The First Seven Days of February, 2024

This blog post is a relatively short one, covering just one visit out, and some garden observations.

Thursday, 1st February          Bluebell Arboretum, Smisby

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.

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.

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!

I resorted to photographing a bunch of Snowdrops.

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) - Bluebell Arboretum

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. 

At one point a Robin came to introduce itself.

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) - Bluebell Wood

I did get a brief glimpse of a Moorhen disappearing into the undergrowth behind one of the ponds, but didn't manage any photos.

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. 

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.

Teal (Anas crecca) (male) - Bluebell Arboretum

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) (male) - Bluebell Arboretum

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!

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) (female + male) - Bluebell Arboretum

Whereas the plumage of the male Mandarin is spectacular, I feel that the female Mandarin has a serene beauty.

To my mind, the drake Shoveler looked somewhat sinister as it swam away.

Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) (male) - Bluebell Arboretum

The drake Pintail is one of the most handsome of ducks.

Pintail (Anas acuta) (male) - Bluebell Arboretum

Pintail (Anas acuta) (female) - Bluebell Arboretum

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. 

Bluebell Arboretum is now on my list of places to look for Odonata when the season comes around.

Friday, 2nd February          Garden

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.

Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) (female) - our garden

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.

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) - our garden

Saturday, 3rd February          Garden

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 'BREATHTAKING') 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.

Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) (male) - our garden

Sunday, 4th February          Garden

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.

Siskin (Spinus spinus) (male) - our garden

Here are the two together on one of our feeders.

Siskin (Spinus spinus) (male + female) - our garden

Tuesday, 6th February          Garden

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.

Siskin (Spinus spinus) (male) - our garden

Wednesday, 7th February          Garden

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.

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) (male) - our garden

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) (female) - our garden

Siskin (Spinus spinus) (female) - our garden

 

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

 

A Visit to Rutland Water - on 4th April, 2023

It had been a while since I last visited Rutland Water, largely because of Lindsay's post-surgery knee problems - I didn't feel comfortable leaving her alone for any great length of time. Things in that direction are beginning to get back to normal, however, and I at last felt that a longer spell out was in order. 

The weather forecast for this particular day was quite favourable and so, having packed a picnic lunch, I set off rather late in the morning for Rutland Water, taking my usual cross-country scenic route.  This route is not as happy a one as it used to be as, at one time, I had nine Little Owl nest sites along it and it was not that unusual to spot ten different owls during the two-way journey. Sadly, on this occasion, I noted that only two of those sites still looked as if they might be able to support a Little Owl, and one of those was very dubious. The main issue was one of natural tree decay, but tree removal or drastic reduction (2 cases), and building decay (2 cases) were also evident. 

At Cold Newton, a pheasant sauntered across the field beside me.

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) (male) - Cold Newton

As I approached Newbold I noted a Red Kite but by the time I stopped the car and got my window down it was a bit more distant.

Red Kite (Milvus milvus) - near Newbold

I stopped for my picnic by what was my Little Owl Site No.34, and was disappointed to see further decay to the nest tree and is, therefore, the one that I labelled as 'dubious' above.

It must have been a few years since I last saw a hare, so I was delighted this day to see one streak across the field beside me.

Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) - Newbold

While having my lunch, a message had come through about a Bearded Tit being seen from one of the hides. Arriving at Rutland Water, as I left the car park, I noticed a thrush in the paddock beside the car park. At first, I assumed that it was a Song Thrush, but it turned out to be a Mistle Thrush.

 

Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) - Rutland Water, Egleton

I made my way directly to Shoveler hide, from which the Bearded Tit had been spotted just two hours earlier. I arrived to find seven people in the hide, none of whom were aware that this bird had been seen there earlier. Shortly after my arrival another message came through to say that the bird had been heard fying away about half an hour after it had first been spotted.

 

I settled in for a while to watch what was in front of the hide, where the water level was higher than I'd ever seen it before.

 

A Coot came drifting by. I am not sure if that is a long black tongue that it is showing, or something that it is trying to swallow. I didn't notice it at the time that I took the shot.

Coot (Fulica atra) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

A drake Pochard kept its distance.

Pochard (Aythya ferina) (male) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

A pair of Gadwall were a little more cooperative than the Pochard.

Gadwall (Mareca strepera) (male) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

Gadwall (Mareca strepera) (female) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

A Cormorant posed rather nicely on one of the small platforms.

