Combining Posts

Combining Posts

Due to illness (not mine) it’s been a while since I’ve been out either on the patch or further afield, today I finally made it out for a morning stroll around the Flood Plain Forest Nature Reserve, It wasn’t the most awe inspiring of walks, there was little excitement (although managed a few nice photos) but then I realised I had a number of photos from my previous foray out well over a week ago, so this post will mainly be photos combining both days out.

Combining Posts

Kicking off with my walk on Friday 12th May, the highlights were some lovely close views of Oystercatcher.

Coming in to Land - Oystercatcher
Coming in to Land

 

Oystercatcher alone
Oystercatcher alone

 

Joining in - Oystercatcher
Joining in

 

Pair of Oystercatcher at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve
Pair of Oystercatcher at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve

Remaining Photo’s From Day 1

Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail

 

Grey Wagtail about to take off
Grey Wagtail about to take off

 

Common Kestrel
Common Kestrel

 

Grey Heron
Grey Heron

 

Carrion Crow
Carrion Crow

 

Grey Heron in Flight
Grey Heron in Flight

Today’s Walk

Today’s highlights were not always avian, although the first was as I had some lovely views of my local Little Owl, perched out in the open, in the trees behind the Farm Hide.

Little Owl in the Open
Little Owl in the Open

 

Look East Little Owl
Look East Little Owl

 

Hidden Little Owl (actually photographed after the first shots and 20 mins in the hide)
Hidden Little Owl (actually photographed after the first shots and 20 mins in the hide)

The real highlight of the day was a sight I have not witnessed in the past, even as someone who used to fish, and that was huge numbers of very large carp spawning all around the sides of the Stilt Pit lakes., their crashes and splashes, as they breached the shallow water was a real spectacle and loads of regular walkers stopped to enjoy the sight.

Spawning Carp
Spawning Carp

The only other real highlight was a close encounter with a pair of Sand Martin as they copulated on a barbed wire fence (we’ve all done it!!). The large spikes not affecting their love making.

Sand Martin copulating on barbed wire fence
Sand Martin copulating on barbed wire fence

 

Mating Martins - Sand Martin
Mating Martins

 

Pair of Sand Martin
Pair of Sand Martin

 

Sand Martin on barbed wire
Sand Martin on barbed wire

 

Sand Martin
Sand Martin

Actually there was one last highlight as an enormous plane flew low over head and scared the sh*t out of me (I was looking the other way). I’ve no idea what “species” it was or where it was going but it almost brushed the tops of the trees over the canal as it passed by.

Unknown Plane - potentially spec ops following the river for low flying experience.
Unknown Plane – potentially spec ops following the river for low flying experience.

Remaining Photos from Day 2

Little Egret
Little Egret

 

Fish carrying Common Tern
Fish carrying Common Tern

 

Banking Common Tern
Banking Common Tern

 

Preening Mute Swan
Preening Mute Swan

 

Mute Swan Wing Flapping
Mute Swan Wing Flapping

 

Swimming Great Crested Grebe
Swimming Great Crested Grebe

 

Close up Great Crested Grebe
Close up Great Crested Grebe

 

Pied Wagtail
Pied Wagtail

 

Pied Wagtail
Pied Wagtail

I’m Walking 2500 miles in 2017 to raise money for Birding For All – Read about it here – Please consider donating through My Donate.

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