July Incidentals - 2013

If I'm going out 'birdwatching' it's usually either specifically to see, and hopefully photograph, owls, or it's when I go to do a turn of duty on the Osprey Watch at Rutland Water. I rarely go out to do any general birdwatching. However, whilst out looking for the owls, or when I am at Rutland Water, my camera sometimes gets used on other subjects. These are the 'incidentals' to my main interest.

Although this post is headed "July Incidentals", I'm going to start with an image from 20th June while Titus and I were on duty at Rutland Water, late in the evening. Titus called out for me to come to the door of the hide, and this is what I saw! It's a terrible picture (a scurrying creature shot in the pouring rain and terrible light - lens at 500mm with ISO set at 2,000 and an exposure of 1/40 second - I didn't stand a chance!) but, nevertheless,  a remarkable subject - a Mole out above ground in the daylight! I've never seen one before!

Mole - Rutland Water (Lyndon Reserve)

Two weeks later, on 4th July, were at Rutland Water again. We monitor the Ospreys from over the other side of the water, so usually only get distant views. This first image shows the adult female Osprey on the perch above the nest, and the three juveniles on the nest. That evening we actually saw one of the juveniles 'lift off' for the first time, albeit only by a few inches (not more than half a metre).

Osprey (adult plus 3 juveniles) - Rutland Lyndon

Later that evening things went a little crazy as, suddenly, three adult Ospreys appeared. We weren't sure which birds they were but, unusually, there didn't seem to be any antagonism between the birds. In fact, two of them seemed to be together, and flying in formation, and the third came to join them briefly. Rutland Water's John Wright would be able to tell me which birds these were - if I'd managed better photos!

Osprey - Rutland Lyndon

I'm particularly fond of the evening shifts as it gives a nice balance of being able to talk to visitors during the early part of the evening, and then being able to enjoy the tranquillity and magnificence of the scene later in the evening. The reeds in front of Waderscrape Hide, from which we do the monitoring, are the regular haunt of Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, and Sedge Warbler.  These birds tend to come out and sing later in the evening if the weather is fine. The Sedge Warblers are my favourites.

Sedge Warbler - Rutland Lyndon

On the way home that evening, near to my Little Owl Site No.23, there was a Brown Hare in a roadside field. I do like Hares!

Brown Hare - near Marefield

Four days later, on 8th July, I was owling (unsuccessfully - it happens!) on my local patch. I couldn't resist trying for an image of this male Banded Demoiselle.

Banded Demoiselle (male)

Two days later (10th July), shortly after discovering a juvenile Little Owl at my Site No.02, whilst checking out my (now believed abandoned) LO Site No.28 this Pied Wagtail was bumbling about on a rock.

Pied Wagtail (male)

I've done very little photography in my garden lately as most of the birds seem to be at their natural feeding grounds. However, on 12th July, I couldn't resist photographing this Comma which settled on a wall.

Comma - our garden

The following day (13th July) I was down on my local patch again, in my hide photographing a juvenile Little Owl (see previous post). Whilst sitting there, Yellowhammers were all round me, but keeping away from my lens. This is the one that got nearest - I suspect it was gathering food for youngsters.

Yellowhammer (male)

I was out owling again in the evening of that same day. As I passed my LO Site No.21, near Hungarton, three Red Kite were flying around for a short while before disappearing eastwards. I've never seen Red Kite in this area before. I wasn't ready for them and I really fluffed the photography as they kept moving above and below the tree line. These are the best of a bad bunch. I'm pretty sure that at least one of the three was a juvenile.

Red Kite - near Hungarton

It was five days later, on 18th July, whilst on duty at Rutland Water again, that my next 'incidentals' were taken. Arriving a little early for duty, Titus and I went down to Shallow Water Hide beforehand. There was nothing out of the ordinary on view, but I rather liked this shot which has Common Tern, GC Grebe, and Coot in it.

Common Tern, Great Crested Grebe, Coot - Rutland Lyndon

Just outside the door of Waderscrape hide was a large spider, hiding in the deep shade. The arachnophobes amongst you might want to skip this next image!

spider (unidentified) - Rutland Lyndon

 They might have midges in Scotland but we also get them down here - although ours don't bite (as far as I'm aware), but make a nuisance of themselves by tickling as they crawl over you, and get in your hair. I found that the only way I could focus on these was to wait until they were next to something that my autofocus could pick up.

midges - Rutland Lyndon

I don't believe that I've said much about the latest addition to our garden year list, which is also a garden 'lifer'. Nothing very exciting as far as birds are concerned, but a pair of Stock Doves that visit from time to time. I really should do something about trying to get a better photo as the iridescent neck markings are fabulous in the right light. This one was taken on 20th July.

Stock Dove - our garden

We jump right forward to 26th July for the next images, and we're back on my local patch again (and again the owling was 'fruitless'). Close to where I found the Banded Demoiselle shown near the beginning of this post, a very yellow Willow Warbler briefly showed.

Willow Warbler - my local patch

Very close by (20 metres?) is a cattle drinking pond. There were a couple of dragonflies in attendance. The first is a male Common Darter.

Common Darter - my local patch

The second was a very obliging, but rather tatty, male Broad-bodied Chaser. I'm pretty sure that this was quite an old specimen, not just because of three torn wings, but also because of the very dark inner wing markings, and the total lack of antehumeral stripes

Broad-bodied Chaser (male) - my local patch

That just about sums up the 'incidentals' for July - except, unusually for me, I did a twitch on 31st July. A Night Heron was reported about 5 miles (8km) from my home - the first for Leicestershire since 1988. I had to go, but I only got very distant record shots, so I won't bother publishing here as I got marginally better shots the next day (into August already), and I'm hoping for an early visit on Saturday before I head north!

It will probably be a while before I post on this blog again as I'm off on holiday on 3rd August for a week. I'm going on my own and I'm hoping for some decent weather so that I can do some birding on the North Yorkshire coast, and maybe collect some fossils too!