-Y2fJCvLhIVVEBTsEdZyjwBsuBTPrtrUCVbjripigHxYRn-S0cCteOTG6uT8tEIRcnBmq9CyqbMr2hJ6tkYlt1g_Im1UsnMZ25gdmRvkVjoonFSzm4iOFo1VP2UoU/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3601%20Pintail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Northern Pintail (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anas acuta</i>) (male + female) - from Plover Hide<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Lapwing was slowly moving around on the island in front of the hide.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_yRDpkw3obtMsXNJUi2WXVrJ2eQPiuMHY2vW-N2kitSS6PS3ZTI2QMlQ_PN5CvD28XxwhMCsxKiTV3QDNO-u9mdOn1gltKSTU7dmAmvB_CBVzT5RGSMpQjewzw6Atd2air6V24GvVshujhdc11rQaI1e70_y-cnk9XarfeDrkZQn_R82gLWxkcvBrzU/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3608%20Lapwing%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_yRDpkw3obtMsXNJUi2WXVrJ2eQPiuMHY2vW-N2kitSS6PS3ZTI2QMlQ_PN5CvD28XxwhMCsxKiTV3QDNO-u9mdOn1gltKSTU7dmAmvB_CBVzT5RGSMpQjewzw6Atd2air6V24GvVshujhdc11rQaI1e70_y-cnk9XarfeDrkZQn_R82gLWxkcvBrzU/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3608%20Lapwing%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Lapwing (<span><i>Vanellus vanellus</i>) -from Plover Hide<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A drake Shoveler drifted into view.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMRgdA-j4G7iZWU7svEyDKWpF9pMss5R72YJTb12JIoYHhyphenhyphen9hjwlou-6r8y60le4axgJ8Yc7bIWrdbnIvNDU__gdP4-rI0xSU9-dr_g00QYxsIaE9ISPc4qnSvU5Eqb3Y-VjArCjInMP4xA19ekSlXwKAkNm7JkyFq3FYFPhNCg-kRJwZDBrzfLKogCA/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3624%20Shoveler%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMRgdA-j4G7iZWU7svEyDKWpF9pMss5R72YJTb12JIoYHhyphenhyphen9hjwlou-6r8y60le4axgJ8Yc7bIWrdbnIvNDU__gdP4-rI0xSU9-dr_g00QYxsIaE9ISPc4qnSvU5Eqb3Y-VjArCjInMP4xA19ekSlXwKAkNm7JkyFq3FYFPhNCg-kRJwZDBrzfLKogCA/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3624%20Shoveler%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Shoveler (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Spatula clypeata</i>) (male) - from Plover Hide</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I now felt that it was time to move on. Bittern Hide was next on the list. By the access track to the hide I found a few Shaggy Ink-cap fungi.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Shp-rcrdTFaVj1kvvIgRPg5fyMNDCNspJ-ZcQwoTHQOOv_mZ1VJT-YpbiI3j1EYykDUaCn_HvAq1h8ykzfaZZOJVlsg8lq9Rft2yfJctiGfhbwTgysINgwN53rk3CzuXXbSvhG7vrOQdhgQwHtfcaHkd5lR2BkY8JzvFgMm9fEeoWHZLXz1PkK6mZAo/s1031/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3634%20Shaggy%20Ink-cap%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Shp-rcrdTFaVj1kvvIgRPg5fyMNDCNspJ-ZcQwoTHQOOv_mZ1VJT-YpbiI3j1EYykDUaCn_HvAq1h8ykzfaZZOJVlsg8lq9Rft2yfJctiGfhbwTgysINgwN53rk3CzuXXbSvhG7vrOQdhgQwHtfcaHkd5lR2BkY8JzvFgMm9fEeoWHZLXz1PkK6mZAo/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3634%20Shaggy%20Ink-cap%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Shaggy Ink-cap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Coprinus comatus</i>) - near Bittern Hide<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>There were no birds visible in front of Bittern Hide (which overlooks Lagoon 3), where I found myself alone once more, and I was on the verge of giving up when a smallish bird of prey flashed by and headed into some distant trees. By the time I found it in the viewfinder and took a few shots, it was far too distant to ID. As it had come from the direction of Shoveler Hide (which also overlooks Lagoon 3, but with a much broader outlook), I hurried there to see if anyone had spotted it and could ID it for me. I was immediately told it was a Peregrine. Here's the best that I could muster - not good enough for an ID shot, but what is visible fits Peregrine.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9qLbaFhF9Tf57Xfu2JOON7MIF4FzjoL6449abQDmQWpOBk_K4Y-N0vYuPvuKBoFpDnMGgtjdwJjwYRCauOUZOVIfSKWcYn3tw4ls_xnPCK1EaIaTxnxFFBuK1Hcqq5fdnqFHZIoFQZCdpk1W0KO_YUS-JOCNYUd9RZVRrtCIy6jcfa7_1NI-RkXaR8k/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3636%20Peregrine%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9qLbaFhF9Tf57Xfu2JOON7MIF4FzjoL6449abQDmQWpOBk_K4Y-N0vYuPvuKBoFpDnMGgtjdwJjwYRCauOUZOVIfSKWcYn3tw4ls_xnPCK1EaIaTxnxFFBuK1Hcqq5fdnqFHZIoFQZCdpk1W0KO_YUS-JOCNYUd9RZVRrtCIy6jcfa7_1NI-RkXaR8k/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3636%20Peregrine%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Peregrine Falcon (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Falco peregrinus</i>) - from Bittern Hide<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I spent a while in Shoveler Hide, which was almost full with people, as there were birds to be seen, although nothing of great note, and most being beyond the useful range of my lens or sitting on unattractive artificial structures. Here are a few birds that I did photograph.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykCTRluDnFxwTgmYHy-xD87Z3vpGyK5K7rebMAxWViOn2xqOA87UG5cyNC8biPpfTNixIoKElodfGhZBZX0q74hMAFv8ttbs3EjjVeTkj-clahm_zqFa4wUwjBGH-H3Wv8zgmo9jVLoRaM6d51YCbftpYXXNCcQz8YCcnlhiub-AB55aYcvcpMZtX5cc/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3648%20Shelduck%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykCTRluDnFxwTgmYHy-xD87Z3vpGyK5K7rebMAxWViOn2xqOA87UG5cyNC8biPpfTNixIoKElodfGhZBZX0q74hMAFv8ttbs3EjjVeTkj-clahm_zqFa4wUwjBGH-H3Wv8zgmo9jVLoRaM6d51YCbftpYXXNCcQz8YCcnlhiub-AB55aYcvcpMZtX5cc/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3648%20Shelduck%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Shelduck (<i>Tadorna tadorna</i>) (male) - from Shoveler Hide</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PgYjKH9f8wJFKaA9Zxaa9EBP0qsdgI3R74Da5DYGoxZcK9vz_vmKoI6FIZaKSKzHcSE0u4AYA3HrWNLzB9eVk_O8DOf5opZTKMDHdvnZEtC6x6qiuKVf-moPbq5pHH5xRy9DlU77mq1IjiUyqlnRwrYPAtn_j994elbXS_JMDbIUayzc9Sq4pedswNY/s981/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3658%20Cormorant%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3PgYjKH9f8wJFKaA9Zxaa9EBP0qsdgI3R74Da5DYGoxZcK9vz_vmKoI6FIZaKSKzHcSE0u4AYA3HrWNLzB9eVk_O8DOf5opZTKMDHdvnZEtC6x6qiuKVf-moPbq5pHH5xRy9DlU77mq1IjiUyqlnRwrYPAtn_j994elbXS_JMDbIUayzc9Sq4pedswNY/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3658%20Cormorant%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cormorant (<i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i>) - from Shoveler Hide</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeouNHu3b7cO-eaZetu-Hf0q8DDHb7U3IF01JCLY8Jny-G1jUH6Ax_ETh7xawBPAMYnFtptQmDb9TxKjqyssSfxKQYc6kMsrae6sAaQ9XwZDvS3LXfLlvBW8jjzs2n0WX9YJK3ZWD8wrHfgJIPv0MvjgDVvJHWEOyPDvWMC5a9inHLgFkpS1pqU_x5_s/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3663%20Gadwall%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeouNHu3b7cO-eaZetu-Hf0q8DDHb7U3IF01JCLY8Jny-G1jUH6Ax_ETh7xawBPAMYnFtptQmDb9TxKjqyssSfxKQYc6kMsrae6sAaQ9XwZDvS3LXfLlvBW8jjzs2n0WX9YJK3ZWD8wrHfgJIPv0MvjgDVvJHWEOyPDvWMC5a9inHLgFkpS1pqU_x5_s/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3663%20Gadwall%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Gadwall (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Mareca strepera</i>) (male) - from Shoveler Hide<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Keen to see more of the reserve before dusk, I called in at the empty Buzzard Hide (also overlooking Lagoon 3, but with a very narrow field of view) and found little in view except a close-by Cormorant.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1q1xuwu-ntaNo2B5epZSOI9T0-GjRzrLhHwAUJxhtOpV7WCzglY3Fkkl1l32evMGXjrzBxIZsopUTx6FGDKZu7RptGdCZnG0Cs-K20o_yj94lgTxdWoG-oWCEA-MBYCIsj-peLYNoGLHNFc-6WNbroMXCVOolRyzpxW_R5q8qjUb4gDh4QT1pNP1cuvc/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3668%20Cormorant%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1q1xuwu-ntaNo2B5epZSOI9T0-GjRzrLhHwAUJxhtOpV7WCzglY3Fkkl1l32evMGXjrzBxIZsopUTx6FGDKZu7RptGdCZnG0Cs-K20o_yj94lgTxdWoG-oWCEA-MBYCIsj-peLYNoGLHNFc-6WNbroMXCVOolRyzpxW_R5q8qjUb4gDh4QT1pNP1cuvc/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3668%20Cormorant%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cormorant (<i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i>) - from Buzzard Hide</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I decided not to spend time here, and popped over to Smew Hide (Lagoon 2), only to find the view was directly into the bright low sun, and seeing what was out there was virtually impossible, so left again without hesitation.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>At Crake Hide, which gives views onto the narrow north-west end of Lagoon 4, I found one other person in attendance. There were good views of Cormorants on the far bank opposite the hide and a Great White Egret a little further away on the far bank. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALWM2J2ES86sqGk_wPKOnrnhUAkQPidJTTaPQRGpMmZKQXBy7Gmh7SjBjY0arNSGRhNlx775aD49DrP0d0SI4yv0doJ1ZuB6_ZlvTC5LJ1FCJZ5iisNyYUuwHI9uKkidt4zdZ468CFF8NlasgkNrsAhA-AwtJ3IOnR-qyPMxkc623gcdayBxzxTFFzKQ/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3703%20Cormorant%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALWM2J2ES86sqGk_wPKOnrnhUAkQPidJTTaPQRGpMmZKQXBy7Gmh7SjBjY0arNSGRhNlx775aD49DrP0d0SI4yv0doJ1ZuB6_ZlvTC5LJ1FCJZ5iisNyYUuwHI9uKkidt4zdZ468CFF8NlasgkNrsAhA-AwtJ3IOnR-qyPMxkc623gcdayBxzxTFFzKQ/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3703%20Cormorant%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cormorant (<i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i>) - from Crake Hide</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUmwiwoW6-pbA8Ugngfuv6rK4QZ8gldwnJwHZqAIJ6LMzPH5Jot0RVa44EOUTC6BlYsY0Y46Jdd3EvwuX2eYCKJKDlc8ADnXsRLaRSeBFPsVd3LsfTczZrffbeb9tu4t1ZgtZ5MoIzlnpapq_5VxIGDXZE6ZQ90f_RMBkL4G5T5YwFyyRD8yyXl16GT4/s1042/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3685%20Great%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUmwiwoW6-pbA8Ugngfuv6rK4QZ8gldwnJwHZqAIJ6LMzPH5Jot0RVa44EOUTC6BlYsY0Y46Jdd3EvwuX2eYCKJKDlc8ADnXsRLaRSeBFPsVd3LsfTczZrffbeb9tu4t1ZgtZ5MoIzlnpapq_5VxIGDXZE6ZQ90f_RMBkL4G5T5YwFyyRD8yyXl16GT4/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3685%20Great%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Great White Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Ardea alba</i>) - from Crake Hide<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>At one point, the egret flew and joined the Cormorants.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrYsJwXQK6Zc6YR_zuOZ0IaICdqJfUEdzoPJnWFqGXbNe8hZF-gzEEUuAqZ5Ih0KK0zQuSO7xQsY821e0LkSQJlhZkeJnh8M5G_v-L5e7EYAyNLo9_hfx_LQAis6hDvY1Z1SBQTsrO8ZAJKLRlxBxS0O9BJSYtNOFklXWOywLQtnvSYtT0oZItXuEP7U/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3729%20Great%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrYsJwXQK6Zc6YR_zuOZ0IaICdqJfUEdzoPJnWFqGXbNe8hZF-gzEEUuAqZ5Ih0KK0zQuSO7xQsY821e0LkSQJlhZkeJnh8M5G_v-L5e7EYAyNLo9_hfx_LQAis6hDvY1Z1SBQTsrO8ZAJKLRlxBxS0O9BJSYtNOFklXWOywLQtnvSYtT0oZItXuEP7U/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3729%20Great%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Cormorant (<i>Phalacrocorax carbo</i>) and </span></b></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Great White Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Ardea alba</i>) </span></span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">- from Crake Hide</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I spent some very pleasant time chatting with my companion, but when a third person arrived it was my cue to depart as there were still other hides I wished to visit before I departed.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My visit to Sandpiper Hide on Lagoon 4 was a very quick one as everything was very distant, and the light was failing fast. Nothing was photographed from here.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was now time to start making my way back to the car park, calliing in at three hides as I did so.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I cannot remember whether it was at Osprey Hide or Grebe Hide that I photographed this Moorhen.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOz86dr5VN0ajg5KkLwvEILhxq1dvmNUb9ddtzpDXKR-jJ_sg3O-WRi-f-QWf1zijh6Y-1SyiP0D5urcIVBLeI3eYIjxdEmdKzYIS1XnxcFBOqlR-a-f-jqsNqSUtjA97kJVgtT5Zx9CImcDN-urlfSVCyLxjK1QWS94l0w-m8AxfOwBbE55r7FSe3xQ/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3742%20Moorhent%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOz86dr5VN0ajg5KkLwvEILhxq1dvmNUb9ddtzpDXKR-jJ_sg3O-WRi-f-QWf1zijh6Y-1SyiP0D5urcIVBLeI3eYIjxdEmdKzYIS1XnxcFBOqlR-a-f-jqsNqSUtjA97kJVgtT5Zx9CImcDN-urlfSVCyLxjK1QWS94l0w-m8AxfOwBbE55r7FSe3xQ/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3742%20Moorhent%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Moorhen (<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) - Rutland Water, Egleton side</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The last hide visited before returning to my car was Redshank Hide. The main item of interest here was a Great White Egret.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXce55Nw9dwKAUfbMyCXWV85PwQZNnW5ngmfQEKND4dt2Ueef0qkUJACD5o3zBpm8r0Lm-uU5mn2fRIIC5VfgewY-pA1J4OUCAzNPb9ZcgIAUhmFRjagdhV7st-rAW32a6p7UXKio1QaS__ra-I8c6QFW28LDFbWM9Sy5JWrI5d2sD3vxcolRtIIXPBxw/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3750%20Great%20Egret%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXce55Nw9dwKAUfbMyCXWV85PwQZNnW5ngmfQEKND4dt2Ueef0qkUJACD5o3zBpm8r0Lm-uU5mn2fRIIC5VfgewY-pA1J4OUCAzNPb9ZcgIAUhmFRjagdhV7st-rAW32a6p7UXKio1QaS__ra-I8c6QFW28LDFbWM9Sy5JWrI5d2sD3vxcolRtIIXPBxw/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3750%20Great%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Great White Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Ardea alba</i>) - from Redshank Hide</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My final shots were of a gull that flew past. I am not sure what the ID of this gull was, and neither ObsIdentify nor Merlin can help with its ID. <span style="color: #ffa400;">Germán, in Spain, has now advised that this is a juvenile Great Black-backed Gull, which ties in with one of the suggestions from ObsIdentify.</span></b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB97GjmTF30P2Q7gZ7XasAKTwhaa74ki-pWOeeLA21LwhxFA9nP92YaSoWGRBviWkxbagQ99AEaNFzgwHieE5jP4LWWuIYsu-1vnzd98tlTKdjBRIiBOiPcre6s2hzW9_t6EfwOb7PhM4CrCJ3Zs_DMqnrBezRruMfDYlDby-5zf-1x_b4dc99NGg62uA/s825/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3774%20Gull%20sp.%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB97GjmTF30P2Q7gZ7XasAKTwhaa74ki-pWOeeLA21LwhxFA9nP92YaSoWGRBviWkxbagQ99AEaNFzgwHieE5jP4LWWuIYsu-1vnzd98tlTKdjBRIiBOiPcre6s2hzW9_t6EfwOb7PhM4CrCJ3Zs_DMqnrBezRruMfDYlDby-5zf-1x_b4dc99NGg62uA/s16000/23-11-24%20Rutland%20Egleton%20PEG_3774%20Gull%20sp.%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">probable Great Black-backed Gull (<i>Larus marinus</i>) (juvenile) - from Redshank Hide</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having got back to the car, I had a short errand to run in Hambleton before heading home, by a faster route, rather than the countrified one, as darkness rolled in. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It had been a highly enjoyable afternoon out, even though nothing particularly exciting had been seen.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>If all goes according to plan, my next post will cover the second half of November, which included four short trips out, as well as some garden observations.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-79152247081757552422023-11-25T20:43:00.001+00:002023-11-25T20:43:59.900+00:00The First Half of November, 2023<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This post, covering the first half of the Month of November will bring me as far up-to-date as I am ever likely to get - unless I start mending my ways! It covers three short trips out, and garden observations - a few of which were cause for excitement.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 3rd November Garden : Saltersford Valley Country Park : Thortit Lake</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly graced us with a visit this day - not a rare butterfly, but a rather late one. It seemed to be in fine condition.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAgGYyYEQxU1vh6x_JzbxHCNVePuBHqRU2lylyY6zBWu5bZE7dmzNIEQWZhT48K2bPiRdfMR5xOsEGx3yjYkGdE444Ab3ai1uIhdDfw9nfCCkjTPawn_kzcEIustBJ_oxaQmvcJqK94A5ubHpIrY6UQI1Da8_90UexI9qPAWxsmUJF4TnH05jVv7Czak/s825/23-11-03%20Garden%20PEG_2824%20Small%20Tortoiseshell%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXAgGYyYEQxU1vh6x_JzbxHCNVePuBHqRU2lylyY6zBWu5bZE7dmzNIEQWZhT48K2bPiRdfMR5xOsEGx3yjYkGdE444Ab3ai1uIhdDfw9nfCCkjTPawn_kzcEIustBJ_oxaQmvcJqK94A5ubHpIrY6UQI1Da8_90UexI9qPAWxsmUJF4TnH05jVv7Czak/s16000/23-11-03%20Garden%20PEG_2824%20Small%20Tortoiseshell%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Small Tortoiseshell (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aglais urticae</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After lunch, I had a short trip out to Saltersford Valley, in the hope of finding some late dragonflies or damselflies. I had no such luck as, after the heavy rains, the boardwalk was closed due to it being under water. Other parts of the area were only just passable too without the benefit of wellington boots. The only photos I took were of a Coot, and a Black-headed Gull with Tufted Duck and Moorhen in the background.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARKCgDKTDdDsOlAMgn7XeXiNdpAM6bPLp9TKIDNovIM517njUd1A33Z1YbZ5LGPu5P2_DwYuF7-dh8N7ze4G5pHDjLUrfrOtqZaRdniFO0Ljdlx9CUC7VYxf6KrQiHWnVOtn9JjDhD_gk_1Di3A_6bzpNF2Oc_2mQLQwfKQ1163NsLmEPHahEZ40g4D4/s825/23-11-03%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_2829%20Coot%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARKCgDKTDdDsOlAMgn7XeXiNdpAM6bPLp9TKIDNovIM517njUd1A33Z1YbZ5LGPu5P2_DwYuF7-dh8N7ze4G5pHDjLUrfrOtqZaRdniFO0Ljdlx9CUC7VYxf6KrQiHWnVOtn9JjDhD_gk_1Di3A_6bzpNF2Oc_2mQLQwfKQ1163NsLmEPHahEZ40g4D4/s16000/23-11-03%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_2829%20Coot%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coot (<i>Fulica atra</i>) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBV4bbxGFNHSuIuZdnQjZEb9FC79ON6aLZBFKjWPOzgIMOl5irJ4BApviEY3I5eGBy6XYXEGYeret1Z4LimY9eIk756t8fxxKlWQTBBDUOaDvw1CLAMcbiOdrN3IJfzPB8SRGUqE6Z9tkSMXho3X9oT45236xS6b1Xnxlp1PGqA5hKgdts7E2_JCvEoVQ/s825/23-11-03%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_2834%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBV4bbxGFNHSuIuZdnQjZEb9FC79ON6aLZBFKjWPOzgIMOl5irJ4BApviEY3I5eGBy6XYXEGYeret1Z4LimY9eIk756t8fxxKlWQTBBDUOaDvw1CLAMcbiOdrN3IJfzPB8SRGUqE6Z9tkSMXho3X9oT45236xS6b1Xnxlp1PGqA5hKgdts7E2_JCvEoVQ/s16000/23-11-03%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_2834%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Saltersford Valley CP<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Being somewhat disgruntled by the lack of wildlife on show at Saltersford Valley, I called in at Thortit Lake on my way home. Here again, I was thwarted by flooded paths, the only bird even vaguely photographable being a distant and noisy Great Spotted Woodpecker.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPOxoZXRSzS3m6QnvARTisgSDY5vwqlAHy1V4YhFZ6qN53etuOiPMsbRPh1Alfgy78PO1CL5n6Fe3sFblGvYXkWETO4MR9TLTTtBp4V07nSNzk7IVD9vh6pkitYyRsCVyYIBxdS5r3pIabcihp8OiZ9BdclLAAwtzZb9iI29f8nJc1hhR7nWsFVZBFL8/s825/23-11-03%20by%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_2849%20Great%20Spotted%20Woodpecker%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPOxoZXRSzS3m6QnvARTisgSDY5vwqlAHy1V4YhFZ6qN53etuOiPMsbRPh1Alfgy78PO1CL5n6Fe3sFblGvYXkWETO4MR9TLTTtBp4V07nSNzk7IVD9vh6pkitYyRsCVyYIBxdS5r3pIabcihp8OiZ9BdclLAAwtzZb9iI29f8nJc1hhR7nWsFVZBFL8/s16000/23-11-03%20by%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_2849%20Great%20Spotted%20Woodpecker%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Spotted Woodpecker (<span class="w8qArf"></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Dendrocopos major</i>) (male) - by Thortit Lake<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 5th November Garden : Old Parks Farm</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The weather was relatively dry this day and, having finished lunch (always taken in the conservatory), I photographed a few of the birds in the garden. These ranged from the very common Great Tit, the slightly less common Greenfinch, and the extremely infrequent, and delightful, visitors in the form of Long-tailed Tits.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoMGKPCz8QAhC64uiNY3U69UX_wRWXA6q-TMAzr0f6P3Q9fQEJKZyqPiV7qOSVDtEtv-X6GCSAAF0tVXGfyypeApZoS_NqLCNRdshZ9POkBEt_XiiIlhrw8WP3Le4U9JAYro64TPhXU38AFMBvlRiqM3ZT_1-fFkEc_wBh2Z7ekqT2xAuWdvx_fCDas0/s825/23-11-05%20Garden%20PEG_2871%20Great%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoMGKPCz8QAhC64uiNY3U69UX_wRWXA6q-TMAzr0f6P3Q9fQEJKZyqPiV7qOSVDtEtv-X6GCSAAF0tVXGfyypeApZoS_NqLCNRdshZ9POkBEt_XiiIlhrw8WP3Le4U9JAYro64TPhXU38AFMBvlRiqM3ZT_1-fFkEc_wBh2Z7ekqT2xAuWdvx_fCDas0/s16000/23-11-05%20Garden%20PEG_2871%20Great%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Tit (<span class="w8qArf"></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Parus major</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPm0-r4XvrH9TCWfpx5F3_a0oik9vtiJIdGlmiu_A90K27SjkOs0CHq61SbW_ed2tIGN4TH3Ijbg7q1mq8NIkLydulwqdgwf8d90qZtQU-FUvXEhNmfipfthRAgUhRx73U_FHBtrYMDZwRJ6II1xriSLm_d3NHoXWEECe8S88oTo1FKhVcAz7ctdvsDo/s825/23-11-05%20Garden%20PEG_2881%20Greenfinch%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPm0-r4XvrH9TCWfpx5F3_a0oik9vtiJIdGlmiu_A90K27SjkOs0CHq61SbW_ed2tIGN4TH3Ijbg7q1mq8NIkLydulwqdgwf8d90qZtQU-FUvXEhNmfipfthRAgUhRx73U_FHBtrYMDZwRJ6II1xriSLm_d3NHoXWEECe8S88oTo1FKhVcAz7ctdvsDo/s16000/23-11-05%20Garden%20PEG_2881%20Greenfinch%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenfinch (<i>Chloris chloris</i>) (female) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTraGJTEZnaylcFHzgxtEILFMYmcJINAqW6NEBszKmiym-HB3Ffn7hCNwgXD7joD9iiApD1plGKEAesSKZoa5DcHPIXDCm9kQqg0ro8bQDy5PMhP80TECZO5xUzOdZbIC3pHGkek19fe0HMEgWdi-3fks_k-5bjTNKN0il5oTcuhwL09d4TII9gqi8FHQ/s825/23-11-05%20Garden%20PEG_2876%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTraGJTEZnaylcFHzgxtEILFMYmcJINAqW6NEBszKmiym-HB3Ffn7hCNwgXD7joD9iiApD1plGKEAesSKZoa5DcHPIXDCm9kQqg0ro8bQDy5PMhP80TECZO5xUzOdZbIC3pHGkek19fe0HMEgWdi-3fks_k-5bjTNKN0il5oTcuhwL09d4TII9gqi8FHQ/s16000/23-11-05%20Garden%20PEG_2876%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had seen a report of a Short-eared Owl being seen from the Ashby de la Zouch bypass the previous day and, as the weather was reasonably favourable this day, I determined to go and look for it in the area that it had disappeared into. I spent about an hour and a half until dusk approached and saw nothing more interesting than some brown sheep, which I found amusing, and some fungi, the identity of which I have no idea.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HOnM3_EVGiqeV-BhbQyBW4ltOOheNZM4T8yMm19fcCgI551wXaQY2U8CiHOUHbD7h-pyvp0cZBrhQunlTg-ZeRrDGykuEVmOxeKdqZUy78O2mMnwZDni6kGcvb_z4rheKBuQiHvE5IyPzQPRdPIQM3YgXMFPi4CaZxvs86HE5qv4ZAulcazzCdNduNc/s825/23-11-05%20by%20Old%20Parks%20Farm%20PEG_2884%20Sheep%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HOnM3_EVGiqeV-BhbQyBW4ltOOheNZM4T8yMm19fcCgI551wXaQY2U8CiHOUHbD7h-pyvp0cZBrhQunlTg-ZeRrDGykuEVmOxeKdqZUy78O2mMnwZDni6kGcvb_z4rheKBuQiHvE5IyPzQPRdPIQM3YgXMFPi4CaZxvs86HE5qv4ZAulcazzCdNduNc/s16000/23-11-05%20by%20Old%20Parks%20Farm%20PEG_2884%20Sheep%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMb77U0nD3QriHq3dwQ0jOPIb9rWUKCUwJr-7IpKl0phngLSr6OnG2c4PUK01P0l0kIEvqvFvpqLU8eyQdTQCnlnRLzsfdlsgIEMZJt5oVhPIvqU3Uw46mmIscbHeiqeW1hvFk3YVcnOxUvJLunDDG8OCIqVv4f9QkeKzZGHuoQb_9kXKksvMPmRguNGg/s825/23-11-05%20by%20Old%20Parks%20Farm%20PEG_2894%20Sheep%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMb77U0nD3QriHq3dwQ0jOPIb9rWUKCUwJr-7IpKl0phngLSr6OnG2c4PUK01P0l0kIEvqvFvpqLU8eyQdTQCnlnRLzsfdlsgIEMZJt5oVhPIvqU3Uw46mmIscbHeiqeW1hvFk3YVcnOxUvJLunDDG8OCIqVv4f9QkeKzZGHuoQb_9kXKksvMPmRguNGg/s16000/23-11-05%20by%20Old%20Parks%20Farm%20PEG_2894%20Sheep%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sheep - Old Parks Farm, Ashby de la Zouch</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjoPPDf6AzE2zYKJcJCF0lYJyzIZoWy0UPWqvT4ADtm5zxlWCVpgg_kh1e3klkftyfR2wkfZxyJ0SQxwIW9hhmngFnex4uG56MV7zPUSGjc9uwNrh25If_pHURh-as_7hQ4bdNOT1koVtHeSLF3tvTwyNOADWFtpyLR0UYrnMdpISJJ_NMLON2vAhW3U/s825/23-11-05%20by%20Old%20Parks%20Farm%20PEG_2903%20Fungi%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjoPPDf6AzE2zYKJcJCF0lYJyzIZoWy0UPWqvT4ADtm5zxlWCVpgg_kh1e3klkftyfR2wkfZxyJ0SQxwIW9hhmngFnex4uG56MV7zPUSGjc9uwNrh25If_pHURh-as_7hQ4bdNOT1koVtHeSLF3tvTwyNOADWFtpyLR0UYrnMdpISJJ_NMLON2vAhW3U/s16000/23-11-05%20by%20Old%20Parks%20Farm%20PEG_2903%20Fungi%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Fungi - Old Parks Farm, Ashby de la Zouch</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 6th November Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Carrion Crow are now daily visitors to the garden, frequently coming as a pair. This was one of our better weather days.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjREgJ2ml9LZ3MjqEZUgEqKfANCmERwuuIvELacsmMDiHup1PlKATLiLLOT2IFWlABzTQWuo6XAvxXgoTYmtJoRvk3do8RiHhIINFzRP7uromUVno4Ak8IrVznDizSl7KxieHet9-ss3P6Nqqd6J8Xno9ieCrj1goUnWZzIHgAJX8fcEKQQqMeiNTwhss/s825/23-11-06%20Garden%20PEG_2905%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjREgJ2ml9LZ3MjqEZUgEqKfANCmERwuuIvELacsmMDiHup1PlKATLiLLOT2IFWlABzTQWuo6XAvxXgoTYmtJoRvk3do8RiHhIINFzRP7uromUVno4Ak8IrVznDizSl7KxieHet9-ss3P6Nqqd6J8Xno9ieCrj1goUnWZzIHgAJX8fcEKQQqMeiNTwhss/s16000/23-11-06%20Garden%20PEG_2905%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Carrion Crow (<i>Corvus corone</i>) - our Garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 7th November Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Our male Robin is getting to be rather territorial. We are quite used to seeing Robin getting aggressive towards Dunnock and other Robins, but lately he has been seeing off Chaffinches and House Sparrows too.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSFbGwTqoAtxmZ_tSz3ju0jyMbyc2LujV0o2aoA1D3A1DamFFCzXIJcUEG08kIc7ZNDkfg39iPjFzCg0c4lYEyFo9RBQjYaZ_kdZsG3udlEUtOXoBLXqR8PNqB3MUvo0XkHE3-ISvFrOiGcWeqyunlnMg55VYbd7QfwWygD5l66UUhckTdtzGvvJVbVc/s825/23-11-07%20Garden%20PEG_2909%20Robin%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSFbGwTqoAtxmZ_tSz3ju0jyMbyc2LujV0o2aoA1D3A1DamFFCzXIJcUEG08kIc7ZNDkfg39iPjFzCg0c4lYEyFo9RBQjYaZ_kdZsG3udlEUtOXoBLXqR8PNqB3MUvo0XkHE3-ISvFrOiGcWeqyunlnMg55VYbd7QfwWygD5l66UUhckTdtzGvvJVbVc/s16000/23-11-07%20Garden%20PEG_2909%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Erithacus rubecula</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 8th November Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Long-tailed Tits were back again on this day.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_ng1jOoiRsDVQclba_FCU9GXXz9jt0SlUuGuxUUuDs99yBmYcSW7EE-82yakjukwVPf9EbHeB1NKpQYFNGPcpkhEnvuN3E4f_duw9FtKP1mZUB17nwLmuhFh__FxTJ9MdpR8OTHe9hhAFtZ6_wvee4KUNi5FbkonBMbXc1j46Aw3RnnBJuWNg8xLDQg/s825/23-11-08%20Garden%20PEG_2919%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_ng1jOoiRsDVQclba_FCU9GXXz9jt0SlUuGuxUUuDs99yBmYcSW7EE-82yakjukwVPf9EbHeB1NKpQYFNGPcpkhEnvuN3E4f_duw9FtKP1mZUB17nwLmuhFh__FxTJ9MdpR8OTHe9hhAFtZ6_wvee4KUNi5FbkonBMbXc1j46Aw3RnnBJuWNg8xLDQg/s16000/23-11-08%20Garden%20PEG_2919%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 10th November Longmoor Lake, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Woodland</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It had been a long while since I last visited this place, which is only about ten minutes by car from our home.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was a little surprised as to how much the trees had grown since I last visited, and a little disappointed at how few birds were in the area whan I visited in the late afternoon. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A visit to the shelter, not far from the entrance, showed a lack of pellets on the floor, indicating that birds of prey, especially Barn Owl, were probably not roosting there .</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Little was seen on my way down to the lake, and I only spotted common fare on the lake. Most obvious were the Canada Geese.</b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_JT4Iqq-j9Bhe4mD3wITMznnhuJJ-P_7A9dBEeHgozlDS9MfUV3PpaGBUxzEMpIz8vI9plRJGDvBMPV9jwCuu49jyB3tj9Es4zgXEVM4uu4AdltD9p0rdsgEXnW-y1xa25pgDLdNjSGWSnbAuaGlLeI-D-M7x0G4dPwY1loNnV6cxaqrH404mC5MJ6Q/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2925%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_JT4Iqq-j9Bhe4mD3wITMznnhuJJ-P_7A9dBEeHgozlDS9MfUV3PpaGBUxzEMpIz8vI9plRJGDvBMPV9jwCuu49jyB3tj9Es4zgXEVM4uu4AdltD9p0rdsgEXnW-y1xa25pgDLdNjSGWSnbAuaGlLeI-D-M7x0G4dPwY1loNnV6cxaqrH404mC5MJ6Q/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2925%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2t5YxHb02qmO0ZXdp3vzx4vsauWzIO-CnTJpOyr1t3RRTyhy6gcYB4oshmDYhvlhBgB6oDf6tGtbrgTrec4RvPD7lkzIozUtbtOxc2fv3ODq6ibocQ6tn_Sp50H1Gv_01EI4cfhrBc0Myi2gGX_IHKOu7wihuVF8kjd79H7V7eW-hQhtfptoIq2NG8M/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2936%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2t5YxHb02qmO0ZXdp3vzx4vsauWzIO-CnTJpOyr1t3RRTyhy6gcYB4oshmDYhvlhBgB6oDf6tGtbrgTrec4RvPD7lkzIozUtbtOxc2fv3ODq6ibocQ6tn_Sp50H1Gv_01EI4cfhrBc0Myi2gGX_IHKOu7wihuVF8kjd79H7V7eW-hQhtfptoIq2NG8M/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2936%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Mute Swan were there - as always.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7Q2kMuNzh7F_onWYeZJ8f_NiSxLqa50luejYeocwmkOw75xBaMoISMZWlkxDYwvPtkwmFvZQip9aVXVBDXv36Pz8KSM9v2V9L6N6QB_imur3JymvEyE4BafxZgNZJ4oo2UjbPwCTq_bhzjbyz6iwPQWkvDsMUbk1UNOgCzqLH3zkrZ_i3nTdxqX19Is/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2933%20Mute%20Swan%20-%20immature%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7Q2kMuNzh7F_onWYeZJ8f_NiSxLqa50luejYeocwmkOw75xBaMoISMZWlkxDYwvPtkwmFvZQip9aVXVBDXv36Pz8KSM9v2V9L6N6QB_imur3JymvEyE4BafxZgNZJ4oo2UjbPwCTq_bhzjbyz6iwPQWkvDsMUbk1UNOgCzqLH3zkrZ_i3nTdxqX19Is/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2933%20Mute%20Swan%20-%20immature%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mute Swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>) (immature) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>There were plenty of Black-headed Gulls on the water at the far side of the lake and, occasionally, one would take to the air and fly by.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviheurG7hkBxLSBHO1aJxs7OVmjIE-wl2dayc_NRGnorp1LGPkuwAMFJxRzJa-EnMQ0emGJKXfMht0GLZKJNpYJwJVt8igjwrOvzPNUV_eQ_OfruM6O2Ul5UbSio9mRxg1pdYfDCJXQlzCEHPgm-YFIokIz5TT2eqQKCbSsdA_4Se8VYy-0TlhyphenhyphenjSSMU/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2957%20Gulls%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviheurG7hkBxLSBHO1aJxs7OVmjIE-wl2dayc_NRGnorp1LGPkuwAMFJxRzJa-EnMQ0emGJKXfMht0GLZKJNpYJwJVt8igjwrOvzPNUV_eQ_OfruM6O2Ul5UbSio9mRxg1pdYfDCJXQlzCEHPgm-YFIokIz5TT2eqQKCbSsdA_4Se8VYy-0TlhyphenhyphenjSSMU/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2957%20Gulls%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xDw2DCeblUL5d0UoqYQPII0A7zMerA40zYZQa2r15vvumCK2R-7s3sajw1lf_U5Lk7SHgtsI_zthYv_CuU2Zw61N84t8BVVBmRYpDmbnvnOE_RaeGucQ0_6F-3z8e3dPZK_bHY8fOBpYOtqh-HFQjQAIKDPJ1wPpxgPqyQRENPrtbB0wMyYxNxUa0ZE/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2943%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xDw2DCeblUL5d0UoqYQPII0A7zMerA40zYZQa2r15vvumCK2R-7s3sajw1lf_U5Lk7SHgtsI_zthYv_CuU2Zw61N84t8BVVBmRYpDmbnvnOE_RaeGucQ0_6F-3z8e3dPZK_bHY8fOBpYOtqh-HFQjQAIKDPJ1wPpxgPqyQRENPrtbB0wMyYxNxUa0ZE/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2943%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Longmoor Lake<br /></span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I spent most time, however, trying for shots of Wigeon. These are quite nervous birds and, even at a respectable distance, tend to swim away from any moving person. Here are some of the results.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBIN0vH4rJFn5CusLCqoTwDJbyjdmpVnpLUMZfFklmZT7LqZjRT9bc-ofZf5zp2vmB8_mGHYQU4ixOy7lfwPcCj35yQT-q1INPZ7iemJCpoAkM71sE1D-jNbPSCUEoO24-bE2TUag9hCMeT7bAwhNaUKklZdK4tsWpms2d8cLBiSbtxFSeTxrztIlqsk/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2928%20Wigeon%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBIN0vH4rJFn5CusLCqoTwDJbyjdmpVnpLUMZfFklmZT7LqZjRT9bc-ofZf5zp2vmB8_mGHYQU4ixOy7lfwPcCj35yQT-q1INPZ7iemJCpoAkM71sE1D-jNbPSCUEoO24-bE2TUag9hCMeT7bAwhNaUKklZdK4tsWpms2d8cLBiSbtxFSeTxrztIlqsk/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2928%20Wigeon%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wigeon (<i>Mareca penelope</i>) (male) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCzP274Y1pS-tOGxq7PG4be1DcIHCC6f_oAmuAV_78pQquwg-PRKflWeVwbdE0BmMG9dLk5OQRPbBtkyjN4f3ShyphenhyphenscHMGCMXaxslOUTmRJzUbLav732EV7Uo3_T-YkLQMSbV5qAV1U2h0EU3R0H4ItJPn-_CTDBVGELcDD_Tgr8SD1qMZEcsxYU_5APg/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2937%20Wigeon%20-%20m%20+%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCzP274Y1pS-tOGxq7PG4be1DcIHCC6f_oAmuAV_78pQquwg-PRKflWeVwbdE0BmMG9dLk5OQRPbBtkyjN4f3ShyphenhyphenscHMGCMXaxslOUTmRJzUbLav732EV7Uo3_T-YkLQMSbV5qAV1U2h0EU3R0H4ItJPn-_CTDBVGELcDD_Tgr8SD1qMZEcsxYU_5APg/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2937%20Wigeon%20-%20m%20+%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAy-x7wJaCcvsbBXuCAPtlF0D_aSa3o8aoO7Lkm370HGi1qG4CZzFKILD03AejcqUK6OijcjY_d8Xhs0yaYx4TPaWVmUAKnd2j5A3zaUYOF4PfmPZBSo5cpoF-GSYtTQ2k_i1JxGm2wyeknB1O46paiiZ3TQj0apjmtl1HpDy9Z0f668MmMAFsK2uSR_Q/s825/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2972%20Wigeon%20-%20m%20+%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAy-x7wJaCcvsbBXuCAPtlF0D_aSa3o8aoO7Lkm370HGi1qG4CZzFKILD03AejcqUK6OijcjY_d8Xhs0yaYx4TPaWVmUAKnd2j5A3zaUYOF4PfmPZBSo5cpoF-GSYtTQ2k_i1JxGm2wyeknB1O46paiiZ3TQj0apjmtl1HpDy9Z0f668MmMAFsK2uSR_Q/s16000/23-11-10%20Longmoor%20Lake%20PEG_2972%20Wigeon%20-%20m%20+%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wigeon (<i>Mareca penelope</i>) (male + female) - Longmoor Lake</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had been hoping to see an owl, but no such luck came my way.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 12th November Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was an exciting day in the garden as we saw our first visit by a Pied Wagtail since February - a very smart male bird.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAwrbcqXCp2jWfDze7LYOaGvrDvfuLEQRtXnRCG9ObSJNJs8TNSdSgDOmeL77xLJzro1Wrq8bjl-oRQKC23w4a_UjnfP0mCIzU8UF819tHbwU7ktOnqzM1TnHwooHjCdM6T4qtsf6CD6XhWurG9_5tUT9AEkLXZgcw9r8CeAvUs_falDgrBeyRqDYABA/s825/23-11-12%20Garden%20PEG_2980%20Pied%20Wagtail-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAwrbcqXCp2jWfDze7LYOaGvrDvfuLEQRtXnRCG9ObSJNJs8TNSdSgDOmeL77xLJzro1Wrq8bjl-oRQKC23w4a_UjnfP0mCIzU8UF819tHbwU7ktOnqzM1TnHwooHjCdM6T4qtsf6CD6XhWurG9_5tUT9AEkLXZgcw9r8CeAvUs_falDgrBeyRqDYABA/s16000/23-11-12%20Garden%20PEG_2980%20Pied%20Wagtail-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Almost as exciting was the return of a Bullfinch for the first time since early September, when a juvenile had visited us.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2ZphvS-ft0vl3qGQw9qWIDdvqWZaP2ecCXrLE3pjkxb0_LYi0WE-Ho03yAYU03aRjJH9FUFEgzkWEnFSFG_kaQ1DVQZkk-Jf4mmAOGjZTwuZjN6OnTSG5Pp1LMxFJZWQArZr6WOQhkeKuveXX-EJyBjBAIZW-TNxOcW_fSVyVwe-2Q9qZ49xZuTZFtM/s825/23-11-12%20Garden%20PEG_3010%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_2ZphvS-ft0vl3qGQw9qWIDdvqWZaP2ecCXrLE3pjkxb0_LYi0WE-Ho03yAYU03aRjJH9FUFEgzkWEnFSFG_kaQ1DVQZkk-Jf4mmAOGjZTwuZjN6OnTSG5Pp1LMxFJZWQArZr6WOQhkeKuveXX-EJyBjBAIZW-TNxOcW_fSVyVwe-2Q9qZ49xZuTZFtM/s16000/23-11-12%20Garden%20PEG_3010%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CxJSn0hX7gXaEEzEeYBoF4jPQMN1T9Id-TtqcffEMGNem2k4myXzTmx4NyrgRB1WKY7kSwKfiHfEbYLFynMjG8qB78Grk-zbvw8kuaTLrknveIjAbxiyzsje8IJMClYnNOS3uEPkOnHtWgYBzFhAwYc3B728rkZF4hyphenhyphen928d_w7qELHDSqePm0-7Lzw8/s825/23-11-12%20Garden%20PEG_3037%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CxJSn0hX7gXaEEzEeYBoF4jPQMN1T9Id-TtqcffEMGNem2k4myXzTmx4NyrgRB1WKY7kSwKfiHfEbYLFynMjG8qB78Grk-zbvw8kuaTLrknveIjAbxiyzsje8IJMClYnNOS3uEPkOnHtWgYBzFhAwYc3B728rkZF4hyphenhyphen928d_w7qELHDSqePm0-7Lzw8/s16000/23-11-12%20Garden%20PEG_3037%20Bullfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bullfinch (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Pyrrhula pyrrhula</i>) (male) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 14th November Garden</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A visit from a Blackcap this day was our first observed since mid-March. It was a dull day, and photography was difficult.