It was This Big

 It is just over 11 years since I started posting photos on this blog and although I don't post nearly as often as I used to it still generates a fair bit of traffic from all around the world, which is quite reassuring. For example even though I didn't post at all since mid August I had over 41,500 views last month and over 1,000  per day this month too. In the grand scheme of things I don't really know how that compares to others but it is nice to know that what I am posting gets seen somewhere.

Sometimes I can go out with my camera and take hundreds of photos in a very short time and then on days like today when the light was  rather flat and grey I will take much fewer. Today over three hours at Martin Mere WWT reserve in Lancashire I took just 32 photos, the best of which I will share below. Even though I wasn't snapping away I still enjoyed the time there, sitting in the hides enjoying the company of like minded people or walking along the quite pathways and I was really pleased that I had made the effort to get out.

So to the pictures... Rather than split them up over several days I am going to put them all here with a few comments.

Firstly a couple of shots of a Black Tailed Godwit. These are incredibly rare birds in the UK, a Red Listed species with less than 50 breeding pairs being recorded across the UK so to see two here at Martin Mere was a genuine treat.

Next we have this very snooty looking Greylag Goose, these are fairly common and often seem fairly tame. This one, stood on the side of the lake was definitely posturing.

When it comes to superiority this beautiful Whooper Swan really seemed to be bragging about something. These are winter visitors to the UK coming down from Iceland. It is an Amber Listed species and it is illegal to disturb these birds. It is great to watch them swanning around on the lake. Sometimes they are very serene and at other times they get in quite a flap. It was amusing watching them vying for the best spots on the lake and this one, in this series of pictures appears to be trying to convince us that it really was that big, no, Really, That Big!

It is said that when Robins appear loved ones are near and today that definitely felt like it was true, and as I thought about that saying I thought among others about my mother in law who would have been 89 tomorrow.

And finally, perhaps my favourite shots of the day, not birds at all but a series of pictures of a leaf. Yes, that's right, a leaf. Don't switch off yet I promise these are pictures worth your time.  As I was walking along a path beneath the trees on my way out I saw a random leaf apparently hovering in the air. Of course it was not hovering at all, it was suspended by a gossamer thread that from most angels was completely invisible. In the low light and with the backdrop of autumn colours I thought it was fun to capture these final few images. It wasn't until I enlarged the pictures at home that I was able to see the thread by which the leaf was hanging, but not in all the pictures. I love the lighting and the bokeh in these pictures and the way the leaf appears to be floating or in free fall and I thought it was a fun way to end this post. Enjoy...

That's all for today, come back soon, and please feel free to leave a comment or share this post.

Fledgling

 One of the nicest surprises during my recent visit to Ness Botanical Gardens was to spot this beautiful fledgling robin. I had stopped for a moment in the shade of a thatched shelter on the edge of the rock garden overlooking a pool. I could hear a rustling sound above but in the shade it was hard at first to spot what was making the noise. It was in fact two little robins that had clearly just fledged and were exploring the space above in the moss and straw of the roof. 

This little fellow had, I think, been feeding on bugs and spiders because as you can see it has some spiders web stuck to its beak.

You can get a sense of scale when you look at what it is perched on... its feet are tightly holding onto an LED light from a string of garden lights. The light fitting itself is about half the size of a typical matchstick, so not only can you see how small the bird is but also you can gauge how light it is given that it did not move the light or the cable at all.

As an adult this bird will have a striking red breast and a  beautiful song that will captivate anyone who sees and hears it. But, as a fledgling it would be easy to miss or overlook. I wonder if like the ugly duckling in the famous fairytale and song this little bird does not see its potential. 

An Old Favourite

 Despite the miserable weather I headed out to Mere Sands Woods this morning for a couple of hours. I had a lovely time although it was pretty much useless for photography as the light was so poor and with the fast shutter speed needed to get sharp images of birds the ISO was also high so almost all of the shots are not useable due to the amount of noise. It didn't help that a large part of the reserve was closed off so some of the better hides were off limits.

