Stay at home

[Mal Grey]

I'm managing to get out everyday and am fortunate that there are a couple of small woodlands, some heathlands and a golf course, as well as a canal, within walking distance of my home. The golf course has opened its grounds for exercise too, just asking folk to respect staying off the greens .
Thank goodness I can get out of the built up area, as this is what is keeping me sane, as the other 23ish hours of the day are spent in a one bed flat...

I'd wandered some of these places before, but never really explored them as there are more extensive places a short drive away that tend to draw me away. Yet in these little corners of suburbia, thousands of things are living.



Grey Heron



Moorhen (all moorhens are called Gordon, from the song. You know; Gordon is a Moorhen. You might need to be old to get this!)



Peacock butterfly



Nuthatch



Bluetit, exploring a hole, which turns out to be already taken by.......



....the nuthatch. Who also eyes me warily.



Chiffchaff (I'm pretty sure, something was singing the right song just before)



Red kite



Pied Wagtail



Gordon's missus (moorhen)



Great tit



Mrs Mallard and her 8 mallardettes






Again, I think a chiffchaff, from the call just before.



Bluetit, nest building



Another peacock butterfly



Speckled Wood butterfly



A pair of raptors were having an aerial dogfight with this crow. I am pretty sure, from the banding on the tail, that they were sparrowhawks.



The best bit has been finding a little bit of pine woodland where a pair of kestrels seem to be living. I've been able to sit quietly on the edge and watch both female and male. They haven't seemed to be nesting (yet?) and I am being cautious not to disturb them; they know I'm there, but seem happy to carry on preening and sometimes moving trees without going further away. Other people (and dogs) are walking right beneath these trees anyway (though its on a quieter corner).



Mrs Kestrel (can't see well here but the tail colour is the giveaway; pale grey on the male, buff/body-coloured with bands on the female.)



Mrs Kestrel



Mrs Kestrel on a different day



Common Carder bee



Robby Robin



Squirrel!!



Jay, bathing in the canal. Think he's put gel on his hair!!!


I've also seen other birds, a few grass snakes, deer and a foxes' arse. Its a joy to see all these things, and the weather has been superb, making it just a little easier to stay at home.

[Alteknacker]

Fabulous!

PS am sure your raptor at the crow is a sparrowhawk.

[denfinella]

Absolutely wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing them with us!

[jmarkb]

Great shots!

You know; Gordon is a Moorhen. You might need to be old to get this!

Yes, I'm old enough.

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

fabulous photos!

I too have been trying to spot birds on my short wanders, which has been very enjoyable - but I've seen nothing on this scale. (And I have lots of photos of empty branches - so I've given up trying to take pictures of them.)

tim

[LoveWalking]

Fantastic photos I finally managed to get a decent shot of the resident blackbird in my garden today. Feeling quite pleased with myself

[Starbhy]

Wildlife on Wanders

According to Albert Schweitzer: “When a man learns to respect even the smallest being of Creation, whether animal or vegetable, nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.”

[Kinshusrst Kid]

Saw FOUR buzzards this morning on our wander. Just east of Birmingham between the M6 and M42. Have seen them there as individuals quite often, but four, my word.

[Mal Grey]

A few more


The male kestrel, eating an unfortunate frog! Watched me carefully until finished, preened for a minute, then got out of there.









Comma




Speckled Wood




Brimstone




Snail

[Mal Grey]

Some summer arrivals.

My favourites, the swifts, have arrived and are screaming through the skies around the River Wey.









Two separate pairs of hobbies have also been seen several times now. They're even harder to catch on camera than the swifts, but with a bit of patience you might get lucky. They were also feeding on the mayfly, but are known to take swifts, martins and swallows too! They catch prey in their talons then bring it to their gob, as can be seen in one shot below. Fantastic to watch them hunt.

[CharlesT]

Great shots! They catch dragonflies too, no mean feat as the latter are not very large and can fly backwards!

[jmarkb]

Those are lovely! I've never seen a hobby - they are pretty scarce up here.

[vuirich]

Great shots of the hobby. Never seen one up in Scotland. Your earlier photos are lovely as well.

[MrsOrr]

Fantastic photos, thank you.

[tweedledog]

Great pictures, thank you.