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWClpnjluFOiNevzAz5Rwh1nV9qG3Bng_tsvpIwwVaBHyUG7c5aEvba7GiOnzXT6TGQs2fDIhP_sQtccGjL6n-8buhISY-FWoRmUKHZMCeyxI1mmfDkAt07XfMBYwI1CFmg4aeCXEKwrL_xf6STsAB87oQWcbDhP3Z5DyvoKNHDiDh-t5wsC6qFHREvco/s825/23-11-14%20Garden%20PEG_3057%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWClpnjluFOiNevzAz5Rwh1nV9qG3Bng_tsvpIwwVaBHyUG7c5aEvba7GiOnzXT6TGQs2fDIhP_sQtccGjL6n-8buhISY-FWoRmUKHZMCeyxI1mmfDkAt07XfMBYwI1CFmg4aeCXEKwrL_xf6STsAB87oQWcbDhP3Z5DyvoKNHDiDh-t5wsC6qFHREvco/s16000/23-11-14%20Garden%20PEG_3057%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8852kpHwYsccRUh5ZYsCH8RS1rfi3-OUsEupPipLHN88c9uK6KLYOkbg5gQm9s1B5Hof3Om-MsgXmDmGHN9hg_KMtSGG37nTK7TPXhyphenhyphenP4mcMmsT4agWnyOmut5CDF-YNl8nKoiAftMnDcXeocSfjt9GXGiF5eX-4iv4cvGNdYb5XKdRWP27OKiF2ELIk/s825/23-11-14%20Garden%20PEG_3087%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8852kpHwYsccRUh5ZYsCH8RS1rfi3-OUsEupPipLHN88c9uK6KLYOkbg5gQm9s1B5Hof3Om-MsgXmDmGHN9hg_KMtSGG37nTK7TPXhyphenhyphenP4mcMmsT4agWnyOmut5CDF-YNl8nKoiAftMnDcXeocSfjt9GXGiF5eX-4iv4cvGNdYb5XKdRWP27OKiF2ELIk/s16000/23-11-14%20Garden%20PEG_3087%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NHsMSKJ6eAJyt3SQgzqmaEhzhVUQb6FaEO_KuR9Oep0jP37RY4lBYQnojIzZ9tg9RsJrKZVKEMgN2G9lcG1gc3-kRMvsgLAdZi4zh4hYQqLJExkDFf1lf2pbSBUAB9virInSxU77u7kbSFFliyvAfvbc5KkRXzIiaAvEPrTJdLJi1Ir3b2-Y8UB-uF0/s831/23-11-14%20Garden%20PEG_3099%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NHsMSKJ6eAJyt3SQgzqmaEhzhVUQb6FaEO_KuR9Oep0jP37RY4lBYQnojIzZ9tg9RsJrKZVKEMgN2G9lcG1gc3-kRMvsgLAdZi4zh4hYQqLJExkDFf1lf2pbSBUAB9virInSxU77u7kbSFFliyvAfvbc5KkRXzIiaAvEPrTJdLJi1Ir3b2-Y8UB-uF0/s16000/23-11-14%20Garden%20PEG_3099%20Blackcap%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blackcap (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 15th November Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Sparrowhawk was, and still is, making things difficult for the other birds visitng our garden. Here it is on one of its visits this day.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1N2wv97GsUg0l5G1rAmX2GNJtnMFWORIF2LFWyp5lpguEmaW9B60BrCzpK9ABtZorGqm8m8TOckPtf2g3r-kXVdxI2g4Xhb2UDbyI67bO60yLhmksXh-DlJ90Q04RUfUBAj5tuNGRMRRbcgu_BicjF60bOUP9_rl-ixGvJfSbm5mf2a_mPcXOMu7HHuM/s876/23-11-15%20Garden%20PEG_3112%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1N2wv97GsUg0l5G1rAmX2GNJtnMFWORIF2LFWyp5lpguEmaW9B60BrCzpK9ABtZorGqm8m8TOckPtf2g3r-kXVdxI2g4Xhb2UDbyI67bO60yLhmksXh-DlJ90Q04RUfUBAj5tuNGRMRRbcgu_BicjF60bOUP9_rl-ixGvJfSbm5mf2a_mPcXOMu7HHuM/s16000/23-11-15%20Garden%20PEG_3112%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Carrion Crow is not bothered by the Sparrowhawk, and affords some protection to the smaller birds. I think its intelligence shines through in this shot.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemHhcPTEQxd5OwfopDulNwx7MKHPozIWiPqnNUPVQ8Zk8TWG6ZCzIIfox21Q2aVfDd_LvcWb210COyf3_KeLlag0zaeOFD6FJ5jLKCZhsX_rIvEkfbMZir6K_-okTT77TtAsYeUNQU_7q_l_CWc44RDhExiQPE0ZbjmvwqxjgNw8Q6IkaVWbUmD3je64/s825/23-11-15%20Garden%20PEG_3115%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemHhcPTEQxd5OwfopDulNwx7MKHPozIWiPqnNUPVQ8Zk8TWG6ZCzIIfox21Q2aVfDd_LvcWb210COyf3_KeLlag0zaeOFD6FJ5jLKCZhsX_rIvEkfbMZir6K_-okTT77TtAsYeUNQU_7q_l_CWc44RDhExiQPE0ZbjmvwqxjgNw8Q6IkaVWbUmD3je64/s16000/23-11-15%20Garden%20PEG_3115%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Carrion Crow (<i>Corvus corone</i>) - our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I expect that my next post, in about a week's time will cover the second half of November, and will feature some more recent visitors to the garden as well as some old friends, and maybe a visit out.</b></p><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard</b></div><div><b> </b></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-87551860459368997102023-11-18T09:46:00.000+00:002023-11-18T09:46:43.302+00:00The Second Half of October - 2023<div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>For various reasons, I didn't get out with my camera in the second half of October, so this will just feature observations of things in our garden. The birds were either seen and photographed from my study or from our conservatory at meal times. The insects had me going into the garden to photograph them.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 16th October</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Heron landed on the roof of the bungalow behind our garden, and I couldn't resist a shot, even though it wouldn't be on the Garden List. It is many years since we had a Heron actually land IN the garden, and the garden list only includes birds that set a foot down in the garden - not even fly-throughs are recorded. </b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOizOiMOu22prVtlekudtgy7CEFXv4MtGoKOIKV_37P8GsSZGHFkC0Pm-LCbfzrHSrFZy0bPHHRG7FGUiXWRAJDM56imEsWZgmmZu1owk45C5lofIhhPNHM_olc1vh8Z5Z2ZZYnoHF9fMLV2iOgXrLq5BJpvT3KIOPjkvFlnFcdNzuzIXcl-Z3ijOhp1s/s861/23-10-16%20from%20House%20PEG_2597%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOizOiMOu22prVtlekudtgy7CEFXv4MtGoKOIKV_37P8GsSZGHFkC0Pm-LCbfzrHSrFZy0bPHHRG7FGUiXWRAJDM56imEsWZgmmZu1owk45C5lofIhhPNHM_olc1vh8Z5Z2ZZYnoHF9fMLV2iOgXrLq5BJpvT3KIOPjkvFlnFcdNzuzIXcl-Z3ijOhp1s/s16000/23-10-16%20from%20House%20PEG_2597%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Grey Heron (<i>Ardea cinerea</i>) - behind our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That day, we had six Long-tailed Tits visit. These are always a delight to see, but they rarely stay still and tend not to hang around for long.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMAH0xxp2fcE09XGpK4JTTGFtxV6-4z1PHyMhg6xC9Lw4VuFM9DPp1pBWrbHsCL030ua6gfpPjdJRBwjkPxj0Lx5LTebj33SXz8K7D6gnC8Yp1CS8b2M2Q8VpM5V_-1I2wuMBdn-do2IRRIw-l-0zIE7L3oXTAgti1tv9BD3mz6jGU43lElWcZFSgc7U/s825/23-10-16%20Garden%20PEG_2569%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMAH0xxp2fcE09XGpK4JTTGFtxV6-4z1PHyMhg6xC9Lw4VuFM9DPp1pBWrbHsCL030ua6gfpPjdJRBwjkPxj0Lx5LTebj33SXz8K7D6gnC8Yp1CS8b2M2Q8VpM5V_-1I2wuMBdn-do2IRRIw-l-0zIE7L3oXTAgti1tv9BD3mz6jGU43lElWcZFSgc7U/s16000/23-10-16%20Garden%20PEG_2569%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpXkbwXcY9_vMFn2k9rLIKLeIpOwvJQsdcvRMsHdzrTcPJRA3UUvV__sZBBucKE9r6lhc-6az7Mrxjn4Nx6DUYn9SExbfFKUCSHkinVFpIdmEXY0WBYddfrg2HYv63_2MD_FN3EogahTFxytnjG3u3cR7GGkD1nhVaA6rdGJlGCi9f1UqWRq84y-GFPs/s825/23-10-16%20Garden%20PEG_2579%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpXkbwXcY9_vMFn2k9rLIKLeIpOwvJQsdcvRMsHdzrTcPJRA3UUvV__sZBBucKE9r6lhc-6az7Mrxjn4Nx6DUYn9SExbfFKUCSHkinVFpIdmEXY0WBYddfrg2HYv63_2MD_FN3EogahTFxytnjG3u3cR7GGkD1nhVaA6rdGJlGCi9f1UqWRq84y-GFPs/s16000/23-10-16%20Garden%20PEG_2579%20Long-tailed%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Long-tailed Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aegithalos caudatus</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 17th October</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Stock Dove is still a regular visitor to the garden. Most of the time, we just get the one bird, but sometimes we get two together. These are strictly ground feeders. On this occasion we just had the one bird.</b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSnpFN5EtRhC85OjVVPl5OXGKARfFTLfGXD2208802zVIsRrG2Osm8YkqrGSucQ4U0FBWoBNzj58sifDTdQldu9Z5x4Fyyjd1QuYwje2eVUlhCWan5kTZRGllBrWG2-o8KRU1GnnD8yMWbsH-mCUzIxCIFOtuGLCfJYe9W4_H5y4urmE0KKAJfWtEP9Pw/s825/23-10-17%20Garden%20PEG_2605%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSnpFN5EtRhC85OjVVPl5OXGKARfFTLfGXD2208802zVIsRrG2Osm8YkqrGSucQ4U0FBWoBNzj58sifDTdQldu9Z5x4Fyyjd1QuYwje2eVUlhCWan5kTZRGllBrWG2-o8KRU1GnnD8yMWbsH-mCUzIxCIFOtuGLCfJYe9W4_H5y4urmE0KKAJfWtEP9Pw/s16000/23-10-17%20Garden%20PEG_2605%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba oenas</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 18th October</span></b></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We had some real excitement this day in the form of our first Brambling of the winter. Sadly, I only managed record shots of it on a feeder. I kept my eyes open for its return, but it was not to be. Hopefully there will be more opportunities later in the winter.</b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHfkhnG3P-_mlKUHi_zMY-UK5R7rkbhhsHKCSDGR37RhwGvempf9SZhHqBN4HKo8O25_aQBe5Ci9G17HMBEHQ_FE7ecQYML-tWbFHp1_h4tckPxRBX0d5k-1Qg0vuby83jJ1w_YPerwENZxP9p0n6_yY5dQTr3SVAkpE7JcbIaqBYUXrlmqrUdwI5gy8/s825/23-10-18%20Garden%20PEG_2620%20Brambling%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHfkhnG3P-_mlKUHi_zMY-UK5R7rkbhhsHKCSDGR37RhwGvempf9SZhHqBN4HKo8O25_aQBe5Ci9G17HMBEHQ_FE7ecQYML-tWbFHp1_h4tckPxRBX0d5k-1Qg0vuby83jJ1w_YPerwENZxP9p0n6_yY5dQTr3SVAkpE7JcbIaqBYUXrlmqrUdwI5gy8/s16000/23-10-18%20Garden%20PEG_2620%20Brambling%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Brambling (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Fringilla montifringilla</i>) (female) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 19th October</span></b></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Whilst enjoying breakfast in the conservatory, I noticed something </b><b> that piqued my curiosity, </b><b>on the pedestal of the bird-bath. I went out to have a look and found what I am pretty sure was the larva of a Ruby Tiger moth. It was very wet from the earlier rain.</b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxfJ8L8khFJpGd9nGALE5ACTKJDOjd_PduvfbKllLjxDE6k7-4jL6DBZpFr1d2pbc01Oew6xpGKVH2OJYF_d44Ec1ysKAZ1EUm0A3_LX2UDwjcXlvuKdaOJAos4aYphh-H0o0sLSsYiz9s0Rj75xagreg1WgPC8sFhEY8_AXa-5CLdlnNChQUvsNVW8E/s896/23-10-19%20Garden%20PEG_2656%20Ruby%20Tiger%20-%20larva%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxfJ8L8khFJpGd9nGALE5ACTKJDOjd_PduvfbKllLjxDE6k7-4jL6DBZpFr1d2pbc01Oew6xpGKVH2OJYF_d44Ec1ysKAZ1EUm0A3_LX2UDwjcXlvuKdaOJAos4aYphh-H0o0sLSsYiz9s0Rj75xagreg1WgPC8sFhEY8_AXa-5CLdlnNChQUvsNVW8E/s16000/23-10-19%20Garden%20PEG_2656%20Ruby%20Tiger%20-%20larva%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ruby Tiger (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Phragmatobia fuliginosa</i>) (larva) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>A late-visiting Red Admiral was a pleasure to see.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n_Uujb93lqdEQS4nuTFAl_vPa_VA2mSXdmNNq6PCWsH3lGV1MjZ94KWE8511hTPeYnrGa_eaNQ4bdIONzmYvctXL6m0P2ELPNbns3AwZ13dOER7bE_A6iXNoSXVUHalcvYCvsIYnOWGboOPnjT6d63XhA0394ETrouOZ-LwPDqgVscvAQRc1XjF71SI/s825/23-10-19%20Garden%20PEG_2658%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7n_Uujb93lqdEQS4nuTFAl_vPa_VA2mSXdmNNq6PCWsH3lGV1MjZ94KWE8511hTPeYnrGa_eaNQ4bdIONzmYvctXL6m0P2ELPNbns3AwZ13dOER7bE_A6iXNoSXVUHalcvYCvsIYnOWGboOPnjT6d63XhA0394ETrouOZ-LwPDqgVscvAQRc1XjF71SI/s16000/23-10-19%20Garden%20PEG_2658%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Red Admiral (<i>Vanessa atalanta</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I went out later to check on the Ruby Tiger. It had dried out and was changing position from time to time and my initial thoughts were that it was looking for somewhere to pupate. However, it seems that this species likes to pupate on the ground under bushes and leaf detritus. I then came to the conclusion that it was just trying to find a dry spot following the torrential rain in the night.</b></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK6SqA0UZnOHlbvDuFd645Harib817L7a6IctsLWp40HGotk2Ic6q7kcdXw86Xzz2F6m1qyts4kH26rAXsGLe_rp7lyDselCF8VXJxati1AoAx502thzBR4kmdhqe4yz8RQWio5bYz_HFOUvrwVCncArHSYZYn2avjsM7QuuY9IzkMgA8Ws5gY0k6TcU/s825/23-10-19%20Garden%20PEG_2665%20Ruby%20Tiger%20-%20larva%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK6SqA0UZnOHlbvDuFd645Harib817L7a6IctsLWp40HGotk2Ic6q7kcdXw86Xzz2F6m1qyts4kH26rAXsGLe_rp7lyDselCF8VXJxati1AoAx502thzBR4kmdhqe4yz8RQWio5bYz_HFOUvrwVCncArHSYZYn2avjsM7QuuY9IzkMgA8Ws5gY0k6TcU/s16000/23-10-19%20Garden%20PEG_2665%20Ruby%20Tiger%20-%20larva%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ruby Tiger (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Phragmatobia fuliginosa</i>) (larva) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 20th October</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We woke to find that the extremely heavy rain in the night was causing water to flow through our garden, and was lapping round our back door. Fortunately the rain, and water level, subsided to a safer level. It had just stopped raining when a Sparrowhawk arrived in the garden. I tried to take some photos from the conservatory, but the windows were so wet that I couldn't get focus. Something inspired me try try holding the lens hard up against the glass and this worked! </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEs6rwEfq4KQQFGTdvSq0TS-Pj0VJMeRpb0YXPNnb5rVin-jXJaBvGO-7P-C3MeSu-DddlJQmsNq-VR5zLo-zmE7ouefzhCggNjby4x2QtqCrYLJ3B-rOi8vaZB-Zknf7FF9OhmA7WHa7Qq3maXbhabcqKeqI58L-OWn1gMd7qf1AtgIDIBKOeMxNZc0/s869/23-10-20%20Garden%20PEG_2724%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEs6rwEfq4KQQFGTdvSq0TS-Pj0VJMeRpb0YXPNnb5rVin-jXJaBvGO-7P-C3MeSu-DddlJQmsNq-VR5zLo-zmE7ouefzhCggNjby4x2QtqCrYLJ3B-rOi8vaZB-Zknf7FF9OhmA7WHa7Qq3maXbhabcqKeqI58L-OWn1gMd7qf1AtgIDIBKOeMxNZc0/s16000/23-10-20%20Garden%20PEG_2724%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (immature male) - our garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 22nd October</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Our garden Robin seems to have found a mate. I think that this one, photographed from the chair in my study, is the male. <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2V9PxH3O5UWZnvcrW-nPd895FXzr3O2gg45k217icZLUrLi8rSON6oRkUPpoiCfCUh-Lh6-QuV1HQsG9LUZUaFaHIk1httM9aeDIEpxqEalvcXkttvRetuCvzqSXbJeVz7VkSiz70kwx7vAW0GbplvoFYVFs54YbDx3f1U726ycNNuRSfmZmoxib0iE/s825/23-10-22%20Garden%20PEG_2750%20Robin%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2V9PxH3O5UWZnvcrW-nPd895FXzr3O2gg45k217icZLUrLi8rSON6oRkUPpoiCfCUh-Lh6-QuV1HQsG9LUZUaFaHIk1httM9aeDIEpxqEalvcXkttvRetuCvzqSXbJeVz7VkSiz70kwx7vAW0GbplvoFYVFs54YbDx3f1U726ycNNuRSfmZmoxib0iE/s16000/23-10-22%20Garden%20PEG_2750%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Erithacus rubecula</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 25th October</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This blog post will now get a little repetitive as the last week of the month in the garden was being dominated by visits from the immature male Sparrowhawk. Its visits, which were occuring several times a day, had a negative effect on the numbers of visits by other birds. Here's one from this day, when it had the audacity to sit on the quick-release plate on the stake that one of the three trail cams that I deploy every night gets attached to. My excuse for multiple images is that, once the majority of birds have gone elsewhere, the Sparrowhawk will seek somewhere with richer pickings and will probably not be seen for a month or so.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWQe3bjecyGeUVcWrUVqJjxHVT3T-ipQplMIIeKkaMdPCHY0gQ1dyu2ljcmvJsOm0QQxI4a2gEITIuRiFQvCYRRSyAL-Q-pyufX8tjajDp2QmzMshFsudYnpnIfSfNykgB2EhMZj8ENs7ZuU913d6-yzts_BBrLqlm7vy27V9myywXUYqAv7bzEYV8jg/s946/23-10-25%20Garden%20PEG_2754%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWQe3bjecyGeUVcWrUVqJjxHVT3T-ipQplMIIeKkaMdPCHY0gQ1dyu2ljcmvJsOm0QQxI4a2gEITIuRiFQvCYRRSyAL-Q-pyufX8tjajDp2QmzMshFsudYnpnIfSfNykgB2EhMZj8ENs7ZuU913d6-yzts_BBrLqlm7vy27V9myywXUYqAv7bzEYV8jg/s16000/23-10-25%20Garden%20PEG_2754%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (immature male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 27th October</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Sparrowhawk was busy this day. These two shots were taken at 14.12 and 16.35. </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2i0ZwXn1bKk0kSQOdFXpphRiQgknbNGLhHEKqE2ZQhF6XjkuH3kpTpu2erLtTqFW2y-aLOEKwLkNoHScObIShkLNOFTjpVdRC7fC2P7F_ZFOby2O0URtIM160QPbQ8TB14zKnrpVa18BidK5agBqRkZfv0gDkf4o4e4Cc_vncFU6lvOPqxyK5cH_2Lrc/s825/23-10-27%20Garden%20PEG_2759%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2i0ZwXn1bKk0kSQOdFXpphRiQgknbNGLhHEKqE2ZQhF6XjkuH3kpTpu2erLtTqFW2y-aLOEKwLkNoHScObIShkLNOFTjpVdRC7fC2P7F_ZFOby2O0URtIM160QPbQ8TB14zKnrpVa18BidK5agBqRkZfv0gDkf4o4e4Cc_vncFU6lvOPqxyK5cH_2Lrc/s16000/23-10-27%20Garden%20PEG_2759%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISpw3_tNUK5zTmpUSkiN8YeOkEtPzAvCzOw5dk5ZDXx_WJLebIu3yyHHdI0osz4HBk4UCPTJ-FeBqoIe3AemGVdlIMz4NKBM-Vf9fBiXMz8RX8P235jGh7C3-VYYrZ5AQGbqe37vXkHxdRq7Ib5BwNIuq1X6lZh_nzslrGrsNEIKUOzHGUxmcT9mWf-k/s1012/23-10-27%20Garden%20PEG_2767%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISpw3_tNUK5zTmpUSkiN8YeOkEtPzAvCzOw5dk5ZDXx_WJLebIu3yyHHdI0osz4HBk4UCPTJ-FeBqoIe3AemGVdlIMz4NKBM-Vf9fBiXMz8RX8P235jGh7C3-VYYrZ5AQGbqe37vXkHxdRq7Ib5BwNIuq1X6lZh_nzslrGrsNEIKUOzHGUxmcT9mWf-k/s16000/23-10-27%20Garden%20PEG_2767%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (immature male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 29th October</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Yes, it's that Sparrowhawk again!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCwkNWx2xvxmBZjXXGpKIKJTiHNjr7T6dW4LTfbbWbH3cs3rjGQL3C5WGY5qxsK-uATawT4GCclLe232FDafJDY80uDsWlFMs1ZnFTWrNVc3jOWtXsbEpPEmDgXu8dNuliyiax163uCIQeiqOg_RUlV8rI69hUbm6vYmxTdSqFmo3wwuylQJcLQaQ9KQ/s958/23-10-29%20Garden%20PEG_2771%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGCwkNWx2xvxmBZjXXGpKIKJTiHNjr7T6dW4LTfbbWbH3cs3rjGQL3C5WGY5qxsK-uATawT4GCclLe232FDafJDY80uDsWlFMs1ZnFTWrNVc3jOWtXsbEpPEmDgXu8dNuliyiax163uCIQeiqOg_RUlV8rI69hUbm6vYmxTdSqFmo3wwuylQJcLQaQ9KQ/s16000/23-10-29%20Garden%20PEG_2771%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (immature male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>That night, one of the garden trail cams recorded one of our regular Hedgehogs nest-building in one of the two houses that we have deployed. At this time, we were down to three Hedgehogs visiting,and this one is giving us a little concern as it is rather small, and possibly too small to survive hibernation. I shall be keeping an eye on</b><b> it. </b><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwU4-GuaooPB4tgeCXUDPhEo3gVthu_0cdoDa1e7dFLRWiBTHRekx--GzRGw2WIzNmJMVBH0EuuWF0eLHioJw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><b>Thus ended the month.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I expect that my next post will cover the first half of November, and be somewhat different to this one as I managed to
get out with my camera during that period.</b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard</b><p><br /></p><p></p>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-80257837142734091712023-11-12T13:20:00.000+00:002023-11-12T13:20:39.762+00:00The First Half of October, 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having returned from our visit to the Isles of Scilly on 3rd October, I found myself with nearly two and a half thousand photos to process. This took about three weeks to complete, and limited my time out in the field. I did, however, manage three short excursions, but also found myself distracted by birds in the garden while at my desk, working on the photos. Here are some of my observations from the first half of October.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 5th October Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Stock Dove was absent for a few weeks, but is now being seen on an almost daily basis. Occasionally we get two of them.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtH3iZ-8v0soXJ4b_7rDHOjDyC0XqrWfI2_AeYGhharwxG-V2horpXnQS6C3oVw9CPy9tbkZAl5ZVOcs7IMSXSdqG08G9U1PBTxpvZwTDmJWBloZk3KmxdqGeKZDSJ9niqyMcF5Uiyp7Dma0K5iW3OVknjI_KoCfqCnEEb6nvBFEv49WplkPiShYd7TE/s825/23-10-05%20Garden%20PEG_1753%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtH3iZ-8v0soXJ4b_7rDHOjDyC0XqrWfI2_AeYGhharwxG-V2horpXnQS6C3oVw9CPy9tbkZAl5ZVOcs7IMSXSdqG08G9U1PBTxpvZwTDmJWBloZk3KmxdqGeKZDSJ9niqyMcF5Uiyp7Dma0K5iW3OVknjI_KoCfqCnEEb6nvBFEv49WplkPiShYd7TE/s16000/23-10-05%20Garden%20PEG_1753%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba oenas</i>) - Garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Carrion Crow has become a frequent visitor to the garden, and also we sometimes get two together. I think that face radiates intelligence.</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF6EUQ42vqISdnuhR1f5mEmkd7-UkjGy6G03Rt6mn1ndAW1Pyp4KAykO6eID4Qsw_J3N-1iULlewjkmXDMxV6iSTxaeH78Ljvg_wHQMGdbL56Cv2P4Dh4uCTQ9y2CItaqH_Pd_Qjjv1cijJhhoNoAakqxLDRthS3RXHso21qqAK0lxYmlF2N2uZ1EUJQ/s825/23-10-05%20Garden%20PEG_1765%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF6EUQ42vqISdnuhR1f5mEmkd7-UkjGy6G03Rt6mn1ndAW1Pyp4KAykO6eID4Qsw_J3N-1iULlewjkmXDMxV6iSTxaeH78Ljvg_wHQMGdbL56Cv2P4Dh4uCTQ9y2CItaqH_Pd_Qjjv1cijJhhoNoAakqxLDRthS3RXHso21qqAK0lxYmlF2N2uZ1EUJQ/s16000/23-10-05%20Garden%20PEG_1765%20Carrion%20Crow%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Carrion Crow (<i>Covus corone</i>) - Garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Woodpigeons are also frequent visitors - it's a rare day that we don't see one in the garden - but we rarely see youngsters, such as this one.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb9Glg9WpsCRADrzYHkR3fqofWJOdOctw0sF0e-I7Wug3iANoYOabsC9U4g3GotsOfwRJ9Qj1anW2InSISE-y_LhkAL2pfIHgmMUTXEy3dDrM4lry7KnKZF2AIJoX-tj49Mv4KNa15yaT0ataPFy3CjT_A1w4Zji6NniCXe1MmsnJ_w3zjZeev68Jp4Y/s825/23-10-05%20Garden%20PEG_1771%20Woodpigeon%20-%20juv%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb9Glg9WpsCRADrzYHkR3fqofWJOdOctw0sF0e-I7Wug3iANoYOabsC9U4g3GotsOfwRJ9Qj1anW2InSISE-y_LhkAL2pfIHgmMUTXEy3dDrM4lry7KnKZF2AIJoX-tj49Mv4KNa15yaT0ataPFy3CjT_A1w4Zji6NniCXe1MmsnJ_w3zjZeev68Jp4Y/s16000/23-10-05%20Garden%20PEG_1771%20Woodpigeon%20-%20juv%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Woodpigeon (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba palumbus</i>) (immature) - Garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Sunday, 8th October Garden</b><br /></div></div><div><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Our over-the-back neighbour has a box hung on the dividing fence which he fills with peanuts in their shells. These seem to be exclusively attractive to the local squirrels which take great delight in burying them in our garden, although sometimes they will stop and enjoy the contents - as this one did, sitting on the wall of our mini-pond, which I photographed from my study window.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSuYR9wW-IRtRcU5mR-T7irMp4AUjoXdqmfhwW3urFdHVxJT6KB06MGb4QTZ1d8BHwRKoYaQVvOzi0ltapQ0bQp-bjr_UuOjwYvFBNgthMlucR_ipRzeSJT1nk9aEY2Ioval-CbDP5yvuUdbQnf9eLdfAB4izxznTkEy3ZO6DaSJpyR3_lxn56ZPZ060/s825/23-10-08%20Garden%20PEG_1801%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheSuYR9wW-IRtRcU5mR-T7irMp4AUjoXdqmfhwW3urFdHVxJT6KB06MGb4QTZ1d8BHwRKoYaQVvOzi0ltapQ0bQp-bjr_UuOjwYvFBNgthMlucR_ipRzeSJT1nk9aEY2Ioval-CbDP5yvuUdbQnf9eLdfAB4izxznTkEy3ZO6DaSJpyR3_lxn56ZPZ060/s16000/23-10-08%20Garden%20PEG_1801%20Grey%20Squirrel%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Squirrel (<i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>) - Garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 9th October Saltersford Valley Country Park<br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lookking for a dragonfly fix on a fine weather day, I headed to my favourite local dragonfly location - Saltersford Valley.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I started off by spending time on the boardwalk, which is usually the best location for finding dragonflies. There were several Common Darters here, mostly landing on the boardwalk , which is not very photogenic. Occasionally, however, one would perch on some vegetaion.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaGb6wqv49Gp-bqH5t3TigDvQ8UrvXJszn_2xroVD0cNWMRFk0wc3XoaFyDZxhOL8M4-ErcNw75EiF5hsy0sNCTxVR3iSjqRTA_2H1nJwQ0w9iQXubtRBfBr7yFOrtYDS1Am0cu9DzCsmLGiBIlPLcrIxK8LAVQnnd8nQhj1T4iTIqlLimfHqraYhfzk/s825/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1819%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifaGb6wqv49Gp-bqH5t3TigDvQ8UrvXJszn_2xroVD0cNWMRFk0wc3XoaFyDZxhOL8M4-ErcNw75EiF5hsy0sNCTxVR3iSjqRTA_2H1nJwQ0w9iQXubtRBfBr7yFOrtYDS1Am0cu9DzCsmLGiBIlPLcrIxK8LAVQnnd8nQhj1T4iTIqlLimfHqraYhfzk/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1819%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (male) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>At one point, a pair of Common Darter appeared in tandem, but I was only able to photograph them on the boardwalk.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRiPb3DjYFFVljp40BBC9BnFYvFHhqyr1KVGBvTJvmLbbtwpoEW299KX3Q4_-5PBSctpxqyaIFGLVtf5AVJEiQMTwReiJ5FvsDtQxCGoIGxWEfJJ2kbjaCllp07ZH4_UST71Kb6ERc7TxDWNOdEDk-Y8YG6p3Yq_JozY0AX3isjIuXFUXLsIY0I3jytQ/s825/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1822%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRiPb3DjYFFVljp40BBC9BnFYvFHhqyr1KVGBvTJvmLbbtwpoEW299KX3Q4_-5PBSctpxqyaIFGLVtf5AVJEiQMTwReiJ5FvsDtQxCGoIGxWEfJJ2kbjaCllp07ZH4_UST71Kb6ERc7TxDWNOdEDk-Y8YG6p3Yq_JozY0AX3isjIuXFUXLsIY0I3jytQ/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1822%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (male+female in tandem) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>I spent quite a long while trying to photograph one of the two Migrant Hawker dragonflies that were patrolling round the boardwalk. I failed to get any flight shots and if they landed it was always away from the boardwalk and partly obscured by the Reedmace. This was, unfortunately, my best shot.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6kHKJMlU0wWvp8_C9_K9RThUn1li-WCoIePyMjZ4bx3Ep0NgLm3qe4-w3y62r6MSyo24y4beMW_NzgF8pTzwF3j5FLG8OI9q_pTiYPMz9WX_1NVJeIY7MXh-0f159uqiKk731rOkXl0Mg8xwXSboH51VxfetmuZ8oXLScaiCrEczBfTfatnowYJFg8c/s947/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1834%20Migrant%20Hawker%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6kHKJMlU0wWvp8_C9_K9RThUn1li-WCoIePyMjZ4bx3Ep0NgLm3qe4-w3y62r6MSyo24y4beMW_NzgF8pTzwF3j5FLG8OI9q_pTiYPMz9WX_1NVJeIY7MXh-0f159uqiKk731rOkXl0Mg8xwXSboH51VxfetmuZ8oXLScaiCrEczBfTfatnowYJFg8c/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1834%20Migrant%20Hawker%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Migrant Hawker (<i>Aeshna mixta</i>) (male) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I seemed to be getting nowhere fast, so decided to take a walk round the site.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Western Honey Bee looked rather fine on wild Angelica.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicseCvchyphenhyphenw2_ln9Er7lDgrvDc1pumictGlE7M7AWEIKnCPMF58v-MbOrMbXbjTqCSh9XPW7gePmtCOwf9_Jr8LYsUmQLVAvtD0mTFD3As6Xf2R97N_pz95oUWDCJAnEyluIQA1vbJBBijs-bKJTH9UWtiH87CGHp53uQ-PmAIwn3e5t_mP70fZ7s7DCCM/s826/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1847%20Honey%20Bee%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicseCvchyphenhyphenw2_ln9Er7lDgrvDc1pumictGlE7M7AWEIKnCPMF58v-MbOrMbXbjTqCSh9XPW7gePmtCOwf9_Jr8LYsUmQLVAvtD0mTFD3As6Xf2R97N_pz95oUWDCJAnEyluIQA1vbJBBijs-bKJTH9UWtiH87CGHp53uQ-PmAIwn3e5t_mP70fZ7s7DCCM/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1847%20Honey%20Bee%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Western Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I found a few more Common Darter which, to my advantage, didn't have a boardwalk that they could settle on. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcYT7wv4xYzMQA6AHGD4PB40ttVBuKbGP2Xmxp_DgkLxifO50wknGNKDd5f8RhW_TI5qPZ8_3lYTCWyghVf9Tro_eUI-0do3KegXvb3eWmbhGLZHDWkUDfotDgOkZs8OnEs2TURIge4gDdfhzLzzy4GG-Cru-gM9w5DjgerVJR3qw36wIFEoXxClgTMk/s825/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1864%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcYT7wv4xYzMQA6AHGD4PB40ttVBuKbGP2Xmxp_DgkLxifO50wknGNKDd5f8RhW_TI5qPZ8_3lYTCWyghVf9Tro_eUI-0do3KegXvb3eWmbhGLZHDWkUDfotDgOkZs8OnEs2TURIge4gDdfhzLzzy4GG-Cru-gM9w5DjgerVJR3qw36wIFEoXxClgTMk/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1864%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X7zhpf6BPypwxp_9QrG9udsd20vZfF3bNgnFDD0MnEUSCnMdXAQ4Lueqc7ooC2dDvVQx8oAre5lXndud-CV6UqrXvthofP6fcgjNik829YM7d_tsU0RE1UoiC6gYLDf8M5AGenLifa3kUOCQ3NLOAAFgps9iK_mwlcUIzdcFiNCNtihQIdukEfjBm5E/s825/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1882%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X7zhpf6BPypwxp_9QrG9udsd20vZfF3bNgnFDD0MnEUSCnMdXAQ4Lueqc7ooC2dDvVQx8oAre5lXndud-CV6UqrXvthofP6fcgjNik829YM7d_tsU0RE1UoiC6gYLDf8M5AGenLifa3kUOCQ3NLOAAFgps9iK_mwlcUIzdcFiNCNtihQIdukEfjBm5E/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1882%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (male) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>The bright red berries of Guelder-rose stood out like a beacon.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM_gOC4p9M749O2RKk8yILD3NGEXL7OSPARr_bP5hSgt8LHXJbscAQ1cUt2Lm1cR5EmQg6VKvB7vI-qw4C3gzgBH16synB1y-hZXSMkJdkoUURn_bhGldRdpV_mhUkoR1LlEpymW_T4p7V8xYX9bLCtQTlKqm8inN8d8OiQ6zZo641CY-WMJ4Te_-XzI/s825/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1886%20Guelder-rose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM_gOC4p9M749O2RKk8yILD3NGEXL7OSPARr_bP5hSgt8LHXJbscAQ1cUt2Lm1cR5EmQg6VKvB7vI-qw4C3gzgBH16synB1y-hZXSMkJdkoUURn_bhGldRdpV_mhUkoR1LlEpymW_T4p7V8xYX9bLCtQTlKqm8inN8d8OiQ6zZo641CY-WMJ4Te_-XzI/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1886%20Guelder-rose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Guelder-rose (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Viburnum opulus</i>) - Saltersford Valley CP<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b></b></span><b>A return to the boardwalk gave me an unobstructed view of a perched Migrant Hawker, but at a distance and at an awkward angle for photography.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CSka-UPkI4lVR_75p2VqsWKX4nGdccSMhY2ssFgj0z_-Km0A3b0G4LfMrvlBu-LGBPnmiOLX-NMZaOb__iqZOmhwOH99ZaGmX_dP9vVx1LMIGr4hehiV5f_sHiJSWHLnNiqigopb21ZaSe2fKdQS00Ztan472dGnwCxvmOuXvNnS_WnGgVkhCSye_LI/s825/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1896%20Migrant%20Hawker%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CSka-UPkI4lVR_75p2VqsWKX4nGdccSMhY2ssFgj0z_-Km0A3b0G4LfMrvlBu-LGBPnmiOLX-NMZaOb__iqZOmhwOH99ZaGmX_dP9vVx1LMIGr4hehiV5f_sHiJSWHLnNiqigopb21ZaSe2fKdQS00Ztan472dGnwCxvmOuXvNnS_WnGgVkhCSye_LI/s16000/23-10-09%20Saltersford%20Valley%20CP%20PEG_1896%20Migrant%20Hawker%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Migrant Hawker (<i>Aeshna mixta</i>) (male) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I came away, concious that, apart from the tandem Common Darters, I'd only seen male dragonflies. This however, is not an unusual situation, as males have a tendency to patrol near water, while females tend to come to water to primarily mate or oviposit.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had hoped to find Willow Emerald Damselfly here, as I had not yet positively seen one this season, but I failed. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 10th October Thortit Lake Area</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'd had an eye injection in the morning, after which I was supposed to take it easy for 48 hours, and not drive for at least four hours. However, at around 16.00, the effect of the dilation drops had worn off, my eye was not feeling too uncomfortable, and so I decided on a gentle visit to my nearest dragon site, Thortit Lake, to try once more for Willow Emerald.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having parked my car, as I entered the site, I found five Common Darter roosting on the gate. I was a little surprised to see that these were all females.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeV5Jogs7Ze3NFo2wPaxoAFZukSo_tGAwZP2TZ7UCpOSD3-DPjXlbehpGLCI9xQP4uQYWxbI75e5dTvZzrbEp34tBjxxFyBhOleKjOjVJgVap5zRQlxwnKFddkjIgHRaKrJZ5sIE1213H_mQBj9AVlJ3b3jUNEmAH-X5p5Se444_DEjy2IAS3YV64-jmg/s825/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1917%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeV5Jogs7Ze3NFo2wPaxoAFZukSo_tGAwZP2TZ7UCpOSD3-DPjXlbehpGLCI9xQP4uQYWxbI75e5dTvZzrbEp34tBjxxFyBhOleKjOjVJgVap5zRQlxwnKFddkjIgHRaKrJZ5sIE1213H_mQBj9AVlJ3b3jUNEmAH-X5p5Se444_DEjy2IAS3YV64-jmg/s16000/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1917%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJewLTQvhJIwD6MLM_Y7rS8MMPEuzBEQjEPRTmyLia7NbZ5UUNv3ZNcwRZKa_iAFWrwXURqhUqHuXeZ1ZPzGqA6ApmG2mo8ENGTiL1dE-94XfpKGoUxaDArnEIgIBT-K3Zsbk9ezv9-0Me8J8EEzMjyLtQ635IOasjs03yd6k4TRH0VQ5JOUkoPlIP5qw/s825/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1923%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJewLTQvhJIwD6MLM_Y7rS8MMPEuzBEQjEPRTmyLia7NbZ5UUNv3ZNcwRZKa_iAFWrwXURqhUqHuXeZ1ZPzGqA6ApmG2mo8ENGTiL1dE-94XfpKGoUxaDArnEIgIBT-K3Zsbk9ezv9-0Me8J8EEzMjyLtQ635IOasjs03yd6k4TRH0VQ5JOUkoPlIP5qw/s16000/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1923%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (female) - near Thortit Lake</span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>As I approached the lake, a Red Admiral kept landing on the path ahead of me and then flying ahead as I got nearer.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY4RQR3dS_ZypdUt77oYHpxBkINxtiPBaj_8ljfV0zPIHvOC3ukxb77YVTIoQB3Jer1Xf6OCdrhY75dY94WoDrOSmf9_Ix1c8zHfX4T9BArbvYhMz0wj1SY-7vuv2p8tPC_pvbQNnFqQ_UxGd2UORkc2dk3H4eZPsTCauHEt8eDQTgccgm4vOsD-M_tE/s825/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1931%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY4RQR3dS_ZypdUt77oYHpxBkINxtiPBaj_8ljfV0zPIHvOC3ukxb77YVTIoQB3Jer1Xf6OCdrhY75dY94WoDrOSmf9_Ix1c8zHfX4T9BArbvYhMz0wj1SY-7vuv2p8tPC_pvbQNnFqQ_UxGd2UORkc2dk3H4eZPsTCauHEt8eDQTgccgm4vOsD-M_tE/s16000/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1931%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Red Admiral (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Vanessa atalanta</i>) - Thortit Lake<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>As I approached the water's edge, a pair of Mute Swan with four youngsters in tow came towards me, obviously expecting to be fed. They soon realised that I would not oblige, and turned away again. My shots including the youngsters were not good, but here's one of one of the adults.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b_pVPfvPUcCPagL8FcyzieiuzFAP12fGjZyS7IwDybWksf1ioMTbpvTmIwuPseXEHJHqEHA5D3BaVj-KPshpn4L1sbQ7Amh70eyUTerES8VkcJx-CFjgkEBxI_ddLlPFkKf-UgHFei_IE_ftJy9QZdsUAWccOxDYMEiGSa6LMLVWfIMP5Rhlo9k7kCo/s825/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1938%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3b_pVPfvPUcCPagL8FcyzieiuzFAP12fGjZyS7IwDybWksf1ioMTbpvTmIwuPseXEHJHqEHA5D3BaVj-KPshpn4L1sbQ7Amh70eyUTerES8VkcJx-CFjgkEBxI_ddLlPFkKf-UgHFei_IE_ftJy9QZdsUAWccOxDYMEiGSa6LMLVWfIMP5Rhlo9k7kCo/s16000/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1938%20Mute%20Swan%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mute Swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>) (male) - Thortit Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I saw two or three Migrant Hawker dragonflies, but not in a position to be photographed. A Coot went swimming by as I was about to head back to base, mindful of the fact that I was supposed to be taking it easy.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxebfCkw8wC_RAQw45qlzRVZ_72_BNOVHUlQRnvpZDPutzSfIaqqFGced3hY38dPlBJUCrUmYiPa5Fdl2h8HjEy5epqrkBAn5W6PlNjByyHXceKtU9zyXkMYYp9RwVrtMLDdx6Rvj2AYCBOUO4eGDjr-gslA8Ijhbud6EwJvpKXkkd_PzJaRVKo1kMts/s825/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1944%20Coot%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxebfCkw8wC_RAQw45qlzRVZ_72_BNOVHUlQRnvpZDPutzSfIaqqFGced3hY38dPlBJUCrUmYiPa5Fdl2h8HjEy5epqrkBAn5W6PlNjByyHXceKtU9zyXkMYYp9RwVrtMLDdx6Rvj2AYCBOUO4eGDjr-gslA8Ijhbud6EwJvpKXkkd_PzJaRVKo1kMts/s16000/23-10-10%20Thortit%20Lake%20area%20PEG_1944%20Coot%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coot (<i>Fulica atra</i>) - Thortit Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>As I neared the exit gate, I saw that some of the female Common Darters were still on the gate.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;">Wednesday, 11th October Garden<br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Another shot of one of the Stock Doves that visited that day, taken through the glass of my study window.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1NiiVEGiBfu5bpnr5dfqjSR0DrYHZvF4xbHmKKuYhLYmYr_rljlRqigevx5mkbWtHIqyepqHBZCqAhb-c176Kjl0k2HAkwSvSBdk3BObaYU5mYDh1k4LkXjrUym4RDsb2BbaUCArrNgLm2GtYbwhpqOat1izBRS3U8Dr0fsmibPL4yNFpFz-A1EU8sc/s825/23-10-11%20Garden%20PEG_1982%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1NiiVEGiBfu5bpnr5dfqjSR0DrYHZvF4xbHmKKuYhLYmYr_rljlRqigevx5mkbWtHIqyepqHBZCqAhb-c176Kjl0k2HAkwSvSBdk3BObaYU5mYDh1k4LkXjrUym4RDsb2BbaUCArrNgLm2GtYbwhpqOat1izBRS3U8Dr0fsmibPL4yNFpFz-A1EU8sc/s16000/23-10-11%20Garden%20PEG_1982%20Stock%20Dove%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stock Dove (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Columba oenas</i>) - Garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;">Thursday, 12th October Garden</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We had been seeing very little of Wren over the past couple of months, and so were absolutely delighted when one showed up this day - not the best of shots, taken from the conservatory, through the double-glazing at an angle.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PVJZIkso32yXSBYvkOAPog_DlAuw_A-Lw_W3Qr-9Hqy-XY1_siTyQd75-5GAtYR-H0Dv2wNIb6ca7ScUer76PVJrSxMCYHHTkKQqEmgpzN9uPzSdmWK2diOJFFtgULCVDIDci05pstqhFp-Ek9wV6KMtwgfKNRKNUEkVQsEylMZIkFFZs24_C9tYOMo/s825/23-10-12%20Garden%20PEG_2000%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PVJZIkso32yXSBYvkOAPog_DlAuw_A-Lw_W3Qr-9Hqy-XY1_siTyQd75-5GAtYR-H0Dv2wNIb6ca7ScUer76PVJrSxMCYHHTkKQqEmgpzN9uPzSdmWK2diOJFFtgULCVDIDci05pstqhFp-Ek9wV6KMtwgfKNRKNUEkVQsEylMZIkFFZs24_C9tYOMo/s16000/23-10-12%20Garden%20PEG_2000%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - Garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Saturday, 14th October Garden</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It has been a quite good year for Comma butterflies. This one visited us this day and sunned itself on Lindsay's nook in the garden.