Sunrise in the Nene Valley

I was out early on Sunday to witness the sunrise through the mists in the Nene Valley - a magical experience shared with a Great Crested Grebe pair, Geese, Swans and a Grey Heron. The landscape panorama (23mm lens) and the telephoto closeup (400mm) were taken at the same time and show different aspects of the lighting.

Summer Leys - Great Crested Grbes

One of the targets for our RPS trip to the Nene valley reserves was to photograph Great Crested Grebes, hopefully displaying but also to admire their wonderful breeding plumage. These are from Summer Leys reserve and from another site along the River Nene where a pair were already busy nest building.

 

Lakenheath birds I

Great to visit Lakenheath yesterday on a chilly but mostly sunny day and to meet up with John and Christine. We were greeted in the car park by the sound of bugling Cranes and had two different sightings of pairs of Cranes. The Coots were definitely paired with no squabbling but the very pristine Great Crested Grebe did not appear to have a mate. More passerines to follow.

Holkham Birds

Sighting of a Great White Egret led some of the party to explore a side creek of the lake at Holkham where we discovered a whole community of water birds hunting for food in the reeds or just resting in the sun. A bit distant for my lens but the photos give an idea of the diversity there.

 

RPS Nature Group Meeting at Rutland Water

Unfortunately the promised warmer and brighter weather failed to materialise so another outing in cold, breezy and, at times. wet conditions. The birds were keeping low in the vegetation searching for sheltering insects etc but I did manage satisfactory photographs of a couple of Reed Warblers and Green Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, Common Tern and Great Crested Grebe. Very few insects visible but here an Orange Tip and a Colletes bee species with the X100v plus macro attachment and the 100-400mm lens for comparison. Many thanks to Peter Ward for organising the trip.

All Aboard for a Short Time

The young Grebes are now too large to comfortably fit on the adult's back for long, tumbling off when it moves at speed or being thrown off when the adult shakes their wings. The young still stay close to the adult for food and protection.