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

There were many Shelduck out on the water, but only one came close, and another flew by.

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) (male) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

Appropriately, a drake Shoveler presented itself for a photo.

Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) (male) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

It is always a delight to see when a Cormorant (or Shag) spreads its wings, and I was pleased to catch this one.

 

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

A Greylag Goose presented itself too.

 

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)  - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

Shortly after taking that last shot, I took a stroll down to Buzzard Hide where little was visible, except at a great distance, and then moved on to Crake Hide, where I was disappointed to see the water level was so high that the usual scrape area was completely under water. I didn't stay long, as nothing was happening and so returned to Shoveler Hide.

 

Once back at Shoveler Hide I caught a second Cormorant with spread wings.

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

Somebody in the hide alerted the rest of us to an extremely distant Marsh Harrier flying across in front of us. I raised my camera, more in hope than expectation, and managed to just about get a record shot.

Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) (female) - Rutland Water, from Shoveler Hide

A gentleman arrived at the hide and, in conversation, mentioned that there were several (he thought maybe twelve) Avocet on Lagoon 4. As it was nearly six years since I last saw an Avocet, I was keen to go and try to find these, so I headed to Plover Hide, which overlooks the north-east corner of Lagoon 4.

I had forgotten how small Avocet are, and didn't find them for a few seconds after opening the hatch in the hide (it was empty when I arrived). I soon had them spotted however. I didn't count them but think that the estimate of twelve wasn't far off the mark. They kept me entertained for the next quarter of an hour or so, although they never came closer than about 50 metres.

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) - Rutland Water, from Plover Hide

I was occasionally distracted from the Avocets by the activities of Black -headed Gulls.

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) - Rutland Water, from Plover Hide

There was another distraction when I spotted a Brimstone butterfly approaching from the left of the hide. I kept my eye on it for a while, hoping it would come in front of the hide, but it kept its distance and I only got a record shot.

 

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) (male) - Rutland Water, from Plover Hide

Here's one last shot of an Avocet, with a Great Crested Grebe for size comparison.

 

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) - Rutland Water, from Plover Hide

I was not able to stop late as our daughter and granddaughter were coming for tea, and it is an hour and a half, or more, from Rutland Water to home, so I set off back towards my car.

On the way back, I called in at Osprey Hide and got a departing shot of a drake Teal. I have never before noticed that the 'teal green' on the head can dramatically change colour in some light conditions.

Teal (Anas crecca) (male) - Rutland Water, from Osprey Hide

As I left the hide and walked down the tree-lined track, I noted a small bird flitting about up in the branches to my right. It shot across the track and onto a tree trunk on my left, and I saw it was a Treecreeper. It was on a dark trunk, and I was facing strait into the sun. I'd got totally wrong settings and the only shot that I managed to salvage was this one, which doesn't show the salient features of the species - except for its relatively cryptic plumage!

 

Treecreeper (certhia familiaris) - Rutland Water, from near Osprey Hide

I also called in at Redshank Hide where a pair of Greylag Geese were fairly close by. I have absolutely no idea why it crossed my mind to make goose-like noises, but I was amazed that one of the geese responded and, for a little while, we enjoyed an intimate conversation! Here's a shot of that goose, responding.

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)  - Rutland Water, from Redshank Hide

My journey home resulted in an owl-free day, but I did have another sighting of a Hare at Newbold.

Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) - Newbold

I needed top stop to answer the call of nature near Burrough on the Hill, and was more than surprised to see yet another Hare - no sightings of Hare for years and then three separate sightings in a day!

Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) - near Burrough on the Hill

Thus ended my excitement for the this outing.

I had throughly enjoyed being at Rutland Water, but found the journey there and back to be depressing on two counts - the previously mentioned disappearance of the Little Owls, and the fact that I used to take this route every Thursday with my old pal, John Truman, who sadly died a year and a half ago.

I have a suspicion that my next blog post, which I will probably schedule for a week's time, will be rather different to any blog post I have produced before.

In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard

 

Spring! What Spring? - 1st to 7th March, 2023

Technically we are in metreological spring now, but with the cold weather and snow we have been getting, it doesn't seem like it at all. We have experienced the coldest March weather that the UK has had since 2010. Sadly, I have not been out as much as would have liked as I have been rather caught-up with household projects, plus sorting out the purchase of a new camera and lens with the associated accessories - hence the rather long gap between my last blog post and this one.