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsjfwf5qWrV55E-cjm005m9KhRtoQwJRAhiLEwSme13W24RlHwPiGQbEHPdMSo5eQbH9uY6korOtu3k5KHmHbYcZBD54gsyqQk3RLTZTE-45uRZB9rTBbRca4IBSFqce_eIzm6KtwphABBuARzhd5LLXvN_GVXcbiDYqH8kq4G-WAMj-QdfCUwd2f0q8/s825/23-10-14%20Garden%20PEG_2024%20Comma%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsjfwf5qWrV55E-cjm005m9KhRtoQwJRAhiLEwSme13W24RlHwPiGQbEHPdMSo5eQbH9uY6korOtu3k5KHmHbYcZBD54gsyqQk3RLTZTE-45uRZB9rTBbRca4IBSFqce_eIzm6KtwphABBuARzhd5LLXvN_GVXcbiDYqH8kq4G-WAMj-QdfCUwd2f0q8/s16000/23-10-14%20Garden%20PEG_2024%20Comma%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Comma (<i>Polygonia c-album</i>) - Garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Sunday, 15th October Calke Park : Garden</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Against my better judgement - it was a fine weather Sunday during the schools half-term holiday - I set out for a visit to Calke Park. I found myself in a queue for the entrance booths when I was about 500 metres from them, and would have turned back if the road had not been 'one-way'. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I first headed for Calke Explore, where there is a hide overlooking a bird feeding station. The car park was full, but I managed to squeeze our small Smart car into a gap in the overflow car park.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I fully expected to find the bird hide full of unruly children but, to my surprise, there were just four people in there (it has capacity for six) and they left as I arrived (I didn't think I looked that threatening!). </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I stayed for about half an hour, but not much was going on and the branches used as photographic props had all been removed, so I photographed very little.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The rats were plentiful and very busy seeking food.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC4fewHQ-DWQul_kOi68x50e-6jz-z9wntdfPSFVfh1Y7PrSfRZx_VGOITn3OTycYI48IZATIZQwjmUSNB0AJiIOSvO_mKMhnp_1ID6dh7G4Nz-nZwdBJ_eEQpEoiyBh020nqoMVclcqQLrNoEXrMAms_fbDp6V4tDKfF78W-V3Wh-pCbaZJ3cY6rfQk/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2065%20Brown%20Rat%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC4fewHQ-DWQul_kOi68x50e-6jz-z9wntdfPSFVfh1Y7PrSfRZx_VGOITn3OTycYI48IZATIZQwjmUSNB0AJiIOSvO_mKMhnp_1ID6dh7G4Nz-nZwdBJ_eEQpEoiyBh020nqoMVclcqQLrNoEXrMAms_fbDp6V4tDKfF78W-V3Wh-pCbaZJ3cY6rfQk/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2065%20Brown%20Rat%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Brown Rat (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Rattus norvegicus</i>) - Calke Park<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>The few photos I did take didn't turn out too well and probably the best of a bad bunch was this of a very common, but nonetheless delightful, bird - a Blue Tit.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpka1qO-jVr3C7OuLwXUEv3hEX64w26TbluLNfp5iSikvqTz-D0DKvLtkO3h98sHWXAFBQMpJDCWxl7XdV-K5Zn3DVYZqC13zX7c74qvuglwQp2EKZf_tAoauHCpDLxN3uHPCl560ygTKvNh32hltK8F_wjPgjhnRaprPQ3whRezROUxLn38VsN530ASQ/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2122%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpka1qO-jVr3C7OuLwXUEv3hEX64w26TbluLNfp5iSikvqTz-D0DKvLtkO3h98sHWXAFBQMpJDCWxl7XdV-K5Zn3DVYZqC13zX7c74qvuglwQp2EKZf_tAoauHCpDLxN3uHPCl560ygTKvNh32hltK8F_wjPgjhnRaprPQ3whRezROUxLn38VsN530ASQ/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2122%20Blue%20Tit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Blue Tit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Cyanistes caeruleus</i>) - Calke Park<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />With little going on here, I decided to try the other hide on the estate. This is by the main car park near the house. As the house came into sight, I was surprised to see that the overflow car park was full of cars, and a second (unofficial?) overflow car park was in operation. This was, by far, the busiest that I have ever seen Calke Park. Amazingly, however, I managed to find myself a vacant spot in the main car park within a few metres of the hide.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I also found that, with just two people in the hide when I got there, I had room to sit in comfort. There was more going on from this hide, although nothing very exciting was seen. The birds were zooming in to the feeders which were suspended on a tensioned wire that went from one side of the clearing to the other. The best photographic opportunities were when the birds approached but were still in the neighbouring trees. Here are a few of the shots that I took.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5f835pNXnNmjhIwDyzpRVerWap1u1vKQZHquwa5_BW5UeszZOO9LCBQpQWeYOkUoE-mJNmTLVWHJ2TP6ANfZCcXWgMZMLvT8HZRJvy5OfePNwicBqRj6v7TAWMd17TZ1snBYHcSx_y2tFytmY37XEK1DHsyRXEyqjqKj9JOpoawESLBePsyjDdQRcs4/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2173%20Nuthatch%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5f835pNXnNmjhIwDyzpRVerWap1u1vKQZHquwa5_BW5UeszZOO9LCBQpQWeYOkUoE-mJNmTLVWHJ2TP6ANfZCcXWgMZMLvT8HZRJvy5OfePNwicBqRj6v7TAWMd17TZ1snBYHcSx_y2tFytmY37XEK1DHsyRXEyqjqKj9JOpoawESLBePsyjDdQRcs4/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2173%20Nuthatch%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">Nuthhatch (<i>Sitta europaea</i>) - Calke Park</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutmgptV94bnOmw-e6VZWry_L-GhptxyNefnSSUwekTLEQwXevpPFN5ojDhZwJvyTbM2kG_0TNVLzb7aUXu0hVXvBYA_y9kZtmtvekHkWaVpK33dDstZsDgNMy2RvPmgJgmaEI9fVT4ZfEuMrPcvEILGP-IMX40g0CeCe5RYr9udOzdpvm2XR63LcdB48/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2186%20Greenfinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutmgptV94bnOmw-e6VZWry_L-GhptxyNefnSSUwekTLEQwXevpPFN5ojDhZwJvyTbM2kG_0TNVLzb7aUXu0hVXvBYA_y9kZtmtvekHkWaVpK33dDstZsDgNMy2RvPmgJgmaEI9fVT4ZfEuMrPcvEILGP-IMX40g0CeCe5RYr9udOzdpvm2XR63LcdB48/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2186%20Greenfinch%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenfinch (<i>Carduelis chloris</i>) (female) - Calke Park</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiASAUWrp7tY9rEmaR8P3btSOX2fqNw-OmgpeXrNKockcGnlx3pccqSiHRE_XzzNrIIl_8W-xavsTNK-RAleiNRiJEPeGXYE_4uTk30uYtfOZMURC1uEepVN30q7grhgXhJAt14UCd5G_tfKqEALgCRvMFErVv_OrSWJqOQMrmWIJ8p1IQ9mUgDvV5eQU/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2225%20Pheasant%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiASAUWrp7tY9rEmaR8P3btSOX2fqNw-OmgpeXrNKockcGnlx3pccqSiHRE_XzzNrIIl_8W-xavsTNK-RAleiNRiJEPeGXYE_4uTk30uYtfOZMURC1uEepVN30q7grhgXhJAt14UCd5G_tfKqEALgCRvMFErVv_OrSWJqOQMrmWIJ8p1IQ9mUgDvV5eQU/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2225%20Pheasant%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Pheasant <span>(<i>Phasianus colchicus</i>) (male) - Calke Park<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpUsHA8v1xdUaf8Sw5xJ0F-rOQyfJ5rkx-UAiX4AJ7RBfwKSAWvBqzfhNYe_8TywTYX_qZnjYNW8QGJtvrH0R5fC4ywhqwf5DeO-Y6N4c7VoCXGIy6LUtb5CInpns97Ra9fRQFQgLE2dQu9ZL-7-JLsiC5yZMZhE9GiFfm2vRzGF782PEtDzyVpp7504/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2260%20Goldfinch%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpUsHA8v1xdUaf8Sw5xJ0F-rOQyfJ5rkx-UAiX4AJ7RBfwKSAWvBqzfhNYe_8TywTYX_qZnjYNW8QGJtvrH0R5fC4ywhqwf5DeO-Y6N4c7VoCXGIy6LUtb5CInpns97Ra9fRQFQgLE2dQu9ZL-7-JLsiC5yZMZhE9GiFfm2vRzGF782PEtDzyVpp7504/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2260%20Goldfinch%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Goldfinch (<i>Carduelis carduelis</i>) - Calke Park</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWeeja9WvgnNIbQE51fRHUS_hX98U57zwpCZidIPKlLcE0iYHYM95Jlfgzhc6fxXKuVPMkG2HqdhdGc4npDFT8L-uOzzifsC6InAco981m4hV_3L0j6H0ZKHdGDpVpwieEfQcFEhJMeg_nuW63mg4H9S7taamXfjFadeexlipIHTeriJwy4TvJ1YwVno/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2277%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWeeja9WvgnNIbQE51fRHUS_hX98U57zwpCZidIPKlLcE0iYHYM95Jlfgzhc6fxXKuVPMkG2HqdhdGc4npDFT8L-uOzzifsC6InAco981m4hV_3L0j6H0ZKHdGDpVpwieEfQcFEhJMeg_nuW63mg4H9S7taamXfjFadeexlipIHTeriJwy4TvJ1YwVno/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2277%20Greenfinch%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenfinch (<i>Carduelis chloris</i>) (male) - Calke Park</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvTV7Yewslx28JLOZUpCtINZxX_A-s_xmxuhT0PTh9u33HtcTlV0SgRIirRFGKoHiDaq9DWKjkw2JzReEjtD6lqJjntfpvPV2uO14BCEU9n2jeXxR7iMKDJp82qD_2dFGahwJuL5gJ93uG3TLP3o4Z_8xx-ZAozGhSVlCbdRO2yTg3uDzIlvp4R11mgE/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2303%20Nuthatch%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUvTV7Yewslx28JLOZUpCtINZxX_A-s_xmxuhT0PTh9u33HtcTlV0SgRIirRFGKoHiDaq9DWKjkw2JzReEjtD6lqJjntfpvPV2uO14BCEU9n2jeXxR7iMKDJp82qD_2dFGahwJuL5gJ93uG3TLP3o4Z_8xx-ZAozGhSVlCbdRO2yTg3uDzIlvp4R11mgE/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2303%20Nuthatch%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">Nuthhatch (<i>Sitta europaea</i>) - Calke Park</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdHN8C9Q7XMVbs1RRmK_Bl9jhEClk6_Z2qSQIAdnNspYywEwfZpyYT89w0w5RGrawdViTbZI1JWdI61xvJ4QGQxfEoWJABXmUtsdamtPITSOKI30TUuvz3nUr053dlGDtOyFuKKr67MfqFX-pL94DEWpEfsIdIOQ7hWrfM2pxmMEflmGSwOT2kqPvecE/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2315%20Mallard%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdHN8C9Q7XMVbs1RRmK_Bl9jhEClk6_Z2qSQIAdnNspYywEwfZpyYT89w0w5RGrawdViTbZI1JWdI61xvJ4QGQxfEoWJABXmUtsdamtPITSOKI30TUuvz3nUr053dlGDtOyFuKKr67MfqFX-pL94DEWpEfsIdIOQ7hWrfM2pxmMEflmGSwOT2kqPvecE/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2315%20Mallard%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Mallard (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anas platyrhynchos</i>) (male) - Calke Park<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>The arrival to the hide of a group of people acted as a signal for me to depart. I stopped for a while just outside the hide to view the deer in the Deer Park.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My attention was drawn to a young Fallow Deer that was bounding across the grass at a good speed.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4L6646xPU_RxvKHbi4C2BNe8WxEKmHFYETVQEeBSQCnDL7yOSDg92AAASfKwwnj-LnZQKsaR9YP7nNL2f0X0p-fXuc4A7wFm4iN9tQR2-bvDe_rEy5fSej4kkPimiHLBJ3_14qd21UKl0mh1l31O_yRDu5J6EHCrdaw914HseXdZcEG8oLZ9ealcvoDM/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2352%20Fallow%20Deer%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4L6646xPU_RxvKHbi4C2BNe8WxEKmHFYETVQEeBSQCnDL7yOSDg92AAASfKwwnj-LnZQKsaR9YP7nNL2f0X0p-fXuc4A7wFm4iN9tQR2-bvDe_rEy5fSej4kkPimiHLBJ3_14qd21UKl0mh1l31O_yRDu5J6EHCrdaw914HseXdZcEG8oLZ9ealcvoDM/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2352%20Fallow%20Deer%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Fallow Deer (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Dama dama</i>) - Calke Park<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>The reason for its haste soon became apparent!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsUAMuD0Ovup6xLdBZ_SKsUzxGLtCnEJkP3pZOGaSX3c-V5m7JFqqzxemYaS2PeLPfaz8G3okwv0qsCEXBr6-6_iy0SaeqZ0txmmVpctUlimWRffgbH-UrC7iT366xsPIiJVqbk8YhZSrhg5Yn5pXPYpFQvrdDwjhwAgLy4_FhJErbM698o85rpSVlck/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2366%20Fallow%20Deer%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsUAMuD0Ovup6xLdBZ_SKsUzxGLtCnEJkP3pZOGaSX3c-V5m7JFqqzxemYaS2PeLPfaz8G3okwv0qsCEXBr6-6_iy0SaeqZ0txmmVpctUlimWRffgbH-UrC7iT366xsPIiJVqbk8YhZSrhg5Yn5pXPYpFQvrdDwjhwAgLy4_FhJErbM698o85rpSVlck/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2366%20Fallow%20Deer%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Fallow Deer (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Dama dama</i>) - Calke Park</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Over on the far side of this area there was a Fallow Deer with what I can only suggest</b><b>, by the antlers,</b><b> was a young male Red Deer.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbspjMMGAL-O6ik0TmSvtaex4jZQCtxVBEK0oLyW83RaT_9HpXcIzc6oPybgWaj-7wJCibE9u21-Un9dZXNtsv7sA_6XvjOEzk3JRe7P6im3GLQDumRxhRT_8ZHwOrwhBDFvSBaYWlpJbZnhPtc-cvgyrYAZxtlXB4Q9OjgHYiAD8DSnJnlrjfwd2EN6s/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2386%20Red%20&%20Fallow%20Deer%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbspjMMGAL-O6ik0TmSvtaex4jZQCtxVBEK0oLyW83RaT_9HpXcIzc6oPybgWaj-7wJCibE9u21-Un9dZXNtsv7sA_6XvjOEzk3JRe7P6im3GLQDumRxhRT_8ZHwOrwhBDFvSBaYWlpJbZnhPtc-cvgyrYAZxtlXB4Q9OjgHYiAD8DSnJnlrjfwd2EN6s/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2386%20Red%20&%20Fallow%20Deer%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Red Deer (</span></b></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><i>Cervus elaphu</i>s) and </span></b></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Fallow Deer (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Dama dama</i>) - Calke Park</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>I then drove round to what is known as The Round Car Park and walked down to the south-west arm of Staunton Harold Reservoir and then headed westward to reach the weir that is the inflow from Calke Park. This is the view eastward from near that location. On my previous visit, the water in the reservoir was so depleted that, with wellington boots on, it would have been possible to walk across the reservoir on a right to left trajectory that approximates to that thin dark line behind the brighter blue strip.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBuwu08Ffi9RqSrZemFWMdV0lxN6Omo1ovU6AvofslfaMEltYB9Jf1naRcLFe3xPeY2Lc1t-7UH6LIk2B1yrOdKX6cgFc5FlQx49eJ8BEy2vWcKoyw_A8VhZwhta5Mk3XP3BNcL49_01v3U8_VGV_3wC99BQZJckQKRjH7dxf65lYYf4KZySugNvidnI/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2407%20View%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBuwu08Ffi9RqSrZemFWMdV0lxN6Omo1ovU6AvofslfaMEltYB9Jf1naRcLFe3xPeY2Lc1t-7UH6LIk2B1yrOdKX6cgFc5FlQx49eJ8BEy2vWcKoyw_A8VhZwhta5Mk3XP3BNcL49_01v3U8_VGV_3wC99BQZJckQKRjH7dxf65lYYf4KZySugNvidnI/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2407%20View%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Staunton Harold Reservoir<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><b>From near the inflow, on the far side of the water, I spotted a Heron that was looking for its afternoon tea.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijw0lj0Dbdxkrk0ME2RFs21Vg8RF073Eli3spXMMYcYlGniAQS6fiXQkwysBgEPEAwI_qsohdQMNBB33O4sKJoOygI08YZ0CUTTgC0t3XPlUulh9ve6x9wNMJmedG5H8bwZpnLtLzb3xy-eE9ia2SFro2lvruLpiJIuLnzM6iDbVCTvEF3EJe59DV_9Vk/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2459%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijw0lj0Dbdxkrk0ME2RFs21Vg8RF073Eli3spXMMYcYlGniAQS6fiXQkwysBgEPEAwI_qsohdQMNBB33O4sKJoOygI08YZ0CUTTgC0t3XPlUulh9ve6x9wNMJmedG5H8bwZpnLtLzb3xy-eE9ia2SFro2lvruLpiJIuLnzM6iDbVCTvEF3EJe59DV_9Vk/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2459%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Heron (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Ardea cinerea</i>) - Staunton Harol Reservoir<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>As I headed back, a Little Egret arrived, landing in the trees on the far side of the water.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_T9aGXhmbr8nRnuOujLVV7LCRF9gsIfR0Iq16OvcIHotXFZOLOEbqHUFVaFPl0kFfKwMnTgp5L2ZGi14VrwppYtiv2soarZX_3RXu6wYYREAkwGuP5wzgvESwYxlme9JO0998GTcH6ZtDIDTdBl48ET-L20sCAQbiwjU9rS5_fLShGjwOkmzOD54XP7U/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2471%20Little%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_T9aGXhmbr8nRnuOujLVV7LCRF9gsIfR0Iq16OvcIHotXFZOLOEbqHUFVaFPl0kFfKwMnTgp5L2ZGi14VrwppYtiv2soarZX_3RXu6wYYREAkwGuP5wzgvESwYxlme9JO0998GTcH6ZtDIDTdBl48ET-L20sCAQbiwjU9rS5_fLShGjwOkmzOD54XP7U/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2471%20Little%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Little Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Egretta garzetta</i>) - Staunton Harold Reservoir<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>An immature Great Crested Grebe was closer as I went along the boardwalk section of the path.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2nhV922GjX7q5gwzhGhhKcM2bY32E0ifAGh5JrWqtYCNZaaBjfF7gEsjNFDIOL5h2m32TnGnAWRmekCeYEHtHiUI7PryTSvB44cx9Cs6cHHVHVQIOIABKDGdQzDgiJv8xbwFDmQdBOReUyrGt53kIfHVJ5alUP8XcrNfuDerSKM_G94OcHLHMiz6wn4/s825/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2512%20Great%20Crested%20Grebe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2nhV922GjX7q5gwzhGhhKcM2bY32E0ifAGh5JrWqtYCNZaaBjfF7gEsjNFDIOL5h2m32TnGnAWRmekCeYEHtHiUI7PryTSvB44cx9Cs6cHHVHVQIOIABKDGdQzDgiJv8xbwFDmQdBOReUyrGt53kIfHVJ5alUP8XcrNfuDerSKM_G94OcHLHMiz6wn4/s16000/23-10-15%20Calke%20Park%20PEG_2512%20Great%20Crested%20Grebe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Great Crested Grebe (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Podiceps cristatus</i>) - Staunton Harold Reservoir<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b>I arrived back home in time to witness the Sparrowhawk making a nuisance of itself once more. This immature male has been visiting on a 'several times a day' basis, but its hit-rate is relatively low. The visits are, however, frequent enough that many of the other birds have got wise and are staying away from our garden.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceQuoPgbsdLkMtO62hyOE_uFWUv2tDaDYR5k7eXH8DxIK7Q_p8TN9L1CVbCG2kuYve0wLtfE0DmBN6wKd3cpKzxHtVxrRHt9x-aUDcDU46HK6mt2GUPMmu0QRT9Iae34XmLDq1DRv-BESYeBmVlzqOAvXDVBOQqPuMPeRTN4x1tjVEqJnj8a7dALKvTU/s895/23-10-15%20Garden%20PEG_2552%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceQuoPgbsdLkMtO62hyOE_uFWUv2tDaDYR5k7eXH8DxIK7Q_p8TN9L1CVbCG2kuYve0wLtfE0DmBN6wKd3cpKzxHtVxrRHt9x-aUDcDU46HK6mt2GUPMmu0QRT9Iae34XmLDq1DRv-BESYeBmVlzqOAvXDVBOQqPuMPeRTN4x1tjVEqJnj8a7dALKvTU/s16000/23-10-15%20Garden%20PEG_2552%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (immature male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As it stands at the moment, my next post will cover the second half of October, and be somewhat shorter than this one as I did not manage to get out with my camera during that period.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> <br /></b></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-72186790474944553342023-11-06T20:00:00.001+00:002023-11-06T20:00:56.517+00:00Isles of Scilly, 2023 Pt.5 - 30th September to 3rd October, 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This
fifth instalment of my account
covers the final four days of our
recent holiday on the Isles of Scilly. All ended rather differently to that expected or hoped for. <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>If
you missed previous parts of my account, you can find them by going to
the bottom of this post and then clicking on 'Older Post'. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 30th September</b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The weather forecast for the day was not very favourable, with a strong
wind all day, and a chance of rain, with very little sunshine.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My first job of the day was to retrieve my camera bag from the kiosk on the
quay, where it had been put after I left it on the boat the previous
afternoon.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having returned to base, I then took Lindsay shopping so that she could buy
a belated part of her birthday present, and we could get take-home gifts for
granddaughters at home. The next stop was at Becky's Scilly Cakes where, on
Saturdays, she offers the best doughnuts in the world. This week's special
filling (it changes every week) was apple and cinnamon, which is what I chose. The girls, variously, had custard or jam. Mine was absolutely delicious and was
eaten while still warm.</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was about 11.00 before I got out, and I was given a lift in the buggy
to Carreg Dhu Garden by Melanie and Lindsay. I saw little there, and only took shots of Humming-bird Hawk-moth without being able to freeze the wing
motion because of the low light levels. They were on some Escallonia bushes, which had small, but rather beautiful, flowers.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocZbf73YuLwCqYS5Bbuk3X5Vbyu-dqusxYyHlvZ0747L40r_cyViF-PKkBCqL1DolpZcr1quColgU6pxx65MIMbqOLgPRcTVPR14fAJyWvzrOJrshA5XpWl1CvlKI4UUQfGlOdn12aKo-fpv1N3Yz0Q_Ov8iaUnSpeDBqXIwBQPUz3E8uhEqmyCWSKQk/s825/23-09-30%20Carreg%20Dhu%20Garden%20PEG_1252%20Escallonia%20macrantha%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocZbf73YuLwCqYS5Bbuk3X5Vbyu-dqusxYyHlvZ0747L40r_cyViF-PKkBCqL1DolpZcr1quColgU6pxx65MIMbqOLgPRcTVPR14fAJyWvzrOJrshA5XpWl1CvlKI4UUQfGlOdn12aKo-fpv1N3Yz0Q_Ov8iaUnSpeDBqXIwBQPUz3E8uhEqmyCWSKQk/s16000/23-09-30%20Carreg%20Dhu%20Garden%20PEG_1252%20Escallonia%20macrantha%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><i>Escallonia macrantha</i> - Carreg Dhu</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6crK-SwRGcu-r49LeFHIOm1gL_4nAj1-X2curq8_IBY-12VLgkknYPg3zEETivLBhesBkqwMlNbaZJd_ovSioI77gLgMSgnY-ihv1AzKPHktO84fRu7ztbswEzL15ZtVdKJvD4iPfWlDF5kvMIT4B0KcGUWmYunEf_xX7wtAsqi8XfHf723C7fLepZi4/s825/23-09-30%20Carreg%20Dhu%20Garden%20PEG_1279%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6crK-SwRGcu-r49LeFHIOm1gL_4nAj1-X2curq8_IBY-12VLgkknYPg3zEETivLBhesBkqwMlNbaZJd_ovSioI77gLgMSgnY-ihv1AzKPHktO84fRu7ztbswEzL15ZtVdKJvD4iPfWlDF5kvMIT4B0KcGUWmYunEf_xX7wtAsqi8XfHf723C7fLepZi4/s16000/23-09-30%20Carreg%20Dhu%20Garden%20PEG_1279%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wLYUYV3HcwzA4ml1_DoOZ7rK6xb2C_4d9Q_uq0v4brX7re7caiGBtD96rOEhU1xSzBD_UbQTPYeXQPAGZr0Vt_AgZkdsFfbxojzII-xSXwkInOeMvznZNDvNUobVj-bWnfhX8wIIPlfR54Y4_NwnMNFaYzlK153naz7gh9CuaepW_kO0CFWRWO2jnIs/s825/23-09-30%20Carreg%20Dhu%20Garden%20PEG_1324%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wLYUYV3HcwzA4ml1_DoOZ7rK6xb2C_4d9Q_uq0v4brX7re7caiGBtD96rOEhU1xSzBD_UbQTPYeXQPAGZr0Vt_AgZkdsFfbxojzII-xSXwkInOeMvznZNDvNUobVj-bWnfhX8wIIPlfR54Y4_NwnMNFaYzlK153naz7gh9CuaepW_kO0CFWRWO2jnIs/s16000/23-09-30%20Carreg%20Dhu%20Garden%20PEG_1324%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Humming-bird Hawk-moth (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Macroglossum stellatarum</i>) - Carreg Dhu<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I set off to walk back to base and, just after I had passed the road to the
airport, was accosted by a gentleman that asked if this was the way to the
airport. Somehow I had managed to miss the news that two Bobolink had been seen
there. Never having seen this extremely rare visitor from the Americas, I went
to have a look. I found about 40 to 50 birders already there. The birds put in
very brief appearances every time an aircraft flew in to land, but I only got one
very distant sighting of one of the birds as it flew, and didn't get a single
shot. Having an aversion to crowds, I gave up after half an hour and walked to Old Town and checked out
Standing Stones Field and Lower Moors, only finding a Snipe at Lower Moors. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nuESVLZV9IU5KjqU7GHE_dpEhGgKOXy-frPVrjnN0vlycT2TAX_kI9FfPNU9_OpVzXsWKxWup7NC86auPtC74zc2qsrSuKQ3c_68znss0WVUWuYh4jLWAPr8mZhp0HshAOUa5naQ6wqzXehACUe__Vbqp04dooy9xQK3jrHHk4w9_O0HMhvjPGyEwjU/s825/23-09-30%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_1382%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nuESVLZV9IU5KjqU7GHE_dpEhGgKOXy-frPVrjnN0vlycT2TAX_kI9FfPNU9_OpVzXsWKxWup7NC86auPtC74zc2qsrSuKQ3c_68znss0WVUWuYh4jLWAPr8mZhp0HshAOUa5naQ6wqzXehACUe__Vbqp04dooy9xQK3jrHHk4w9_O0HMhvjPGyEwjU/s16000/23-09-30%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_1382%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Snipe <span>(<i>Gallinago gallinago</i>) - Lower Moors<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>The
girls then came and gave me a lift back to base.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After a very late lunch, I fell asleep on the sofa. It was 17.00 before I
got out, taking the buggy to Higher Moors, having quick visits to both the
hides and Porthellick beach. The light was atrocious by now and, as little was
seen and a dense sea mist was building, I didn't linger for long.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I returned to base and took part in a 'build a better pizza' competition
with the four girls. Mine was wonderful!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Thus ended the most unproductive day, photography-wise, of the holiday.<br /></b></div><div> </div><div><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 1st October</b></div><div> </div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This was to be our last full day of the holiday as we were scheduled to fly back
to the mainland the next morning. The forecast for the day was for little wind,
but low level cloud and the occasional rain. It turned out to be a bit worse
than that as, for much of the morning, the cloud level was zero metres above
ground. </b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I took a few photos from the garden after breakfast, including some of a
seal that was venturing to occasionly stick its nose out of the water.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5P3iVsMFIHP6znRoM2I-ROV40dSB2O9w6mJkf2j_-3J8lRwE0AgNGxdziFqMTFBdE4LeKwCU3azUZSglzTyywp-uhEMGS5fwh3yR1ZId7rTMuFSNi4-OfVDYWvvpUa4EmNHCV48LTts_V9b4E-OdfkpzsfsZ_bxSBA3fX1JB0DiHXnaEMEwJWu8eDNY/s825/23-10-01%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_1409%20Seal%20sp.%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5P3iVsMFIHP6znRoM2I-ROV40dSB2O9w6mJkf2j_-3J8lRwE0AgNGxdziFqMTFBdE4LeKwCU3azUZSglzTyywp-uhEMGS5fwh3yR1ZId7rTMuFSNi4-OfVDYWvvpUa4EmNHCV48LTts_V9b4E-OdfkpzsfsZ_bxSBA3fX1JB0DiHXnaEMEwJWu8eDNY/s16000/23-10-01%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_1409%20Seal%20sp.%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Seal (<i>Halichoerus grypus</i>) - Littleporth<i><br /></i></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>A few years back, a trio of Mallard hybrids made a name for themselves by regularly appearing in the bay at Porthcressa. For several years, 'the Porthcressa Three' were lauded and fed by locals and visitors, and were very much at home on the sea.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Last year, we found that the 'Three' had produced offspring and they were now the 'Porthcressa Three plus Three'.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This visit revealed that they had now become 'the Porthcressa Seventeen'! I took this shot from the garden.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYeFTPvtpv1hRo9w0h_MdFAx30gXI51yCksePDLWHbuC9k93qgIvDbwhA7gzKL4xntdCtGgZxpj7iLtudx-SGmJV95DlFCLa0anaxkIbG92UZDddnIgUSLwzc4_I-C1dxQpmgZZ4u4e5Pt8bN20mgyK_4mGGLFrtM7PY8oZWFVd58JbdbmICk0asQ3OM/s825/23-10-01%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_1451%20Perthcress%2017%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYeFTPvtpv1hRo9w0h_MdFAx30gXI51yCksePDLWHbuC9k93qgIvDbwhA7gzKL4xntdCtGgZxpj7iLtudx-SGmJV95DlFCLa0anaxkIbG92UZDddnIgUSLwzc4_I-C1dxQpmgZZ4u4e5Pt8bN20mgyK_4mGGLFrtM7PY8oZWFVd58JbdbmICk0asQ3OM/s16000/23-10-01%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_1451%20Perthcress%2017%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The Porthcress Seventeen - Littleporth<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b>Having sorted out a few administrative jobs, I set off on foot at about 09.15.</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I passed along the head of Littleporth beach, I grabbed some shots of
what I think was possibly a White Wagtail (rather than Pied Wagtail). This was on what I think were Mermaids Tresses (<i>Chorda filum</i>).</b><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t2LevOEyjNpWsceU4rmBDjs0U4AxBbBlQ_z2F1YhQzfecm79R8vYPfo16IIruLOYvQwk1BHlqxI0a9R02Q9sNx4U4-yZzYijCxteiw2M2DM9Ly7cSBq8KL80MfUS6QpksG2fkuqR_Q1UC0fIwo4RcuOpemH1Lvd2oeft17CR8tq12gpKwO79fTkJEVE/s825/23-10-01%20Littleporth%20PEG_1455%20White%20Wagtail%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t2LevOEyjNpWsceU4rmBDjs0U4AxBbBlQ_z2F1YhQzfecm79R8vYPfo16IIruLOYvQwk1BHlqxI0a9R02Q9sNx4U4-yZzYijCxteiw2M2DM9Ly7cSBq8KL80MfUS6QpksG2fkuqR_Q1UC0fIwo4RcuOpemH1Lvd2oeft17CR8tq12gpKwO79fTkJEVE/s16000/23-10-01%20Littleporth%20PEG_1455%20White%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">White Wagtail? (<i>Motacilla alba</i>?) - Littleporth</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>I took the path that climbs up to Buzza Tower, stopping to photograph Littleporth, including the property that we were staying at - at the bottom of that yellow line.</b></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Kn1akCoHmUkrXChfGSjux2FF0mKQ2zWJ8jIiT5wyfirrSRtjzgcmM9cxH5TMYW2KPB5AvtypCotjP7GmKRTCZIY7tgrMVYFp10aZPU9LCvGGTl1I2sfpsXyrD23lfU1fRaaShqz4iVpoGEiY9lS5WDP8F-ZGM4oj_s0YLLhb7nCGQcBr6nnv9SVT0TM/s825/23-10-01%20from%20Buzza%20Hill%20Path%20PEG_1457%20View%20to%20Littleporth%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Kn1akCoHmUkrXChfGSjux2FF0mKQ2zWJ8jIiT5wyfirrSRtjzgcmM9cxH5TMYW2KPB5AvtypCotjP7GmKRTCZIY7tgrMVYFp10aZPU9LCvGGTl1I2sfpsXyrD23lfU1fRaaShqz4iVpoGEiY9lS5WDP8F-ZGM4oj_s0YLLhb7nCGQcBr6nnv9SVT0TM/s16000/23-10-01%20from%20Buzza%20Hill%20Path%20PEG_1457%20View%20to%20Littleporth%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #ffd966;">View to Littleporth from Buzza Hill path</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>A little further on I just about managed to photograph a Song Thrush. I believe that I have mentioned before that this species used to be numerous, and very confiding, on the Isles of Scilly, but I have seen far fewer on recent visits, and they seem far more nervous.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanWc88-9DtNJdclg51-gI1njZHKu6UyirJYNDBTx476g934i5h2mnu7X-CWL77GxXieHFTWJty9qQFwHp5LczMp_DwAal1mpN4ZcXPdKZWhjCTSY2Ee8-nLpLdycm2x_F2icyoXlG8gaj27Rg3MgYsEmPCBpt9v0Hz-BD08TpX8AkKcSc0OTD5P__ZAA/s825/23-10-01%20from%20Buzza%20Hill%20Path%20PEG_1464%20Song%20Thrush%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanWc88-9DtNJdclg51-gI1njZHKu6UyirJYNDBTx476g934i5h2mnu7X-CWL77GxXieHFTWJty9qQFwHp5LczMp_DwAal1mpN4ZcXPdKZWhjCTSY2Ee8-nLpLdycm2x_F2icyoXlG8gaj27Rg3MgYsEmPCBpt9v0Hz-BD08TpX8AkKcSc0OTD5P__ZAA/s16000/23-10-01%20from%20Buzza%20Hill%20Path%20PEG_1464%20Song%20Thrush%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #ffd966;">Song Thrush (<i>Turdus philomelos</i>) - from Buzza Hill path</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Having passed Buzza Tower I then found a
Humming-bird Hawk-moth on Red Valerian opposite the hospital. Being one of my favourite moths, I hope that you will excuse more photos.<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BJdLWN2iPMdmI3B94hNb9TSlcBQ8ygzszaUgYEydNAV0cVYEbCFPlAfBKkkkRBuY9P-M7oKK8YlC9EzyQjmqgtuICuxsNahyphenhypheniEuRxKWIsbl-H1iHn2MMyelBZIMDN19kzrfbhe-n0RbwbecYHWcvnr1mD7fghn5-baxI8ijZNzqiad-VbZlvGPoOjJU/s825/23-10-01%20by%20Hospital%20PEG_1519%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BJdLWN2iPMdmI3B94hNb9TSlcBQ8ygzszaUgYEydNAV0cVYEbCFPlAfBKkkkRBuY9P-M7oKK8YlC9EzyQjmqgtuICuxsNahyphenhypheniEuRxKWIsbl-H1iHn2MMyelBZIMDN19kzrfbhe-n0RbwbecYHWcvnr1mD7fghn5-baxI8ijZNzqiad-VbZlvGPoOjJU/s16000/23-10-01%20by%20Hospital%20PEG_1519%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswtkYI8SxxGDE9A2AQG7UfLs4BkSbrBqIk0F4y6j7iqEQ-SJpwxSS2RryEDamz9TPby9p3yTAGaQjhsx30xnOCLHKrotMf3fEQiRkm-UxGfCWHcerMDJHs3U9Z0emdoceKvneAdC-tgVKpwpz1YtWrT4fiw71x76NPXP01dKh89cBWyyK8swaSVxyzKE/s825/23-10-01%20by%20Hospital%20PEG_1520%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswtkYI8SxxGDE9A2AQG7UfLs4BkSbrBqIk0F4y6j7iqEQ-SJpwxSS2RryEDamz9TPby9p3yTAGaQjhsx30xnOCLHKrotMf3fEQiRkm-UxGfCWHcerMDJHs3U9Z0emdoceKvneAdC-tgVKpwpz1YtWrT4fiw71x76NPXP01dKh89cBWyyK8swaSVxyzKE/s16000/23-10-01%20by%20Hospital%20PEG_1520%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Humming-bird Hawk-moth (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Macroglossum stellatarum</i>) -by St. Mary's Hospital<br /></span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table></b></span><b>As I finished with the hawk-moth, I was greeted by Ren Hathway, who
remembered me from previous visits. We chatted on our way to the airport where
we both hoped to have views of the two Bobolink that were there. Unfortunately
it started raining a bit heavily soon after we arrived. I didn't stay long
because of the weather, and I didn't see a Bobolink, but I did get some shots
of a distant Whinchat and of the two Wheatear that were in the area.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGUAWPCR-5RbySAgEJrhTNbdWFxBwAa9eE5lwccNGK9CzqlktLs3D8Dh88K_fhYxK1jpRcaUujH4Qjm7SB6kd5i1KCNlRI-2_-SVYT8-b3e6-gCnb71Y4fi98SSz7PGkYsGIIaZmWE48F5Zv-u3gjo2XgC-VhtdK_e_nttq2HZ1m_fJJpmkTMmUNUpY0/s825/23-10-01%20by%20Airport%20Entrance%20%20PEG_1549%20Whinchat%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaGUAWPCR-5RbySAgEJrhTNbdWFxBwAa9eE5lwccNGK9CzqlktLs3D8Dh88K_fhYxK1jpRcaUujH4Qjm7SB6kd5i1KCNlRI-2_-SVYT8-b3e6-gCnb71Y4fi98SSz7PGkYsGIIaZmWE48F5Zv-u3gjo2XgC-VhtdK_e_nttq2HZ1m_fJJpmkTMmUNUpY0/s16000/23-10-01%20by%20Airport%20Entrance%20%20PEG_1549%20Whinchat%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Whinchat (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Saxicola rubetra</i>) (female) - near Airport entrance<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6HvDiqhNmf40qQSLbDd1xtVmIn59coGhyphenhyphenNn4uQIWQ2dygm_k2TniLZ9xQYkZMyGKo4egE1nSP0OIkHJabJnMc7o77vnHxa8pYdmCPhBv5qMQCRXfq8s6r_fS90Jxtm9PUppFZ9_7hZOGFVTkA4S-YlIzOshblfxIZnWaDdsrSpzr-g-a7sQ0rewArdM/s863/23-10-01%20by%20Airport%20Entrance%20%20PEG_1568%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6HvDiqhNmf40qQSLbDd1xtVmIn59coGhyphenhyphenNn4uQIWQ2dygm_k2TniLZ9xQYkZMyGKo4egE1nSP0OIkHJabJnMc7o77vnHxa8pYdmCPhBv5qMQCRXfq8s6r_fS90Jxtm9PUppFZ9_7hZOGFVTkA4S-YlIzOshblfxIZnWaDdsrSpzr-g-a7sQ0rewArdM/s16000/23-10-01%20by%20Airport%20Entrance%20%20PEG_1568%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiq2cnOZGa3qJ0UDWgy8os0I3d_v5i8oVN7JDwDNjjoze3PhxZkFOoV16fzCBMedATtflCtVABbgg5XKDJSji_RH3LIFCZme3-NSLh8sQ_6EFEdjupKHLjHEXf4oV8qw5W0fC7PMqRkPoILr12HGz0DKPRLUEVB0MLWALapxGs6eB2Y6_t2c-Xo_s5go/s825/23-10-01%20by%20Airport%20Entrance%20%20PEG_1621%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIiq2cnOZGa3qJ0UDWgy8os0I3d_v5i8oVN7JDwDNjjoze3PhxZkFOoV16fzCBMedATtflCtVABbgg5XKDJSji_RH3LIFCZme3-NSLh8sQ_6EFEdjupKHLjHEXf4oV8qw5W0fC7PMqRkPoILr12HGz0DKPRLUEVB0MLWALapxGs6eB2Y6_t2c-Xo_s5go/s16000/23-10-01%20by%20Airport%20Entrance%20%20PEG_1621%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wheatear (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Oenanthe oenanthe</i>) (female) - by Airport entrance<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I returned to base a little damp
and concerned for the welfare of my camera, particularly of the lens which is
clearly stated as not being waterproof.</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having had lunch, I took a few photos from the garden.</b></div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbYMv7PDwfY-qWffopWA523MANyxMQ6RNtef7m52KPkNbi_jU-C2MQCyWZzQnYi4gNHGnCQfvc-ArkoqSKDnNMEgvLNDNfFKzrDmIbL71Jzk1BnUGUE66_P0oCrqg4uyAs4NTrYuwNYKlsbKyyRm3Jctvt1Q6ePqSLhmrF2ps4ENSGq9fc7GTMJHtFKs/s825/23-10-01%20Beaches%20%20PEG_1631%20Wren%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbYMv7PDwfY-qWffopWA523MANyxMQ6RNtef7m52KPkNbi_jU-C2MQCyWZzQnYi4gNHGnCQfvc-ArkoqSKDnNMEgvLNDNfFKzrDmIbL71Jzk1BnUGUE66_P0oCrqg4uyAs4NTrYuwNYKlsbKyyRm3Jctvt1Q6ePqSLhmrF2ps4ENSGq9fc7GTMJHtFKs/s16000/23-10-01%20Beaches%20%20PEG_1631%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - Garden, Littleporth</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOinWmlj-CCCkk5b5PGc2nmF402ST7hEHDlgB2LJACH9usH4lyVCyQ1yZ6l-bfX03_1IXeUZj4CmHd_Hma06LGSlR8jH_dlpn6DPDTpPhTqtJbm4O03PXLJOCJ0OA4vdTA4YROYbTHpGNC_o_OfyuHL3L6r0qBtk8hJKRwQ-WkobjkAKhp5SekcWdX06I/s825/23-10-01%20Beaches%20%20PEG_1638%20Starling%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOinWmlj-CCCkk5b5PGc2nmF402ST7hEHDlgB2LJACH9usH4lyVCyQ1yZ6l-bfX03_1IXeUZj4CmHd_Hma06LGSlR8jH_dlpn6DPDTpPhTqtJbm4O03PXLJOCJ0OA4vdTA4YROYbTHpGNC_o_OfyuHL3L6r0qBtk8hJKRwQ-WkobjkAKhp5SekcWdX06I/s16000/23-10-01%20Beaches%20%20PEG_1638%20Starling%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Starling <span>(<i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>) - from the garden, Littleporth<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After this, I headed out to
Carn Vean Cafe where I was to meet up with the girls. I first went down to the beach at Pelistry Bay with the intention of going onto
Toll's Island. I have never been on the island, which one can walk across to
when the the tide is out, as it was at this time. However, having crossed the beach to the island, I found
that the initial scramble over boulders to get up onto the top of the island was a bit beyond the physical abilities
of my aged body.</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>When they arrived, the youngsters enjoyed feeding the sparrows that
eagerly visit the outside tables when it looks as if food might be on
offer. Georgie took great delight in feeding the sparrows by hand.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QmmuOlRX95dMAt-EInNGhuGfHSJ0nYA5hwjA0TX-qr_P75QhvbePjZ3xsOBsZzNuC_9hyEMZqFAUcTjXpagKa_y2giRWt_qoqaGgi6_li21yOrzJQSHKcfRoy9V5MhiK6jT4JPIDlyrQPtojDQK1Dny4fP7xnRyHVFYeeMNlFYSoAVNAF9WCzvcI0LI/s825/RP2_8085-002-House%20Sparrow.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3QmmuOlRX95dMAt-EInNGhuGfHSJ0nYA5hwjA0TX-qr_P75QhvbePjZ3xsOBsZzNuC_9hyEMZqFAUcTjXpagKa_y2giRWt_qoqaGgi6_li21yOrzJQSHKcfRoy9V5MhiK6jT4JPIDlyrQPtojDQK1Dny4fP7xnRyHVFYeeMNlFYSoAVNAF9WCzvcI0LI/s16000/RP2_8085-002-House%20Sparrow.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">House Sparrow (<i>Passer domesticus</i>) (female) - taking food from Georgie's hand<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b>There being five of us, and with only a four-seater buggy, return to base
needed two runs. Melanie dropped me off at Maypole, where Wryneck had been seen.
