Wordless Wednesday
And then it Rained.
birdwatching
Birdwatching in the wet.
Some days when the weather is not good and rain prevails it is a real washout. Today was one of those days so I went for a short walk at a small local nature reserve not expecting to see much let alone take some photographs.
However, despite the rain, and fairly low light it was a successful nature walk.
On one of the small gravel pits were a number of Great-Crested Grebes which added a splash of welcome colour.
These grebes are well-known for their elaborate courtship dance, during which they rise out of the water and shakes their heads. During the breeding season, they have an impressive plume on their heads and orange ruff around their necks.
A number of Greylag geese were also in one of the pits. They are the largest and bulkiest of native wild geese found in the UK and Europe.
A Moorhen making a run for it back towards the water.
Coastal spring.
Down on the coast along Meon Shore and Titchfield Haven, spring is advancing. Birds are starting to pair up courtship is in the air. Soon the Brend Geese and the Sanderlings will be off to their breeding grounds. Other birds who breed on our shores will arrive Avocents have started to arrive and soon I expect to spot returning Common Terns.
Canada Geese are no native birds, having been introduced from North America some 300 years ago. After the Second World War, they spread across the UK. They are now found in large numbers. These birds do not migrate from the UK and in some areas are now considered a pest.
Cormorant and Little Greebe fishing.
Some regular birds on at the Haven.
Lapwing.
Godwit
Redshank.
The death of a King.
In a quiet New Forest location is a monument to an incident where King William the second was killed while hunting in the Royal Hunting Forest (New Forest) in 1100. The monument inscription tells the story on its 3 sides.
Here stood the oak tree, on which an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tyrrell at a stag, glanced and struck King William the Second, surnamed Rufus, on the breast, of which he instantly died, on the second day of August, anno 1100.
King William the Second, surnamed Rufus being slain, as before related, was laid in a cart, belonging to one Purkis, and drawn from hence, to Winchester, and buried in the Cathedral Church of that city.
That the spot where an event so memorable might not hereafter be forgotten, the enclosed stone was set up by John Lord Delaware who had seen the tree growing in this place. This stone having been much mutilated, and the inscriptions on each of its three sides defaced. This more durable memorial with the original inscriptions was erected in the year 1841, by WM Sturges Bourne, Warden.
Male Stonechat.
Raptors.
Raptors on film, a short film of recent local raptor encounters. Buzzards – Kestrel – Marsh Harrier.
Buzzard from trail camera others from standard digital camera. All wild birds.
Kestrel.
Moorhen.
#Wordless Wednesday
Ending the week in the New Forest.
Another end of a week with many visits to our local National park The New Forest. It has been a good week for deer watching which makes more pictures for today’s post. {so look away if you have had enough of my deer pictures!}
Today it was back to Fallow Deer a small herd of Bucks {although they are so magnificent I feel Stags would be a better name for this breed’s males}.
Fallow Bucks.
I also spotted a Fieldfare. They are a large, and colourful thrush this was the first time I was able to capture one in a picture.
Redwing
#Wordless Wednesday
Update on local Paraketts.
Another return to one of Southampton’s parks to look for Ring-necked Paraketts. A least 2 pairs of Paraketts were checking out nest holes and one pair was mating.
Continued Reflections from my World. 