I now have the new camera, which has seen me switch from Nikon to Canon - something that I was disappointed to have to do. My old camera set-up was getting a bit long in the tooth, and I was finding it rather heavy to carry around. I wanted to get something more up-to-date and go mirrorless, while still retaining the same sort of reach as I have with the old set-up. To do that with Nikon was going to cost me over four thousand pounds and leave me with something that was not significantly lighter than my old set-up. To do this with Canon, I have spent around two thousand pounds and ended up with something that is less than half the weight of the old set-up and greatly superior (it would seem). However, the switch of manufacturer means that I am now embarking on a complex learning curve - something that may not come easily at my age!

For those tha might be interested, I have purchased a Canon EOS R7 and a Canon RF 100-400mm lens.

The new camera has only recently been wielded in anger, so all the images in this blog post were taken with my Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 50-500mm lens.

Thursday, 2nd March                    Garden

Although Carrion Crow is a reasonably frequent visitor to the garden they usually only drop to the ground momentarily to pick up a morsel of food. On this day one spent about quarter of an hour wandering around on the ground.

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) - garden on 2nd March, 2023

Happily for us, we are now seeing Wren in the garden far more frequently, busily probing for insects.

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) - garden on 2nd March, 2023

Not quite so welcome, was the Sparrowhawk, which now appears to be a young female.

 

Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (female) - garden on 2nd March, 2023

Totally unwelcome, however, was the Brown Rat which decided to return this day.

Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) - garden on 2nd March, 2023

Friday, 3rd March                    Garden

We were, and still are, getting occasional visits by Redpoll. This is one of the two that visited this day.

Lesser Redpoll (Acanthis cabaret) - garden on 3rd March, 2023

That night, the garden trail cams caught our first Hedgehog of the year. I was surprised, and even disappointed, that it poked its head into both our Hedgehog feeding stations but did not stop to eat.

I was even more disappointed that, having seen it put its nose into one of our Hedgehog houses, when I checked that house the following day I found a very flat and dead Hedgehog that had clearly been there for some months.

Sunday, 5th March                    Kelham Bridge ; Sence Valley Forest Park

I spent some time at Kelham Bridge Nature Reserve this day, but very little was happening and I came away again after an unproductive hour and a half. Here are a few shots of some of the things I did see.

Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) - Kelham Bridge NR

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) - Kelham Bridge NR

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) - Kelham Bridge NR

Hoping for better luck, I decided to visit Sence Valley Forest Park, entering at the south-west corner. The place was quite busy with people, but there was more to be seen.

Five minutes beside Goss Water was more productive than an hour and a half at Kelham Bridge.

Teal (Anas crecca) (male) - Sence Valley FP

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) - Sence Valley FP

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - Sence Valley FP

I then moved on to Horseshoe Lake where, at one point, there is a ramp that leads down into the water. Here, it would seem, the birds are used to being fed by the public, as I was accosted by Mute Swans and Canada Geese as I approached.

 

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) - Sence Valley FP

I spent a little while here, attempting to photograph gulls. I was quite surprised to find a Common Gull - a species that is far from common in these parts. In fact, I believe that I have only knowingly seen this species in Scotland!

 

Common Gull (Larus canus) - Sence Valley FP

More common than Common Gull is Lesser Black-backed Gull.

 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) - Sence Valley FP

By far the most common gull in these parts is Black-headed Gull. I caught this one just coming in to land on the water.

 

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) - Sence Valley FP

I decided that it was time to give up and go home when a stupid woman stood in front of me and encouraged her two dogs to enter the water and confront the two Mute Swans that were close by. One dog decided to have a go. The female swan gently backed-off, but the male stood his ground and looked game for a fight. I was hoping that it would attack the dog or, better still, the dog owner, but the dog soon retreated.

 

Tuesday, 7th March                    Garden

 

For the first time in many weeks we had a garden visit from Long-tailed Tit.  There were two of these delightful little birds, but I only got a shot of one of them.

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) - garden on 7th March, 2023

As the above represents the last images taken with my old camera set-up, this seems like an appropriate point to end this blog post, with the next one featuring my first efforts with the new kit. Given the long-range weather forecasts and my commitments, it will probably be at least another week before my next output.

In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature - thank you for dropping by - - - - Richard