Psilos
Bird Journal |
Tuesday September
19th 2006 |
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"Twice
lucky " |
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There is a very different mood
to the reserve today, sunshine and showers make it sunny and bright
one minute and dull and tempetuous the next. At all times the wind blows
sharply off the hill creating waves for the braver ducks on the water.
My first impression is that there will be very little to see but oh
yeah of little faith as no sooner was the thought out then I saw a kingfisher
flying low over the water towards me. Fumbling for my camera I discover
that it is not switched on and so I am not ready to even attempt a shot
of this darting jewel. More than likely I would not have captured him
anyway but I guess now we will never know. For that I deserved a slap
on the wrist for, not being ready is as bad in my book as turning off
the camera too early as you return to your car. Anyway tracking the
kingfisher it flew towards the main lake, through some trees and disappeared.
For the rest of my visit I wasnt to see it again but that is not surprising
as there are far too many places he could hid on a windy day like today.
Not to worry though as the thought of a resident kingfisher through
the winter months is exciting indeed and hopefully one day soon I shall
catch up with him. |
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Scanning the water there is
very little brave enough to face the waves out in the middle. In the
sheltered areas there are a few coot, Moorhen and Mallards as well as
the lone Tufted duck that I think was present on Sunday. Fast moving
clouds means changing light and water colours and that can produce some
very different results to photographs. |
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A scan of the smaller pond produces a pair of adult Great crested grebes asleep up close to the bank and a juvenile heron. I think this is the same bird I photographed on Sunday as he is stood fishing in the same cornor I saw him before. Walking down towards the end of the lake you cannot but help noticing all the berries on the hedgerows. This year seems to be a bumper year for berries which should keep the birds fed through the winter months. |
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Walking across
the meadow a carrion crow flies across and lands in a tree. The light
is good and craving a very different bird to photograph I decide to
risk getting my feet wet to get a bit closer. Crows are very wary birds
and he kept a very close eye on me. Inching forward slowly I hoped that
he would let me get nearer. Sadly though he was having none of it and
quickly flew away so I never got the shots I really wanted. |
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Down at the bottom
end I look for the juvenile Great crested grebe but he is not there..
At this end it is very exposed and the waves were lashing against the
stone edge so I guess fishing here would have been difficult. All the
usual mallards and geese are here including a few coots and black headed
gulls and so I decide to sit with them for a while. Coots are one of
my favourite birds and I love to watch them feeding. The bird above
kept opening his mouth in some kind of reflex action. There is a strange
blurring on this photo that I cannot explain but I love the colours
so thought I would include it here. |
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My second lucky sighting of the day was of a sparrowhawk. I was lucky to be already watching the sky when the bird emerged from the woods on the other side of the lake. The wind by now was blowing so hard that the bird was having trouble flying and was blown right across the water towards where I was standing. Two quick grab shots and I had my first decent shots of, for me, photographically a most elusive bird. |
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Heading back round
I kept my eyes and ears open for the kingfisher but he wasnt around
and so with a shower developing I headed for home. |
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