I arrived to find people there, and was informed that Wryneck had not been seen
for a long time. A Lesser Whitethroat was pointed out to me but I didn't manage
to photograph it. My lift to base was on it's way and I was waiting at the
appointed spot when a recently arrived lady spotted a Wryneck in the field next
to the one where people had been looking. I got a view of it through a kind
person's 'scope, but didn't manage any shots of it. I'd only brought my backup
camera with me, as I didn't want to risk getting my main, non-waterproof, kit
wet.</b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div>
<div><b>Once we'd got everyone back to base, I returned the buggy to Scilly
Carts. </b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div><div></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The evening was spent relaxing and preparing for our departure.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 2nd October</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The weather forecast for this day had looked a little worrying, with a high chance of low cloud and fog. I was up and packed quite early and found time to take some photos from the garden before our departure. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I have difficulty separating White Wagtails from Pied Wagtails but, by the amount of grey showing on the flank, I think that this was a Pied Wagtail</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEsNbdtFtq68DYum25hdgyg-9ZWPCXB3l-uWYihbHrzwGW3OmmF6dvSCJvhcxNKwWCuWbfKDEnpe6eGfH84LWCRalmbOwzxzZgs9xcDDkOSfQQdC4eer_iBzrtFixbMpPJsrrivRID267s9ETPnwEb7oY0gDdejEAwMbbMp7_rit51u_MQ0qrBpONsH8/s825/23-10-02%20Beaches%20PEG_1727%20White%20Wagtail%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEsNbdtFtq68DYum25hdgyg-9ZWPCXB3l-uWYihbHrzwGW3OmmF6dvSCJvhcxNKwWCuWbfKDEnpe6eGfH84LWCRalmbOwzxzZgs9xcDDkOSfQQdC4eer_iBzrtFixbMpPJsrrivRID267s9ETPnwEb7oY0gDdejEAwMbbMp7_rit51u_MQ0qrBpONsH8/s16000/23-10-02%20Beaches%20PEG_1727%20White%20Wagtail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Pied Wagtail (<i>Motacilla alba yarrellii</i>) (female) - Littleporth<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><b>A Shag was fishing in the bay too, and getting tangled in 'weed'.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nBdXKfetAqKNtLq_CzC_lI5YSJBhZAN7c9pe9T76esR6LZe0UhJkY-HTWQHDJeJl-ObbRKvb_UHi0D2k-IS2okF6nd_TxXCf80qCrX_8NuMhQD-Ud0W36ZoFVDNDwgXaZPxNuWd96pyTNe8l94OLtB09rWJYgdOh8VTlKpwYe_ZzpiSzT71nByqhmX8/s825/23-10-02%20Beaches%20PEG_1732%20Shag%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nBdXKfetAqKNtLq_CzC_lI5YSJBhZAN7c9pe9T76esR6LZe0UhJkY-HTWQHDJeJl-ObbRKvb_UHi0D2k-IS2okF6nd_TxXCf80qCrX_8NuMhQD-Ud0W36ZoFVDNDwgXaZPxNuWd96pyTNe8l94OLtB09rWJYgdOh8VTlKpwYe_ZzpiSzT71nByqhmX8/s16000/23-10-02%20Beaches%20PEG_1732%20Shag%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdNX3KoN8pN3MMBiWtQqAOqqDEARwUInIXG7Wami5SFUHtIGz_727iuqNTF_WVO194T2GBaYQ18AyDOkp_tP-zL2KZoDUSGNTI5lSwSb-xCU1eG4C7I4_lIONR4E8VDVRYPJ8ivrz5EktQaQjgHCIQr8E7pYoSpVSpeLmta-TjyYvsnd-iurznm8v9iE/s825/23-10-02%20Beaches%20PEG_1733%20Shag%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdNX3KoN8pN3MMBiWtQqAOqqDEARwUInIXG7Wami5SFUHtIGz_727iuqNTF_WVO194T2GBaYQ18AyDOkp_tP-zL2KZoDUSGNTI5lSwSb-xCU1eG4C7I4_lIONR4E8VDVRYPJ8ivrz5EktQaQjgHCIQr8E7pYoSpVSpeLmta-TjyYvsnd-iurznm8v9iE/s16000/23-10-02%20Beaches%20PEG_1733%20Shag%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Shag (<i>Gulosus aristotelis</i>) - Littleporth<i><br /></i></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Before 09.00, the weather did not look too bad, although low cloud was obscuring much of the view of Peninnis. However, I was dismayed to see on Twitter that flights were currently on hold due to poor visibility.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Our flight was scheduled to depart at 11.20 and our transport to the airport was booked to pick us up at the property at 10.20. We had to be out of the property by 10.00 but the management kindly let the girls sit in the kitchen while I kept a look out for the mini-bus outside.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The mini-bus arrived spot-on time and we were delivered safely to the airport, where we found many people trying to sort out what their situation was. We managed to find five seats in a quiet area (essential when you have two autistic teenagers with you that have difficulty coping with people in close proximity) and, hgaving been told that our flight was currently on hold, waited for news. We had been told that enough places had been reserved on Scillonian III (the boat which plies between the Isles of Scilly and the mainland), but no moves would be made until the status of our flight changed from 'on hold' to 'cancelled'. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The flight cancellation was announcedjust before noon, and were bussed to the quayside. Check-in for Scillonian III was not until 15.30, for a 16.30 scheduled departure. As it was now raining, this resulted in us sitting in the waiting room for three and a half hours. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We had another problem to sort out and that was, with an arrival at Penzance expected to be around 19.15, and then probably losing another quarter of an hour or more before being able to retrieve our baggage, followed by another half an hour being bussed to Lands End airport, we were not going to be on the road before about 20.00. This was clearly too late in the day to safely drive the 308 miles (496 km) to our home.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Melanie came to the rescue by booking hotel rooms for us for the night. She managed to get the last room available at the Premier Inn, Hayle, for Lindsay and I but the nearest she could find for herself and the two girls was in Oakhampton.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The ship was full and all areas were crowded, much to the discomfort of the two youngsters. It didn't help that a few Gig Crews were having a bit of a noisy party and sing-song on board. I did try and spend a little time on the outside deck-space of the ship. There were some dedicated birders out there, but it was very wet so I didn't stop for long.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Arriving on time at Penzance, for some unexplained reason, we had to wait for about twenty minutes before we were allowed to disembark. It was then a few minutes walk to the baggage retieval area, where it was difficult to find one's own baggage in the darkness.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having reclaimed our baggage, I went ahead to find the bus and managed to find and 'reserve' a group of five seats so that the youngsters could sit together in relative isolation from the rest of the passengers. We departed for the airport almost immediately after the girls were boarded.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This allowed us to be checked in for the night by 21.00, but Melanie's journey that day didn't finish until about 22.30.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>You will not be surprised to hear that this day was the absolute low-point of the holiday.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 3rd October</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lindsay and I awoke fairly early. I declined Lindsay's invitation for me to have an early morning visit to see what birds were at Copperhouse Pool, Hayle, favouring getting hgome as soon as possible. As I discovered on the outward, the light would have been totally against me anyway.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We soon ran into rain, and the traffic situation was worse than expected, resulting in us not getting home until 16.45. Melanie, who had a significantly shorter distance journey than us that day, had far worse traffic than us and didn't get home until about fifteen minutes after us.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>From a wildlife photography point of view, it had probably been my least satisfying of stays on the Isles of Scilly, but I still had a great time. The real bonus was, however, seeing our granddaughter, Georgie, come out of her shell through having her friend Kerris with her, giving them both the confidence to do things independently of us adults. All five of us are very much looking forward to returning next year.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>All things being equal, my next blog post will be covering my October sightings close to home. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard </b><br /></span></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-32785507724917627672023-10-31T11:32:00.000+00:002023-10-31T11:32:48.457+00:00Isles of Scilly, 2023 Pt.4 - 29th September, 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This fourth instalment of my account
covers just one day of our
recent holiday on the Isles of Scilly. It was somewhat different to any other day that I have experienced when staying on the Isles. <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>If you missed previous parts of my account, you can find them by going to the bottom of this post and then clicking on 'Older Post'. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 29th September</b></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had originally planned to visit the Standing Stones Field, near Old Town,
this day to see if I could find the Red-backed Shrike that was being seen there
from time to time. However, the forecast was for the best weather day of the
week - mainly sunny with temperatures around 17°c and gentle breezes, and a pelagic trip was on offer. Looking out of the conservatory window,
the sea was almost as flat as a mill pond and the girls were trying to persuade
me to go for it. It was scheduled to be a five and a half hour trip and, having
been told that there was a loo on board, it seemed a feasible proposition. The
trip was scheduled to start at 09.30 and as I had got up rather earlier than usual I spent a little time in the garden checking what was on the beach. There was nothing exciting but I took some shots of Oystercatcher and Herring Gull from the garden.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvMn4ZbW9g9BcMRHI-XUVsiI38ek2sqE2p8kpm0AQUQ9c8XPTYoRAadzOowiU-qY1k-HitPDAa4sjAT09wjYQcdLELEkKrYmA-6mGX_DR1KCoplOkkiHd5ATM764QN_Ku2aACyIHY4orqERL3hvHFYLRpGwsGfmD14Kp0PHy-F-plNlaKFlDycoaFDLQ/s825/23-09-29%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_0655%20Oystercatcher%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvMn4ZbW9g9BcMRHI-XUVsiI38ek2sqE2p8kpm0AQUQ9c8XPTYoRAadzOowiU-qY1k-HitPDAa4sjAT09wjYQcdLELEkKrYmA-6mGX_DR1KCoplOkkiHd5ATM764QN_Ku2aACyIHY4orqERL3hvHFYLRpGwsGfmD14Kp0PHy-F-plNlaKFlDycoaFDLQ/s16000/23-09-29%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_0655%20Oystercatcher%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Oystercatcher <span>(<i>Haematopus ostralegus</i>) - from the garden, Littleporth<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2sCc9L9EBKtCYhNufgBdx3P9_uIjPWluvrDjqZ4oGUDJ-hFTg_55dSo_lKp95ZR5ElljxVtFizwZdFOy9HRwGUJyIz2Luwm7ywKUgbhnJL3oTHyQ8Zil4kmqKR7skk8qplUN-d_9EZtephZDs4sbZ1t11kB9Vv0lFYRU9I0X9lfpuY27JNhfblNT1m0/s825/23-09-29%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_0658%20Herring%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2sCc9L9EBKtCYhNufgBdx3P9_uIjPWluvrDjqZ4oGUDJ-hFTg_55dSo_lKp95ZR5ElljxVtFizwZdFOy9HRwGUJyIz2Luwm7ywKUgbhnJL3oTHyQ8Zil4kmqKR7skk8qplUN-d_9EZtephZDs4sbZ1t11kB9Vv0lFYRU9I0X9lfpuY27JNhfblNT1m0/s16000/23-09-29%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_0658%20Herring%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Herring Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Larus argentatus</i>) - from the garden, Littleporth<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I left base at 09.00 to go to the quay, and arrived to find that I
was first in the queue. By the time that our boat, the MV Sapphire, arrived it appeared that a massive queue had developed, but this turned out to be a large contingent wanting to go to St Martins. The boat for St Martins arrived and used the Sapphire as a bridge to board their passengers. This boat soon filled and another boat was summoned and moored alongside the first boat, Eventually, both St Martins boats were filled and we were able to board.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Being first on board, I chose a seat on the aft of the boat on the port side. In the event, this turned out to be an unwise decision.<br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It started well enough, and I took some distant shots of Shags on rocks.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc6KWv1OArTCMuNUmQPuzBh_EOrChnKTlUfLoh-1uC1AXuMrF8UfTZqLIHi39iJNBPB4ZFwgs-8bZyQsj7ZGMosizPMCmG1N-sKoiQVtSt72Fvf7GRs4pZNXf3x55EPecJ5O9TW9gvO7wazJK53RigF3YFSYwfW_0-kNx4374VGM5ve7irTHgHoS3qLA/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0717%20Shag%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc6KWv1OArTCMuNUmQPuzBh_EOrChnKTlUfLoh-1uC1AXuMrF8UfTZqLIHi39iJNBPB4ZFwgs-8bZyQsj7ZGMosizPMCmG1N-sKoiQVtSt72Fvf7GRs4pZNXf3x55EPecJ5O9TW9gvO7wazJK53RigF3YFSYwfW_0-kNx4374VGM5ve7irTHgHoS3qLA/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0717%20Shag%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Shag (<i>Gulosus aristotelis</i>)</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>As soon as we were out of the sheltered seas of
the islands, heading for the Western Rocks, we hit rough seas. At times, the boat seemed to be rolling from about 40 degrees
one way to 40 degrees the other, and pitching almost as much. After
an hour, I was questioning my decision to go on the trip, with almost nothing
seen. Eventually we started seeing the Bishop Rock Lighthouse (usually just referred to as 'the Bishop') at a distance.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVV6cYZ3Qt4rK1L91tOhZ7xO8PncAcqgzUMPGiLRtqrSbD9SOpxLfeZIh08gYeBKqnIy5599DdXbiPNDzxH_mOUvZOVMeaagUMCb_73A641AT-R-xnLKOyzDZUqqOcxH-I7LnZxdir8gr-pp9SkYBWjz3VBWqLUvlh0-RCHVjoRoxc1sNNqWiQFS_96g/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0727%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVV6cYZ3Qt4rK1L91tOhZ7xO8PncAcqgzUMPGiLRtqrSbD9SOpxLfeZIh08gYeBKqnIy5599DdXbiPNDzxH_mOUvZOVMeaagUMCb_73A641AT-R-xnLKOyzDZUqqOcxH-I7LnZxdir8gr-pp9SkYBWjz3VBWqLUvlh0-RCHVjoRoxc1sNNqWiQFS_96g/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0727%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bishop Rock Lighthouse</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Here's a shot of the rough seas which might give an idea of what we were experiencing.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRmdAIGytUI3FO3graJ5h5bwFesW64FUBWOCPz8ep5WdyuJBaSGRHyB2rumZkaFuBZOKl7jgSvODOGsQsflJmYschb9xOi7cL2xFeS7yxnbROvXwguwW7lqj1EhWXL-xYt-40crzBLWPr27Ulb1-AUEZnZNOP092Xuq7aC9RaWL1AcNEoWOwIwtzMdnU/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0736%20Rough%20Seas%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRmdAIGytUI3FO3graJ5h5bwFesW64FUBWOCPz8ep5WdyuJBaSGRHyB2rumZkaFuBZOKl7jgSvODOGsQsflJmYschb9xOi7cL2xFeS7yxnbROvXwguwW7lqj1EhWXL-xYt-40crzBLWPr27Ulb1-AUEZnZNOP092Xuq7aC9RaWL1AcNEoWOwIwtzMdnU/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0736%20Rough%20Seas%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Rough Seas - The Western Rocks</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I did manage to get a poor shot of a Gannet on the water.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmcVnQu5dT0soUySin41orV6ds603M3mJsorwKZJvM39yDZIT-8gRis6FcB4UT7AD2dKIPVO-Rvx5zeeAFRCD7ZuEHvQ_tmYHrn2HvQ5VScNwNq11qPU4ic1hoyP4blLHdU14fLMwu2NrgOecYDqdEmlMZ5JAxdvKd-61v41ZQv7Z6J_GqidMhMzHGu8/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0744%20Gannet%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmcVnQu5dT0soUySin41orV6ds603M3mJsorwKZJvM39yDZIT-8gRis6FcB4UT7AD2dKIPVO-Rvx5zeeAFRCD7ZuEHvQ_tmYHrn2HvQ5VScNwNq11qPU4ic1hoyP4blLHdU14fLMwu2NrgOecYDqdEmlMZ5JAxdvKd-61v41ZQv7Z6J_GqidMhMzHGu8/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0744%20Gannet%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Gannet <span>(<i>Morus bassanus</i>) - near the Western Rocks<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>After being out for an hour and a half, we arrived at the Bishop, where a
Red-footed Booby had been being seen regularly during the preceding weeks and this was, of course, the main reason for us heading to the Bishop. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQnKJMTgw3JyFGGCksrKL9hA5M9tjtlXku2Pi6ESjw6aVBacBvB485MjjIvb9YE8_UAmAFwEx1JxV3QjBQeS_G_4kMeHUBerzXpJqAGQiYsA6nRIk40EueCirj2D7Wypm-MJG7XIetuhW2He-zTLEvZrByZDnV98DM-1yc4qT14L_G4mier69kanrLYI/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0780%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQnKJMTgw3JyFGGCksrKL9hA5M9tjtlXku2Pi6ESjw6aVBacBvB485MjjIvb9YE8_UAmAFwEx1JxV3QjBQeS_G_4kMeHUBerzXpJqAGQiYsA6nRIk40EueCirj2D7Wypm-MJG7XIetuhW2He-zTLEvZrByZDnV98DM-1yc4qT14L_G4mier69kanrLYI/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0780%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bishop Rock Lighthouse</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The Bishop is an impressive structure, built in 1858, and at 49 metres high, the tallest lighthouse in UK.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Red-footed Booby was not seen when we were
there, with just some Shags round the base and a gull up near the helipad where the Booby usually roosted.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxqaYgG3xDioIk5LaYHgnwYRktOwXrXJJ4YHbgilsp0LTN0sv-un9UHfIKW7Iz5OahsyHSO-x8KOLuVmM5mlWuPIxEHvoe1qt5Vr5Q4ZZ8OZHCMebOsSp1RF5pTR92pqjmIWUJHuNZTo1qlYxXRJthZhPOmYITyKRmsIbZPTngp9uD_UCL972GI2kp6Q/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0792%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxqaYgG3xDioIk5LaYHgnwYRktOwXrXJJ4YHbgilsp0LTN0sv-un9UHfIKW7Iz5OahsyHSO-x8KOLuVmM5mlWuPIxEHvoe1qt5Vr5Q4ZZ8OZHCMebOsSp1RF5pTR92pqjmIWUJHuNZTo1qlYxXRJthZhPOmYITyKRmsIbZPTngp9uD_UCL972GI2kp6Q/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0792%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV3Wx5FNmcR-6ZUFO74vAr3TAuukTO0Y3MfMvkHEgTyNSyn8rI0p7RO2ChF-cVcuVvb1eifhBfhlqiQ3S83Msl28Wu5-sK7-zOVqg3S0yZeXdGB0otIbpoW5N3Lc1zlAWnUWz4hV2k_YpyqLd5QRbeuAakC933-HHggmGdV475CVPKqMlByviLfRR5Po/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0804%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqV3Wx5FNmcR-6ZUFO74vAr3TAuukTO0Y3MfMvkHEgTyNSyn8rI0p7RO2ChF-cVcuVvb1eifhBfhlqiQ3S83Msl28Wu5-sK7-zOVqg3S0yZeXdGB0otIbpoW5N3Lc1zlAWnUWz4hV2k_YpyqLd5QRbeuAakC933-HHggmGdV475CVPKqMlByviLfRR5Po/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0804%20The%20Bishop%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bishop Rock Lighthouse</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>We then headed north to try and find some birds. By the time we'd been out about two and a half hours, I was getting
concerned as to how I was going to last another three hours without going to the
loo which was towards the front of the boat, as I'd never make it from my
position at the stern. At one point I'd tried to change position to the bench
that was less than a metre in front of me, so that I could look in the opposite
direction when a sudden list had me crashing to the floor on my back.
Fortunately there was no damage to my camera or binoculars, or to me!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It then seemed that suddenly we were seeing birds, and the sea became a
little more calm. I believe that the rough seas had been largely due to us being in relatively shallow water, and that now we were in deeper water things were more comfortable. Photography was still very challenging, however, and the large majority
of my attempts were out of focus or totally off subject. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #ffe599;">Before I go any further with this account, I give fair warning that my ID skills when it comes to sea birds is anything but good, I consider myself a novice part-time birder with very little experience of sea birds. If I make any mistakes in my IDs below, please let me know, and I will gratefully correct the entry.<br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The first real opportunities came when crew members started putting out 'chum' to attract the birds. This initially attracted mainly Great Black-backed Gulls. I took a lot of shots of these, mainly to get practice in case anything more exciting came along, but I also rarely get an opportunity to photograph this species in flight anyway.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeccVAiRFfO9Ri34QYqOhGsREhX11-T2yXNIGIVEEyqjWF-Is_MzwKEUQItAPkW1ZWgh0kW7w2IX5GfzIV2BcgrLtoOufFkz_PtL_uAX_4jHcma0VNXeKjArJfXS9lIML_fWhKbDZZ48afUx9BPAAqETPmwLLNy7KK5K1_WQU-Rq_S2STebgvRFpVtNfA/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0835%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeccVAiRFfO9Ri34QYqOhGsREhX11-T2yXNIGIVEEyqjWF-Is_MzwKEUQItAPkW1ZWgh0kW7w2IX5GfzIV2BcgrLtoOufFkz_PtL_uAX_4jHcma0VNXeKjArJfXS9lIML_fWhKbDZZ48afUx9BPAAqETPmwLLNy7KK5K1_WQU-Rq_S2STebgvRFpVtNfA/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0835%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhKxkSioiPYz2b2tXTzfDvuEdYRB_h1PE5JdppyMXAum6Rufw4PMYSUVbSJiz5oqjA07gifoKVZSgP0A34umMD8A98oKALMaay6jRHTz5dVhmH_X0DA37PIvhmNoRi0Brsc2VgS9DpHXTMm5N8Uwu5z3jroCK8fm1wm8O1wA3sHiR9-41tF_HQMouy9U/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0842%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhKxkSioiPYz2b2tXTzfDvuEdYRB_h1PE5JdppyMXAum6Rufw4PMYSUVbSJiz5oqjA07gifoKVZSgP0A34umMD8A98oKALMaay6jRHTz5dVhmH_X0DA37PIvhmNoRi0Brsc2VgS9DpHXTMm5N8Uwu5z3jroCK8fm1wm8O1wA3sHiR9-41tF_HQMouy9U/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0842%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcrpWQfQqlRvsdIvrFitYnGiYsQBxuYbzZE8ItCUNcFeU2XAGkpcQsX0bP9TWIroErj22ws7_eIWzz4u_3NiWB8LV88UdQDjtXxr99UKEwRCB8qSrPT9dRuG2oFrOgIbhI7gW0xx00BC0vH-2mfbKjDbXnFEzH9o57vRCGQFKWsJ75rlofwJH0CNPFjI/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0861%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcrpWQfQqlRvsdIvrFitYnGiYsQBxuYbzZE8ItCUNcFeU2XAGkpcQsX0bP9TWIroErj22ws7_eIWzz4u_3NiWB8LV88UdQDjtXxr99UKEwRCB8qSrPT9dRuG2oFrOgIbhI7gW0xx00BC0vH-2mfbKjDbXnFEzH9o57vRCGQFKWsJ75rlofwJH0CNPFjI/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0861%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZBtPGkmKcyUfs9Uc5Q5jQMnOVe44waeoDOL-TVWMnjCc3Q0PpTtDJgH0fDhRbk5yPX61uyQJBaBMn_AexkzoMSnVJBwCj6k4qgpu3HKM-QVvLn5hptTVxcdpy8qQNhZn84OssB-VJrG7_bDhtpLLcMr04VNi9QYCLirvVMjB_dCQCsNYbhWVuu95Ln4/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0876%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZBtPGkmKcyUfs9Uc5Q5jQMnOVe44waeoDOL-TVWMnjCc3Q0PpTtDJgH0fDhRbk5yPX61uyQJBaBMn_AexkzoMSnVJBwCj6k4qgpu3HKM-QVvLn5hptTVxcdpy8qQNhZn84OssB-VJrG7_bDhtpLLcMr04VNi9QYCLirvVMjB_dCQCsNYbhWVuu95Ln4/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0876%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Black-backed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Larus marinus</i>) - IoS Pelagic<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The occasional Gannet passed by as well.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLyn0-GJxEs0Ko0LQ-C4eYKk_PkeILEcLRFewpaINxMxbP1_kbTTLo-alK5UY5pGgmHVN02qhD7ytBGLfhTirFVQ7QEX7ShoxhUGSoX_G1rSYu0EDxtPy4U2E0i_7AW6kCEoRKP1RaWKmaXPL8I9nnQvsQN2e2xiu-UdEdgTFXyVtCQSVEGDVZbdR4ak/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0884%20Gannet%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLyn0-GJxEs0Ko0LQ-C4eYKk_PkeILEcLRFewpaINxMxbP1_kbTTLo-alK5UY5pGgmHVN02qhD7ytBGLfhTirFVQ7QEX7ShoxhUGSoX_G1rSYu0EDxtPy4U2E0i_7AW6kCEoRKP1RaWKmaXPL8I9nnQvsQN2e2xiu-UdEdgTFXyVtCQSVEGDVZbdR4ak/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0884%20Gannet%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Gannet <span>(<i>Morus bassanus</i>) - IoS Pelagic<br /></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>We then started seeing Sheerwaters. I was a little disadvantaged as, although warnings of approaching birds were given over the tannoy, located on the bridge, the messages were lost to me in the rear of the boat as the noise of the engines, sea, and wind was being over-amplified by my hearing aids. Fortunately, the person next to me realised my predicament and kindly relayed some of the messages to me, but mostly too late! I must remember, next time, to remove my hearing aids.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I did manage to get some photos. This is, I believe, a Cory's Shearwater.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgg1nwPcx53rxjxZVHPcOc7WTPck2E-Zyeh-o_rJSneMLyNiu1t2VJ91zBt3Y54JlevrR5eMsDQRB4lJbnm8HDceZLEvbjBZyrwNoxrjojfmoQ0x-t5SjjHjeSPVE82L4SrBGWwR-ml6-C3i9mjtmYue8KVxvQwWYPEez7BF3yvhyphenhyphen2ce74hS9_8fXULE/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0923%20Cory's%20Shearwater%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgg1nwPcx53rxjxZVHPcOc7WTPck2E-Zyeh-o_rJSneMLyNiu1t2VJ91zBt3Y54JlevrR5eMsDQRB4lJbnm8HDceZLEvbjBZyrwNoxrjojfmoQ0x-t5SjjHjeSPVE82L4SrBGWwR-ml6-C3i9mjtmYue8KVxvQwWYPEez7BF3yvhyphenhyphen2ce74hS9_8fXULE/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0923%20Cory's%20Shearwater%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cory's Sheerwater (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Calonectris borealis</i>) - IoS Pelagic<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b>Our crew did an absolutely excellent job in finding rafts of birds on the water, and there were some wonderful fly-pasts too. Here are some more of my shots.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FmA2FRjp5MBUiSWIoucNdK6V5jlEDWTArKKvzCJ3txmseScI5UgintZwRaUMvTH_s0qIi0dBnaTp4n6Pt4V_H8xzSsRtAtUPgRMUBL34WDpoeg8-yd0bvaWQ8ktaR7nl0BsBhKHWHHAa134muMkZcTF91DGhNqof45pQFd2NfT7Yzv5qImCh1CDwuqg/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0928%20Cory's%20+%20Gt%20+%20Sooty%20Shearwater%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FmA2FRjp5MBUiSWIoucNdK6V5jlEDWTArKKvzCJ3txmseScI5UgintZwRaUMvTH_s0qIi0dBnaTp4n6Pt4V_H8xzSsRtAtUPgRMUBL34WDpoeg8-yd0bvaWQ8ktaR7nl0BsBhKHWHHAa134muMkZcTF91DGhNqof45pQFd2NfT7Yzv5qImCh1CDwuqg/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0928%20Cory's%20+%20Gt%20+%20Sooty%20Shearwater%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cory's Sheerwater </span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">(<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>C</i></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>alonectris borealis</i>) </span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">Great Sheerwater (<i>Ardenna gravis</i>) Sooty Sheerwater (</span></b></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><i><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ard</span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">e</span></b></i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><i>nna grisea</i>)</span></b></span></span></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> - IoS Pelagic</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFhp7t11wfmz2Pf37opheZQCE8o2USD1wPBzU8gHjyNPKw3b9Q5WdfJUq_iVO0fq8xQ-C1iPbeCm-wXVTmrZ2CuHj8B9YQR9b7i1PmOdixoyi03pRDS5A-itFbZIR7gfYb_2fX4ICWCGQZAnaZ7gWY0BD19tU1LN-ERORJc81HxzyNxbstMaVxy4DAJM/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0933%20Cory's%20+%20Great%20Shearwater%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFhp7t11wfmz2Pf37opheZQCE8o2USD1wPBzU8gHjyNPKw3b9Q5WdfJUq_iVO0fq8xQ-C1iPbeCm-wXVTmrZ2CuHj8B9YQR9b7i1PmOdixoyi03pRDS5A-itFbZIR7gfYb_2fX4ICWCGQZAnaZ7gWY0BD19tU1LN-ERORJc81HxzyNxbstMaVxy4DAJM/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0933%20Cory's%20+%20Great%20Shearwater%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cory's Sheerwater </span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">(<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>C</i></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>alonectris borealis</i>) </span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">Great Sheerwater (<i>Ardenna gravis</i>)</span></b></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> - IoS Pelagic</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TUNhVNT1YYhZDjYQCGH1U-EVAuDp40sBoMQP3Qzkxsh_n5VyqMH5chSxujrz9ZcjqEa2TnB8qFa1lqFAKQ9bHfjDfHPzRsuCjV7nCK2B1_F6rKV3HFADpodmqoNr8YXqgPZGn9vex_Zxd0W6I0e5rvlHq8clGnVIOT2x6VGChV3lf6Uy-BqY_EqIAlE/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0949%20Cory's%20+%20Gt%20+%20Sooty%20Shearwater%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TUNhVNT1YYhZDjYQCGH1U-EVAuDp40sBoMQP3Qzkxsh_n5VyqMH5chSxujrz9ZcjqEa2TnB8qFa1lqFAKQ9bHfjDfHPzRsuCjV7nCK2B1_F6rKV3HFADpodmqoNr8YXqgPZGn9vex_Zxd0W6I0e5rvlHq8clGnVIOT2x6VGChV3lf6Uy-BqY_EqIAlE/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_0949%20Cory's%20+%20Gt%20+%20Sooty%20Shearwater%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cory's Sheerwater </span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">(<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>C</i></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>alonectris borealis</i>) </span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">Great Sheerwater (<i>Ardenna gravis</i>) Sooty Sheerwater (</span></b></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><i><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ard</span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">e</span></b></i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><i>nna grisea</i>)</span></b></span></span></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> - IoS Pelagic</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KcE_Sa3YZ-dVxx3WSJDH99PdGNkLJqPnP1JJr8qJ7WJxDn3Vh23cR1acyuuW7S3y7rwC1hWc0PtEiuqJP-fw_A01FVcdBa7wZb53g8jtUCnNdcKHwhjGuIKGiENeFnQNxGsVJasfxjX2PkSq9EBQQvqvRxN785J5WvBhuCZqIcEg1azYu4b1KSqG2Qk/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1010%20Cory's%20Shearwater%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KcE_Sa3YZ-dVxx3WSJDH99PdGNkLJqPnP1JJr8qJ7WJxDn3Vh23cR1acyuuW7S3y7rwC1hWc0PtEiuqJP-fw_A01FVcdBa7wZb53g8jtUCnNdcKHwhjGuIKGiENeFnQNxGsVJasfxjX2PkSq9EBQQvqvRxN785J5WvBhuCZqIcEg1azYu4b1KSqG2Qk/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1010%20Cory's%20Shearwater%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cory's Sheerwater </span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">(<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>C</i></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>alonectris borealis</i>)</span></span></span></b></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> - IoS Pelagic</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdGSA3m1NpOWBQoTW0_rJpsXRhWEOzxKyXKrnJ53NVcR3GyQoc_g-9iU0bYjLI9TUcfHbyhpnBKXJo5Jmjnlo1G3YrrFgcu_lTbZiC8envuTdODphKumou3AvuusBNnRGqUtkgyZJw9gDP_sgNkl_UwtOku60arWkQVDVfMWN3Yrpe22DMIWSqIS8eAs/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1029%20Gannet%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivdGSA3m1NpOWBQoTW0_rJpsXRhWEOzxKyXKrnJ53NVcR3GyQoc_g-9iU0bYjLI9TUcfHbyhpnBKXJo5Jmjnlo1G3YrrFgcu_lTbZiC8envuTdODphKumou3AvuusBNnRGqUtkgyZJw9gDP_sgNkl_UwtOku60arWkQVDVfMWN3Yrpe22DMIWSqIS8eAs/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1029%20Gannet%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Gannet <span>(<i>Morus bassanus</i>) - IoS Pelagic</span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcalD0iPd6scxWl4W4qqmmM158yCRyYgTVVFpGDcldi5WINSc5lO36ixG5NTazMjxNS_I5ORNp2jKp4llqKC24F6APdwyPNOhVOww0FawGsuTE2KenJJ7QxMieQADTiFOkAeT_Jktvg69L8rgOqWCZc_cxM67dkbp3z8QISbYreYGi5xwmQKo8UvjDR8/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1101%20Great%20Skua%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcalD0iPd6scxWl4W4qqmmM158yCRyYgTVVFpGDcldi5WINSc5lO36ixG5NTazMjxNS_I5ORNp2jKp4llqKC24F6APdwyPNOhVOww0FawGsuTE2KenJJ7QxMieQADTiFOkAeT_Jktvg69L8rgOqWCZc_cxM67dkbp3z8QISbYreYGi5xwmQKo8UvjDR8/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1101%20Great%20Skua%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10IO4wbY0c6IOwJDaA_EPx3rpI1vwIxxXOKhMS2ExsZ0E5LPrwcyYb0Vw3LxB9Zzv9NxsBoUmYbKkCmyqKcBsB9KGGJnrQCjdRmPQ5GkhbPZsOZ2l4DyMamqJOD2le5_MLIoCJ7rxjBFo5njSZeAoWI0CUVFOrq0QD8AShT3jhBsAY7Y25jZuBz2YfFk/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1110%20Great%20Skua%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10IO4wbY0c6IOwJDaA_EPx3rpI1vwIxxXOKhMS2ExsZ0E5LPrwcyYb0Vw3LxB9Zzv9NxsBoUmYbKkCmyqKcBsB9KGGJnrQCjdRmPQ5GkhbPZsOZ2l4DyMamqJOD2le5_MLIoCJ7rxjBFo5njSZeAoWI0CUVFOrq0QD8AShT3jhBsAY7Y25jZuBz2YfFk/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1110%20Great%20Skua%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-_KQ_ioJhiI9ActNZFpjBN40dH76xgS-Q9pOX_K5HJ1ADSjZ74bwnXKbONT6HqeLoi5OoVEAdEVLhwJ91bZKLnwhqwDkABElCv39Nvk8nV0BXXwZeaqlvF9n-b7tjm1VhXMfH2VSzDc8NpulfJWP2z0z9PvsWRiBfazVc5x-i1_yPSH4H_NcExvzJt8/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1111%20Great%20Skua%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-_KQ_ioJhiI9ActNZFpjBN40dH76xgS-Q9pOX_K5HJ1ADSjZ74bwnXKbONT6HqeLoi5OoVEAdEVLhwJ91bZKLnwhqwDkABElCv39Nvk8nV0BXXwZeaqlvF9n-b7tjm1VhXMfH2VSzDc8NpulfJWP2z0z9PvsWRiBfazVc5x-i1_yPSH4H_NcExvzJt8/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1111%20Great%20Skua%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Skua (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Stercorarius skua</i>) - IoS Pelagic<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXwMH5S0Y8sWgDIhTu7QpmJvZfaU3QPuOllSg2co3wuNX_YYbhA6L9fgkT-XwJ-secUbmrSxj7aj-d9n2PpUZmTWCfVSJKJfJouWXRpO9sD3BSLCgODDOT35sRkmFGHqfQaGZZpSwNWJb8A5N3mFZScTQ3BCUYNSBwWWq3ddQswrG2eviYzaH5KxmgsA/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1137%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXwMH5S0Y8sWgDIhTu7QpmJvZfaU3QPuOllSg2co3wuNX_YYbhA6L9fgkT-XwJ-secUbmrSxj7aj-d9n2PpUZmTWCfVSJKJfJouWXRpO9sD3BSLCgODDOT35sRkmFGHqfQaGZZpSwNWJb8A5N3mFZScTQ3BCUYNSBwWWq3ddQswrG2eviYzaH5KxmgsA/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1137%20Great%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Great Black-backed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Larus marinus</i>) - IoS Pelagic</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lf0A0dJTh5hj63d_TmQvc8DnVAmCyG-_7Bb45_AnVQLnQZMBQo7IRYnH7NS6zrC_AqOHVIS502Ng3qASsG1fBI1AzHRxFsyvATpeyDh7U9URX9AmdbGk9Dxc1uHrbH0ipHarrBzy4IC1yRQCAqHdorosfXsQYakx6tJTXFv4SLm1j2BU4yb6roHtZzI/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1149%20Cory's%20Shearwater%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lf0A0dJTh5hj63d_TmQvc8DnVAmCyG-_7Bb45_AnVQLnQZMBQo7IRYnH7NS6zrC_AqOHVIS502Ng3qASsG1fBI1AzHRxFsyvATpeyDh7U9URX9AmdbGk9Dxc1uHrbH0ipHarrBzy4IC1yRQCAqHdorosfXsQYakx6tJTXFv4SLm1j2BU4yb6roHtZzI/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1149%20Cory's%20Shearwater%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cory's Sheerwater </span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">(<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>C</i></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>alonectris borealis</i>)</span></span></span></b></span><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"> - IoS Pelagic</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkkAZNaWUhfp6R8tjkylrNoJ8xhJDSKb32ddKOOs6WAU8CnvCaFejT5STnBR9ebsSkuYyBN2hX6Hn8UcyeNW0G8_wMaQz9DnT_9Wn4JtPGDCCYEl0t6BcC4wpyyyGxHUcsvoDHp04FM0_g85sfOMpoSXejIL8UrZxe8gpHM3YOzlaCwGSpVy-QxYUW78/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1157%20Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkkAZNaWUhfp6R8tjkylrNoJ8xhJDSKb32ddKOOs6WAU8CnvCaFejT5STnBR9ebsSkuYyBN2hX6Hn8UcyeNW0G8_wMaQz9DnT_9Wn4JtPGDCCYEl0t6BcC4wpyyyGxHUcsvoDHp04FM0_g85sfOMpoSXejIL8UrZxe8gpHM3YOzlaCwGSpVy-QxYUW78/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1157%20Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Lesser Black-backed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Larus fuscus</i>) - IoS Pelagic<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>I was particularly pleased to get the Great Skua (alternative name 'Bonxie') photos.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The tally of birds seen during the pelagic - not necessarily by me, I hasten to add! - was 150+ Cory's Sheerwater, 80+ Great Shearwater, 7 Sooty Shearwater, 8 Manx Shearwater, 1 Arctic Skua, 4 Great Skua, 1 'large skua', 1 Grey Phalarope, 5 European Storm Petrels. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>You can see from the above list that I failed to see or photograph a number of these.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We returned to the islands from the north-east, a direction which I only realised when we passed the Daymark on St. Martin's.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJo9uMEWZuuWAKdInKQaGjwhcTIpuMNW2phCdSA91UhHkk7y5RBT9Q_cw3rYEmGxpQR5SAcFMkfYoFbw0H7v70RjTQtlMHhoWwXWyGb74k6j58vDbOjHvanU8IJJF-bNTwAUIc4Vrp17pNelJhK3JDDHfzj-nxXU1jQrGfwfrhY9s-QhoYXkLCkhyBCCY/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1225%20Daymark%20-%20St%20Martins%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJo9uMEWZuuWAKdInKQaGjwhcTIpuMNW2phCdSA91UhHkk7y5RBT9Q_cw3rYEmGxpQR5SAcFMkfYoFbw0H7v70RjTQtlMHhoWwXWyGb74k6j58vDbOjHvanU8IJJF-bNTwAUIc4Vrp17pNelJhK3JDDHfzj-nxXU1jQrGfwfrhY9s-QhoYXkLCkhyBCCY/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1225%20Daymark%20-%20St%20Martins%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Daymark - St. Martin's</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Closer to home, as we approached Hugh Town, St. Mary's, my last shots of the trip were of Shags, once more.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQk0Buylzs1BoQFXZFiYDnvroYS1QD4SSnbxWPMBHbb3Ucc25CEapIqm12GhVxcAv1ir_7lH7K1Dq2aBGRL-3FRZYpqKCcLuK6pRyIxDo_pnNP2X1-G-pBbXxfyK2KMJGsIs6GuaAhOgZ0wrsfuZmssB2FIvBSFnRsog6it2R40U5pGuKM_PQ2QNOq_1A/s825/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1234%20Shag%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQk0Buylzs1BoQFXZFiYDnvroYS1QD4SSnbxWPMBHbb3Ucc25CEapIqm12GhVxcAv1ir_7lH7K1Dq2aBGRL-3FRZYpqKCcLuK6pRyIxDo_pnNP2X1-G-pBbXxfyK2KMJGsIs6GuaAhOgZ0wrsfuZmssB2FIvBSFnRsog6it2R40U5pGuKM_PQ2QNOq_1A/s16000/23-09-29%20IoS%20Pelagic%20PEG_1234%20Shag%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Shag (<i>Gulosus aristotelis</i>)</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />By some miracle, I did manage to wait for relief until we disembarked just
before 15.00, but in my haste to go to the loos on the quay, I left my camera
bag on board, not realising my mistake until I reached base. My thanks to