Nevertheless I did manage to spot a fair selection of birds; a nesting pair of Canada Geese, Grey Lag Geese, Mallards, Tufted ducks, Moorhens, Coots, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Reed Buntings, Chiffchaff, Cormorants, Shovelers, Shelduck, a female mallard with a clutch of 5 beautiful ducklings, all manner of extremely noisy gulls, a song thrush, crows, jackdaws and a Jay which was being mobbed by blackbirds.

Despite this variety as I say most of the photos are not that great, in fact I didn't really bother to take that many shots. 

I could not resist however when it came to this robin which was pretty inquisitive and although the light was poor he came close enough for me to get a few fairly decent pics. So although they are a familiar sight I think that they will always raise a smile and so they are worthy of a share here. Enjoy...

Robins Appear when Loved Ones are Near

 

Meet my new friend.

One day in December I really felt the need to get out and take a little time to myself so I headed off to Burton Mere. I wasn't really bothered about taking photos and for much of the time I just walked or stood quietly to enjoy the peace of my surroundings. 

I had spotted a small, noisy flock of Long Tailed Tits in a tree next to the path so I stopped to watch them and as I stood there this beautiful Robin flew down to the railing next to me. For the next 15 minutes he kept me company, even flying onto my outstretched hand twice, despite the fact that I had nothing to feed it. As I spoke to it it cheeped back at me and it posed nicely for photos. In that short space of time I was totally absorbed in the moment, I felt at complete peace. Even now several weeks later when I recall the experience I feel that same feeling of peace. It was such a simple thing but it has had a big impact on me and my sense of well-being.

I am so pleased with these images too, the detail and the lighting are perfect and I am so pleased to be able to share them, I hope they give a little lift to your day.

A Few Days in December

 So, I know that we are now part way through January, almost a third of the way actually so it may seem a bit late to post something with a title "A Few Days in December" but that is what these pictures and those that I  will share over the coming days represent.

I managed to get out for just a few days last month, although I have had a fair bit of time on my hands the poor weather and a lack of motivation on my part meant I didn't get out as much as I would have liked and when I sat down to review my images I actually thought that I wouldn't have very much to show for it. 

As it happens on those few days out I did get more than a few shots and perhaps more important than the images themselves I had time to unwind, to reflect and to connect with nature in a way that I really needed. Although I had my camera with me the primary purpose was just to get out and enjoy being out, without putting any pressure on myself to get the perfect shot.

Above are a few images from my first day out, a short visit to Mere Sands Woods. The weather was not great, the lighting poor and I really should have used a faster shutter speed but as I say photography was not the most pressing thing for me, I really enjoyed my walk and mostly just watching. The pictures, well they are a bonus.

I hope that you enjoy the images above of a Great Tit, a couple of Blue Tits, a hungry Nuthatch and  of course, what winter walk would be complete without a Robin?!

Some of these images were made possible because someone had left out some seed on a tree stump where I stood a while and watched the birds come down in a frenzy to feed. 

The Robin shot was captured right at the end of my walk, I think it is quite a nice image but I had an even closer and perhaps more meaningful encounter with a Robin on one of my other days out, which no doubt I will tell you about in a future post.

Little Birdies

 A little break from flowers for today (and maybe for tomorrow too) 

On May 1st I made the most of the sunny weather and visited Sizergh castle in Cumbria. The castle itself was closed to visitors but the gardens were open and I spent a few very pleasant hours there.

For a little while I sat in a quiet spot watching birds feeding, I had thought I had taken a lot more pictures of birds than I actually did so here are a few of the better ones.

First off we have a nuthatch. There were a few of them that were feeding on some seeds that had been scattered on the ground. They would fly in grab a beak full and then just as quickly fly off. This one took to perching in the tree waiting for its turn.

The Robin perched on the willow arch and then searched among the wood chippings for some tasty treats.

Everyone Loves a Robin

So here's a Robin to brighten your day...

Creeping Around

I love robins, they're so photogenic and ridiculously cute. Whenever I post pictures of robins I can see how popular they are with other people too so I never hesitate to take pictures when I get the chance. So here are two really lovely pictures which I hope you will like too.

The third picture is of a tree creeper. These little birds are quite elusive and there are many times when I search the upper branches and trunks of trees searching for one only to catch a fleeting glimpse before it disappears out of sight so when I spotted this one I couldn't miss the chance to capture the shot. Even though it is not the best shot I couldn't help but share it because it is the first picture of a tree creeper I have ever captured.

