Tuesday 24 September 2013

Frampton marsh highlights





Les and I had a long week end in Lincolnshire, with all the best pictures being obtained at Frampton.
One morning I arrived early to find it shrouded in mist but I could hear the huge flock of up to 5,000 black tailed godwits calling, (see picture above of part of the flock in flight when the fog cleared).
While I waited for the sun to break through I watched a group of mallards walking across the grass eating the spiders from the centres of the dew laden webs, also two pairs of mute swans were in a loose group and both cobs decided to make show of who was boss, they slowly approached each other in typical agression pose, they stood really close to each other and bent their necks down so that their heads were facing downwards, they both stood their ground and then seemingly with their honour intact quietly ambled back to their pens.
the top picture is of a little stint, two is a black tailed godwit, four is a very obliging goldfinch and five is a distant pectoral sandpiper, a visitor from America.

Saturday 7 September 2013

House martins



Some more images from Welney, the pictures are interesting in that the different light on the plumages look like different hues of black.

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Barn swallow juvenile

Les and I spent a very pleasant day at Welney including a trip out with the livestock ranger to the parts of the reserve that are normally off limits to the public. There were large numbers of hirundines around the centre and this was one that allowed us to get quite close without disturbing it.