Skipper of the Sapphire, Joe Pender, for taking it to the ticket office.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Although I'd been very concerned during the first part of the trip, this turned out to be an absolutely wonderful experience, thanks to the great job done by Joe Pender, Bob Flood, and the rest of the Scilly Pelagics crew. Would I do it again? - you bet! - but I might be looking for one when the seas were a bit more calm. Maybe next time I'll be lucky enough to see some Cetaceans too?<br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>On return to base, I had a very late lunch and a relax, spending a little
time sitting on a rock on Porthcressa Beach, hoping for some birds to come to me.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The evening was spent on 'admin' and shopping at the Co-op and, as seemed
to be the norm for this holiday, we turned in for a relatively early
night.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My thanks to the whole Scilly Pelagics team for an exciting and memorable day. <br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I believe that my next blog post will feature the last days of our stay, and will be a little shorter than this one. </b></p><b>In the meantime, pleased take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard</b><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div><br /></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-31092966139377687902023-10-25T14:21:00.000+01:002023-10-25T14:21:59.387+01:00Isles of Scilly, 2023 Pt.3 - 27th & 28th September, 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This third instalment of my account covers another two days of our
recent holiday on the Isles of Scilly. It is a little shorter than my two previous postings, but if I had added a third day it would have been excessively long. <br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>If you missed Pt.1 or Pt.2, you can find them by going to the bottom of this post and then clicking on 'Older Post'. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 27th September</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This day had been forecast for a few days as being one of awful weather due to Storm Agnes, with an official Severe Weather Warning for much of the UK, including the Isles of Scilly. The main factor was high winds, but heavy rain was in the mix too.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>We woke to fairly strong winds with light rain. However, the wind soon picked up, and the rain became torrential. Some birding folks ventured out in the foul weather and some interesting birds were sighted, but I stayed at base, mainly because I couldn't contemplate going out without my camera, and my camera isn't waterproof. I did take some photos of the Humming-bird Hawk-moth which was now in the conservatory.</b></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakmUQK-HfN33CTvM5lJIgaoK18lYNirEnfFuW3pzjWky5fttkq8EUvVIjWfqAM2bQd4j4sLg-hs9c_SA631X_E-ZZCjiu8W5GcejWT7fxqhJlec5DNZmmO5gyK3fzSuKbMkSNx5kZmkWQDNzSO7qtz_8dZ1ZVrSDqXTaOxVmOV2mwfxPrXoA-wdzY3KA/s825/23-09-27%20Beaches%20PEG_0363%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakmUQK-HfN33CTvM5lJIgaoK18lYNirEnfFuW3pzjWky5fttkq8EUvVIjWfqAM2bQd4j4sLg-hs9c_SA631X_E-ZZCjiu8W5GcejWT7fxqhJlec5DNZmmO5gyK3fzSuKbMkSNx5kZmkWQDNzSO7qtz_8dZ1ZVrSDqXTaOxVmOV2mwfxPrXoA-wdzY3KA/s16000/23-09-27%20Beaches%20PEG_0363%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Humming-bird Hawk-moth (<i>Macroglossum stellatarum</i>) - from the house - Littleporth </span></b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After lunch it started brightening up, although it was still very windy, and so I took the buggy to Old Town and went into Lower Moors. To my delight, the hide was empty apart from two other people who arrived at the same time as me. The juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper that had relocated from Higher Moors, presumably to be in a more sheltered location, was immediately spotted and showed well.</b></div><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6w1KBuhBrtUzDo_LcHm7gfXQxhtMnoT7LFIXEL3Ravc12qjeBhVsDLaJ1HfGu-q4jAwQff995HGJ8oHyAhMD6uZLW2MlbaW4A6dREe1ovS0F-gPhsj3XtB8QY_q8CThEvpiFy-VSJm3NuDBiBy3hFPHjRZdLLDuQen2lqyF291bPxNpKtlCbh_RkAS5U/s825/23-09-27%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0518%20Pectoral%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6w1KBuhBrtUzDo_LcHm7gfXQxhtMnoT7LFIXEL3Ravc12qjeBhVsDLaJ1HfGu-q4jAwQff995HGJ8oHyAhMD6uZLW2MlbaW4A6dREe1ovS0F-gPhsj3XtB8QY_q8CThEvpiFy-VSJm3NuDBiBy3hFPHjRZdLLDuQen2lqyF291bPxNpKtlCbh_RkAS5U/s16000/23-09-27%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0518%20Pectoral%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" /></a></div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWZqpW3SSICtvAWWRPxC2TJztbmVMg1GzlIFEkGefE20xZbnqHV5wqcQbUqzPz-88Z3Io3utlD6-W-ui34ux3UffU_ypS0ShFv_NCqX0j1J9MaNFTPjgOUD-02yu6Al_z5yNx-9cRzG1G7lt5Ds2uXWCzQRf5X5m_k-A1JYVnjcW-lfer45KclQNSzYs/s936/23-09-27%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0521%20Pectoral%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWZqpW3SSICtvAWWRPxC2TJztbmVMg1GzlIFEkGefE20xZbnqHV5wqcQbUqzPz-88Z3Io3utlD6-W-ui34ux3UffU_ypS0ShFv_NCqX0j1J9MaNFTPjgOUD-02yu6Al_z5yNx-9cRzG1G7lt5Ds2uXWCzQRf5X5m_k-A1JYVnjcW-lfer45KclQNSzYs/s16000/23-09-27%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0521%20Pectoral%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pectoral Sandpiper <span>(<i>Calidris melanotos</i>) - Lower Moors</span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></b><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">I</span> spent a while here but it started getting crowded in the hide, so I departed, heading for Carreg Dhu Garden as this beautiful garden is in a sheltered long-disused quarry and often used by sheltering small birds, such as Firecrest. I found butterflies and two Humming-bird Hawk-moths, but no birds to photograph. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnzJVWs95TDd1znuqYgpOv0_fZnmf1ij_4UqtnZPbEkvRzIGS8D0KFZ7AQSA0dzerDsdgQdNIHpwFj3zOAb5hnbqe5df-WGnYH7r7zwEwKv4uVTFLgmBgkMjxJNOKXZXqvpgdoxUgD3DTgRraQF8iu0x9k50De1CiDuk3KBoFtAbaPUnbDmcyBAJXMLQ/s825/23-09-27%20Carreg%20Dhu%20PEG_0558%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnzJVWs95TDd1znuqYgpOv0_fZnmf1ij_4UqtnZPbEkvRzIGS8D0KFZ7AQSA0dzerDsdgQdNIHpwFj3zOAb5hnbqe5df-WGnYH7r7zwEwKv4uVTFLgmBgkMjxJNOKXZXqvpgdoxUgD3DTgRraQF8iu0x9k50De1CiDuk3KBoFtAbaPUnbDmcyBAJXMLQ/s16000/23-09-27%20Carreg%20Dhu%20PEG_0558%20Humming-bird%20Hawk-moth%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Humming-bird Hawk-moth (<i>Macroglossum stellatarum</i>) -Carreg Dhu Garden<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I next moved on to Higher Moors and, on entering Sussex Hide, found the unprecedented sight of eleven Greenshank together. I have only ever seen single Greenshank.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWDvkprAPIZkhPe0yXoJZboIH789Rg3H8Qs-vtn-vfncHaOr2gwoqIyrBL9BBuPcY7htkLAro6SgThjCxzUwbgOGHkQB-JFJtAuh3yIGMWEIhUCbsXYDtr3VMfw33CWmw83adc3RLqpqhhJgYlA38uFTVjz0rtRSpU3AB9tpzGTpXO0LoUFEGbtyjOt0/s825/23-09-27%20Perthellick%20Pool%20PEG_0567%20Greenshank%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWDvkprAPIZkhPe0yXoJZboIH789Rg3H8Qs-vtn-vfncHaOr2gwoqIyrBL9BBuPcY7htkLAro6SgThjCxzUwbgOGHkQB-JFJtAuh3yIGMWEIhUCbsXYDtr3VMfw33CWmw83adc3RLqpqhhJgYlA38uFTVjz0rtRSpU3AB9tpzGTpXO0LoUFEGbtyjOt0/s16000/23-09-27%20Perthellick%20Pool%20PEG_0567%20Greenshank%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenshank (<i>Tringa nebulari</i>a) - Porthellick Pool</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Little else was happening here, so I moved on to Seaward Hide, where only Mallards were visible. I sat out a heavy shower of rain then went along to Porthellick beach. Here there were lots of House Sparrows and three Turnstone.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJwk-FXzP9SCJT2p1j1OBo0I-Zf6OZKkCbU2k1mrXGtfmlpEryC1zV-sXuaMdSzAYqyjQB7n6PQqrMUNu2FMm7Ir-JMGp1P-tjIh64OkaqYG6IL9yDbv8jp6uZtK1292yxGUm0dw8ARw4Om50l0jkIO16F-s8-pri1lH95SdE1_9PFFaLkHueNoKHBWU/s825/23-09-27%20Porthellick%20Beach%20PEG_0573%20Turnstone%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJwk-FXzP9SCJT2p1j1OBo0I-Zf6OZKkCbU2k1mrXGtfmlpEryC1zV-sXuaMdSzAYqyjQB7n6PQqrMUNu2FMm7Ir-JMGp1P-tjIh64OkaqYG6IL9yDbv8jp6uZtK1292yxGUm0dw8ARw4Om50l0jkIO16F-s8-pri1lH95SdE1_9PFFaLkHueNoKHBWU/s16000/23-09-27%20Porthellick%20Beach%20PEG_0573%20Turnstone%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Turnstone (<i>Arenaria interpres</i>) - Porthellick Beach</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>What was more interesting to me, however, was the several stranded 'jellyfish'. These varied considerably in size from maybe 3 cm to 15 cm across. Some seemed to be absolutely crystal-clear, but a couple seen had a circular ring of a pinkish colour. I did not know what species these were, but an image I posted of the second one was</b><b> was subsequently identified by the excellent 'Scilly Wildlife News' WhatsApp group as Crystal Jelly. This very attractive and bioluminescent animal is not an actual jellyfish but classed as a hydrozoan. It is, I believe, quite a rarity in UK but there were numerous sightings being reported in the south-west of UK at this time. According to an on-line article, <i>"The species is typically found off the west coast of North America,
identified from the Bering Sea to southern California. It’s particularly
common in Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean along the
northwestern coast of Washington."</i> I must say that I find this hard to believe! </b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFNi-FzmyUf2GZDZYpNEnWqwjVZVf8OWOD6RkzHbQuYK-iEj4b3Pedl_uqur-boXQGpfnuNPcYKjgxhaMB9biv1nAp4QG14SLp2iYgQLwHJgfvgBohL4z1dgjrmEWd72nEU_D9wxn1ik0wsdnqjOT3a4CBvcxveZD4rErfaut3xh9mHgoTdtlcUwapEE/s825/23-09-27%20Porthellick%20Beach%20PEG_0583%20Jellyfish%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFNi-FzmyUf2GZDZYpNEnWqwjVZVf8OWOD6RkzHbQuYK-iEj4b3Pedl_uqur-boXQGpfnuNPcYKjgxhaMB9biv1nAp4QG14SLp2iYgQLwHJgfvgBohL4z1dgjrmEWd72nEU_D9wxn1ik0wsdnqjOT3a4CBvcxveZD4rErfaut3xh9mHgoTdtlcUwapEE/s16000/23-09-27%20Porthellick%20Beach%20PEG_0583%20Jellyfish%20.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91ncyiS4muvvok-0EkxXTU6kXk_BGfOnMTXF5xchv4AkicyHgzxXQv7totW9RpDnFgg5HQzZCFd4fCk0FqujfKFSrbeLkeaEQ4Wq4iG-28eMd44ciF4ewSoK_7v06i_YTwvLz2u9ANX8WDZZN0bB9nd9_d39tYWFFA9UvgOm19GogEeQHig1wtZGzDZI/s825/23-09-27%20Porthellick%20Beach%20PEG_0585%20Crystal%20Jellyfish%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91ncyiS4muvvok-0EkxXTU6kXk_BGfOnMTXF5xchv4AkicyHgzxXQv7totW9RpDnFgg5HQzZCFd4fCk0FqujfKFSrbeLkeaEQ4Wq4iG-28eMd44ciF4ewSoK_7v06i_YTwvLz2u9ANX8WDZZN0bB9nd9_d39tYWFFA9UvgOm19GogEeQHig1wtZGzDZI/s16000/23-09-27%20Porthellick%20Beach%20PEG_0585%20Crystal%20Jellyfish%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Crystal Jelly (<i>Aequorea victoria</i>) - Porthellick Beach</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I dropped back into the hides on Porthhellick Pool. At Sussex Hide, the Greenshank were still there, but put up by an arriving Grey Heron. This seemed to have prey, which looked rather like a small rodent, in its bill. I couldn't see clearly as this shot was of it at the seaward end of the pool.</b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5AJ1hATny4hUIr704v-woQGzbQFNXTQQ3xKqDInNUH-sJTBAF0bMCf7U8eAC3MbaIa1V4n3gU4a41TN7POSKLsLLxHV7dPuqo4-5TB0EVL5V_rZxaem4D8vA2RpJEl8X_1nXcgQLCrl_GbAxCkb4Uf7bhwIFNO-ZfylB4PxNXdRA8kypU4kDWY0-lco/s825/23-09-27%20Perthellick%20Pool%20PEG_0588%20Grey%20Heron%20with%20prey%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5AJ1hATny4hUIr704v-woQGzbQFNXTQQ3xKqDInNUH-sJTBAF0bMCf7U8eAC3MbaIa1V4n3gU4a41TN7POSKLsLLxHV7dPuqo4-5TB0EVL5V_rZxaem4D8vA2RpJEl8X_1nXcgQLCrl_GbAxCkb4Uf7bhwIFNO-ZfylB4PxNXdRA8kypU4kDWY0-lco/s16000/23-09-27%20Perthellick%20Pool%20PEG_0588%20Grey%20Heron%20with%20prey%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Heron (<i>Ardea cinerea</i>) with prey - Porthellick Pool</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Greenshank soon settled back again and seemed quite relaxed.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidekzsmmHajtF2OZOCZg17og4repiNYROHGX1rmubS71A875zrT7Tl0BglZK1ckaNk39USvIOodtqm8veObfzQNyErwlu91B_uEFveV38qLm1o-_QSPD67cjzXcB_GU7hLhyphenhyphenkSulGSJByxwJDYoF7_5ykahjQzm9iL8sKHOa3avhRyZ0GBvQWsnqyqjw/s825/23-09-27%20Perthellick%20Pool%20PEG_0597%20Greenshank%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidekzsmmHajtF2OZOCZg17og4repiNYROHGX1rmubS71A875zrT7Tl0BglZK1ckaNk39USvIOodtqm8veObfzQNyErwlu91B_uEFveV38qLm1o-_QSPD67cjzXcB_GU7hLhyphenhyphenkSulGSJByxwJDYoF7_5ykahjQzm9iL8sKHOa3avhRyZ0GBvQWsnqyqjw/s16000/23-09-27%20Perthellick%20Pool%20PEG_0597%20Greenshank%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenshank (<i>Tringa nebulari</i>a) - Porthellick Pool</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Other than these, the only other notable sightings were a pair of Snipe in the distance, kindly pointed out by Julian Branscome, a member of the superb Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust. </b><br /></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was now time to head back to base.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Apart from a shopping trip to the Co-op, the evening was spent relaxing and writing up notes.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'd been expecting the day to be a total washout, but it was far from that.</b><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #93c47d;">Thursday, 28th September</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The weather forecast indicated that a relatively dull morning would develop into a rather wet afternoon. The girls decided that they'd like another attempt at collecting sea-glass on Treasure Beach (Porth Minick), so I got Melanie to drop me off at the entrance to Higher Moors. The plan was that I'd see what was going on at Porthellick Pool and Beach, and then walk over Sallakee Down, past the airport turning circle, and meet them at Treasure Beach.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I saw absolutely nothing of interest until just before the airport turning circle, where I got some shots of a female Stonechat.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBOpNBGYhOQ20vVP2N5U1cgOQZk8fKdnweKv5uobrjTpB15vWHccwrIkiK33vk3N7fWD32_qPUI37o0iZjsOSy2G76_Jrbo28bzOi_hjQS1sXMT1MA5yqgP9O6Z7n1zZ9FYcTDvYoNvAWGB_5Yu7nflf0TLeXJrlq-ecUr7KEBc6cOB1lzjOp39ZkWCs/s825/23-09-28%20byr%20Airport%20Turning%20Ci%20PEG_0613%20Stonechat%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBOpNBGYhOQ20vVP2N5U1cgOQZk8fKdnweKv5uobrjTpB15vWHccwrIkiK33vk3N7fWD32_qPUI37o0iZjsOSy2G76_Jrbo28bzOi_hjQS1sXMT1MA5yqgP9O6Z7n1zZ9FYcTDvYoNvAWGB_5Yu7nflf0TLeXJrlq-ecUr7KEBc6cOB1lzjOp39ZkWCs/s16000/23-09-28%20byr%20Airport%20Turning%20Ci%20PEG_0613%20Stonechat%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Stonechat (</span></b></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Saxicola rubicola) (female) - by Airport Turning </span></b><b><span style="font-size: small;">C</span></b>ircle<br /></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Between the airport turning circle and Porth Minick, I spotted a Kestrel. My previous sighting of a Kestrel on the Isles of Scilly was on 14th March, 2020 when some photos I took turned out to be the confirming photos for Lesser Kestrel - a 'mega' that had previously been reported as a 'very interesting looking Kestrel on Porthellick Down' with a request for photos.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had no such luck this time!<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSZBlLmwiVYywfDUn7BYwjVC2uvLSZa5YR-PTt2HV0xhaad7UCGRXcqjliokLbnXj57YML6h0u_EGOwgmsIz2BaMgpM6nkxkXhHkhODQpwTdYciFmvfikG1ctGLEioF497tjjSx94oWFNYTr4WCqHMSXAjcTKX6dyCp7kBzBNHt50LUd1ozm69ioY2n8/s825/23-09-28%20near%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0618%20Kestrel%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSZBlLmwiVYywfDUn7BYwjVC2uvLSZa5YR-PTt2HV0xhaad7UCGRXcqjliokLbnXj57YML6h0u_EGOwgmsIz2BaMgpM6nkxkXhHkhODQpwTdYciFmvfikG1ctGLEioF497tjjSx94oWFNYTr4WCqHMSXAjcTKX6dyCp7kBzBNHt50LUd1ozm69ioY2n8/s16000/23-09-28%20near%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0618%20Kestrel%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Kestrel (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Falco tinnunculus</i>) (female)<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I arrived at Treasure Beach before the girls had departed from base, so had a brief look around. All I found of interest was something that looked like a tiered lump of jelly, but again was subsequently identified by the 'Scilly Wildlife News' WhatsApp group as being a Beadlet Anemone. It seems that it would have been a real treat to see this animal in shallow water with its tentacles open.</b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WN3LFQCxo6HmEMgVEvWZvriVNVjOcEtaC9H9xEKzvTugDYuimcmUnljeww9eyPN7KKU9__nET-CYJ2nLYgCKANG04-AlDAbf-k6yKqmHv_tnMgH1yHqaVqdkKJTMJG34gFo_dyKH0YAksBZDGQarlA-GFPXnxhJ1BWxC8edSQ7wTBS5WIAsPqTLhVpM/s825/23-09-28%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0625%20Beadlet%20Anemone%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WN3LFQCxo6HmEMgVEvWZvriVNVjOcEtaC9H9xEKzvTugDYuimcmUnljeww9eyPN7KKU9__nET-CYJ2nLYgCKANG04-AlDAbf-k6yKqmHv_tnMgH1yHqaVqdkKJTMJG34gFo_dyKH0YAksBZDGQarlA-GFPXnxhJ1BWxC8edSQ7wTBS5WIAsPqTLhVpM/s16000/23-09-28%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0625%20Beadlet%20Anemone%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;">Beadlet Anemone (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Actinia equina</i>) - Porth Minick<br /></span></span></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As the girls had not appeared, I made a quick visit to Lower Moors, but saw nothing of any interest. I then hurried back to Porth Minick and found the girls had already got there. I spent a little while with them, but was concerned that I was going to get caught out by the forecast heavy rain, there being only room for the four girls on the buggy, so I set off to return to base.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I stopped briefly for a comfort stop by Old Town Cafe, and noticed that the forecast had moderated, with the rain now coming in later. I changed my plan and took the path round Old Town Bay towards Carn Lêh, getting some shots of a large and wonderful Hornet Hoverfly which, unusually, settled.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj1t70BhlHZf3eRpcVKkd9SVnJVgXgWixfYn6uTzGvvRe1uD_qEsMYVkzLnSyvBPRQSlGWQUx6JaTFk2pwmoK9ph6JMaF7mftPzoPMG6SVRQQX5pk6hPj58HAjy6FiHmCoRNmq-Bkng90Nn4bhWlyCvcipTvA3iSZ7VYdwJpTFTC_F_vkr1pO_4akU8k/s825/23-09-28%20Old%20Town%20-%20Carn%20Leh%20PEG_0635%20Volucella%20zonaria%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoj1t70BhlHZf3eRpcVKkd9SVnJVgXgWixfYn6uTzGvvRe1uD_qEsMYVkzLnSyvBPRQSlGWQUx6JaTFk2pwmoK9ph6JMaF7mftPzoPMG6SVRQQX5pk6hPj58HAjy6FiHmCoRNmq-Bkng90Nn4bhWlyCvcipTvA3iSZ7VYdwJpTFTC_F_vkr1pO_4akU8k/s16000/23-09-28%20Old%20Town%20-%20Carn%20Leh%20PEG_0635%20Volucella%20zonaria%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hornet Hoverfly (<i>Volucella zonaria</i>) (female) - near Carn Lêh</span></b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I went up onto Peninnis, seeing little of interest. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I descended the west Peninnis path a Grey Heron passed by, but the shots were binned. I was surprised to see some 'wild swimmers' who seemed to be launching themselves from what appeared to be a relatively inaccessible location, not far from Peninnis Head. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLQbbSVQzZqM-7YcKbptUopI5KAGa-urzz7R33yL0dYI_yD5wCT7ZV18GDXehpd4jal7DE09mGXbJ9E6enCoKd2vZeRRg-eQiivImOPpu-jlZw9lXn7mt_kyB6CN17DtoBKtLdqG1OErT_XhskWeg97m8pVGhRO8f4kKMamoJQ4B5F0aAN-QHOwPZwLs/s825/23-09-28%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_0644%20Wild%20Swimmers%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLQbbSVQzZqM-7YcKbptUopI5KAGa-urzz7R33yL0dYI_yD5wCT7ZV18GDXehpd4jal7DE09mGXbJ9E6enCoKd2vZeRRg-eQiivImOPpu-jlZw9lXn7mt_kyB6CN17DtoBKtLdqG1OErT_XhskWeg97m8pVGhRO8f4kKMamoJQ4B5F0aAN-QHOwPZwLs/s16000/23-09-28%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_0644%20Wild%20Swimmers%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wild Swimmers - Peninnis</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>By the allotments I stopped by some Ivy where there were many Ivy Bees.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6s6iUKjkven0Tgr9nznNhcwy6boShNknu8yQpLue8EXPi-sZyFthH3Uf0LiC5kag1V4ESdB3NFKQjtnhYsYhOSyFkcUtPNNyO8cYml96QwwcTpS5ff5o55ASsfHhrwMS9-SGZFcsDCWRA04koxV1aWii3tbCPkRBAqNyZJ2OEsPsOoN30qdttJukm3Tc/s825/23-09-28%20Porthcressa%20Allotments%20PEG_0647%20Ivy%20Bee%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6s6iUKjkven0Tgr9nznNhcwy6boShNknu8yQpLue8EXPi-sZyFthH3Uf0LiC5kag1V4ESdB3NFKQjtnhYsYhOSyFkcUtPNNyO8cYml96QwwcTpS5ff5o55ASsfHhrwMS9-SGZFcsDCWRA04koxV1aWii3tbCPkRBAqNyZJ2OEsPsOoN30qdttJukm3Tc/s16000/23-09-28%20Porthcressa%20Allotments%20PEG_0647%20Ivy%20Bee%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ivy Bee (<i>Colletes hederae</i>) - by Porthcressa Allotments</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After a late lunch, we all went out to Carn Vean Cafe where we sat outside and enjoyed tea and cake. I was happy to be reunited with their fabulously succulent 'Jaffa Cake'. Because of the forecast rain, I'd left my now normal (non-waterproof) camera set up back at base and taken my old Nikon D7200 body with an old Tamron 28-300 lens (my only back-up equipment these days) with me. I found myself struggling to remember how to use this kit, but did manage some photos of the House Sparrows that wanted us to share our cakes with them. One even had the cheek to read the menu.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUaNvvTB8-7RIz9cELpn5nufJvGZKJ8Y-41hfC_8dzgZyfhAZd5H5ITkGRRPKVUUDCC4LaUwmPlSYeOLHj0WL4SnDnHJnwOughzcPoaeJ4NeCwHSuyySbvZGfdje9plg_Fg9d1qVsTVUmUalTLvYifpp8kUyOpywd7TL4mmohkdyLEVJB6EaVMADixaQ/s825/RP2_8063-004-House%20Sparrow.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUaNvvTB8-7RIz9cELpn5nufJvGZKJ8Y-41hfC_8dzgZyfhAZd5H5ITkGRRPKVUUDCC4LaUwmPlSYeOLHj0WL4SnDnHJnwOughzcPoaeJ4NeCwHSuyySbvZGfdje9plg_Fg9d1qVsTVUmUalTLvYifpp8kUyOpywd7TL4mmohkdyLEVJB6EaVMADixaQ/s16000/RP2_8063-004-House%20Sparrow.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ygHX2FgnwzWcFZ8zVVnGGoWqhcj5_FsLLSVN7sRGG9B9_LjHC5zfyOegibDQb4ULZUmdf4SsbuaUXy_omM5KJXCmbgivF_cve-Ek4FvIYuhAzpul5Ai6pwLxIUfPc4jfZG8N8P-Y_DTvIzkLDfUXMOkSRqNktEVEKn74_MnLYH8yN1uDJL5-QI4Vbas/s825/RP2_8070-009-House%20Sparrow.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ygHX2FgnwzWcFZ8zVVnGGoWqhcj5_FsLLSVN7sRGG9B9_LjHC5zfyOegibDQb4ULZUmdf4SsbuaUXy_omM5KJXCmbgivF_cve-Ek4FvIYuhAzpul5Ai6pwLxIUfPc4jfZG8N8P-Y_DTvIzkLDfUXMOkSRqNktEVEKn74_MnLYH8yN1uDJL5-QI4Vbas/s16000/RP2_8070-009-House%20Sparrow.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffe599;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">House Sparrow (<i>Passer domesticus</i>) - Carn Vean Cafe<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>While we waited for Melanie to return with the buggy (it needed two trips to transport five of us in a four-seater) I took Lindsay part-way down the path from Carn Vean Cafe to show her the views over to Toll's Island and the Eastern Isles. Toll's Island can be accessed on foot at low tide, but the tide was in on this occasion.</b><br /></div></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_mj5vb9ff6Jq8zRUSicbbGA56-mczaf1hIBzy89X1TSI2TNGh7mx2Z9EWd-URGCJBfvNgK9bbu7vfxt_v5Bumk2DVBs9FJnPav7u6kL39UFDXbbYxfpm_Z6eSTSveVd6sB08SNoinVGq3yOV6iwOXhiCScez8gjxKVX5aYBOpYFySzDFf-VvEEuVgTE/s825/RP2_8072-001-View.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_mj5vb9ff6Jq8zRUSicbbGA56-mczaf1hIBzy89X1TSI2TNGh7mx2Z9EWd-URGCJBfvNgK9bbu7vfxt_v5Bumk2DVBs9FJnPav7u6kL39UFDXbbYxfpm_Z6eSTSveVd6sB08SNoinVGq3yOV6iwOXhiCScez8gjxKVX5aYBOpYFySzDFf-VvEEuVgTE/s16000/RP2_8072-001-View.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">View to Toll's Island from Carn Vean</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jj3nueBU_qVBx49xcXw03OX3XDpNFLCaie3nFAxB0qwG50ScC-SMnJBppx-KgWi5kpS_k_7sf8DDppLPbtQyVa7T1Xi46gZOdBWfEnqbKoyeD-G_Lt4KWimZskgp5C2bZrmFi12JgLnGSK0cNzZQFayUY5UYew-ePFhxodFnQYzGCZB1OfNFlbZAYJk/s825/RP2_8074-003-View.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jj3nueBU_qVBx49xcXw03OX3XDpNFLCaie3nFAxB0qwG50ScC-SMnJBppx-KgWi5kpS_k_7sf8DDppLPbtQyVa7T1Xi46gZOdBWfEnqbKoyeD-G_Lt4KWimZskgp5C2bZrmFi12JgLnGSK0cNzZQFayUY5UYew-ePFhxodFnQYzGCZB1OfNFlbZAYJk/s16000/RP2_8074-003-View.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">View to the Eastern Isles from Carn Vean</span></b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We got back to base just in time to avoid the rain.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The evening was spent, as usual, catching up with notes, making plans, etc.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My next blog post, if all goes according to plan, will feature the next day of our stay, and will be a little different. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, pleased take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-18346674895867930832023-10-19T15:06:00.000+01:002023-10-19T15:06:38.623+01:00Isles of Scilly, 2023 Pt.2 - 26th September, 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I had, originally, intended to have this second instalment of my account cover another two days of our recent holiday on the Isles of Scilly. I then realised that just this one day would result in a blog post that was more than long enough - sorry folks! </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>If you missed Pt.1, you can find it by going to the bottom of this post and then clicking on 'Older Post'. </b><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Tuesday, 26th September </b><br /></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>In spite of having had a poor night's sleep, I was up relatively early for
us - 07.00. I then had a relaxed breakfast, after which, my first job of the day
was to go and pick up the buggy that we'd hired for six days from the excellent
Scilly Carts, taking Melanie along with me.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As there were five of us, I'd booked the hire of a six-seater cart. We trotted off to Scilly Carts, arriving soon after opening time and, after filling in the necessary forms, were headed back to base. I'd been concerned that the abrupt transition from level road and pavement to a steeply sloped drive might be a problem due to the long wheelbase of the low-slung six-seater. On arrival, we carefully tried puting the cart on the drive and found that we only had about 2 cm clearance with just me in the cart. With five of us in, I suspect that it would have grounded. A quick call to Scilly Carts and we were headed back to exchange the cart for a four-seater. This did, of course, mean that our options for travel were slightly limited. This is the cart that we ended up with.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__AIWo53Fc__gd97-1NJDjdHOI2Q4l_6suA5edAEcO26l4Lj-fiOiuML7UpLz1x3e7rFHpQDL6glfz5Ff13-Y25gLq0842ymWo6EJzN24xwJ5EzyPPlnEA0Tp8FAJutJIHlogHwBsgtQf2PXjQ9fQwLSUQtU3ulh5bumM9-KODClUqD2bd7f1Fdl6ea8/s825/RP2_8103-001-Buggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__AIWo53Fc__gd97-1NJDjdHOI2Q4l_6suA5edAEcO26l4Lj-fiOiuML7UpLz1x3e7rFHpQDL6glfz5Ff13-Y25gLq0842ymWo6EJzN24xwJ5EzyPPlnEA0Tp8FAJutJIHlogHwBsgtQf2PXjQ9fQwLSUQtU3ulh5bumM9-KODClUqD2bd7f1Fdl6ea8/s16000/RP2_8103-001-Buggy.jpg" /></a></div><b>The forecast for the day was for warm, but rather breezy, weather with sunny spells - and this is what it turned out to be.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having missed out on seeing a Wryneck the previous afternoon, I was
determined to have another try. I set off, on foot, along Porthcressa seafront, dipping
into Becky's Scilly Cakes to choose my cake that the girls would pick up
later.<br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I then headed towards the path that runs on the west side of Peninnis to
Peninnis Head. As I passed the allotments, I stopped by a large patch of ivy to photograph some of the many Ivy Bees that were enjoying it. Ivy Bees have become very common on the Isles of Scilly.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDyvqFnUJRze345-haVcIEtXBAuhIlRrJQrVAvI6KQ7TnUOA1osn8ytmECet85t2phCrGFls6OaMnsMBtAJUJ8rVo5gne0OaOGDSmIGnoiiQv7aWYF2ts9q7T1TBdojjw4WZ1AhGjBhpo00rldxq2M31rDOgHt9C0zFOt3E3xd79cKMb5lnPSLiQc6WE/s825/23-09-26%20Porthcressa%20Allotments%20PEG_9898%20Ivy%20Bee%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaDyvqFnUJRze345-haVcIEtXBAuhIlRrJQrVAvI6KQ7TnUOA1osn8ytmECet85t2phCrGFls6OaMnsMBtAJUJ8rVo5gne0OaOGDSmIGnoiiQv7aWYF2ts9q7T1TBdojjw4WZ1AhGjBhpo00rldxq2M31rDOgHt9C0zFOt3E3xd79cKMb5lnPSLiQc6WE/s16000/23-09-26%20Porthcressa%20Allotments%20PEG_9898%20Ivy%20Bee%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ivy Bee (<i>Colletes hedera</i>) - Porthcressa Allotments</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A couple of Red Admirals were also in attendance.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa316x885Dh2m6U1T2EmD_coBwFrKUDXmBgeMkUQV1j8xuYWVm5TRAfWrfL4Qvh__G4lpvc8_8jGFXOsMJ39hvx0vy2AhQEEsd1X-RcnAozix3RMRl6gA_dlGm4Q4x7nKC33RIF9Trxy4uyw9rOQUu7ABV_UpjnfCA214_VVHTF_tlye1tRIpFSo2Mh8/s825/23-09-26%20Porthcressa%20Allotments%20PEG_9902%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa316x885Dh2m6U1T2EmD_coBwFrKUDXmBgeMkUQV1j8xuYWVm5TRAfWrfL4Qvh__G4lpvc8_8jGFXOsMJ39hvx0vy2AhQEEsd1X-RcnAozix3RMRl6gA_dlGm4Q4x7nKC33RIF9Trxy4uyw9rOQUu7ABV_UpjnfCA214_VVHTF_tlye1tRIpFSo2Mh8/s16000/23-09-26%20Porthcressa%20Allotments%20PEG_9902%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Red Admiral (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Vanessa atalanta</i>) - Porthcressa Allotments<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I continued along the Peninnis West Path, seeing a few Small Copper butterflies as I went.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNW8vATcpCoSwF1TQEC7K8UDSvmt3W0BdhFdx6CB1fUxncJmaMpOBjPbHBxjh6yOTosa5c1fdOcerlPKpT06Ty1zhBW5PQv5nZ1DT3ZVpxaB7IHbqSMPqQcmrCgRp34wvShoyEVMLPdxQKlYLGfTL_keowbKmwqdQKacVkI1eNeWH1awQ8uaF_tosm8Cg/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_9907%20Small%20Copper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNW8vATcpCoSwF1TQEC7K8UDSvmt3W0BdhFdx6CB1fUxncJmaMpOBjPbHBxjh6yOTosa5c1fdOcerlPKpT06Ty1zhBW5PQv5nZ1DT3ZVpxaB7IHbqSMPqQcmrCgRp34wvShoyEVMLPdxQKlYLGfTL_keowbKmwqdQKacVkI1eNeWH1awQ8uaF_tosm8Cg/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_9907%20Small%20Copper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Small Copper (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e">Lycaena phlaeas) - Peninnis West Path<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Before reaching the head, I saw a couple of pipits on a drystone wall. My ID skills are sadly lacking when it comes to pipits, but I reckon the most likely candidate is Meadow Pipit, which is very common in this area.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pz0TJh_YWw-lbjbU8aYuOiQ4PRabkVRqND09RySqfwjBvXfgpXIy9CzlA1iPFa7PxtUct_VArEkxTyqd5he3Z1jwg6RNB7F_qEfZNtary668UM-jB0e76tJe0p9poj09sMM3dhRXVy2tLqQy0sB-A28yzH8YKJcdddeh5aJLExJHfDHw6Pufo_msts0/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_9925%20Pipit%20sp.%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pz0TJh_YWw-lbjbU8aYuOiQ4PRabkVRqND09RySqfwjBvXfgpXIy9CzlA1iPFa7PxtUct_VArEkxTyqd5he3Z1jwg6RNB7F_qEfZNtary668UM-jB0e76tJe0p9poj09sMM3dhRXVy2tLqQy0sB-A28yzH8YKJcdddeh5aJLExJHfDHw6Pufo_msts0/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_9925%20Pipit%20sp.%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnrsEStQASUL_ZyWGNZt-hPIS74TKa1m2hxd8kbMCwZrj-iAEHAHWCOVlf0MA3EinlhMMNe4JTRCfrlBsNpf4zhFDPcERUoZBDwmXRHsb_RlKhQx5pRO4KCzcR_fa_stUgRCT5W-MyEX5oNLDjxzfSKN1GZBVI6E2JzAOr3bOsZdgeXnqpBgYNw-rOGM/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_9926%20Pipit%20sp.%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnrsEStQASUL_ZyWGNZt-hPIS74TKa1m2hxd8kbMCwZrj-iAEHAHWCOVlf0MA3EinlhMMNe4JTRCfrlBsNpf4zhFDPcERUoZBDwmXRHsb_RlKhQx5pRO4KCzcR_fa_stUgRCT5W-MyEX5oNLDjxzfSKN1GZBVI6E2JzAOr3bOsZdgeXnqpBgYNw-rOGM/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20West%20Path%20PEG_9926%20Pipit%20sp.%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">probable Meadow Pipit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anthus pratensis</i>) - Peninnis<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I spent half an hour on Peninnis head at the spot where the Wrynecks had been seen the
previous day. No Wryneck was seen, but I did get some shots of a Wheatear - a species that never fails to excite me.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWz3tNG937BK-8r9y7SRK2nwZ6jM3NioBNt4hiCfK2hfD_9q1-8rxQhXO_eeotx0Q93pWik4zzmlRMPB2rKi4cReMYnhTZ-FwTYpplCado6mDV4-DgrzypjPHcOgi2XlbSSPa0tf1kiFcYsm1AlDLMYC8cqM33prJ-P2V4FmG-6ODc7jfUJ9a-vrop4CI/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Head%20PEG_9936%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWz3tNG937BK-8r9y7SRK2nwZ6jM3NioBNt4hiCfK2hfD_9q1-8rxQhXO_eeotx0Q93pWik4zzmlRMPB2rKi4cReMYnhTZ-FwTYpplCado6mDV4-DgrzypjPHcOgi2XlbSSPa0tf1kiFcYsm1AlDLMYC8cqM33prJ-P2V4FmG-6ODc7jfUJ9a-vrop4CI/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Head%20PEG_9936%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0iebAlNgIQvJ__fjjrGNYvPi7zlz2iHoTw8bZ5NfsN1i3gSptc85VzT5bxL6J6aTlQ1w6cTHwUMFG_CmDsIV69gmHKJIpG7h-qc-erk-odObkkwC7oxqCPzLNk728lqAa8ygg70eJhoGc4K7NAs7wjzQjY8w8gpxgR40QoHxu7B0qXzPCSUDkIK3ApU/s860/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Head%20PEG_9960%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0iebAlNgIQvJ__fjjrGNYvPi7zlz2iHoTw8bZ5NfsN1i3gSptc85VzT5bxL6J6aTlQ1w6cTHwUMFG_CmDsIV69gmHKJIpG7h-qc-erk-odObkkwC7oxqCPzLNk728lqAa8ygg70eJhoGc4K7NAs7wjzQjY8w8gpxgR40QoHxu7B0qXzPCSUDkIK3ApU/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Head%20PEG_9960%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeugD_n8z-Z6VsWTCAafIVpYbxClmyXpbQaRahR0nFzP-p_qCI-o_V9SgbqIb3OYSUansXFtUnTFiDQTA1t0XzO4KjnAKEscGvbyU0BnkM7f4-V40pptYHcIWsZDaBQGOyClxZP8TbUhT_oBLnnBwHyvpfHB737WLW-DbjZt7cfvHqFrU_Yo4yNabFrc/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Head%20PEG_9974%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeugD_n8z-Z6VsWTCAafIVpYbxClmyXpbQaRahR0nFzP-p_qCI-o_V9SgbqIb3OYSUansXFtUnTFiDQTA1t0XzO4KjnAKEscGvbyU0BnkM7f4-V40pptYHcIWsZDaBQGOyClxZP8TbUhT_oBLnnBwHyvpfHB737WLW-DbjZt7cfvHqFrU_Yo4yNabFrc/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Head%20PEG_9974%20Wheatear%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wheatear (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Oenanthe oenanthe</i>) (female) - Peninnis<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>There had been a stiff westerly breeze along the west side of Peninnis and on the head,
so I set off down the east side towards Old Town. As I neared the point where
the path levels off and passes through the drystone wall, I put up a bird that
I'd not noticed, which flew and dropped down into the ground vegetation. It
then flew out again and landed on the drystone wall at a distance. My usual <i>modus operandi</i> is to take the photos first and then check for ID. Through my
binoculars, I was not sure of its identity, but when I zoomed in on my photos I
found I'd photographed a Wryneck! These are very heavily cropped images.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_CNzf5qed1nLgBuNEwUUj79EpVVzEuJ-oAEaYW8s4oMOwthE-BKtRqVo0NeAXYMwH6GVDYusd_gAGbU1PWWSm1Jmn0dCGgoSQH_gVa6oY9w9Dqe_ukhPc8KeJA-MmWOlQoY4nK9CYzAVvFn0RzTIyUNzyz_iDJO6VjUWk9na7O6o7S46XBvjnrtENpo/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20East%20Path%20PEG_9983%20Wryneck%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_CNzf5qed1nLgBuNEwUUj79EpVVzEuJ-oAEaYW8s4oMOwthE-BKtRqVo0NeAXYMwH6GVDYusd_gAGbU1PWWSm1Jmn0dCGgoSQH_gVa6oY9w9Dqe_ukhPc8KeJA-MmWOlQoY4nK9CYzAVvFn0RzTIyUNzyz_iDJO6VjUWk9na7O6o7S46XBvjnrtENpo/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20East%20Path%20PEG_9983%20Wryneck%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEF2muQ77A4jaC5gs-Vc9qRRmmnKGePxBueBWiR0wdBufE7mt8Ikugt3M0T_tMQfadDG9O7to1wsLlON6n2f6Opc1-0342mfXnuSRwr-Fl5IGeMjLMb38IFCeITy6L21dS-jOeQnsKEVeHpZ0MmiYZJgn9sEUNFiQAP0OQkbjPJ-KFwS793HiWq6lQPys/s1116/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20East%20Path%20PEG_9986%20Wryneck%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEF2muQ77A4jaC5gs-Vc9qRRmmnKGePxBueBWiR0wdBufE7mt8Ikugt3M0T_tMQfadDG9O7to1wsLlON6n2f6Opc1-0342mfXnuSRwr-Fl5IGeMjLMb38IFCeITy6L21dS-jOeQnsKEVeHpZ0MmiYZJgn9sEUNFiQAP0OQkbjPJ-KFwS793HiWq6lQPys/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20East%20Path%20PEG_9986%20Wryneck%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wryneck <span>(<i>Jynx torquilla</i>) - Peninnis East Path<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I approached Old Town Church I spotted a Speckled Wood butterfly that looked a bit unusual. The Speckled Woods on the Isles of Scilly are a different sub-species to those found on the mainland. The main distinguishing feature is that where the mainland sub-species <i>tircis</i> have pale cream markings, the sub-species <i>insula</i> on the Scillies have markings that are </b><b> more orange</b><b>. This particular specimen had much smaller markings than usual. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb-XKvBdXJVNbr_NqiO7Jl1gcaDoHJTt_Mxq3z7skSauIumwYa8ADMmel1AcwUxjkpAcYujAm6KwxeyDf10jb9IaOWAAGpktYkd_LvfjtBAcCPYuhizplvAgzs26kYRCkFlRXJ6tbqN6bvfjIloVD0lYPY6kt_eJ-ruT2ZW2gdHZ-LGmUDxl0oBpDfKM/s825/23-09-26%20Old%20Town%20PEG_0016%20Speckled%20Wood%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb-XKvBdXJVNbr_NqiO7Jl1gcaDoHJTt_Mxq3z7skSauIumwYa8ADMmel1AcwUxjkpAcYujAm6KwxeyDf10jb9IaOWAAGpktYkd_LvfjtBAcCPYuhizplvAgzs26kYRCkFlRXJ6tbqN6bvfjIloVD0lYPY6kt_eJ-ruT2ZW2gdHZ-LGmUDxl0oBpDfKM/s16000/23-09-26%20Old%20Town%20PEG_0016%20Speckled%20Wood%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Speckled Wood (<i>Pararge aegeria insula</i>) - near Old Town</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I continued through Old Town Churchyard, seeing nothing of interest, and
walked down the road to Old Town and turned off to Lower Moors.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>At the ISBG hide at Lower Moors, there were two Snipe. Again, just distant
shots were obtained. I didn't get any shots of the Migrant Hawkers that were