Calm Waters at White Coppice

Two pictures today connected by the fact that they were shot at White Coppice in Lancashire.  I visited recently and had a lovely walk along by the river and on the fells which had spectacular views as far as Snowdonia to the south and the Cumbrian Fells in the north.

I had heard that there was a waterfall there but in spite of recent heavy rainfall there was very little water. Even so I had a nice time especially sitting by the ruins of an old mill. The hamlet dates back to Tudor times and there are a few beautiful cottages from that period which overlook the village cricket pitch. It was such a restful spot and these two images reflect the peace I felt while I was there.

I love the light and shade in the first image and the clear reflection. The Robin in the second shot looks a bit scruffy but he's so cute. He was quite wary of me but was tempted by a small handful of seeds that I put out for him 

Fledgling

My recent posts of songbirds have proved quite popular and on Saturday I set out to capture some more wildlife shots. The forecast was for rain so my original plans had to change, I was keen to get out but didn't want to get wet so I settled upon Mere Sands Wood where I knew I would be able to shelter in one of the lake side hides.

On arrival I noticed a sign stating that a pair of kingfishers have been spotted around my favourite hide and so I went there first and set up ready with my finger excitedly on the button. Sadly I didn't spot any kingfishers, in fact from that hide there was very little to be seen so I moved onto a different hide in the hope of seeing some kingfishers or a bittern but after a rather long time with nothing much to see I set off for a walk in the woods.

It wasn't a total washout and I did manage to get a few decent shots. Today's selection was one of the last pictures I took on the day and I have to say it is one of my favourites (I may well share another view of this bird in a day or two). At first I wasn't sure what it is but it is of course a juvenile robin. It really is a beauty isn't it. 

I have learned that when robins fledge they stay on their parent's territory for a while and because the adult birds are so fiercely territorial they retain this lovely speckled brown plumage until they are old enough to fend for themselves and defend a territory of their own, otherwise they would be driven off by their parents and their chance of survival would be slim. 

Songs From The Wood

I never tire of photographing Robins. They have such great characters, they're bold, inquisitive and sometimes cheeky. I love these shots because of the lighting, the texture of the mossy log and the green and blue background from the massed bluebells on the slope behind.

I know lots of you like to see these pictures too so I will keep on snapping Robins whenever I get the opportunity.

Stage Fright

I know that Robins are really popular with a lot of people. There is something very special about them and they're definitely one of my favourite birds. I love listening to their beautiful song, whenever I hear it it makes me smile and feel really good. 

I have called today's post Stage Fright because this little chap was singing beautifully and I managed to get a few shots with its head back and beak open trilling away and then he just stopped. My son suggested that it was because he realised he was being photographed hence the title. While it works as a funny title I can exclusively reveal that he was simply pausing for breath and soon after the second shot he started singing once again. Beautiful!

Red Breast

I had intended to leave the woodland of Mere Sands Wood behind and go back in time for some pictures from a few years ago but I decided I couldn't leave it without posting one more shot of a beautiful robin.

Enjoy

Birdsong

Early this morning I visited Mere Sands Wood with the intention of photographing wildfowl and even hoped to get a glimpse of the elusive Bittern (sadly it remained elusive). Shortly after I arrived I was serenaded by this beautiful Robin. I was really pleased to capture him mid song.

Meet My New Friend

If you like robins then today you are in for a real treat...

Whilst walking up Tom Gill and around Tarn Hows I paused for a short while in the shelter of a rocky ledge to get out of the rain. As I stood there this little robin flew down and approached me.  I didn't have any food for it and so it quite happily searched for insects in the moss and leaf litter. He seemed to pose at times and let me get really close.  He even sat and watched while I changed lenses from my 24 - 105mm to my 100mm macro. With that lens I was able to position my camera just inches from him and he didn't move, he even seemed to take an interest in what I was doing. I have zoomed in for a real close crop in the fourth image so that you can see how clearly defined the feathers are down to the black whiskers either side of his beak and around his eyes.  If you look into his eyes you can see me reflected there too.