Morning Activity at Rye Meads

A small group from CCC visited Rye Meads RSPB reserve yesterday. We spent the morning in the Kingfisher Hide and had several views of its namesake but always at a distance and often in the bushes. Twice the male brought in fish, gave to the female and then mated. This has been happening for a couple of weeks so hopefully eggs will be laid soon. Chiffchaffs (also Blackcap, Cetti's Warbler and Sedge Warbler) were singing, Kestrel's were busy exchanging food and guarding the nest box while the Coots and Moorhens dragged much too long sticks and reeds to their nests. Even a few butterflies on the wing (Peacock, Tortoiseshell, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Small White).

Afternoon photos to follow when we got closer to things!

Points of View at Saffron Walden

Last Saturday Cambridge Camera club invaded Saffron Walden for their Annual Ccompetition where we have to take 5 subjects in a set location during a Saturday afternoon. This year the topics were Traders, the Big View, Maze (SF has three!!), Monochrome and Old. These are my spare set - difficult choices always - I will put up my chosen five after the judging on the 27th April.

Lackford Lakes Suffolk

Spring is in full swing at Lackford Lakes with Chiff chaff, Cuckoo and Swallows already arrived and the many breeding birds, including Wren, Nuthatch,Black-headed gull, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Shelduck, Canada Goose, and Little Egret all holding territories and mating.

ps. In Toft, we had the first Swallows on the 6th april and have had up to 8 Buzzards circling overhead and today a Red Kite

Huntingdon Races on Easter monday

After a lovely sunny morning, the afternoon at Huntingdon Races was cloudy and very chilly but we managed to stay for most of the action. Mainly at 1600th with 100-400mm lens so f5.6 and iso800-1000 so quite a lot of noise from the 7D.

Pasque Flowers Out for Easter

 A perfect way to spend Easter Sunday lying on a hillside covered in Pasque flowers. A pretty good display though some have got a bit battered by recent winds. There are still plenty more to come into bloom but I don't think the display will be quite as good as 2013 when they were nearly a month later and there were estimated to be 10,000 flowers on the hill - see blog entry

Greenhouses at Audley End

The greenhouses at Audley End provided ample opportunities for photography on a drizzly afternoon yesterday. The vines are coming into leaf and guttating - producing small droplets which gave great reflections. All the various indoor fruit trees are in blossom and attracting bees through vents and lots of ants for pollination.