sticking to the far side of the pool.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_JDOx-mz4ZFKgvHriDGY_avdNPKD_XjUY6blLgo7uk5IPRViwcMa0HXjgvypGICfZ8cjJeYfrvP1NrVLAhYfEAZRI7voKz8UMrbhCnApCVr-FKN_d0CrqhxebLQBxske9LQ0HO4QSAroqILmPF7TU0Z_RAXNLaAXUgsi1reqjIjyK0JBTFvJ2l6FUPE/s825/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0053%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_JDOx-mz4ZFKgvHriDGY_avdNPKD_XjUY6blLgo7uk5IPRViwcMa0HXjgvypGICfZ8cjJeYfrvP1NrVLAhYfEAZRI7voKz8UMrbhCnApCVr-FKN_d0CrqhxebLQBxske9LQ0HO4QSAroqILmPF7TU0Z_RAXNLaAXUgsi1reqjIjyK0JBTFvJ2l6FUPE/s16000/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0053%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5b7FAY6WPScpw2X78SfkArU-UBY8Cho54dYUCX9eGqK1cHNT3ku6Wt_fIdJNltTwrn2UENMDakQAZPLQJC6kValML88ZzdpapEejgCbiq1eZPatwGYL6ne-Q4G8iN3jlOF5uv_Dhj044zxUcB-ZosgjgtXKJKFc7d7f_Fm9oAkUSFigWpfJcf937su4/s825/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0027%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5b7FAY6WPScpw2X78SfkArU-UBY8Cho54dYUCX9eGqK1cHNT3ku6Wt_fIdJNltTwrn2UENMDakQAZPLQJC6kValML88ZzdpapEejgCbiq1eZPatwGYL6ne-Q4G8iN3jlOF5uv_Dhj044zxUcB-ZosgjgtXKJKFc7d7f_Fm9oAkUSFigWpfJcf937su4/s16000/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0027%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Snipe <span>(<i>Gallinago gallinago</i>) - Lower Moors<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>On the approach to the hide, on the railings as I left, were two Common
Darter dragonflies. Here's one of them.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvJN7czWk8CYdW0fHxAVcMDcTZCKWI6tVvLJ7GDDlKWAXOL7ys-SxDSeOgO-rcQqdVfLWkNSorfqjz1nEZNPU2b-roWIgnhi7SY65z_WdIZ-qPWZ03jyVrKHfnNghGLraY0E19AXFsc5sEXk2hK2iakesYDnm_PtAhPxmU8RmDMVTW6YXDFDIrYE0Kso/s825/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0080%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvJN7czWk8CYdW0fHxAVcMDcTZCKWI6tVvLJ7GDDlKWAXOL7ys-SxDSeOgO-rcQqdVfLWkNSorfqjz1nEZNPU2b-roWIgnhi7SY65z_WdIZ-qPWZ03jyVrKHfnNghGLraY0E19AXFsc5sEXk2hK2iakesYDnm_PtAhPxmU8RmDMVTW6YXDFDIrYE0Kso/s16000/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0080%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (male) - Lower Moors</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Just along from the ISBG hide I also photographed a Speckled Wood butterfly. This was, in appearance, much as I would expect this species to be. I think that you will agree that it looks rather different to the one shown earlier.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHZ_Rvh_H_ztsU8XPDTkr9sR7HwVyUpP3W8dDwtfeVIHFUj1IGpUbvuti6XzSSKIxT3zETJxA7TbKn0rMsQQl7qb5IU8Kc7TfXGjo0_3oHhr9djWoS-Wvj4YmHUYRjjR1K1q_C5SmOmGFWB3rpaYKeR0FR-ED7m2QTeNHUrDRvAXEqj_w-NbyH9Oueq8/s825/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0088%20Speckled%20Wood%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHZ_Rvh_H_ztsU8XPDTkr9sR7HwVyUpP3W8dDwtfeVIHFUj1IGpUbvuti6XzSSKIxT3zETJxA7TbKn0rMsQQl7qb5IU8Kc7TfXGjo0_3oHhr9djWoS-Wvj4YmHUYRjjR1K1q_C5SmOmGFWB3rpaYKeR0FR-ED7m2QTeNHUrDRvAXEqj_w-NbyH9Oueq8/s16000/23-09-26%20Lower%20Moors%20PEG_0088%20Speckled%20Wood%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Speckled Wood (<i>Pararge aegeria insula</i>) - near Old Town</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>I carried on to Rosehill Garden, hoping to find more dragonflies, but only
found another Common Darter.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Continuing to Porthloo, I found a few birds on the beach, including some Pied Wagtails, but only photographed a Rock Pipit. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPwCq0bUp6P0nDXpwC2fc52ZmeUO6QhvMBe9L_zmgkpab_vyV_-25VKoT6pBp127bECosQdVjGdH6ySUVBEOqpJHAXQypVsjQtapCzXPGsI7MshV6fnd5pFT0qDxdYplNJJlxSSdp2YGivqkRIJ7zQRcfdTzzT4C7ASrWsC24cVXro36QF6p676ACvXA/s825/23-09-26%20Porthloo%20PEG_0121%20Rock%20Pipit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPwCq0bUp6P0nDXpwC2fc52ZmeUO6QhvMBe9L_zmgkpab_vyV_-25VKoT6pBp127bECosQdVjGdH6ySUVBEOqpJHAXQypVsjQtapCzXPGsI7MshV6fnd5pFT0qDxdYplNJJlxSSdp2YGivqkRIJ7zQRcfdTzzT4C7ASrWsC24cVXro36QF6p676ACvXA/s16000/23-09-26%20Porthloo%20PEG_0121%20Rock%20Pipit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Rock Pipit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anthus petrosus</i>) - Porthloo<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table> It was now time
to get back to base and fix myself a very late lunch. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That afternoon, Melanie drove me out to the entrance to Higher Moors where
I had frustratingly distant views of a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper that blended
in so well with the background that I couldn't find it in my viewfinder. I took a few shots with the camera pointing in roughly the right direction and found that I'd actually managed to include the bird in just one of the shots. Here is a very heavily cropped image, from which you can problably understand the difficulty I had.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ECTRrRkB7gmKbwXe7NY5gEPVPlkJdc0Sz_rZE2-Q2sZ6tYWORu5-CtR2aQexUh9DyYBJfDCiFvLmgss_p8o72wmibFI4ygtqEIRnKUf9-irQ533nZd87ZQqvRtkU9dtSxOQ-oBg6y73CPmI_YlvZSb2Xs46UPlAup_VrJSLZT8Kb-aj7p-lKLbJkUVI/s825/23-09-26%20Sussex%20Hide%20Porthellic%20PEG_0141%20Pectoral%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ECTRrRkB7gmKbwXe7NY5gEPVPlkJdc0Sz_rZE2-Q2sZ6tYWORu5-CtR2aQexUh9DyYBJfDCiFvLmgss_p8o72wmibFI4ygtqEIRnKUf9-irQ533nZd87ZQqvRtkU9dtSxOQ-oBg6y73CPmI_YlvZSb2Xs46UPlAup_VrJSLZT8Kb-aj7p-lKLbJkUVI/s16000/23-09-26%20Sussex%20Hide%20Porthellic%20PEG_0141%20Pectoral%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pectoral Sandpiper <span>(<i>Calidris melanotos</i>) - Porthellick Pool<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>After
about half an hour I lost the bird and gave up as I'd tentatively arranged to
meet the girls at Porth Minick beach where they were going to collect
sea-glass.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I took the path that goes over Salakee Down, seeing little as I did
so. My timing was such that, as I approached the airport runway turning
circle, the sirens started and I had to wait for a plane to taxi up to the
circle and turn before taking off.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Continuing on my way on the south side of Salakee Down, the only bird photographed was a Meadow Pipit.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKB4N9n52eACguZG1kJUgpaOexSrWYd0f3M1M3N8jH2G3zO9XQEHri3E1jWvwxBBBFuSsupG7O2zngXuEz7iRKyHSh6tcm4jlwL5UxBKxVOvrJ_4iwK5OvEqpPtMXixZxkLMmMzXN1LOj0gebSuvheqvI0S5eCJrM57jnT60Zu1_cN5nnH-CVAbcruus/s825/23-09-26%20Salakee%20Down%20PEG_0152%20Meadow%20Pipit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKB4N9n52eACguZG1kJUgpaOexSrWYd0f3M1M3N8jH2G3zO9XQEHri3E1jWvwxBBBFuSsupG7O2zngXuEz7iRKyHSh6tcm4jlwL5UxBKxVOvrJ_4iwK5OvEqpPtMXixZxkLMmMzXN1LOj0gebSuvheqvI0S5eCJrM57jnT60Zu1_cN5nnH-CVAbcruus/s16000/23-09-26%20Salakee%20Down%20PEG_0152%20Meadow%20Pipit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Meadow Pipit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anthus pratensis</i>) -Salakee Down<br /></span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><b>From the path to Porth Minick, there are views over to Peninnis. I rather liked this view of the nearer rocky coast.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQShU6DMUc-307YxLu7NOr7VzFNgogKB0ZPjL95IQZBzW0TcCCO5Nncgy1N7XQLoA2gkMdo-gZeX7jQPUzXZuaT2fJyAgWwGAaCNDG0rwcMfmgVH1Emh3Yu4JGYnqgk9o-q-elqo_P_2ZTtjWeThvUIz75P2mhJUDMeZ2vRoraqLySVakImdwCBXB-Gk4/s825/23-09-26%20Salakee%20Down%20PEG_0160%20view%20from%20Salakee%20Down%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQShU6DMUc-307YxLu7NOr7VzFNgogKB0ZPjL95IQZBzW0TcCCO5Nncgy1N7XQLoA2gkMdo-gZeX7jQPUzXZuaT2fJyAgWwGAaCNDG0rwcMfmgVH1Emh3Yu4JGYnqgk9o-q-elqo_P_2ZTtjWeThvUIz75P2mhJUDMeZ2vRoraqLySVakImdwCBXB-Gk4/s16000/23-09-26%20Salakee%20Down%20PEG_0160%20view%20from%20Salakee%20Down%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">View from Salakee Down</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>As Porth Minick came into view, I couldn't see the girls there. I was only
a few hundred metres from the beach when I got a message to say that they'd
turned back because there was little beach showing as the tide was well-in (a spring tide), and were heading for base. I went onto what was left of the beach and found two Turnstone there. I sat on a rock and waited patiently and soon one of them came close and allowed some relatively intimate photos.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQw1snq1a_EzxziAmoBCxzO5jPMOtHz3N9jhef_HijdVuzWXDTyXo8H7pfLguGuZo9tF_2h9xREz8cd89vBFUWToS_XiAWre9mlrV0fLN7XUbfUUGz6iir3K3aJfA4AfVcLcUj_uTWP7gd19yrlAUTSg6_HiY5-eQ5PvgbYool95vi2ob8bQYkO9LNzL4/s825/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0192%20Turnstone%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQw1snq1a_EzxziAmoBCxzO5jPMOtHz3N9jhef_HijdVuzWXDTyXo8H7pfLguGuZo9tF_2h9xREz8cd89vBFUWToS_XiAWre9mlrV0fLN7XUbfUUGz6iir3K3aJfA4AfVcLcUj_uTWP7gd19yrlAUTSg6_HiY5-eQ5PvgbYool95vi2ob8bQYkO9LNzL4/s16000/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0192%20Turnstone%20.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCY0P96_WCP0aac59W-i8jRrVmvisuZY-HRk71cO_8tINqb-Gi3coN6zPGB_MkbKj4ydyQRpJOrUbHKsd2xivgq3Im23WkSKzyTE3G96q0tt6VlL9NW1kHbGBs8UMqqpbjFMJMi5PfwwbncpQRmeMFiLzszMw1KJKI1ChXXOiiIBXEcKS-IgM3-a6xabE/s908/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0205%20Turnstone%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCY0P96_WCP0aac59W-i8jRrVmvisuZY-HRk71cO_8tINqb-Gi3coN6zPGB_MkbKj4ydyQRpJOrUbHKsd2xivgq3Im23WkSKzyTE3G96q0tt6VlL9NW1kHbGBs8UMqqpbjFMJMi5PfwwbncpQRmeMFiLzszMw1KJKI1ChXXOiiIBXEcKS-IgM3-a6xabE/s16000/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0205%20Turnstone%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKFeXhHIu7oQl2X9lIaxRm1DEQ_0HYSmz333-1KDUecLWyiUW9A0eO4vw0x7fXX7HD-sbyf1VEKEQWOWK-7_COR8Z39aVTXkuGW_qaFZNxYTCf8UNI9wyUcBk4Q5zbVZ4IJUD30QRSqNZglktDgY8v-29XWXI-6dJE2uM_hb0RY8JEy3AKDPzsT4Qg58/s825/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0216%20Turnstone%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKFeXhHIu7oQl2X9lIaxRm1DEQ_0HYSmz333-1KDUecLWyiUW9A0eO4vw0x7fXX7HD-sbyf1VEKEQWOWK-7_COR8Z39aVTXkuGW_qaFZNxYTCf8UNI9wyUcBk4Q5zbVZ4IJUD30QRSqNZglktDgY8v-29XWXI-6dJE2uM_hb0RY8JEy3AKDPzsT4Qg58/s16000/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0216%20Turnstone%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Turnstone (<i>Arenaria interpres</i>) - Porth Minick</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A Rock Pipit was similarly obliging.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuijD_BkLeRflnmdl6hbphgw5fg0BV0rkKHLyCbuBjZ84-Hp55u2jQk3gISzNBT27ePMfiParAQyQzXWRUJE-GP4c_q8tx-mj6tY6JD-weK4-hU9Zo6zp9MdyHpIAO7xshIk8b8QBXGqsGC7WacwPhboqnmmCRtJpbvE1hwVybaPIp_hyphenhyphenoo2uO4PJ6_U/s825/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0249%20Rock%20Pipit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuijD_BkLeRflnmdl6hbphgw5fg0BV0rkKHLyCbuBjZ84-Hp55u2jQk3gISzNBT27ePMfiParAQyQzXWRUJE-GP4c_q8tx-mj6tY6JD-weK4-hU9Zo6zp9MdyHpIAO7xshIk8b8QBXGqsGC7WacwPhboqnmmCRtJpbvE1hwVybaPIp_hyphenhyphenoo2uO4PJ6_U/s16000/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0249%20Rock%20Pipit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Rock Pipit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anthus petrosus</i>) - Porth Minick<br /></span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Whilst on the beach, a Coastguard helicopter passed overhead. I tend to be curious about such aircraft, and looked up details of this one from its registration. I was sorry to learn that it had been involved in a fatal accident on 4th March, 2022. When landing at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, the downdraught had blown over an 87 year old woman on a nearby footpath, who sustained a serious head injury. It also injured another woman in her 80s who was exiting her car in a nearby car park, when the downdraught caused the car door to slam on her, breaking her pelvis.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lqIJ_wEadX-fS8Fp7Ty0OpQyKroLz8OIAoFxM_00ARXpo6MeH3XnrI6YEZ93eWtjj7dHJ8BE-yOdivMJI4zfiAwdSrgtzxIAB5VBRkS9EVMtWrHWEmFCzYGUQqRjaU1syfeXI8gu_MxMwUihSOMUIBOWohyphenhyphenPO23A-3ZNjzXLFz8nFLa6kd_eQZPBZfo/s825/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0241%20G-MCGY%20Sikorsky%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5lqIJ_wEadX-fS8Fp7Ty0OpQyKroLz8OIAoFxM_00ARXpo6MeH3XnrI6YEZ93eWtjj7dHJ8BE-yOdivMJI4zfiAwdSrgtzxIAB5VBRkS9EVMtWrHWEmFCzYGUQqRjaU1syfeXI8gu_MxMwUihSOMUIBOWohyphenhyphenPO23A-3ZNjzXLFz8nFLa6kd_eQZPBZfo/s16000/23-09-26%20Porth%20Minick%20PEG_0241%20G-MCGY%20Sikorsky%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Coastguard Sikorsky S-92A - G-MCGY - over Porth Minick</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The approach to Old Town from Porth Minick is lined with Amaryllis
Belladonna, as are so many places on the islands. I couldn't resist a
photo of a flower that, to me, epitomises the flora of the Isles of Scilly. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLV1PVni59PsZpaLTDmdpmAFCzVjmGv-t0uoBXq_r0d7_ZwWpvVXJOOXAISzAqQ_iuTHxbw6bpAVsKJ-OhvDWxaof7wuJoCClVvupRwDIv9jGJK4nWoRoVo-AuAHsMDOaAOoLhW78KwgVTNEQ6L7UjW2nmJHpdz2Cbu63YtisLpXSb7JoA3bHADZo7lOM/s825/23-09-26%20Old%20Town%20PEG_0282%20Amaryllis%20Belladonna%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLV1PVni59PsZpaLTDmdpmAFCzVjmGv-t0uoBXq_r0d7_ZwWpvVXJOOXAISzAqQ_iuTHxbw6bpAVsKJ-OhvDWxaof7wuJoCClVvupRwDIv9jGJK4nWoRoVo-AuAHsMDOaAOoLhW78KwgVTNEQ6L7UjW2nmJHpdz2Cbu63YtisLpXSb7JoA3bHADZo7lOM/s16000/23-09-26%20Old%20Town%20PEG_0282%20Amaryllis%20Belladonna%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><i>Amaryllis belladonna</i> - Old Town</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>A Glossy Ibis had been reported at Lower Moors, but was nowhere to be seen
when I got there. I didn't stay long, but took the coastal path past Old Town
church to Carn Lêh, where some climbers were busy.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABTuIJgy-XKvEZc4scRMHe5olXnr7WFZtBb5jXDo8IfbpApMgPtPBsHnR6ciRiY_oGTbJTXt712sETjABvztQn4hOwFge6lsZji4nx6dsg_ILxYKzLO8Pn2R06mvVQpjeb4hlSir1JnwTsI43ymRfKgL949jh4U7axXufliC7THqGOV4WfTicy49YODQ/s1064/23-09-26%20Carn%20Leh%20PEG_0283%20Climber%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABTuIJgy-XKvEZc4scRMHe5olXnr7WFZtBb5jXDo8IfbpApMgPtPBsHnR6ciRiY_oGTbJTXt712sETjABvztQn4hOwFge6lsZji4nx6dsg_ILxYKzLO8Pn2R06mvVQpjeb4hlSir1JnwTsI43ymRfKgL949jh4U7axXufliC7THqGOV4WfTicy49YODQ/s16000/23-09-26%20Carn%20Leh%20PEG_0283%20Climber%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Climber on Carn Lêh</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>On a rock in Carn Lêh Cove there were two Shags and a Herring Gull.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYMifn34WEbqgUmt21ffIJ0TrcScX4HZbqkxZU_8YXP5au9uytH5wwtWGCz4RwOfXX1iK__IZx66G3kvYGVGEUZep7y17LziDkyfnaMIjEl90KyoCJktE8p8_D8NCiFcydPjYZEec2JrttZQM_Th7s9Gp-p6QxCD-L8cSP_xnWLdAj5YmYc9DzotBScU/s825/23-09-26%20Carn%20Leh%20PEG_0288%20Shags%20+%20Herring%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYMifn34WEbqgUmt21ffIJ0TrcScX4HZbqkxZU_8YXP5au9uytH5wwtWGCz4RwOfXX1iK__IZx66G3kvYGVGEUZep7y17LziDkyfnaMIjEl90KyoCJktE8p8_D8NCiFcydPjYZEec2JrttZQM_Th7s9Gp-p6QxCD-L8cSP_xnWLdAj5YmYc9DzotBScU/s16000/23-09-26%20Carn%20Leh%20PEG_0288%20Shags%20+%20Herring%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Shag (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Phalacrocorax aristotelis</i>) + Herring Gull (</span></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Larus argentatus</i>) - Carn Lêh Cove<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I then followed the path up onto Peninnis in the hope of a better sighting
of Wryneck, but it didn't happen. It was good to see both male and female Stonechat as I was beginning to be concerned that I was not seeing this species on Peninnis - a usually reliable area for this species.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4MIQMXtc2VpVjHUFlvfEW6GB-dx7GS356y9oOHz9pLGhumDUhbX0RQoNIxE53eMeuguEqwmZx746eCAZmJE_jqDyBvK8rSQ9dnQa3nrXqX-5ts9WlzV6DaamuvKS2qZQIkxIis-woigmOPdoLQd0PDpxtgcjkulRibnzMjbQWL-XPY8mam-VtZZklbM/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0297%20Stonechat%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4MIQMXtc2VpVjHUFlvfEW6GB-dx7GS356y9oOHz9pLGhumDUhbX0RQoNIxE53eMeuguEqwmZx746eCAZmJE_jqDyBvK8rSQ9dnQa3nrXqX-5ts9WlzV6DaamuvKS2qZQIkxIis-woigmOPdoLQd0PDpxtgcjkulRibnzMjbQWL-XPY8mam-VtZZklbM/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0297%20Stonechat%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stonechat (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Saxicola rubicola</i>) (female) - Peninnis</span></span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jt_Svut_zhDzx7pcTZl6VlXt-1TxdWrJo9aVsWClORCJ9RvI7uBC52L71cXtaFPNRQNu2ieQCZbekBFNLGTb3mtP9u1JA0HcySJhdUaBS1gUNNSN6XARdRclmY6En9NDHlsz3BC3JcnLzQBT2vqFzf6rQxmCN_NRue3B_-HHLN0wybdaaAmYr3RtoI4/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0305%20Stonechat%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3jt_Svut_zhDzx7pcTZl6VlXt-1TxdWrJo9aVsWClORCJ9RvI7uBC52L71cXtaFPNRQNu2ieQCZbekBFNLGTb3mtP9u1JA0HcySJhdUaBS1gUNNSN6XARdRclmY6En9NDHlsz3BC3JcnLzQBT2vqFzf6rQxmCN_NRue3B_-HHLN0wybdaaAmYr3RtoI4/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0305%20Stonechat%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Stonechat (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Saxicola rubicola</i>) (male) - Peninnis</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>I also took some shots of Dunnock and Meadow Pipit.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQflmnE3Iu_iDPusvRk7vmnawWfqMCVgqc6lNGtEKSriZPiwe_2N7FA9-L1JUAI6Bw-wP1VPyXJd2NHRUweasV3K1nOhsi18PTDlcspJs-MFuyr6eXFryFV5vmRXe-Mdyn-4vf1wyCzy6QesjgRnkPFWPwK3K5loRhUjG4Ym-PMjSiYra2KXI5QvCJgU/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0316%20Dunnock%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQflmnE3Iu_iDPusvRk7vmnawWfqMCVgqc6lNGtEKSriZPiwe_2N7FA9-L1JUAI6Bw-wP1VPyXJd2NHRUweasV3K1nOhsi18PTDlcspJs-MFuyr6eXFryFV5vmRXe-Mdyn-4vf1wyCzy6QesjgRnkPFWPwK3K5loRhUjG4Ym-PMjSiYra2KXI5QvCJgU/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0316%20Dunnock%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Dunnock (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Prunella modularis</i>) - Peninnis<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbgte1xJ7L052_N3Y8SS-InrZ0iVdCKS4R1Hsb2KelEpnWL1VBSmAZUgu3Xnit_3jFLG6KZXjvITeyFv5GMUkkIO4x6dJJAQyJXA0g6-ydLZzNqjX80N2LUvMELwWzhOkrJP0IJSRfro7fFfUEAYu4J8kuCTGSZ9PjVUq0HsbF-C4j5mzIES79ET_2eU/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0324%20Meadow%20Pipit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnbgte1xJ7L052_N3Y8SS-InrZ0iVdCKS4R1Hsb2KelEpnWL1VBSmAZUgu3Xnit_3jFLG6KZXjvITeyFv5GMUkkIO4x6dJJAQyJXA0g6-ydLZzNqjX80N2LUvMELwWzhOkrJP0IJSRfro7fFfUEAYu4J8kuCTGSZ9PjVUq0HsbF-C4j5mzIES79ET_2eU/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20PEG_0324%20Meadow%20Pipit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Meadow Pipit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anthus pratensis</i>) - Peninnis<br /></span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b><b>I walked down King Edward's Road and by Peninnis Farm thought, momentarily,
that I'd found a Stock Dove, until it ran towards me, flashing its leg bands! It
was a racing pigeon looking to be fed. As I write this, on 18th October, this bird was spotted on 17th October in Porth Mellon. It seems it was supposed to be flying from North Wales to Belfast but got lost on the way, and has decided that it likes the Isles of Scilly - and who can blame it!</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXhyUdoaF6HenBAcWotFNEdM6CH-bgmi2kagG43IgtUfRwNFhqs-F9oiF30Zjl2wsTTpDpMJUiZPE6IAK9Ss39_R_OnrT8_n1U_5udgmMyuLB98Sp6GnrPw7Kt2RxSlcKUQxyS6RxT40Q_2QeFFfYZJp1bsZ1wP9ztJziEPjJrX_6nWhmEQuXdIKM3Mc/s825/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Farm%20PEG_0327%20Racing%20Pigeon%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXhyUdoaF6HenBAcWotFNEdM6CH-bgmi2kagG43IgtUfRwNFhqs-F9oiF30Zjl2wsTTpDpMJUiZPE6IAK9Ss39_R_OnrT8_n1U_5udgmMyuLB98Sp6GnrPw7Kt2RxSlcKUQxyS6RxT40Q_2QeFFfYZJp1bsZ1wP9ztJziEPjJrX_6nWhmEQuXdIKM3Mc/s16000/23-09-26%20Peninnis%20Farm%20PEG_0327%20Racing%20Pigeon%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Racing Pigeon - Peninnis Farm</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Almost back at base, I went onto Littleporth beach to photograph a pair of
Turnstone. </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0ad8GPBa111R6EfK9F8KTReT_jVd0bvzKDr10DzZ1xho1Cv1F_b4224pXkNEnHksQ98c4B9iMG_GSyfzCRo2UjwQqadnOUOa1CbK6qJ9AQDb7iSXujEtz-YErH9in2VPcndGTjai1Gr1EOhcMqBK8DUFFS51oyC3xu_oEmED98g9N1GFdbR3g3wEEZA/s825/23-09-26%20Littleporth%20PEG_0341%20Turnstone%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0ad8GPBa111R6EfK9F8KTReT_jVd0bvzKDr10DzZ1xho1Cv1F_b4224pXkNEnHksQ98c4B9iMG_GSyfzCRo2UjwQqadnOUOa1CbK6qJ9AQDb7iSXujEtz-YErH9in2VPcndGTjai1Gr1EOhcMqBK8DUFFS51oyC3xu_oEmED98g9N1GFdbR3g3wEEZA/s16000/23-09-26%20Littleporth%20PEG_0341%20Turnstone%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Turnstone (<i>Arenaria interpres</i>) - Littleporth</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table>It had been a record breaking day for me with my fitness tracker recording
24,087 steps (11.92 miles / 17.58 km). I am rather happy with this achievement as much of it was up-hill and down-dale and over uneven or rough terrain.<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That night we were requested to batten down the hatches as winds of up to 55 mph (89 kph) were forecast for the following day, accompanied by heavy rain.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b>My bird ID skills are far from well honed and are, I believe, weakening (age and deteriorating eyesight) . If you disagree with any of my IDs, please let me know - I will be most grateful!<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #04ff00;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I suspect that my next blog post in, as usual, about a week's time will just cover the next two days of our stay on the Isles of Scilly. In the meantime, please take care of yourselves and Nature.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard<br /></b></div>
<div><br /><br /></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-23883192306099436422023-10-12T11:56:00.000+01:002023-10-12T11:56:00.678+01:00Isles of Scilly, 2023 Pt.1 - 24th and 25th September, 2023<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This begins my account of another family holiday on the wonderful Isles of
Scilly. Lindsay and I were accompanied by our daughter Melanie, granddaughter
Georgie, and Georgie's friend Kerris.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>To put things in context, we were both extremely nervous at the prospect of
starting out on this journey to the Isles of Scilly. On Friday, 1st September on
the way home from having a meeting with Lindsay's surgeon, while travelling at
about 40 mph (65 kph) the rear wheels of our car suddenly locked solid and we
skidded all over the road before coming to a halt. It was, to say the least,
extremely frightening. Fortunately, there were no other cars around at the time.
After about two hours the rescue truck arrived and took the car to the nearest
Skoda dealership. It was even more unsettling that this could happen less than 200 miles (320 km) after the car had a full service and MoT test at the dealership.<br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was the Tuesday before they found time to investigate, and found that
the rear offside brake calliper was broken, and so they replaced that, plus the
brake disc and brake pads for an eye- watering price. They then took it out for
a test drive and the same thing happened on the test drive as had happened to
us. Having retrieved the car and supplied the test driver with clean pants, they
got it back on the ramp and found a hole in the 4WD differential casing and came
to the conclusion that the diff. was well and truly lunched. With a price now
quoted for the repair being close to £6,500 we had a long hard think about
whether to go forward with the repair or ditch the car. We decided on the former
option. A day later, we were told that there was not a replacement diff. anywhere
and it could be weeks or months before they managed to get the part.
Arrangements were made for them to supply us with a car for our trip to the
Isles of Scilly. We were comforted by the thought that we'd not have to take the
long drive to the tip of Cornwall in a car that we'd not had time to regain
confidence in.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was not, therefore, overjoyed to get a call on Thursday 21st September to
say that they'd got the part and fixed it, so that we could collect it on the
Friday, two days before our departure, giving us no time to have a good run and
gain confidence. If it happened again when we were travelling at 70 mph on a
busy motorway we would stand little chance of surviving!</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b>Sunday, 24th September Ashby de la Zouch to Hayle : Hayle, Copperhouse Pool<br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>We managed what for us was a fairly early start, departing from home at
09.15. The first half of the 300 mile journey was in constant drizzle but it
dried up later. I drove very gingerly at first but, after about 150 miles I
started to gain confidence. We had a few comfort stops en route and arrived at
the Premier Inn, Hayle, at 15.15. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Having unpacked the car, I went off for a walk beside Copperhouse Pool as
it is an interesting birding spot. I arrived to find winds of 26mph, gusting to
43 mph, rain threatening, and the tide out so the water was quite a distance from the road. Wind
and distance made photography difficult, but there were some interesting birds
to see - nothing rare, but with a few a bit different to what I see close to home</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Close to where I'd parked the car, a Little Egret posed nicely.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI0P90su4ELQQLUyEOrc6UzRcyAxdWv1WhSlXtvONgrkurkl7aQvybVkV60qb5gk0iuwbcYxH0NQO2Q1rYXNd7Rs6K16LDZ3MF8o9RrDPMzUNQGjRIq-O9CR4hiOuurOeAngUdr9UhrrvInuIvVH19jqZP1xnc4v8T5m_94MKn6dZqjwGLy_hGVdlBOI/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9493%20Little%20Egret%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQI0P90su4ELQQLUyEOrc6UzRcyAxdWv1WhSlXtvONgrkurkl7aQvybVkV60qb5gk0iuwbcYxH0NQO2Q1rYXNd7Rs6K16LDZ3MF8o9RrDPMzUNQGjRIq-O9CR4hiOuurOeAngUdr9UhrrvInuIvVH19jqZP1xnc4v8T5m_94MKn6dZqjwGLy_hGVdlBOI/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9493%20Little%20Egret%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Little Egret (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Egretta garzetta</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Over on the far side of the pool, about 150 metres away, a Cormorant was spreading its wings.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6vdXJhA5p7iGekxwkXU9dQwezuUX8L_o2y8bn8M4Lf_RE8Xtj3i7vzobPy4MoSVonNvlD_S-_-SYfL0wskXKhyphenhyphenxVfVocgEV4jHLWVttpZA8BAAzJ_dS8z_n6WobW6WV6v02m_rL3aZOJe8Sltz9xdRBMaG6t6kGTrirw2HHJK-uK5zqjOzD7QJ4tZ3M/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9501%20Cormorant%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6vdXJhA5p7iGekxwkXU9dQwezuUX8L_o2y8bn8M4Lf_RE8Xtj3i7vzobPy4MoSVonNvlD_S-_-SYfL0wskXKhyphenhyphenxVfVocgEV4jHLWVttpZA8BAAzJ_dS8z_n6WobW6WV6v02m_rL3aZOJe8Sltz9xdRBMaG6t6kGTrirw2HHJK-uK5zqjOzD7QJ4tZ3M/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9501%20Cormorant%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cormorant (<i>Phalacrocorax Carbo</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was good to see a Black-tailed Godwit probing in the mud for a snack</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ45wvx6D8GdmjrEFVOEsG1RnE4e5pIQl7GnyP5c1XlFlTtmgTycNjMr0ubn5C9ik9shfNINI4fDNKGyCtEO_5lU3d209iUtSfiSVk7cnrGdinr7dcvqALPnL8El8yGQWyi9HOpyvAuI2NGS3RYGXbRYKJP7yx0dN5eyq8bj5HBF1AdF3YoYNvouPk6Qw/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9514%20Black-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ45wvx6D8GdmjrEFVOEsG1RnE4e5pIQl7GnyP5c1XlFlTtmgTycNjMr0ubn5C9ik9shfNINI4fDNKGyCtEO_5lU3d209iUtSfiSVk7cnrGdinr7dcvqALPnL8El8yGQWyi9HOpyvAuI2NGS3RYGXbRYKJP7yx0dN5eyq8bj5HBF1AdF3YoYNvouPk6Qw/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9514%20Black-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Black-tailed Godwit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Limosa limosa</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Black-headed Gull is a familiar bird localy to home.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidisYpaELmd_MrUXLQNMaxJFyW2KiVbdj8xkSDO6LLlYsoJhyphenhyphenyPSF-NexsMxjQsPJsXDtFgEedeN_xr-lt1mFqXO4Hm40KJ_Y-3K9wNo9gz_Lidi5R7fFBk2F0ZV4Dx7oaBv5NWuUGw4CRB0KHbuHQ43cbYhEkRNvbp9RdgV2dasoMI51uCh7FytVLtnA/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9522%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidisYpaELmd_MrUXLQNMaxJFyW2KiVbdj8xkSDO6LLlYsoJhyphenhyphenyPSF-NexsMxjQsPJsXDtFgEedeN_xr-lt1mFqXO4Hm40KJ_Y-3K9wNo9gz_Lidi5R7fFBk2F0ZV4Dx7oaBv5NWuUGw4CRB0KHbuHQ43cbYhEkRNvbp9RdgV2dasoMI51uCh7FytVLtnA/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9522%20Black-headed%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Black-headed Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />By far the most numerous bird species present was Canada Goose (I suspect that there were a couple of hundred, or more) - also a familiar sight close to home.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEKb6hQUaLOyULGah60zLVU0Z-jDopkOvaeo-yfEue7IpM_JVifJ0lG1jZwCRBU4j_X7g5gdoYpv9mnupl3gryCTQ4-jT_3Zajezo3j4oC2sFpjFGek-6_sl5nc60aoJwCDz3YxvTJ6pM-K1fA2M_q3nmj4h-1TqdZdHn-VKoJLAUdQaOkdvyEi5KOwo/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9528%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEKb6hQUaLOyULGah60zLVU0Z-jDopkOvaeo-yfEue7IpM_JVifJ0lG1jZwCRBU4j_X7g5gdoYpv9mnupl3gryCTQ4-jT_3Zajezo3j4oC2sFpjFGek-6_sl5nc60aoJwCDz3YxvTJ6pM-K1fA2M_q3nmj4h-1TqdZdHn-VKoJLAUdQaOkdvyEi5KOwo/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9528%20Canada%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Canada Goose (<i>Branta canadensis</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I am used to seeing Redshank at this location and was surprised to only spot one on this occasion. <br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4v5Y-R8mK8AQJcgpGH-MttGR5fq3Ohz8OSX6uzBIg5WEZfYbroVzTfpEI8unt6ixhaf5VF7GCbMJqvP-0tHl30Dmwub0jT_7I-pzGEYEvP-s4CDK3haHi7QGiCrC_cKYqzl32f0PS0qTk4pbXztjuYxg-ZN-aQlFO3TQsi50OJkmqSJBqBgXzxJCqK8/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9550%20Redshank%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4v5Y-R8mK8AQJcgpGH-MttGR5fq3Ohz8OSX6uzBIg5WEZfYbroVzTfpEI8unt6ixhaf5VF7GCbMJqvP-0tHl30Dmwub0jT_7I-pzGEYEvP-s4CDK3haHi7QGiCrC_cKYqzl32f0PS0qTk4pbXztjuYxg-ZN-aQlFO3TQsi50OJkmqSJBqBgXzxJCqK8/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9550%20Redshank%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Redshank (<i>Tringa totanus</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The north end of Copperhouse Pool is usually good for Curlew in my experience, and so it was this time too.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcMx7YsHWyOh9gb2jCc8jQm8Nd_qDGPcSz_i29tyYum66LO6IBaYBPq1wsPIolZEUSFrnhquYeIEJKTVAY2NsNiC4BN2STRViofd68r6H6p6CYpKSz_MZqC8zCCBxO545ClJoH-oq9t7tsHU75yn7l9sAxGlhjPfl-JtO0OToVU5PFV0IaeX37pU6Nis/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9563%20Curlew%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcMx7YsHWyOh9gb2jCc8jQm8Nd_qDGPcSz_i29tyYum66LO6IBaYBPq1wsPIolZEUSFrnhquYeIEJKTVAY2NsNiC4BN2STRViofd68r6H6p6CYpKSz_MZqC8zCCBxO545ClJoH-oq9t7tsHU75yn7l9sAxGlhjPfl-JtO0OToVU5PFV0IaeX37pU6Nis/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9563%20Curlew%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Curlew (<i>Numenius arquata</i>) - Copperhouse Pool</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />On my way back to the car, the Godwit was in a slightly better position.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJLjZ13ZraHEm119rDSVcv6r5ZidAr-3-IScI7f3JwwYt2S1uOmokjetJswO0eEUSnna9eaBFoWq2QJZmEiTsZdtbUWs5aRX6XGDbli5gupH-f_wOpx-SL4ks1eWIj6uKRXTbWZOXTCy2wOv9sTdhNK2eLI0VfegZ1Ru4-vpRE8mOequqiRqIXiYKgo8/s825/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9600%20Black-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJLjZ13ZraHEm119rDSVcv6r5ZidAr-3-IScI7f3JwwYt2S1uOmokjetJswO0eEUSnna9eaBFoWq2QJZmEiTsZdtbUWs5aRX6XGDbli5gupH-f_wOpx-SL4ks1eWIj6uKRXTbWZOXTCy2wOv9sTdhNK2eLI0VfegZ1Ru4-vpRE8mOequqiRqIXiYKgo8/s16000/23-09-24%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9600%20Black-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Black-tailed Godwit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Limosa limosa</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle</span></span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'd only been there for about half an hour, and my timing was almost perfect as it started raining when I was just a few metres from the car.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I drove back in heavy rain and returned to base to find that Melanie and the girls had just arrived. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After a chat, for convenience, our evening meals were obtained from 'the
Scottish restaurant' with the two youngsters having takeaways and us older folks
eating in. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>That night we turned in early at 20.30</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Monday, 25th September Copperhouse Pool, Hayle : Hayle to St. Marys, Isles of Scilly </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b>The day got off to an unfortunate start, and seemed to be a bit jinxed
thereafter. I'd set the alarm to wake Lindsay and I up at 07.00. The alarm went
off in the morning and we both started sorting ourselves out when I suddenly
noticed that my watch was reading 05.34. Somehow I'd also managed to set an
alarm for 05.30!</b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div>
<div><b>There was an upside to this mistake as it meant that I had time to return
to Copperhouse Pool before we needed to depart for the airport.</b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div>
<div><b>In contrast to the previous day, it was a sunny day with just a gentle breeze and I hadn't reckoned with
the early morning sunlight being all but horizontal and straight ahead of me as I looked over
the pool. Also, the water level was even lower than it was the evening before. I
did manage a few photos, however. I'll leave off the shots of species photographed the previous evening.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>I thought that I'd found the Black-tailed Godwit again, but it was only when examining my photos that I realised that I'd been looking at a Bar-tailed Godwit. This is a species that I rarely see. <br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZmStK3BglAIUnio723mO8mKAfKvtNE_3OLpSDsy8gy4oGRiMxj7NU3sffLBdQQNKSr2OPAwJ7A4E_hDFRuAgE3-e7_fJPiNYEiJkTgEdYUCyjoy1U5qngGInj1Vt3gy0xnXhXSy7gOuBikgw3n4vUBWrPUE-U6pUet_8z29kKPhZUXkwW7Cx9Vrn0Zk/s800/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9635%20Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZmStK3BglAIUnio723mO8mKAfKvtNE_3OLpSDsy8gy4oGRiMxj7NU3sffLBdQQNKSr2OPAwJ7A4E_hDFRuAgE3-e7_fJPiNYEiJkTgEdYUCyjoy1U5qngGInj1Vt3gy0xnXhXSy7gOuBikgw3n4vUBWrPUE-U6pUet_8z29kKPhZUXkwW7Cx9Vrn0Zk/s16000/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9635%20Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiLBuFzNOajOv6DbSBRBnOc_mdGYZaHvkR03NOJzAcq-6wl9w-J1TwHJnPUq-UTgispgc9co2qjUsVxiU4MKShpCLGecLTBudrS1DBioFlWYnxFVRH8Y1v2NtvY8owTfbMPuT90MjaY9YlHAsAUfLFT_xS5Z0POSwX0m1HoWprdIyFGOfVWFh9njnKuU/s825/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9637%20Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiLBuFzNOajOv6DbSBRBnOc_mdGYZaHvkR03NOJzAcq-6wl9w-J1TwHJnPUq-UTgispgc9co2qjUsVxiU4MKShpCLGecLTBudrS1DBioFlWYnxFVRH8Y1v2NtvY8owTfbMPuT90MjaY9YlHAsAUfLFT_xS5Z0POSwX0m1HoWprdIyFGOfVWFh9njnKuU/s16000/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9637%20Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Bar-tailed Godwit (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Limosa lapponica</i>) - Copperhouse Pool. Hayle<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>A Greenshank was near the bridge.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-__-Z7OONHxdgPWqHNHUoMxjaluAAdKuokGnja6DIvB88wGb4CZUQxVTvsnM6-QCnq9hCTcgYAMogF4zcXRdyJVrovVanKXbRbzVC5QcaCHly5niGW-guEntVR1n0_2SKAK187RGBZNB-XxFNL01UNIoquZglQVaBwtFn9IVmFjFMwjqWgxJ3pgrp7uU/s825/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9656%20Greenshank%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-__-Z7OONHxdgPWqHNHUoMxjaluAAdKuokGnja6DIvB88wGb4CZUQxVTvsnM6-QCnq9hCTcgYAMogF4zcXRdyJVrovVanKXbRbzVC5QcaCHly5niGW-guEntVR1n0_2SKAK187RGBZNB-XxFNL01UNIoquZglQVaBwtFn9IVmFjFMwjqWgxJ3pgrp7uU/s16000/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9656%20Greenshank%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Greenshank (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Tringa nebularia</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Grey Heron is, of course, common almost everywhere.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OSJYzkiS-5uirbgMRo1FhVX1cqUjZHhzlfWFShnlso5fR8EbrwE4y13GPSzREz8rIk0IX5C8jBgppzAsLgYhGaQWmjSLZZf5N1658lF60NNuwjovvud_IoW6b3zbWzWGFXKaGBiEDELikWO6BvxQGe_GQqwRcqEsvrZgBpZogpu5wmW2u8Cw4hyphenhyphenbzmM/s825/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9681%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OSJYzkiS-5uirbgMRo1FhVX1cqUjZHhzlfWFShnlso5fR8EbrwE4y13GPSzREz8rIk0IX5C8jBgppzAsLgYhGaQWmjSLZZf5N1658lF60NNuwjovvud_IoW6b3zbWzWGFXKaGBiEDELikWO6BvxQGe_GQqwRcqEsvrZgBpZogpu5wmW2u8Cw4hyphenhyphenbzmM/s16000/23-09-25%20Copperhouse%20Pool%20PEG_9681%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Grey Heron (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Ardea cinerea</i>) - Copperhouse Pool, Hayle<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>We arrived at Lands End Airport in good time and had already checked in
when I noticed that Lindsay was not carrying her binoculars. She'd left them in
the car, so I had to hot-foot it back to the car park to collect them. Due to
this minor kerfuffle it completely slipped my mind that I had to cancel the
rooms that I'd booked at the hotel for that night as a contingency in case our
flight was cancelled - flights to the Scillies are a bit vulnerable to weather
conditions. By the time I realised this omission we'd already been charged for
the rooms.</b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div>
<div><b>The flight was uneventful and we were on the Isles of Scilly by 12.30, and soon transported to the self-catering property we had rented on Littleporth, St Marys.
