I started on this post about a week ago, and it was originally entitled "August Odds and Sods", but then Doug McFarlane (who I consider to be one of my good internet 'pals') did a post with Odds and Sods in the title so I've changed it.
I've already, in previous posts to this blog, covered owls in August, my week in Yorkshire, plus a first foray into the world of macro. These are the bits and bobs that didn't fall into any of those categories.
At the end of July/beginning of August there was a young Night Heron at Thornton Reservoir, which is quite close to my home. I made three visits in an attempt to photograph this bird, but every time I went it had moved away from its feeding ground (where close views could have been obtained) to its favoured roosting spot (where it was a long way away!). This is the best that I could get (on 1st August) - you'll possibly be hard-pressed to find the bird! I had one last-ditch attempt before I went away to Yorkshire on 3rd August, but the results were even worse!
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| Night Heron (immature) - Thornton Reservoir |
On 15th August, whilst on duty at Rutland Water, a juvenile Green Woodpecker was seen from Waderscrape Hide. It was about 30 metres away and the light was not good, but I did get a record shot - I don't get too many photographable sightings of Green Woodpecker!
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| Green Woodpecker (juvenile) - Rutland Lyndon reserve |
The next day (16th August) there were two frogs on the lawn in our back garden (yard). We don't see so many of these now that we've lost the pond. I believe that these are both Common Frog, but there is a marked difference in appearance. Is this sexual dimorphism?
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| Common Frog - our garden |
On 20th August I took a trip to Calke Park to join my wife and granddaughter for a picnic lunch. The owls weren't visible, but I did get some shots of some other birds.
I believe the first one is a young Willow Warbler (rather than a Chiffchaff). It's the first time I've seen a warbler come to the feeders here.
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| Willow Warbler? - Calke Park |
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| Nuthatch - Calke Park |
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| Greenfinch (male) - Calke Park |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker (juvenile) - Calke Park |
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| Jackdaw - Calke Park |
On 29th August I was on Osprey duty at Rutland Water again. I've already posted some macro images taken whilst there. However, when the system is working properly, I now have the ability to hook my tablet directly into the camera which views the Osprey nest. These next screenshot images show all three juveniles which fledged from Manton Bay this year and are now, hopefully, either safely ensconced in West Africa, or well on their way there.
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| Osprey (juveniles 2J & 3J - Rutland Water, Lyndon reserve |
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| Osprey (juvenile 2J & adult female) - Rutland Water, Lyndon Reserve |
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| Osprey (juveniles 1J & 3J) - Rutland Water, Lyndon reserve |
The following day (30th August) I was back at Rutland Water, with my pal Roger, who was up from Devon for a week. I've already published, on this blog, some macro images from this day, but I did take some shots of birds too, but nothing to write home about!
In their relentless spread northwards, there are now large numbers of Little Egret at Rutland Water, and it's not unusual to have ten or more in view at one time! Here's a couple of distant birds from that day.
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| Little Egret - Rutland Water, Egleton reserve |
We had sightings of Hobby that day, but very distant, so I only managed a record shot. I'm pleased to say that I managed a slightly better shot a week or so ago!
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| Hobby - Rutland Water, Egleton reserve |
One of the more exciting sightings was of a Stoat crossing the path. I totally missed getting a shot of it but, a few seconds later, a Stoat kit followed its parent. Being the dozy old git that I am, having just been trying to get shots of the Hobby in bright light, I'd forgotten to set my camera back to more appropriate 'general' settings. I completely fluffed it. Just for the record, however, here's the best of a thoroughly bad bunch!
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| Stoat (juvenile) - Rutland Water, Egleton Reserve |
That's it for the August bits and bobs. I'm not sure what the next post will be about, but possibly/hopefully I'll have some more owl images to share with you!?!?
