Lackford Lakes Part 1

The weather stayed fairly chilly and overcast all day at Lackford Lakes despite the promise of sunshine so a bit challenging for birds in the woodland areas but this Wren put on a great display, singing its heart out trying to compete with an equally vocal Blackcap. The Marsh Harriers, Heron, Egrets and Shelducks put on good displays so the morning passed very quickly!!

Toft Birds - Some Migrants Have Arrived

Chiffchaffs (images 1,3) and Willow Warblers (2,4) were singing their heads off this morning. I do hope that they both have partners and may be joined by other pairs. There was a Blackcap singing in the Allotments but no Whitethroats (hopefully still to arrive). Only a single Swallow hunting over the field and so far only one Skylark. There are no Yellowhammers or Reed Buntings but since the banks of the Brook have been cleared there isn't a habitat for them.

 Looking back at my bird sightings book for 1967 when I moved to Toft - so many birds are no longer seen/heard on my walks - Corn Bunting, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Lesser Whitethroat, House Martin, Swifts, Linnets, Spotted Flycatcher, Snipe, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker etc We have gained the Red Kite!!

Bee Flies, Bees and Birds in Toft

A miscellany from the last couple of days in Toft - bee flies taken at 1/800th and1/6400th second and still not quite stopping wing movement; three Andrena species of mining bees (A,nitida, A. heamorrhoa and A. cineraria); three migrant species (Chiffchaff, blackcap,Willow warbler) and a Dunnock.

 

Woodland Birds

 A selection of the birds feeding and singing in the car park. It rained on and off while taking these and the light was poor so 6,400 ISO for many with noise reduction applied. Although I have photographed Chaffinches before, I have never noticed the black feather frill above the beak.The Blackcap was very vocal. Apparently males will sing even when incubating - this one shows his brood patch.

Sunset Walk Around Local Pond

 A Blackcap enjoyed the last light of the day and, while a female Moorhen protected her offspring, the male delivered various morsels to her. They are nesting in Bog bean (Menyanthese trifoliata) a good native plant that forms floating mats providing nesting sites for birds and egg laying sites for dragonflies.