Having collected our shopping for the week and had a light late lunch. I set off
on what I'd intended to be a short walk along the sea-front that is at the
bottom of the garden of the property that we were staying in.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b>I was delighted to see a Wren in the garden of the property.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHFVeazGT0egWVAUdN0jhryf1FZUSraUSttPyyZgaSKA8rL_7YjCLVi1fpD9gEa_YG6DwzgcqswgHc8ZGpMdWG5rct1A6Kx5gt1_gUlbfK2FoXj-6SWfxosRHPdQQ-hR12yaVy3TX9L8gk9K2I3wNYCKOYq6U5QNe2F0Gg6H3waoK9txMYIeVfVMvyt4/s825/23-09-25%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_9725%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHFVeazGT0egWVAUdN0jhryf1FZUSraUSttPyyZgaSKA8rL_7YjCLVi1fpD9gEa_YG6DwzgcqswgHc8ZGpMdWG5rct1A6Kx5gt1_gUlbfK2FoXj-6SWfxosRHPdQQ-hR12yaVy3TX9L8gk9K2I3wNYCKOYq6U5QNe2F0Gg6H3waoK9txMYIeVfVMvyt4/s16000/23-09-25%20from%20Beaches%20PEG_9725%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - property garden, Littleporth<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"></span></b></span><b>On Porthcressa beach I found something that I was not sure of the identity of, but was informed that it was the 'holdfast' of Furbelows - a kelp seaweed.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOXqp4pIn840SxzhaEwREc00CM88uZejBvHR7l8p3dPTJeiRsFp2KpSwnlREaYtVxAWIov7ajLyjzx3O8kX-0x-tcDQUCbLiR2O9nHjf9K9gKQjvI0Drm2nu3m97XjYbE4fihOjhmdApAlZZzn5KEVz8fbv1RQfMYumsv4UqisVnrfcwv6bQWY4WTwsc/s825/23-09-25%20Porthcressa%20PEG_9741Furbelows%20Seaweed%20holdfast%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOXqp4pIn840SxzhaEwREc00CM88uZejBvHR7l8p3dPTJeiRsFp2KpSwnlREaYtVxAWIov7ajLyjzx3O8kX-0x-tcDQUCbLiR2O9nHjf9K9gKQjvI0Drm2nu3m97XjYbE4fihOjhmdApAlZZzn5KEVz8fbv1RQfMYumsv4UqisVnrfcwv6bQWY4WTwsc/s16000/23-09-25%20Porthcressa%20PEG_9741Furbelows%20Seaweed%20holdfast%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Furbelows (<i>Saccorhiza polyschides</i>) (holdfast) - Porthcressa<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"></span>There was far more seaweed on the beach than I have ever seen before, presumably as the result of recent storms. This Herring Gull was probing some of it for a tasty treat.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1Nrfay_RSseKkWfxcRiueOKG2TuGYOPQDdX0kYCdPzn8a8hFOCG6POBB3VL8pw9zzKzEvxrJ4Q1cedU3k5nHqwBjCvuq-h7JKLqmeYVMi8TVCGgOUa54B7E-hENamMY5ODlrutTPd2skHBoBzMZXP0ViqJLbIvIGwx8EOsOsl85nxkaJWPvGaFRGvL4/s825/23-09-25%20Porthcressa%20PEG_9743%20Herring%20Gull%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1Nrfay_RSseKkWfxcRiueOKG2TuGYOPQDdX0kYCdPzn8a8hFOCG6POBB3VL8pw9zzKzEvxrJ4Q1cedU3k5nHqwBjCvuq-h7JKLqmeYVMi8TVCGgOUa54B7E-hENamMY5ODlrutTPd2skHBoBzMZXP0ViqJLbIvIGwx8EOsOsl85nxkaJWPvGaFRGvL4/s16000/23-09-25%20Porthcressa%20PEG_9743%20Herring%20Gull%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Herring Gull (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Larus argentatus</i>) - Porthcressa<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></b><b>In recent visits to the Scillies, I have seen far fewer Song Thrushes than I had previously been used to. These used to be quite confiding. I have even had them take food from the hand. I wonder if the seeming increase in domestic cats has been the cause. I was pleased to see a Song Thrush this day, gracing the back of a memorial bench on the sea-front.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLymbfaLocAayvHBQ03UkIfioQX14jgAgOYY4cRR-LHn92vCZA-84G6wgd_5yZ6qziojl3a3PaL5PKzKYOVxY76692QitQu7EEiP-PT96HXDN47zUzvo2vGm0Sb-giXEmd3H6uPj6_2llbtJyuNLd0t34nO4sqKoBOTRRzIsaRgtGyFAVZqFpXH-lV3Y/s825/23-09-25%20Porthcressa%20PEG_9754%20Song%20Thrush%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLymbfaLocAayvHBQ03UkIfioQX14jgAgOYY4cRR-LHn92vCZA-84G6wgd_5yZ6qziojl3a3PaL5PKzKYOVxY76692QitQu7EEiP-PT96HXDN47zUzvo2vGm0Sb-giXEmd3H6uPj6_2llbtJyuNLd0t34nO4sqKoBOTRRzIsaRgtGyFAVZqFpXH-lV3Y/s16000/23-09-25%20Porthcressa%20PEG_9754%20Song%20Thrush%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Song Thrush (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Turdus philomelos</i>) - Porthcressa<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div><b>Deciding to go a bit further, I headed up the hill to Buzza Tower, dipping into the small disused quarry near the lower end of the path. Here I found the caterpillar of a White Ermine moth.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbwHSqq6grS8ycAXSdJMxhCRS8a1ctvLTxVKsRRg4nZqR4yz1XvqXmXs65aswjIeR9Ov3PLRNhL42Xf-NoUVNZJOuL4hlCcaId38TVFE6KQ4PZec6CVHrBVIfvYWDnn9JKeIB53HcLQggalOTY49D0EUQxmG_f7bZlSm_imKScMeymZApAWD3GiqYETg/s825/23-09-25%20to%20Buzzai%20Hill%20PEG_9763%20White%20Ermine%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbwHSqq6grS8ycAXSdJMxhCRS8a1ctvLTxVKsRRg4nZqR4yz1XvqXmXs65aswjIeR9Ov3PLRNhL42Xf-NoUVNZJOuL4hlCcaId38TVFE6KQ4PZec6CVHrBVIfvYWDnn9JKeIB53HcLQggalOTY49D0EUQxmG_f7bZlSm_imKScMeymZApAWD3GiqYETg/s16000/23-09-25%20to%20Buzzai%20Hill%20PEG_9763%20White%20Ermine%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">White Ermine (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Spilosoma lubricipeda</i>) (larva) - quarry below Buzza Tower<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>Further up the hill, I stopped to photograph a lowly Large White butterfly.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsWLsRN9ebxG1OgiEsFbXSUA01bf5poGS0iLoEEdtZdexAg1WE8skZfVNR8Y_3KCCCVoAmqXdn1_98oYxOBoGVPyLdHpMjIuhiM4AcjkrXrcefdTRC55n6whKuLMB9SnhGXBjNzQXRGG-BiJdmBM9xSsT-PVUbD2-vphEfxv_4c96Cq-meCdrKnQ7qFA/s825/23-09-25%20to%20Buzzai%20Hill%20PEG_9765%20Large%20White%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsWLsRN9ebxG1OgiEsFbXSUA01bf5poGS0iLoEEdtZdexAg1WE8skZfVNR8Y_3KCCCVoAmqXdn1_98oYxOBoGVPyLdHpMjIuhiM4AcjkrXrcefdTRC55n6whKuLMB9SnhGXBjNzQXRGG-BiJdmBM9xSsT-PVUbD2-vphEfxv_4c96Cq-meCdrKnQ7qFA/s16000/23-09-25%20to%20Buzzai%20Hill%20PEG_9765%20Large%20White%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Large White (<i>Pieris brassicae</i>) (male) - path to Buzza Tower</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div><b>Reaching the hospital, where I had intended to turn back, a message came
through that there was a Wryneck on Peninnis Head. I was already halfway there
so cleared it with Lindsay that I'd be back late and set off along the
lane.</b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div>
<div><b>There was not anybody around when I arrived and I was not too sure as to
where the bird had been seen. I looked around in the area where I thought
it had been and, apart from a momentary double-take when a bird popped up onto the wall, which turned out to be nothing but a Dunnock, I saw little.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBvL8y7U7Ed9IGtcCDHrtRorwaqHs1N6Xw7faOXRihif0jxljtS8Gg7hTBJ7bGNSJYzG8qVjHnc0Y09M690Q00-nxyK4YA5v5upxXnfAfLigT7DUPJ_mvJrQ2N1Fr2dZOLITpsJeEH2a3kKKyD4rPfOISPRkn_V_yiFv50budYfOpv-Qp6GLptFXiw6c/s825/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9778%20Dunnock%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBvL8y7U7Ed9IGtcCDHrtRorwaqHs1N6Xw7faOXRihif0jxljtS8Gg7hTBJ7bGNSJYzG8qVjHnc0Y09M690Q00-nxyK4YA5v5upxXnfAfLigT7DUPJ_mvJrQ2N1Fr2dZOLITpsJeEH2a3kKKyD4rPfOISPRkn_V_yiFv50budYfOpv-Qp6GLptFXiw6c/s16000/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9778%20Dunnock%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Dunnock (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Prunella modularis</i>) - Peninnis Head<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I started looking along the start of the path that runs along the
west side of Peninnis. I'd not gone far before I saw a fellow waving his arms
to me a few hundred metres down the path. I hurried to him and he confirmed that
he'd had a Wryneck working it's way along the wall in a northerly direction. We
continued to search together and at one point he had it spotted, but I
misunderstood his directions and was looking in the wrong place, whereupon it
flew before I spotted it. I did get some distant shots of a Whinchat.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCfNaQ8reFq9KpLGr9K9JBN_BAFPKwGm1Gj9ciy2Zt80KN-rSht6p7Rr-Kdu-Hn0N9Rs3fWX-5ac-EMsDcbuaOonEa5S3-8ZezvWPACEbY_nOow0gMfDu10zMaOBRRnYlbiqWKHs42UcnNezrdlKDbJzYqmk8BfLYM4oTUJTPXNevPZi_4dU0AuXHs60/s825/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9785%20Whinchat%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCfNaQ8reFq9KpLGr9K9JBN_BAFPKwGm1Gj9ciy2Zt80KN-rSht6p7Rr-Kdu-Hn0N9Rs3fWX-5ac-EMsDcbuaOonEa5S3-8ZezvWPACEbY_nOow0gMfDu10zMaOBRRnYlbiqWKHs42UcnNezrdlKDbJzYqmk8BfLYM4oTUJTPXNevPZi_4dU0AuXHs60/s16000/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9785%20Whinchat%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT7aAWTGGUrzRIw3fRoHk2uo8ph-CGdkfoVicJSYC0MMZGyeMNoiL7hhsw2kY5s3pPwVcBBve52yGhBal5Rneo8AOFhEkgOA37rs6z35e9sl9gOH7Zyj9FaXv6B4_hVMZLOtCnlcMtnnlrn_8VosHjSi5SfNAQcGGCc4d19DKtGc9YhE977nq_TJa1m8/s825/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9791%20Whinchat%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT7aAWTGGUrzRIw3fRoHk2uo8ph-CGdkfoVicJSYC0MMZGyeMNoiL7hhsw2kY5s3pPwVcBBve52yGhBal5Rneo8AOFhEkgOA37rs6z35e9sl9gOH7Zyj9FaXv6B4_hVMZLOtCnlcMtnnlrn_8VosHjSi5SfNAQcGGCc4d19DKtGc9YhE977nq_TJa1m8/s16000/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9791%20Whinchat%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Whichat (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Saxicola rubetra</i>) (female) - Peninnis<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></div><div><b>We continued to look for the Wryneck for some time before giving up. I
decided to continue northward and back to base, while my companion returned to
Peninnis Head. About five minutes later, a message came though on the WhatsApp
group saying that Wryneck had been spotted at the place that I'd originally
looked at, only about 10 minutes after I'd left that location.</b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div>
<div><b>As I continued my walk, another message came through, this time from my
previous companion, with a wonderful photo of the Wryneck at the location. I only found some butterflies to photograph.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmpWpLV1e-WjVOCp9Rpbj_6qmD2DjyecJZFOlQ10acoKMyXbpoyHJDtk8RKPRH_3-DYcI3ZGEFdpuvZAtZdk5cdQvKGF_Psla8LZ1EGazPNGzuM0HtiS1WgLgQ5e5Nvp4nsjkWxNRWqFqvGBkFlnEp9jCjjupsQj8QkQXHhZRo8VIar2rCg5v34YtE8A/s825/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9798%20Small%20Copper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="622" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmpWpLV1e-WjVOCp9Rpbj_6qmD2DjyecJZFOlQ10acoKMyXbpoyHJDtk8RKPRH_3-DYcI3ZGEFdpuvZAtZdk5cdQvKGF_Psla8LZ1EGazPNGzuM0HtiS1WgLgQ5e5Nvp4nsjkWxNRWqFqvGBkFlnEp9jCjjupsQj8QkQXHhZRo8VIar2rCg5v34YtE8A/s16000/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9798%20Small%20Copper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Small Copper (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Lycaena phlaeas</i>) - Peninnis<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtxYWr95Lay2jZYnphkufbjonJo4zKe-7GM02sQP4GRY8w4JbzG2uu5-eZJb9dDuUv2RwCK6BpmHud2Im23wd0BQdmQALJsItk3sluZinkHh9pTT42-91h6kqdkB0d2P5aBZQJe0mxEB2AMB6yAwpa3XEufEBV7VJdvq9qse0T_xGWanMB4w-s5XM-3M/s825/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9813%20Peacock%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtxYWr95Lay2jZYnphkufbjonJo4zKe-7GM02sQP4GRY8w4JbzG2uu5-eZJb9dDuUv2RwCK6BpmHud2Im23wd0BQdmQALJsItk3sluZinkHh9pTT42-91h6kqdkB0d2P5aBZQJe0mxEB2AMB6yAwpa3XEufEBV7VJdvq9qse0T_xGWanMB4w-s5XM-3M/s16000/23-09-25%20Peninnisl%20PEG_9813%20Peacock%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Peacock (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aglais io</i>) - Peninnis<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>As I
neared base, I found Lindsay and Melanie sitting on a seafront wall. I joined
them and, just to rub it in, another message came through that there were now
two Wryneck at the same location. </b></div>
<div><b><br /></b></div>
<div><b>I took a few more photos at Littleporth. A Wren was in the usual corner at the western end of the beach.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4A2OXNSQWi0q3cxe7BajpS3LqxHJmc_7uRtNCZmPsIk61LlhHLhp9LVqO8OogEVWzcqiI0CV0sp1SpkbGp8kR8KXGaPxbsLOJasTurd9rRYUuPW5WWLt4pAtkt_SteM_29GAGOwuLFIVHi1AQZNXkPP_WbC3pPSrGRjYFYr-AuplQ6ysDafgibBbMkE/s825/23-09-25%20Littleporth%20PEG_9855%20Wren%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip4A2OXNSQWi0q3cxe7BajpS3LqxHJmc_7uRtNCZmPsIk61LlhHLhp9LVqO8OogEVWzcqiI0CV0sp1SpkbGp8kR8KXGaPxbsLOJasTurd9rRYUuPW5WWLt4pAtkt_SteM_29GAGOwuLFIVHi1AQZNXkPP_WbC3pPSrGRjYFYr-AuplQ6ysDafgibBbMkE/s16000/23-09-25%20Littleporth%20PEG_9855%20Wren%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Wren (<i>Troglodytes troglodytes</i>) - Littleporth</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>An Ostercatcher in drab, and rather cryptic, 1st- summer plumage was on the beach and flew as I watched from the sea-wall footpath.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_9E5HlbSaYrqF9MiZm9dP192Ei5hx9y1jIFnGGl4YL2XIeyxRdq51vJz-tu2UO3-POzbLZ581pIv0vqxp_gV05mklOYWeli1Yvmcio6y5c-DNR6U25NqJ6c6QwpcMn9S2ETSp4aDLemF0hlMpHs6uTXcuOUEAZPTlclgPEqVqIfP2X-qZs6r4_wtM7I/s825/23-09-25%20Littleporth%20PEG_9878%20Oystercatcher%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_9E5HlbSaYrqF9MiZm9dP192Ei5hx9y1jIFnGGl4YL2XIeyxRdq51vJz-tu2UO3-POzbLZ581pIv0vqxp_gV05mklOYWeli1Yvmcio6y5c-DNR6U25NqJ6c6QwpcMn9S2ETSp4aDLemF0hlMpHs6uTXcuOUEAZPTlclgPEqVqIfP2X-qZs6r4_wtM7I/s16000/23-09-25%20Littleporth%20PEG_9878%20Oystercatcher%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3v6A88ySgiQsHaaXbGkVqggn_RvWglPLfd1QXpwZkBv_K5N-3CN96b0jSrPsXpWPE_sBE9AbzVwq2SKvLcb9MacfRq85tF50xgPqxpQBKe8QmpMuwyHtwUX9kDjGrV_c_Y8_UJn0vQH7-f73TCzBB8Qj8icYL83JKowM_6Pw6l0-fUFB03p5vTWhLGE/s825/23-09-25%20Littleporth%20PEG_9880%20Oystercatcher%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3v6A88ySgiQsHaaXbGkVqggn_RvWglPLfd1QXpwZkBv_K5N-3CN96b0jSrPsXpWPE_sBE9AbzVwq2SKvLcb9MacfRq85tF50xgPqxpQBKe8QmpMuwyHtwUX9kDjGrV_c_Y8_UJn0vQH7-f73TCzBB8Qj8icYL83JKowM_6Pw6l0-fUFB03p5vTWhLGE/s16000/23-09-25%20Littleporth%20PEG_9880%20Oystercatcher%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Oystercatcher <span>(<i>Haematopus ostralegus</i>) - Littleporth<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #ffd966;"></span><b>The youngsters turned in at around 19.30. Lindsay and I called it a day at
21.30 after what seemed like a long day. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>I will terminate Pt.1 of my account here. Pt.2 will probably follow in about a week's time, when I have had time to process the many photos that I took. I suspect that it might be rather longer than this post.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - - Richard<br /></b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div>
Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-83247250905273989482023-10-05T14:08:00.001+01:002023-10-05T14:10:03.582+01:00Local Observations - 14th to 23rd September, 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Header image (while this post is current) - Snipe - Kelham Bridge on 15th September, 2023 </span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>This post, mostly prepared before our departure to the Isles of Scilly, takes my account of my local obesrvations up to the day we departed. It will be a relatively short one when compared to my previous two posts.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 14th September Garden</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The male Sparrowhawk was making increasingly frequent visits to the garden. The overall effect was that the number of birds visiting the garden was dropping significantly - through their avoidance of the predator, rather than actual predation. Here was one of its visits on this day</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahqpKD9wC2NIoz4OZnK1U1AIQhkhiC-Zf3H7ATX5e95Zwbbb21TM-NilwvKMe8gfL9bjuWyrMLwEpSdr_0nD1V1puvM-Ho4TYuONmJSadgnW70Abg8xo9443QNYxhM-pJm3jTjPy11HPcSNw5KwgjgmE7fgdmVoqcg4_TJ8BIyd0LdolTqorIPU6xZVY/s834/23-09-14%20Garden%20PEG_9254%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahqpKD9wC2NIoz4OZnK1U1AIQhkhiC-Zf3H7ATX5e95Zwbbb21TM-NilwvKMe8gfL9bjuWyrMLwEpSdr_0nD1V1puvM-Ho4TYuONmJSadgnW70Abg8xo9443QNYxhM-pJm3jTjPy11HPcSNw5KwgjgmE7fgdmVoqcg4_TJ8BIyd0LdolTqorIPU6xZVY/s16000/23-09-14%20Garden%20PEG_9254%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Friday, 15th September Kelham Bridge Nature Reserve : Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>An on-line friend had seen and photographed a Grass Snake at Kelham Bridge NR. I am rather fond of snakes so decided that this day, which was quite bright and sunny after some very wet weather, would be a good time to visit and see if I had any luck.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I arrived at the parking area and nearly gave up there and then as there were already eight cars parked there. I usually find somewhere between zero and two cars when I get there. I decided to risk it anyway, thinking the cars might belong to dog-walkers or to members of a work-party.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Just through the gate, I stopped to photograph a Common Darter.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfHM8NNfBGV_GRj9Ll_zaKiUjHubt2ml8HI4GsuTsIoWJYdeTiOPAXFUHGvxlBbpTf8_1hpDwVay0gfotlUvlNeWnZwwRml07CH-VvO8HztMWQntT8LlxZ8ZUtXWyE41agfJBQlzctHCpLOncAiNXMRqOwBGpz7gER75dfHf_dIzVDxCpukIN6luL5zQ/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9259%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfHM8NNfBGV_GRj9Ll_zaKiUjHubt2ml8HI4GsuTsIoWJYdeTiOPAXFUHGvxlBbpTf8_1hpDwVay0gfotlUvlNeWnZwwRml07CH-VvO8HztMWQntT8LlxZ8ZUtXWyE41agfJBQlzctHCpLOncAiNXMRqOwBGpz7gER75dfHf_dIzVDxCpukIN6luL5zQ/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9259%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (female) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Half way along the path to the first hide, I met a camera-porting fellow who advised me that the second hide was rammed full with people hoping to photograph Kingfisher and Grass Snake, but that they were seeing nothing and were unlikely to because of all the noise and vibration coming from the hide. He advised me to go to the first hide where there was some action, albeit at a distance, and that there was only a lady photographer there. This proved to be sound advice.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I arrived at the hide to find it just as he'd said, and parked myself on the left-hand side, where I had a good view of the right-hand edge of the pool in front of the hide.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Moorhen was dabbling in front of the hide.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzQcspZ4a4o4OGrEk1R1nS1yZKQLSbuhr6sbKoKHt21xpSySmIBWYtM-06SjS7v0u7K3uoe93-InQcN4nwYkrwBeUR6iXVBvBfbKJXs_Siu0c51-SsK2KzfR2d09ycGVuTd_KJ_Hvn5BjBmMFQpuKIgR4iScZqGhroyf7pLp3_T6TYhuQzEcIqXt7q3Y/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9268%20Moorhen%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAzQcspZ4a4o4OGrEk1R1nS1yZKQLSbuhr6sbKoKHt21xpSySmIBWYtM-06SjS7v0u7K3uoe93-InQcN4nwYkrwBeUR6iXVBvBfbKJXs_Siu0c51-SsK2KzfR2d09ycGVuTd_KJ_Hvn5BjBmMFQpuKIgR4iScZqGhroyf7pLp3_T6TYhuQzEcIqXt7q3Y/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9268%20Moorhen%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Moorhen <span>(<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> A Snipe was showing well in the same area.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmcmHolYpFPWQAQxK50yY3keuVAMcLRZ6MUNEfIF2ahp6QM0n1WUDSOHug5JhWAk-du4y5wOGX2xf1alqeCI6pXdw33UZIBPdaNBGFg0YT8xsF_j4Ncwi2fxJ0UF7KTRT3mLAFjBkNRO_JP8GrwISK0X9CTKfBnvKMxeNjsP1rNNkPBCjKEZG4Sl4OpQ/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9275%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmcmHolYpFPWQAQxK50yY3keuVAMcLRZ6MUNEfIF2ahp6QM0n1WUDSOHug5JhWAk-du4y5wOGX2xf1alqeCI6pXdw33UZIBPdaNBGFg0YT8xsF_j4Ncwi2fxJ0UF7KTRT3mLAFjBkNRO_JP8GrwISK0X9CTKfBnvKMxeNjsP1rNNkPBCjKEZG4Sl4OpQ/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9275%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Common Snipe <span>(<i>Gallinago gallinago</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Two Green Sandpipers were in front of the hide too. They were soon joined by another Snipe. I have often wondered how the 'green' aspect of the name originated, but can find no reference to this.</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZKkZmUzKEj6WX-iEn5YRnlDrpPus20INMNwA0fNrwRYtnEsU_nHTJDCn3flVY9kpXtiqrhXxcsfWv93JR81peJJcvOL8xEkHPV7hsHNkSHP66qKa16M1pzntjz4Fjh1TdQwY9OspsBvRTBbNEDgslMwnR4f8CtOl1jBsdt0DgkW98wCIcdCfWG56MXI/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9290%20Green%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtZKkZmUzKEj6WX-iEn5YRnlDrpPus20INMNwA0fNrwRYtnEsU_nHTJDCn3flVY9kpXtiqrhXxcsfWv93JR81peJJcvOL8xEkHPV7hsHNkSHP66qKa16M1pzntjz4Fjh1TdQwY9OspsBvRTBbNEDgslMwnR4f8CtOl1jBsdt0DgkW98wCIcdCfWG56MXI/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9290%20Green%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Green Sandpiper (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Tringa ochropus</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Snipe had a preening session which resulted in a wonderful spray of water. I tried to video this after taking these stills, but the action was not repeated.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG07DCeDWsoNmHxNKUYLrT7BzBA-Rf62yHMWNzlKmXjLsRTNjL20XSuT6rvolKWi1jxXtMBQ8KCGmtCvliCLkZ8cMS9BqUNiQmTo3sEKmJVg4xd9dF0FukfrRIV1Lv920S22nTeoL7NxkAdFZHHsOZpxB1nSLVPzB5_lBiUJozIHoXxTSBSf3V-iCYGzo/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9314%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG07DCeDWsoNmHxNKUYLrT7BzBA-Rf62yHMWNzlKmXjLsRTNjL20XSuT6rvolKWi1jxXtMBQ8KCGmtCvliCLkZ8cMS9BqUNiQmTo3sEKmJVg4xd9dF0FukfrRIV1Lv920S22nTeoL7NxkAdFZHHsOZpxB1nSLVPzB5_lBiUJozIHoXxTSBSf3V-iCYGzo/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9314%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Common Snipe <span>(<i>Gallinago gallinago</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A Heron came into view from behind the island.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLgjdwy5AJbNInEOdqG3c4luneZGo7fNMRpkVEYq7KdjOuHiFXk0fQrq43yD9DFXAm5k_UGkifOx5Mhmq6KdFhje_xC3ivMT1vf5Y_HIqgZ4Ophy5wVQ-OemxlTiSlDcNFSm2cT7d2NHm2pSj0S61nzr6Q395vAsV9KXeYiNm4lUEmVGnAhIEcc2Yknc/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9330%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLgjdwy5AJbNInEOdqG3c4luneZGo7fNMRpkVEYq7KdjOuHiFXk0fQrq43yD9DFXAm5k_UGkifOx5Mhmq6KdFhje_xC3ivMT1vf5Y_HIqgZ4Ophy5wVQ-OemxlTiSlDcNFSm2cT7d2NHm2pSj0S61nzr6Q395vAsV9KXeYiNm4lUEmVGnAhIEcc2Yknc/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9330%20Grey%20Heron%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Grey Heron (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Ardea cinerea</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I now realise that I have a fascination with Snipe, as I cannot resist photographing them, so here is another shot.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdlMBs8Wvg3o1sXV1DhemoyFaCmX9dJjKeTfNjs7kk9IJsJFhjwJxtaWKAsKxnt0WYS3Kn15JM9cWBNAJ1Mrb2az69lidtkNg_7UdZULThJkZq3BCh6AerFR9y1Ps00BDZWt6mVbgHAMGhyFhAsOg6H-Bc7zgVEyqc6ltErkyTHNCkF2NLkDScBnXbng/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9343%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdlMBs8Wvg3o1sXV1DhemoyFaCmX9dJjKeTfNjs7kk9IJsJFhjwJxtaWKAsKxnt0WYS3Kn15JM9cWBNAJ1Mrb2az69lidtkNg_7UdZULThJkZq3BCh6AerFR9y1Ps00BDZWt6mVbgHAMGhyFhAsOg6H-Bc7zgVEyqc6ltErkyTHNCkF2NLkDScBnXbng/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9343%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Common Snipe <span>(<i>Gallinago gallinago</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I also got some better shots of Green Sandpiper, although they remained a little too distant for good results.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPNydo2hRZ5t3esYcTNx0t0-TuiKERuZktHK8yAuSJVLXVNLP1nDaUCnvBmnrI_cxXNolMCHq4B3tzBiIBqnyi4vxpEo1-bAle6PeofUtfdWm5kPp0mq5r9qrQjYq02KhLBM6xPuQjFtCwWco3gJq3LBiRHtwOJ3qz3-17DXidRnfE7Ljiku6MHdEInk/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9364%20Green%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPNydo2hRZ5t3esYcTNx0t0-TuiKERuZktHK8yAuSJVLXVNLP1nDaUCnvBmnrI_cxXNolMCHq4B3tzBiIBqnyi4vxpEo1-bAle6PeofUtfdWm5kPp0mq5r9qrQjYq02KhLBM6xPuQjFtCwWco3gJq3LBiRHtwOJ3qz3-17DXidRnfE7Ljiku6MHdEInk/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9364%20Green%20Sandpiper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Green Sandpiper (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Tringa ochropus</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I'd been in the hide for about an hour and the person that had been in the hide when I arrived had departed about half an hour previously and gone to try her luck in the second hide. I thought that it was time that I did likewise, hoping to see some dragonflies on the trail between the two hides. In the event, I only found a few more Common Darters. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The second hide was absolutely full, with people standing and waiting for a turn at the windows. There was a lot of conversation going on too. It seems that there was nothing on view except a couple of Mute Swans. I didn't bother trying to enter but exchanged a few pleasantries with people I knew there before departing after a couple of minutes.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Back at the first hide, I found it deserted and settled in for another session. Little happened, but I did get some more shots of Snipe, with two of them in the frame and then a record shot with four of them in frame.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18aRRpNYOuGX4m-bAXJVoDhWVykQJbM266s93791kliJetBMP7UNLZ8HVPzR-uPHTiPkJxY9COmz55DNZ5kEBkcdwjXJqLfvwPsnIu2q_nhkE8F-aYKRDrdJ4c9NK8p4q8OfKS3nULTFWfr5lWBKqcnTMRIQ3StR2Y_x1_XTl5aF19vOOiLQQRsa2RpY/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9386%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh18aRRpNYOuGX4m-bAXJVoDhWVykQJbM266s93791kliJetBMP7UNLZ8HVPzR-uPHTiPkJxY9COmz55DNZ5kEBkcdwjXJqLfvwPsnIu2q_nhkE8F-aYKRDrdJ4c9NK8p4q8OfKS3nULTFWfr5lWBKqcnTMRIQ3StR2Y_x1_XTl5aF19vOOiLQQRsa2RpY/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9386%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI7VqHzcrm1jMDdt0VMMv3dMmHmliZgyEXVlxpTlr0YDTZXY-cqxVd6oQL1xn6ZpQ9ezjk1jdOYM_FvAsPQJg4ZXE3A6D42Q2yzjAnDlYqFgq9KTFTxrOXcWW56PaKmlnsb4BhTDAYI0adOrpcrS6jlrsfzwk6AKXrwiMeF8S2SeR5nMOlX42b7ZgqiI/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9397%20Snipe%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI7VqHzcrm1jMDdt0VMMv3dMmHmliZgyEXVlxpTlr0YDTZXY-cqxVd6oQL1xn6ZpQ9ezjk1jdOYM_FvAsPQJg4ZXE3A6D42Q2yzjAnDlYqFgq9KTFTxrOXcWW56PaKmlnsb4BhTDAYI0adOrpcrS6jlrsfzwk6AKXrwiMeF8S2SeR5nMOlX42b7ZgqiI/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9397%20Snipe%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Common Snipe <span>(<i>Gallinago gallinago</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I took some shots of two Moorhen.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzFZkSPPw4lB--3SMNKiO9BZ4ZkASiaMkGXjNdH_rXS_auN3OVl9X01GYMDEF-94QVwooILhgCMTjcnCNtPer1gEBkfsGgPrLQdhFQ7jFSJH_6q_2myiz4YPPXcrqMLszfsBnOnnxIfB32WxcFUbeVMGyQb1xhp3cptG7FbRc0V8a3pVnGRglK0ghj9c/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9416%20Moorhen%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzFZkSPPw4lB--3SMNKiO9BZ4ZkASiaMkGXjNdH_rXS_auN3OVl9X01GYMDEF-94QVwooILhgCMTjcnCNtPer1gEBkfsGgPrLQdhFQ7jFSJH_6q_2myiz4YPPXcrqMLszfsBnOnnxIfB32WxcFUbeVMGyQb1xhp3cptG7FbRc0V8a3pVnGRglK0ghj9c/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9416%20Moorhen%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Moorhen <span>(<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR</span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>For some reason, I decided to take some video. I was glad that I did as I find this clip quite amusing, as it seems to show a male attempting to mate with a female and then trying to look nonchalant having been rejected.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyTT3DhykKfGP725VWRA8rpb9VM9kvFSfYXamGG5vep9fKPoKG9DUbf0k50Hk2RVHnxZcp2GwOheOaIxDbwDg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After a while, a group from the second hide arrived. Shortly after their arrival, Paul Burton (a thoroughly good guy that I have known for years) alerted us to a Water Rail starting to show at the end of the island. I just managed to raise my camera as it flew, and was lucky enough to get a shot.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyGCpzRD5feLer4Sy-BC-6IS7ViC5VnDJ3A13J50NQXXCA7n7-o7K17hpB384LpRVPIuPTwvMYCtY9nN7sn-YMEcrmJEoUtTpwWC0_9gLHRv4EI0jQU8UgqxabPD9nxxQyF2VFVZ1xZVcw1jTDwjcHNaJkRvwDFVbw6Uo4ZjPz6LAwahQDa_Nmd9YkXI/s825/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9439%20Water%20Rail%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyGCpzRD5feLer4Sy-BC-6IS7ViC5VnDJ3A13J50NQXXCA7n7-o7K17hpB384LpRVPIuPTwvMYCtY9nN7sn-YMEcrmJEoUtTpwWC0_9gLHRv4EI0jQU8UgqxabPD9nxxQyF2VFVZ1xZVcw1jTDwjcHNaJkRvwDFVbw6Uo4ZjPz6LAwahQDa_Nmd9YkXI/s16000/23-09-15%20Kelham%20Bridge%20PEG_9439%20Water%20Rail%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Water Rail (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Rallus aquaticus</i>) - Kelham Bridge NR<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>With the second hide now starting to fill, It was time for me to go.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A relaxed late-afternoon meal in our conservatory gave me the opportunity to photograph a Dunnock which was causing us some concern as it looked a little puffed up. It was also not very alert to human presence. It was not seen again after a few days later.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89WZEjw2Hd9u5vAZyhrynEbc4n2jsXxzjjyTKobqhIE-e6PlIA3bohsOWZKk2VGMX1myHX7VW9p24NVlXLKveX-ls6e9vHhVmZYEcMwB7YNaE30YdPweUsZ_0Gh00P_x0l4w1wQga7QCTFBRe60skLd_Atw7yUd2qMN4XDwroSfa0lEuJUz2vUr3crog/s825/23-09-15%20Garden%20PEG_9451%20Dunnock%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89WZEjw2Hd9u5vAZyhrynEbc4n2jsXxzjjyTKobqhIE-e6PlIA3bohsOWZKk2VGMX1myHX7VW9p24NVlXLKveX-ls6e9vHhVmZYEcMwB7YNaE30YdPweUsZ_0Gh00P_x0l4w1wQga7QCTFBRe60skLd_Atw7yUd2qMN4XDwroSfa0lEuJUz2vUr3crog/s16000/23-09-15%20Garden%20PEG_9451%20Dunnock%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Dunnock (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Prunella modularis</i>) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Magpies are daily visitors as I write this, and have been observed seeing off the male Sparrowhawk!</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzrpZiv8dS5UMP8SXhdEjPwfyesRwlikl6Qf4ZPfCEiiWy2GFcnS6A39i2VQO2kZ86vY9yvtsVnTxbQk6VLUzFsf1ggz1v3zlGYhjo4vuiL6SwsRlNEYHvOBzSPfHOkRam2buqJSXw4TX415e8i1aMDgM_U4XGAGwtcuUHiLoMgE75fFejl-SOTjOdrU/s825/23-09-15%20Garden%20PEG_9453%20Magpie%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzrpZiv8dS5UMP8SXhdEjPwfyesRwlikl6Qf4ZPfCEiiWy2GFcnS6A39i2VQO2kZ86vY9yvtsVnTxbQk6VLUzFsf1ggz1v3zlGYhjo4vuiL6SwsRlNEYHvOBzSPfHOkRam2buqJSXw4TX415e8i1aMDgM_U4XGAGwtcuUHiLoMgE75fFejl-SOTjOdrU/s16000/23-09-15%20Garden%20PEG_9453%20Magpie%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Magpie (<i>Pica pica</i>) - our garden</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 20th September Garden</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The male Sparrowhawk was continuing to be a threat to our avian visitors.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVFggB73duDhiNLl_JhksXi89VJGlz4ACW2oMWFNBBUQK-UF0J0fovM19E9Js5jx0HM1TaxfyxzTqpMrx_Sf8EgniCtuJNfSzd9bGoek1Zhi2JfMg4YIa1mxza1L6c0ArGG4g9wT_W5PRXdahG2q9lG-wRbhJU8rXZKDlr54dt3bSXAqtOinDGHz9pi8/s825/23-09-20%20Garden%20PEG_9458%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVFggB73duDhiNLl_JhksXi89VJGlz4ACW2oMWFNBBUQK-UF0J0fovM19E9Js5jx0HM1TaxfyxzTqpMrx_Sf8EgniCtuJNfSzd9bGoek1Zhi2JfMg4YIa1mxza1L6c0ArGG4g9wT_W5PRXdahG2q9lG-wRbhJU8rXZKDlr54dt3bSXAqtOinDGHz9pi8/s16000/23-09-20%20Garden%20PEG_9458%20Sparrowhawk%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Thursday, 21st September Garden</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Jackdaws are usually quite timid visitors to our garden, departing at high speed as soon as they detect movement from the house. I was, therefore, extremely surprised when a Jackdaw landed on the outside windowsill of my study and peared at me from less than a metre away. It stayed there for some time, walking along the windowsill and looking in.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMskE122Y5MonNxbtaTaohDwy_SK-aEtwwtZdH9lF0zx8yIKZse4Xtq-3Wyx-cP7Atq1TJ7oZOzAYpQJVdjPdMDvNGPyD6pCvmI9hvcYw6Kt_DZMetj-UO69jx3H-jcYjlvhAvbMktpzp2R6l1zTP0NwTUB1NGFTsX_mHNvY3_C2eKXVaKohzobEc1yw/s825/23-09-21%20Garden%20PEG_9462%20Jackdaw%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMskE122Y5MonNxbtaTaohDwy_SK-aEtwwtZdH9lF0zx8yIKZse4Xtq-3Wyx-cP7Atq1TJ7oZOzAYpQJVdjPdMDvNGPyD6pCvmI9hvcYw6Kt_DZMetj-UO69jx3H-jcYjlvhAvbMktpzp2R6l1zTP0NwTUB1NGFTsX_mHNvY3_C2eKXVaKohzobEc1yw/s16000/23-09-21%20Garden%20PEG_9462%20Jackdaw%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Jackdaw (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Corvus monedula</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Saturday, 23rd September Garden</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Lindsay can always ID a Robin, even if it is only showing in silhouette or facing away from us. She says it's the legs that give it away. In the second image, below, taken from my study window, I can see what she means!<br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQH7ZR0PJTjEW0OCw00pv8YMjtX8s2I8dxbBSqIwsYqrpUpzpM-F7G7HgLp-AWJ0AF7jW8WpUG_9zfQzvEljhqWh5ofZFb0JMhlWynLfPSbuTuEoWOr2EnDTn8j9zbp1r0h4MbxW9XnY5TB2WmLeknqPfPGI_Wf84PTi2sAj-SemSKV9IMOKMYJ4txMdQ/s825/23-09-23%20Garden%20PEG_9483%20Robin%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQH7ZR0PJTjEW0OCw00pv8YMjtX8s2I8dxbBSqIwsYqrpUpzpM-F7G7HgLp-AWJ0AF7jW8WpUG_9zfQzvEljhqWh5ofZFb0JMhlWynLfPSbuTuEoWOr2EnDTn8j9zbp1r0h4MbxW9XnY5TB2WmLeknqPfPGI_Wf84PTi2sAj-SemSKV9IMOKMYJ4txMdQ/s16000/23-09-23%20Garden%20PEG_9483%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5Oy-v0jBkWyOaW098Hehe5qi-UnJhAZEkSPo9G95WkegLa1r51MgHJm_MYZ-RrkSAudRXsu7ZYnhDsOoCu_mQ-vV51YVDYTYcDjAFJSXp04ss_ZYpZdwBUmXVaTrmm8n8-arVF-Cp2drg6xiQSdTHU0qkEkX1QVHoGdS_wNGg-2DOJu_nkVfzzeyNNU/s892/23-09-23%20Garden%20PEG_9487%20Robin%20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5Oy-v0jBkWyOaW098Hehe5qi-UnJhAZEkSPo9G95WkegLa1r51MgHJm_MYZ-RrkSAudRXsu7ZYnhDsOoCu_mQ-vV51YVDYTYcDjAFJSXp04ss_ZYpZdwBUmXVaTrmm8n8-arVF-Cp2drg6xiQSdTHU0qkEkX1QVHoGdS_wNGg-2DOJu_nkVfzzeyNNU/s16000/23-09-23%20Garden%20PEG_9487%20Robin%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Erithacus rubecula</i>) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b><p style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>All things being equal, my next blog post, probably in about a week's time, will feature the first part of my account of our recent adventures on the Isles of Scilly.<br /></b></p><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> </b></div></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2300766267906463889.post-32221990108837796582023-09-28T20:48:00.000+01:002023-09-28T20:48:38.915+01:00Local Observations - 3rd to 13th September, 2023<p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Header image (while this post is current) - Common Buzzard - Thortit Lake on 6th September, 2023 </span> </b><b><br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>With this post I am, at last, reporting sightings in the same month as they happened!