Water Birds at Summer Leys

Some of the birds that we photographed at Summer Leys yesterday afternoon when the weather improved to give occasional sunny intervals but still with rain showers.

Heron and Dabchick at Lackford Lakes

A much-reduced party from CCC and the RPS Nature Group visited Lackford Lakes and enjoyed photographing Heron and Dabchicks in the pouring rain from a dry but drafty hide. I tried some slow shutterspeeds on the rain and was surprised to be able to handhold at 1/60th second (subsequent frames 1/250th, 1/1000th, 1/1000th and 1/2000th). A pair of Dabchicks kept us amused for a lot of the morning.

 

Paxton Pits Birds

I was to have run a macrophotography  workshop at Paxton today but it would have been too hot out on the open areas so made an early morning visit just to see what birds are around. Very large numbers of Cormorants many in moult and just sitting around. Fewer Herons thanI expected but varied Waders - Lapwings, Green Sandpipers, Snipe etc and of course Ducks - in eclipse and difficult to distinguish. Kingfishers heard and seen briefly.

New Year's Day Wildlife Walk

I had volunteered to help with Paxton Pit's Wildlife Walk yesterday but, as the organiser said he had enough other helpers, I decided to do my task of recording what plants are in bloom on New Year's Day or just after. The answer was not much - 2 grasses plus Groundsel, Germander Speedwell and White Deadnettle. Bird life was abundant with all the expected duck species plus Goosander (Merganser merganser), Red-Breasted Mergansers (flew off before photograph!)  and Red Crested Pochard  - all a bit distant for my lens.

Stars of RSPB Blacktoft Sands

The RPS Nature Group outing to Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve near Goole produced some great close views of commoner waders (including Blacktailed Godwit),ducks etc plus one star species, White-winged Lapwing (last image - an accidental from Iran), at a distance. It was very cold and icy there and 4 of the 6 hides produced no birds at all but was compensated by these great views (all quickly converted from Raw files - will process fully when home and replace)