Psilos
Bird Journal |
Saturday August
2nd 2008 |
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"Last
birds standing" |
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Went to the lodge today fully
expecting all the Common terns to have left. I was therefore delighted
when I found that one pair still remained. Their delight in my presence
however was not so apparent. They have one chick that is about two
weeks old judging from its size and they were not happy to see me. |
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I have to say though that they
were certainly getting keener. Their dive bombing is getting lower
and the accuracy at hitting me with their dropping has never been
better. As usual it was a lovely sunny day when I left the house.
As I arrived the heavens opened and I had to hide under a tree whilst
watching the terns dive for fish. Flight shots today were too difficult
as I had to wildly over expose for the darker sky and all too soon
the light was no good at all. |
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The rest of the
lake is relatively quiet. For once I took a walk all the way round.
There were quite a few warblers making the alarm call. Eventually found
one and narrowed it down to either Chiffchaff or Willow warbler. Both
look very similar and you need them to call to get a positive identification.
Just in that moment a Chiff chaff started to call. Ahhh I thought good
its a Chiff chaff. In the very next instant over my other shoulder a
Willow warbler started to call. Typical. Some mysteries are just not
made to be solved! |
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| There are plenty
of Mallards around today and like all birds at this time of year they
are going through the moult. The photo above shows a male half way through.
Most of the Mallards at the moment all look like females but many are
male in full eclipse plumage. During this time they are flightless.
It takes about four weeks for the feathers to grow back completely.
The photo below shows part of the feathers in this birds wing growing
back in. |
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