</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #6aa84f;">Sunday, 3rd September Garden : Donisthorpe Wood : Saltersford Valley Country Park</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the morning, I spent some time in the garden doing some general tidying up, during which I was keeping an eye open for wildlife on any items I pruned. This resulted in me finding a number of shieldbugs of three different species. I am rather fond of shieldbugs, so this was very pleasing</b><b>, although I know little about them</b><b>. All but one of the shieldbugs found were on the sunflower heads.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA25sGpgDFiHmUYj-86XpfxieGLyrt98r8sJBvDgqOXzG0evzvK03NfFiepIZuNSobzDv63uyfXdotcdywFPw5QTlSR_ECcu69jy4F85Umf3fsOfvB1V3m_JhNuaOEEK6joTt6VerWzOgDlSLr2XcDNXYKFb8NErE8ge6yEyV8n7hN4wn109w7lh8vxfA/s825/23-09-03%20Garden%20PEG_8427%20Hawthorn%20Shieldbug%20-%20adult%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA25sGpgDFiHmUYj-86XpfxieGLyrt98r8sJBvDgqOXzG0evzvK03NfFiepIZuNSobzDv63uyfXdotcdywFPw5QTlSR_ECcu69jy4F85Umf3fsOfvB1V3m_JhNuaOEEK6joTt6VerWzOgDlSLr2XcDNXYKFb8NErE8ge6yEyV8n7hN4wn109w7lh8vxfA/s16000/23-09-03%20Garden%20PEG_8427%20Hawthorn%20Shieldbug%20-%20adult%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hawthorn Shieldbug (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale</i>) (adult) - our garden</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZrpfnisb7i7DH4e8EnJSbiOtyMahllEOcsTLCQIe2uVa0QPkMKK8jfZYLChF2tvHED0sTl_7OfMJLSkbdswWER-7szLRKAiPLC3K00UlOyKwYdmMzd1Gj1NZ_ByIrLi9uRExz6lelbT9_lvY1QxwuU2JwrgjFOXimrhFfyEtVu6LjTKrhtfa00m2wF4/s825/23-09-03%20Garden%20PEG_8445%20Hairy%20Shieldbug%20-%20adult%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZrpfnisb7i7DH4e8EnJSbiOtyMahllEOcsTLCQIe2uVa0QPkMKK8jfZYLChF2tvHED0sTl_7OfMJLSkbdswWER-7szLRKAiPLC3K00UlOyKwYdmMzd1Gj1NZ_ByIrLi9uRExz6lelbT9_lvY1QxwuU2JwrgjFOXimrhFfyEtVu6LjTKrhtfa00m2wF4/s16000/23-09-03%20Garden%20PEG_8445%20Hairy%20Shieldbug%20-%20adult%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Hairy Shieldbug (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Dolycoris baccarum</i>) (adult) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHfzGP_W_TDBCe1y9vMgPxvUZYCdKpjZAZC3_8ERlXcDwxThrtaMv1uNGk959ESldeisP5LXKWGLqUJilvL3OoYeCMJkpG2KHRpCAz7jmM8-4JGzl_VfuuZxTJapg16GylRqloAF8bSKbYDpXI3-lakmeNKHGw41g4yR9oPYzxrILs1K1XwRnA0-9x30/s825/23-09-03%20Garden%20PEG_8456%20Green%20Shieldbug%20-%203rd%20instar%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHfzGP_W_TDBCe1y9vMgPxvUZYCdKpjZAZC3_8ERlXcDwxThrtaMv1uNGk959ESldeisP5LXKWGLqUJilvL3OoYeCMJkpG2KHRpCAz7jmM8-4JGzl_VfuuZxTJapg16GylRqloAF8bSKbYDpXI3-lakmeNKHGw41g4yR9oPYzxrILs1K1XwRnA0-9x30/s16000/23-09-03%20Garden%20PEG_8456%20Green%20Shieldbug%20-%203rd%20instar%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Green Shieldbug (<span class="w8qArf"></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Palomena prasina</i>) (3rd instar nymphs) - our garden<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>On this day, I was booked on an afternoon walk organised by <a href="https://www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/">Groundwork Five Counties</a> in conjunction with <a href="https://www.nationalforest.org/">The National Forest</a>. This was billed as a 'Bug Hunt'. I turned up to the news that the designated guide had called in sick with Covid. However, a well-experienced substitute had been found. What I was not prepared for was the nature of the walk, which largely consisted of swiping sweep-nets through tree branches and ground vegetation, and examining what was in the nets. This was not my thing really, as I much prefer to seek and photograph items in their natural habitat. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>There were, nevertheless, some interesting items found and a few photos taken.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Beside the entrance to Donisthorpe Woodland from the car park was a fine example of Robin's Pincushion. Robin's Pincushion (also known as the 'Bedeguar Gall') is a gall caused by the larvae of a tiny gall wasp, <i>Dipoloepis rosae. </i>It is quite common.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoLgSQP3ADH5CSeuED9_EjX8hoJbuNY4yh1SEhbBUu2v1zw60mU0gd_g_ByL-gFMvHFYbyFHekqJyGU2eZK7uCGwqO6D9kChzkROTtodN7TUW2phsN4C1YlEB_jpfb-cMW3VxY-sKG6nIt3sG6WNisJkkvi5ENgb66H6rVU1omNd6uAC9FFLv4d2fn8I/s825/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8462%20Robin's%20Pin%20Cushion%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoLgSQP3ADH5CSeuED9_EjX8hoJbuNY4yh1SEhbBUu2v1zw60mU0gd_g_ByL-gFMvHFYbyFHekqJyGU2eZK7uCGwqO6D9kChzkROTtodN7TUW2phsN4C1YlEB_jpfb-cMW3VxY-sKG6nIt3sG6WNisJkkvi5ENgb66H6rVU1omNd6uAC9FFLv4d2fn8I/s16000/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8462%20Robin's%20Pin%20Cushion%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Robin's Pincushion - Donishorpe Woodland</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>There were a few grasshoppers around.</b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxySEIrc3N6FCJYXh7wJBYCexMD_4T2mfhuNsk3IyAOlYwkKiErU8jkjegjZ3yM0qNPoqdH9G39G2LAmqwlb_BF1Oh0TktfAufCEvWZV3hdAYtNU_CpWDxfGdlqR7GTGPlTpLkexaHMYtiyVyfebxsHwNmJFJ6ByTnjt-09KKjNbS9Xw8i-_DiEBEC5o/s825/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8467%20Lesser%20Marsh%20Grasshopper%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxySEIrc3N6FCJYXh7wJBYCexMD_4T2mfhuNsk3IyAOlYwkKiErU8jkjegjZ3yM0qNPoqdH9G39G2LAmqwlb_BF1Oh0TktfAufCEvWZV3hdAYtNU_CpWDxfGdlqR7GTGPlTpLkexaHMYtiyVyfebxsHwNmJFJ6ByTnjt-09KKjNbS9Xw8i-_DiEBEC5o/s16000/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8467%20Lesser%20Marsh%20Grasshopper%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Lesser Marsh Grasshopper (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chorthippus albomarginatus</i>) - Donisthorpe Woodland<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>One of the items swept from its resting place was the beautiful caterpillar of the Pale Tussock moth. Unfortunately, this creature was still suffering from the shock of being displaced and didn't straighten itself out from its defensive curled state.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil65uM2FTl18tvLevFlktfUaEeHhY2AIgJ0oAUdPQMLjuaDt76JAxRYT6VaO0ecNjL5qcU3l7FgA5Qm1vllCYJgfCh4WtnxMqlLuuDLHEsjZafoSY3tS2uyE4tw_a85Po-7D-mN2hmAuuLvt5eCqmQiA8qCpGkAvKNkk6rXXK0qo0ZzVSBKCdc04O9D_0/s800/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8511%20Pale%20Tussock%20-%20larva%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil65uM2FTl18tvLevFlktfUaEeHhY2AIgJ0oAUdPQMLjuaDt76JAxRYT6VaO0ecNjL5qcU3l7FgA5Qm1vllCYJgfCh4WtnxMqlLuuDLHEsjZafoSY3tS2uyE4tw_a85Po-7D-mN2hmAuuLvt5eCqmQiA8qCpGkAvKNkk6rXXK0qo0ZzVSBKCdc04O9D_0/s16000/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8511%20Pale%20Tussock%20-%20larva%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Pale Tussock (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Calliteara pudibunda</i>) (larva) - Donisthorpe Woodland</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>One of our eagle-eyed participants - a fellow dragonfly enthusiast - spotted scars on a willow that was overhanging an isiolated remnant of the Ashby Canal. These scars were left by the oviposition of the Willow Emerald Damselfly. This species is rapidly expanding its territory in UK and was first reported in our county in 2019. This damselfly bores into branches that are above water and lays its eggs. When they hatch, the newly-hatched nymphs drop into the water to start the aquatic stage of their life</b><br /></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnHmxRwRmOJ4iZ0ZDgUZJkFMMeogZ0gu46gNBx4B541btT6GvxRjPo05Dk-9USBftunHBGsAoBAXug16WI-tG-bjlJj3BdV97eFEzl9FiwnEuqIZQLnD3-R4KPrHcrysAId8QAlDVGwsoxHmaa00XcjCV5T7tsbz9MdtPHvNqv395alg58BGevsFu4pA/s825/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8547%20Willow%20Emerald%20-%20egg%20scars%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnHmxRwRmOJ4iZ0ZDgUZJkFMMeogZ0gu46gNBx4B541btT6GvxRjPo05Dk-9USBftunHBGsAoBAXug16WI-tG-bjlJj3BdV97eFEzl9FiwnEuqIZQLnD3-R4KPrHcrysAId8QAlDVGwsoxHmaa00XcjCV5T7tsbz9MdtPHvNqv395alg58BGevsFu4pA/s16000/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8547%20Willow%20Emerald%20-%20egg%20scars%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Oviposition scars of the Willow Emerald Damselfly (<span class="w8qArf"></span><span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Chalcolestes viridis</i>) by Donisthorpe Woodland <br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Although a Migrant Hawker dragonfly was seen beside the canal I didn't manage any photos. There were, however, Common Darter dragonflies seen in several locations.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlmMS3F3IYk_soGM0Wt1Op2U7YfTdoCxzISJ6oJlDIEklVgDxe0hTK7mD3sx-9hNmiT5f9bO3JVYzhFpRQoY0n5rNODUmTysF3XjQ0Ke5u11OESv-AbcOBQfFtnDW5_NZnXokijMfXxePtigmMo0XP1IRKHGK94w2Od0j4U73i_tDKk8x16JE8EBeuHk/s825/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8558%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlmMS3F3IYk_soGM0Wt1Op2U7YfTdoCxzISJ6oJlDIEklVgDxe0hTK7mD3sx-9hNmiT5f9bO3JVYzhFpRQoY0n5rNODUmTysF3XjQ0Ke5u11OESv-AbcOBQfFtnDW5_NZnXokijMfXxePtigmMo0XP1IRKHGK94w2Od0j4U73i_tDKk8x16JE8EBeuHk/s16000/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8558%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (male) - Donisthorpe Woodland<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>There was an element of hilarity created when a Common Darter landed on the cap of the dragonfly enthusiast that had found the Willow Emerald scars.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vQrwdW0YWIlycCyFwH-j2cw0TfA_mb-RhTytf_7agcyE9FJc--Gas1DGkN9zXvFzme2DcDxmu_VvHBMXeLVj-Lgq7o59ZHlZ_dsP6AF2pbLE5gxf8NBJeUyc5YdTEB8sIyqMiSr0ptxhJBrSqlqbF7pqxHEB4jLc6KW4S9S-tzifah3bu4k63N5tfXc/s825/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8575%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vQrwdW0YWIlycCyFwH-j2cw0TfA_mb-RhTytf_7agcyE9FJc--Gas1DGkN9zXvFzme2DcDxmu_VvHBMXeLVj-Lgq7o59ZHlZ_dsP6AF2pbLE5gxf8NBJeUyc5YdTEB8sIyqMiSr0ptxhJBrSqlqbF7pqxHEB4jLc6KW4S9S-tzifah3bu4k63N5tfXc/s16000/23-09-03%20Donisthorpe%20Woodland%20PEG_8575%20Common%20Darter%20-%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (female) - Donisthorpe Woodland</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Saltersford Valley Country Park is only about a mile (1.6km) from Donisthorpe Woodland, and is one of my favourite dragonfly spots. My new pal, Lance - the fellow that had found the damselfly scars, and owner of the dragonfly magnet cap - was not aware of this place, so I took him there after the walk.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Surprisingly, there were more Migrant Hawkers than there were Common Darters - and they were landing. Lance was delighted as he got his first Migrant Hawker photos of the year.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7O_TagWVOl5UhQAsbIWDzuOWX617E1pX9wJlTcW6dVAMKDVYQvy08RZj-YZuAcedNKv9RC6H0dT00Yt3aonrY6RJ1TbNNPlbLBqWkj7NOVgW4qEqtpEBTF35XKWYYdgbDvvuQDZfl79mnyaxHv2QJrOqmKDe_6SIsNF2xlQPjMVyrl5kqvSZ1Cl6N5E/s862/23-09-03%20Saltersford%20Valley%20PEG_8694%20Migrant%20Hawker%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7O_TagWVOl5UhQAsbIWDzuOWX617E1pX9wJlTcW6dVAMKDVYQvy08RZj-YZuAcedNKv9RC6H0dT00Yt3aonrY6RJ1TbNNPlbLBqWkj7NOVgW4qEqtpEBTF35XKWYYdgbDvvuQDZfl79mnyaxHv2QJrOqmKDe_6SIsNF2xlQPjMVyrl5kqvSZ1Cl6N5E/s16000/23-09-03%20Saltersford%20Valley%20PEG_8694%20Migrant%20Hawker%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Migrant Hawker (<i>Aeshna mixta</i>) (male) - Saltersford Valley CP</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Wednesday, 6th September Thortit Lake</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>A mid-afternoon visit to Thortit Lake - my nearest dragonfly hotspot - turned out a little different to what I was expecting.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I was not surprised to find Brimstone near my entrance point, off Willesley Woodside.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwSKOiOxSVyX5SMAROOv50dOBbRlkehNqHPAf8U8BBo3D6d6yeQonAHPM7naZN8cZUpZrtcawFh91UvJR5qmtzCma0S_i6wyYMapzTrKlfrX33dyAglyO_GR5zB4MZZPhBB4PhdMiKXjwz0cxJZ5PB2hYrNZnFG3tbZ4LTLIfjgac_JS4pKfsSwcfNN8/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8713%20Breimstone%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwSKOiOxSVyX5SMAROOv50dOBbRlkehNqHPAf8U8BBo3D6d6yeQonAHPM7naZN8cZUpZrtcawFh91UvJR5qmtzCma0S_i6wyYMapzTrKlfrX33dyAglyO_GR5zB4MZZPhBB4PhdMiKXjwz0cxJZ5PB2hYrNZnFG3tbZ4LTLIfjgac_JS4pKfsSwcfNN8/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8713%20Breimstone%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Brimstone (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Gonepteryx rhamni</i>) (male) - by Willesley Woodside</span></span></span></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Although I saw several Migrant Hawker and a couple of Brown Hawker dragonflies, I was seeing Ruddy Darters almost everywhere - it was quite remarkable as, until this time, I had seen very few of this species this year.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I have been a little uncertain about showing the first shot, below, as it is not a good photo, but there's something about it that I find pleasing.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa4oll3rqGWny1u8e1K9M86k2V94HqxtXeFXBA5n9yLZz_wmZ6m4ikBhxAENtL2VvptSAiljIOgUC2d-nMRPQ9QQW1vWoal8Whcq6Kocam8GHsJd_u4wmFdXjuZ3NpG3GboaM7tLzBinMWYSMjxONY0-reB6ebb7nurGG0Evzm0B-bLix_RwRraISJq8/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8750%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNa4oll3rqGWny1u8e1K9M86k2V94HqxtXeFXBA5n9yLZz_wmZ6m4ikBhxAENtL2VvptSAiljIOgUC2d-nMRPQ9QQW1vWoal8Whcq6Kocam8GHsJd_u4wmFdXjuZ3NpG3GboaM7tLzBinMWYSMjxONY0-reB6ebb7nurGG0Evzm0B-bLix_RwRraISJq8/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8750%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0c6aifJWO9_dwdsGw5x65uesn9rOj7b1axo4bYBkmmaAgQzFTP7ZJOJZrSiI3XqfPeufbRrcDJILgBYt4poXQ2KN17AgkGz9AqLC2rNctr-gMCYy3cB9UUlQ796AMePamtbRNIREkUv82UjnKHAhSXfLsFtEzUhVsjAbJ36PthNSMA_QTiH5YMaZWJ0/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8770%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0c6aifJWO9_dwdsGw5x65uesn9rOj7b1axo4bYBkmmaAgQzFTP7ZJOJZrSiI3XqfPeufbRrcDJILgBYt4poXQ2KN17AgkGz9AqLC2rNctr-gMCYy3cB9UUlQ796AMePamtbRNIREkUv82UjnKHAhSXfLsFtEzUhVsjAbJ36PthNSMA_QTiH5YMaZWJ0/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8770%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ruddy Darter (<i>Sympetrum sanguineum</i>) (male) - Thortit Lake</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>This next one's for my good friend David.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSGY4FU4Jd_uZxb_iI9k6Sz3c_gp_xpS6yvV6LZZkTn_YUTRyVP1W29Jgm19_R_getJBAO1wHvYmuNSefT7glj8wJh0WCVyfMI9l_F5NkjT4gxMCF-O2JgP5Ub2DYCuU63gj3PnzWsl3WpUB_EXHNN3D3zVNsozbTJRPKgZgy4jEf7KVsx18E5p-G1sY/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8835%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSGY4FU4Jd_uZxb_iI9k6Sz3c_gp_xpS6yvV6LZZkTn_YUTRyVP1W29Jgm19_R_getJBAO1wHvYmuNSefT7glj8wJh0WCVyfMI9l_F5NkjT4gxMCF-O2JgP5Ub2DYCuU63gj3PnzWsl3WpUB_EXHNN3D3zVNsozbTJRPKgZgy4jEf7KVsx18E5p-G1sY/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8835%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m+f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ruddy Darter (<i>Sympetrum sanguineum</i>) (male+femal in cop) - Thortit Lake</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>At one point I noticed a juvenile Moorhen that was running with ease across the dense algae covering on an area of the lake. Look at the size of its feet!</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRGag4bkTwb7tnYL5DkhrUxrHIfPWH74gxixtuRBUHsXj1nnZC4cIi-pexuthhz7HGy70cg4mE3JT5rLFL-0TP1eiI5fOjkp5guuwcWH_lqe_wFw6cjXbM6s27K_V90dm6xPUczqvWfSLzfo_CNzA6PLwKB20zVo5pATT8Viv6dCv_MxoPsNFDTQ0BGE/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8855%20Moorhen%20-%20juv%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRGag4bkTwb7tnYL5DkhrUxrHIfPWH74gxixtuRBUHsXj1nnZC4cIi-pexuthhz7HGy70cg4mE3JT5rLFL-0TP1eiI5fOjkp5guuwcWH_lqe_wFw6cjXbM6s27K_V90dm6xPUczqvWfSLzfo_CNzA6PLwKB20zVo5pATT8Viv6dCv_MxoPsNFDTQ0BGE/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8855%20Moorhen%20-%20juv%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Moorhen (<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) (juvenile) - Thortit Lake<br /></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b> . . . . .and another shot of a Ruddy Darter - this time, side-on.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePzmWCprTXZTVEzMIBJbWxXpJrGBg2idMuZmWQIqRrEdnThOqxsDU0jkF9Wdqn49Px9Xn6p9dyPzS7ZGLy2gWGX9_fEG8m9Nd03-iFSozczF306v2sduOZci278kGA7vhnKfB9nAZAy6_753ad_rB39XtTT6pcYrHa934ZsHWoY-fEvLZQtcb6Z4ZvMg/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8878%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePzmWCprTXZTVEzMIBJbWxXpJrGBg2idMuZmWQIqRrEdnThOqxsDU0jkF9Wdqn49Px9Xn6p9dyPzS7ZGLy2gWGX9_fEG8m9Nd03-iFSozczF306v2sduOZci278kGA7vhnKfB9nAZAy6_753ad_rB39XtTT6pcYrHa934ZsHWoY-fEvLZQtcb6Z4ZvMg/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8878%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ruddy Darter (<i>Sympetrum sanguineum</i>) (male) - Thortit Lake</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>On my way back to the car, I was alerted to the presence of Common Buzzards by their distinctive calls. There were four of them together, high up and distant. However, they broke away from each other and one came close enough for some photos.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIcXJhuoYvZb-QHbTzG9WqHEh3qjvs7vFFlcZVx9_EyhG-E-t9SUD4jdEXMmWTrXqQsXJysIDBa1AfmJmJ4EclvBZ4EQU9YoGrk_YvU279ftRfI5Ym_51SnGOxIICp2VAnN6GB7uSo7f_OCAdqih1-jCVvUCAIRMUfKIR04mUOOkdBK5V1kvCahPSZy4/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8885%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIcXJhuoYvZb-QHbTzG9WqHEh3qjvs7vFFlcZVx9_EyhG-E-t9SUD4jdEXMmWTrXqQsXJysIDBa1AfmJmJ4EclvBZ4EQU9YoGrk_YvU279ftRfI5Ym_51SnGOxIICp2VAnN6GB7uSo7f_OCAdqih1-jCVvUCAIRMUfKIR04mUOOkdBK5V1kvCahPSZy4/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8885%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" /></a></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPKDwV8bPRZb7Bxm5LHnyju72UJinYt7czopisI8obD46pUptj9p3j8ZE3CWgLJX2ScHHwB_9A2bKyXYnSVTbSE3-fN0nGnTKIU9QIEnPc403jxMQgNTvrB8tuHdKVU3NM9LtOyswjCJiNrt4h2dUtfkR30ENb67cjQWSOM7cJFWOvHF22-SyiiWEDCA/s825/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8886%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPKDwV8bPRZb7Bxm5LHnyju72UJinYt7czopisI8obD46pUptj9p3j8ZE3CWgLJX2ScHHwB_9A2bKyXYnSVTbSE3-fN0nGnTKIU9QIEnPc403jxMQgNTvrB8tuHdKVU3NM9LtOyswjCJiNrt4h2dUtfkR30ENb67cjQWSOM7cJFWOvHF22-SyiiWEDCA/s16000/23-09-06%20Thortit%20Lake%20PEG_8886%20Common%20Buzzard%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Buzzard (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Buteo buteo</i>) - Thortit Lake</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Thursday, 7th September Garden</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It was around this time that a male Sparrowhawk started to make a nuisance of itself. So far, we have not seen it catch anything, but we are alerted to its presence by the sound of warning calls from the birds and the occasional thump as a bird, in panic, strikes a window. We have lost a few birds in this way over the years, but on many an occasion I have gone out to a bird that has been stunned, and wandered around the garden with it in my warm hand for up to an hour before it revives and flies away. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaEyQkmXBtAtjeuyCQGFAPND_saXJjkVePecRMmmJfjhWm5yzul95hzjNQ93Uou9qI9uZqPQahYa0qqKQDDYJAerCX20OSosC0-YYX0h3xuCMa5E5GiIuJ4Xfxd_fVlIY4fpk5x_yVcRaxWNg1nvtqFSvHU0wQWMRqZ12aXOf2U3kZB8j0VvM9UWqjl8/s825/23-09-07%20Garden%20PEG_8931%20Sparrowhawk-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaEyQkmXBtAtjeuyCQGFAPND_saXJjkVePecRMmmJfjhWm5yzul95hzjNQ93Uou9qI9uZqPQahYa0qqKQDDYJAerCX20OSosC0-YYX0h3xuCMa5E5GiIuJ4Xfxd_fVlIY4fpk5x_yVcRaxWNg1nvtqFSvHU0wQWMRqZ12aXOf2U3kZB8j0VvM9UWqjl8/s16000/23-09-07%20Garden%20PEG_8931%20Sparrowhawk-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Sparrowhawk (<i>Accipiter nisus</i>) (male) - our garden</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: small;">Wednesday, 13th September Thornton Reservoir and Brown's Wood</span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>It had been a week since I had been out and prompted by a message from my new pal, Lance, who had been to Thornton Reservoir and seen "lots of Willow Emerald Damselflies and lots of Emerald Damselflies at Brown's Wood", I thought that I'd check it out as I'd not yet connected with Willow Emerald Damselflies this year. I was uncertain as to what my chances were as it had been a day of torrential rain the day before.<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I arrived at Thornton Reservoir to find the car park all but full. Fortunately I was in our very small Smart, so was able to find a parking space. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>From the car park, drawn by an unusual call, I found an alien! It was, I believe, a Chinese Goose, the origins of which were, of course, extremely dubious.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkqc0dCLbCicj7nkMp5wMd0qlxKZs4FWN1gv0zaMVFe_srvoyo0pN3Mq6xt2T6J8IpEgcHHDS7RQuhfcYXj-z_5Wd1YiYM9LjaQhBbgeaKSMBE5Ii3fW1YOspdULW1k1CgrhjvuAJn-s1DOjPene_dLLece6Ps_fNXKxc8p56ebHBCgvIAAhiklVSlZA/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9084%20Chinese%20Goose%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkqc0dCLbCicj7nkMp5wMd0qlxKZs4FWN1gv0zaMVFe_srvoyo0pN3Mq6xt2T6J8IpEgcHHDS7RQuhfcYXj-z_5Wd1YiYM9LjaQhBbgeaKSMBE5Ii3fW1YOspdULW1k1CgrhjvuAJn-s1DOjPene_dLLece6Ps_fNXKxc8p56ebHBCgvIAAhiklVSlZA/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9084%20Chinese%20Goose%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Chinese Goose (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Anser cygnoides</i>) - Thornton Reservoir</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I approached the cafe area, a juvenile Moorhen scuttled down the slipway.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcJx8V3RCOw1wPsyuMOF00JfbpfcGS-mKgq6bglX2r70ztVbFi8Q9NW0Mujil343noC81TzT2YQ0pxIm2ofnt_sh_AbPlEJMV-5D8trrgsI15Ow_oJSS3xTbIS4dX9_8Skxi18oFmTLpOfhmOKbS5uSCfPHRdQWCq1sow1vmKlDe_TCmE_sMiqnUeOt4/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9085%20Moorhen%20-%20juv%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcJx8V3RCOw1wPsyuMOF00JfbpfcGS-mKgq6bglX2r70ztVbFi8Q9NW0Mujil343noC81TzT2YQ0pxIm2ofnt_sh_AbPlEJMV-5D8trrgsI15Ow_oJSS3xTbIS4dX9_8Skxi18oFmTLpOfhmOKbS5uSCfPHRdQWCq1sow1vmKlDe_TCmE_sMiqnUeOt4/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9085%20Moorhen%20-%20juv%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Moorhen (<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) (juvenile) - Thornton Reservoir</span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Outside the cafe, there is a Willow that ovehangs the water. Here I saw a Migrant Hawker dragonfly and an emerald damselfly that settled but I couldn't get focus on before it flew. I am 95% sure that it was a Willow Emerald Damselfly. I waited patiently for a long while, but it didn't return.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>The shape of Thornton Reservoir reminds me of a human double tooth, with the dam forming the biting surface and the two inlet arms being the roots of the tooth. The path to Brown's Wood leads off from just past the first inlet. My target was the two ponds that are in Brown's Wood. I had not been there before, and I soon found myself a little lost. In the end, I had to resort to finding my position on Google Earth, and chcking my progress as I went.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the end, I found the two ponds. Little of the pond edge was accessible at the first pond and I got very wet feet and legs in the long grass. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>To cut a long story short, I got a grabbed shot of a warbler that I believe to be a Chiffchaff (dark legs on another even worse shot than this one).</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzPi-XA85tXd-dDoWlvKfVPdXKQ0n8f0UiRbcZ72wR8k8oWxeCIl72rHl2TTyiI9zQD_RzwErOviQApWjHGMIIjYXX7qslCyKqkqVwLM7nU9vYFrhEJrTC9ggEQ5zFLAAAoht1qsjyb0ceYcgOoJwbOVEcuYWKn1M1G-HwCeMDqsvxPEQhnYCjarWklw/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9104%20poss%20Chiffchaff%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzPi-XA85tXd-dDoWlvKfVPdXKQ0n8f0UiRbcZ72wR8k8oWxeCIl72rHl2TTyiI9zQD_RzwErOviQApWjHGMIIjYXX7qslCyKqkqVwLM7nU9vYFrhEJrTC9ggEQ5zFLAAAoht1qsjyb0ceYcgOoJwbOVEcuYWKn1M1G-HwCeMDqsvxPEQhnYCjarWklw/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9104%20poss%20Chiffchaff%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">probable Chiffchaff (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Phylloscopus collybita</i>) - Brown's Wood<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>There were a few Ruddy Darters and Common Darters.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX4xYIQuY2TEDQrS16Nn9liM9SHIFbbzLCzKYFwAtQX6EWv_KHK9rNlAPnZzPNrYRVH0t_O_FZ6SnEpMw3aNnGxnQoaC3bb-B_tEmxMzBDPiVlH4Jd2Nus9AYLcBHBkNngETK9kPDiOH9vigoRtCkgthK5hAE9h9DNzAQkTncS58SLvpaSKUnajgQfG0/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9111%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizX4xYIQuY2TEDQrS16Nn9liM9SHIFbbzLCzKYFwAtQX6EWv_KHK9rNlAPnZzPNrYRVH0t_O_FZ6SnEpMw3aNnGxnQoaC3bb-B_tEmxMzBDPiVlH4Jd2Nus9AYLcBHBkNngETK9kPDiOH9vigoRtCkgthK5hAE9h9DNzAQkTncS58SLvpaSKUnajgQfG0/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9111%20Ruddy%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Ruddy Darter (<i>Sympetrum sanguineum</i>) (male) - Brown's Wood</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbBkF0qUJvemwMrydy8I5utUvPEG_qbYIfbNUhNTJHyDirWU6ExoVLEc9X3eNn_XOfvF6ebAcc_xS5CV3e2n5dzU_W7GaK4YQjTFKPRM0RZ5R_toQPwXlI1Sy0fLPMG6j-qNGworjrxcG9_WCnEbtzU0ivuALUOEphySJ8JONJxu1lbXyNRKDD8V-0to/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9126%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbBkF0qUJvemwMrydy8I5utUvPEG_qbYIfbNUhNTJHyDirWU6ExoVLEc9X3eNn_XOfvF6ebAcc_xS5CV3e2n5dzU_W7GaK4YQjTFKPRM0RZ5R_toQPwXlI1Sy0fLPMG6j-qNGworjrxcG9_WCnEbtzU0ivuALUOEphySJ8JONJxu1lbXyNRKDD8V-0to/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9126%20Common%20Darter%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Common Darter (<i>Sympetrum striolatum</i>) (male) - Brown's Wood</span></b></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I also found a damselfly that had me puzzled for a while, until I realised that it was an immature female Common Blue Damselfly.<br /></b></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNTR0F7uUbiYIJPse33zc_2Rwpq8o1oHHOipp6E0THE-K7YkZmZUV9p1HeH9JZDfarhS3BYBbHLHGBWm4whTJeNxD5HQDYIVYI1uoXvMfiGLgcWp8GKlbmmXc3pAj5DqvbS_CeMoqcoawEM7nntMZJ1WeBinKdz4i7-_voTfI42uSJ6_can2rn-SYJ2U/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9136%20Common%20Blue%20Damselfly%20-%20i%20f%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNTR0F7uUbiYIJPse33zc_2Rwpq8o1oHHOipp6E0THE-K7YkZmZUV9p1HeH9JZDfarhS3BYBbHLHGBWm4whTJeNxD5HQDYIVYI1uoXvMfiGLgcWp8GKlbmmXc3pAj5DqvbS_CeMoqcoawEM7nntMZJ1WeBinKdz4i7-_voTfI42uSJ6_can2rn-SYJ2U/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20-%20Browns%20Wood%20PEG_9136%20Common%20Blue%20Damselfly%20-%20i%20f%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Common Blue Damselfly (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Enallagma cyathigerum</i>) (immature female) - Brown's Wood<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>At the second pond, nothing was visible for a while and then a male Southern Hawker showed up. I tried for some flight shots but failed. It then flew off. I hung around for anther twenty minutes but it didn't show again. </b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>As I had a commitment later that afternoon it was time to head back. I had originally intended to do a complete circuit of the reservoir, but I had not left myself enough time so I headed back the way that I had come.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>I saw more on the way back than I did on the way out. There were adult Moorhens out on the water.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1XbUOv-G4uK8wfsvhQm_MDa_BBfbVK1w46eV8s01EPFM0DDGbyp-4MPhEJXROG628XezsV9pdQMqNfmxw4iDSx2k4436BBzj4m8XjwyGaOsONIXnXrN5Bd6wzM1SWxongICmXGBvgz4dy4S3OjgiRYLNXrt52kqHUNdTe7fsOx9DwbWeR7rqQbpzvrE/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9153%20Moorhen%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1XbUOv-G4uK8wfsvhQm_MDa_BBfbVK1w46eV8s01EPFM0DDGbyp-4MPhEJXROG628XezsV9pdQMqNfmxw4iDSx2k4436BBzj4m8XjwyGaOsONIXnXrN5Bd6wzM1SWxongICmXGBvgz4dy4S3OjgiRYLNXrt52kqHUNdTe7fsOx9DwbWeR7rqQbpzvrE/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9153%20Moorhen%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Moorhen (<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) - Thornton Reservoir</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>I saw several Common Blue Damselflies, and two of them were engaging in strange abdomen waving.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4-GR5vzoPce4Bn0Fvv5MDB6sX2H5SDBWFaFfjylFu2sfUn4oVbc3pLQUhYGfEeJ0WbuS4tGMy5k1y1ADYU4jSZ0ZaFe0nbu-ZxliohuwyAGWRppj6TpyM1lOexeazZBGfO0n0Bzq287nLTlkHch_0NPvy0zil085xuFfpCygLpTtRFeteUm81_lBBiU/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9158%20Common%20Blue%20Damselfly%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4-GR5vzoPce4Bn0Fvv5MDB6sX2H5SDBWFaFfjylFu2sfUn4oVbc3pLQUhYGfEeJ0WbuS4tGMy5k1y1ADYU4jSZ0ZaFe0nbu-ZxliohuwyAGWRppj6TpyM1lOexeazZBGfO0n0Bzq287nLTlkHch_0NPvy0zil085xuFfpCygLpTtRFeteUm81_lBBiU/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9158%20Common%20Blue%20Damselfly%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7MeqoX9rWLXR0ngUY8XDl7aGVF78zjROSkefZMtPQKnBqMNW1v38Hfra-COge8SWsCE_nRKvvqpTpPO84WbJB-iWC2zvuEnAsmqp8G2m-fLVOhao78LhNPtyjQh5SQRGZZp_wj6vD7rHndMVBD027UuyIww_qTi2J0qfiKxgt7k-VAju-HRq92hdB9M/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9167%20Common%20Blue%20Damselfly%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7MeqoX9rWLXR0ngUY8XDl7aGVF78zjROSkefZMtPQKnBqMNW1v38Hfra-COge8SWsCE_nRKvvqpTpPO84WbJB-iWC2zvuEnAsmqp8G2m-fLVOhao78LhNPtyjQh5SQRGZZp_wj6vD7rHndMVBD027UuyIww_qTi2J0qfiKxgt7k-VAju-HRq92hdB9M/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9167%20Common%20Blue%20Damselfly%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Common Blue Damselfly (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Enallagma cyathigerum</i>) (male) - Thornton Reservoir</span></span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>There were also young Little Grebes around, with an adult not too far away. The water disturbance in front of this chick is where the adult has just dived.<br /></b></div><div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYWj8DoEi0xh2Z3PRf8aoRLHOURw6B0n7gb7dphbamsbvHkVHDEuZh7C_x1EyDVnte_ikWb5TqypLWvjbIlnSRSTXGKqXPuM1Uh1-uIfbZ5T1GGoML9bw3Tnt0Ts87mET30M1Wv-dCwxAJIVITxbnxFo3HGk8bjaOHnt3Y3yOCZs__9spjQjEt0Zr1yA/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9209%20Little%20Grebe%20-%20juv%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYWj8DoEi0xh2Z3PRf8aoRLHOURw6B0n7gb7dphbamsbvHkVHDEuZh7C_x1EyDVnte_ikWb5TqypLWvjbIlnSRSTXGKqXPuM1Uh1-uIfbZ5T1GGoML9bw3Tnt0Ts87mET30M1Wv-dCwxAJIVITxbnxFo3HGk8bjaOHnt3Y3yOCZs__9spjQjEt0Zr1yA/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9209%20Little%20Grebe%20-%20juv%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Little Grebe (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Tachybaptus ruficollis</i>) (chick) - Thornton Reservoir<br /></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>A juvenile Moorhen looked very confident out on the water.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnbN6L4e4422QEQamlxmSbe3r8kvzTm97CeMId94TI_7Wo_ZvWtVOye3ZhRLjekFeZj_cv0PsdKFLqcItK1dI96C_ZtoUR6e-cU2nc51S4rIoOpoPSppnWH1fGp6igW38rzGAK5231bwwEfLIjjNWosw8EHMS0Z8Z4ypgd0euTvXftWWcM-aRS9Lm05Q/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9225%20Moorhen%20-%20juv%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnbN6L4e4422QEQamlxmSbe3r8kvzTm97CeMId94TI_7Wo_ZvWtVOye3ZhRLjekFeZj_cv0PsdKFLqcItK1dI96C_ZtoUR6e-cU2nc51S4rIoOpoPSppnWH1fGp6igW38rzGAK5231bwwEfLIjjNWosw8EHMS0Z8Z4ypgd0euTvXftWWcM-aRS9Lm05Q/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9225%20Moorhen%20-%20juv%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Moorhen (<i>Gallinula chloropus</i>) (juvenile) - Thornton Reservoir</span></b></span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>After Mallard, Tufted Duck must be our most common duck, but they are rather handsome.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcXppeQ2hly757_FpOVQ2lA3DA0JNdJn4krWXMzLFng277OXTHg1FRatIWr2TlRKraoqji5nmIO7fcCS9erHO9nWUKpiny0CqrzC8e4xdD3TsHTfrWrPGwN_uN0ohEweCpZE2M3kfP38DMTPXhOY5dwfVHEG06j9_WhFr0e3FkQtmrcGNHJ81OkH0DY4/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9232%20Tufted%20Duck%20-%20m%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcXppeQ2hly757_FpOVQ2lA3DA0JNdJn4krWXMzLFng277OXTHg1FRatIWr2TlRKraoqji5nmIO7fcCS9erHO9nWUKpiny0CqrzC8e4xdD3TsHTfrWrPGwN_uN0ohEweCpZE2M3kfP38DMTPXhOY5dwfVHEG06j9_WhFr0e3FkQtmrcGNHJ81OkH0DY4/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9232%20Tufted%20Duck%20-%20m%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #ffd966;">Tufted Duck (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Aythya fuligula</i>) (male) - Thornton Reservoir<br /></span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My last photos before I left were of a Red Admiral butterfly on ivy.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvQ3i-dlkMAE-kYrdHSO12KCPK90DpgVhMJJldt6OHnJohU-cK6yd4N1jgAybQT4_yuFq79h7Tm5SxaI0UkTaf34Hb4ywt1fvVW5rZd2MKQQebVEJkvDfiYjPN6U30cF24GEaIhclqQWOkFteKE_JRVIr2r7_n0dgRQGVXXxhiJT91yT969BB9aQUv_g/s825/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9248%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="825" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvQ3i-dlkMAE-kYrdHSO12KCPK90DpgVhMJJldt6OHnJohU-cK6yd4N1jgAybQT4_yuFq79h7Tm5SxaI0UkTaf34Hb4ywt1fvVW5rZd2MKQQebVEJkvDfiYjPN6U30cF24GEaIhclqQWOkFteKE_JRVIr2r7_n0dgRQGVXXxhiJT91yT969BB9aQUv_g/s16000/23-09-13%20Thornton%20Reservoir%20PEG_9248%20Red%20Admiral%20.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffd966;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Red Admiral (<span><span class="LrzXr kno-fv wHYlTd z8gr9e"><i>Vanessa atalanta</i>) - Thornton Reservoir</span></span></span></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>By the end of the visit, I had not seen a single Emerald Damselfly and only seen one possible Willow Emerald Damselfly. However, it had been an interesting visit which included new territory for me, and was, therefore, a worthwhile one.</b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>My next post, probably in about a week's time, will bring matters as good as up-to-date.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard<br /></b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></p></div>Richard Peglerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05115206853645323899noreply@blogger.com14