Yesterday (2nd February) I spotted my 1st chicks of 2025. I saw 2 Little Grebe chicks. They have survived from the nest I spotted a few weeks ago on the icy pond on 12th January.
First Chicks.
nature spots
Big Bucks.
A few big Fallow bucks gave me the eye. They seemed to be without any obvious care in the world. Then they wandered off deep into the forest. It is always a treat to see these animals at close quarters and have eye contact with them.
Firecrest.
This tiny bird vies with the Goldcrest for the title of the UK’s smallest bird. The Firecrest has a brighter green back, a white belly, and a bronze ‘collar.’ It also features a black and white eye stripe. They have a yellow and black stripe on their heads. They move quickly through trees and bushes in search of small insects.
- Weight5-7g
- Wingspan-13-16cm
Another dull day until.
It was another dull day with overcast skies until we spotted the Spoonbills!
Spoonbills arrived back at Titchfield Haven on Monday according to the wardens. This morning we saw 5 birds in the reserve. Several of these birds have been spotted down the coast towards the New Forest at Keyhaven Marshes.
First light
A relatively early start this morning to try to photograph some foxes. Low light so slow shutter. Shutter speeds [sub 30th sec] but I was happy with the picture once a fox was stationary!
Male Tuffed Ducks.
The male Tufted Duck is black-and-white. {The female buff-brown}.
Here in the UK, there is a small breeding population of around 18,000 pairs. During the winter months, numbers increase to over 100,000 birds from as far away as central Russia.
Early Starters!
Yesterday (12th January).
Large parts of our local lake were frozen. I was surprised to see a pair of Great Crested Grebes building a nest. Further on I was even more surprised. A second pair had built a nest and one of the birds was sitting on it.
Greenshank.
The Common Greenshank is a medium-sized slim wader with a dark grey back and white underparts. It has green legs and a slightly upturned bill. At this time of year, I regularly see a small number of these birds.
Large Wader Small Goose.
The Curlew is the largest European wading bird, found on estuaries in winter and moors in summer. Look for its down-curved bill,
The Brent Goose is a small, dark goose – of similar size to a Mallard Duck.
Fox.
This morning, I was spotted by this fox, and he was as interested in me as I was in him.
Continued Reflections from my World. 