Birds at the Aquarium

 The images I have for today are some really nice shots of wading birds. Living on UK's west coast with expansive beaches and mudflats I am lucky to see many different species of wading birds throughout the year, many migratory species that travel great distances and in large numbers to feed on the nutrient rich coastline, and to breed the next generation. When I see the big flocks of birds out on the shore I am conscious of the perils that they face and it is concerning to see that their numbers are in decline. It is important to preserve these wonderful birds because each individual plays an important role in the ecology of our coastline.

It was good to see that at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California space is given over to protecting birds and educating the visitors about their life cycle and the roles they play. So below I have a few pictures of some different species, that are related to but also quite different to the species we have here in the UK.

The first bird is a Red Necked Phalarope (pics 1-3) this is a red listed species meaning it is in greatest need of conservation.

The female is somewhat unusually much more vibrantly coloured than the male and it is the female which competes for a mate and nesting sites, while the male (pic 3) is responsible for incubating the eggs and rearing of the chicks.

The next bird (pics 4, 8&9) is a Snowy Plover. It is very like and closely related to the Kentish Plover which occupies our shores but this variety is native to the Americas. I was able to get very close to this individual and it seemed to follow me as I was walking through the aviary.

Next (pic 5) is a Red Knot. I am used to seeing big flocks of Knot close to where I live and at certain times of the year on spring tides they perform wonderful aerial displays as they move closer to the shore with the incoming tide. It is a fabulous spectacle which has large numbers of twitchers down on the promenade watching on in awe. The red knot breeds in the arctic tundra and then migrates up to 15000km to its winter feeding grounds around the globe.

Pic 6&7 shows  what I think is a Pectoral Sandpiper (I may be wrong) it is similar to a dunlin, although slightly larger and takes its name from the brown breastband. They do visit the UK from America and small numbers breed in the UK too.

The final image almost looks like a taxidermists model but I can assure you it was a healthy living  American Avocet. It is easily recognisable as an avocet with its long legs and long upturned bill. It is different to the avocet we might be more accustomed to seeing in the UK and which is featured in the RSPB's logo, which is predominantly black and white.

The first time I ever saw an avocet was when I was in primary school in Kent, probably aged around 10 years old. One landed in the school field and stayed around for most of the afternoon. I remember that I didn't really pay much attention to my lesson that afternoon and when asked what I kept looking at I excitedly said it was an avocet.  My teacher said that I wasn't to be ridiculous as there was no such thing and when I tried to insist that I was right she told me to stop arguing and to concentrate on the lesson.

As I got older I developed a somewhat rebellious streak in school and I lost some respect for the teachers. Now as I think about that moment I wonder if that was where the seed of rebellion was planted. Happily I knuckled down when it really counted and have done OK for myself but I hold onto the view that it is important to question things and not simply accept everything we are told. I remember the same teacher telling me that "lest" is not a word, despite it having been used in the library book I was reading at the time, I was so cross, perhaps I still am... 

All the birds in the pictures below are declining in numbers although not all in as precarious a position as the Red Necked Phalarope; they are at risk due to loss of habitat due to climate change, rising sea levels and human interference. We all need to do what we can to reduce the risks and even simple small changes can have an impact. We have a beautiful world, it is a gift and a treasure that we should want to preserve so let's all do our part.

Wading Birds

 Today I had my first proper outing of the year. The sun was out, the temperature was in double digits and the top came down on the car as i headed off to Dunham Massey where there is a fabulous garden and deer park, maintained by the National Trust. It is 2 years since my last visit so it was nice to get back. I was able to photograph some spring flowers, some water fowl and of course some of the deer that live wild in the park.

I was really pleased when I got home to upload the pictures and start to work on them when I realised I also had a few pictures from last week when I had been for a walk along the waterfront near my home.

So before I get into the pictures from Dunham Massey here are a few shots of some of the waders that grace our shores.

The first two pictures show a couple of Black Tailed Godwit. I am not very good at recognising some of our waders because from a distance I find it difficult to differentiate, however these I was quite confident in my identification.

Pictures in most  of my guide books show these birds in their breeding plumage which is a bit richer than these two however it can be differentiated from the bar tailed godwit because it is larger in size, has longer legs and has a long, slightly upturned bill which is black at the end.

The bird in the other pictures is a Common Redshank, easily distinguishable by its bright red legs (hence the name) and its straight red bill, although in these images its bill is covered in mud as it has been searching for worms, molluscs and crustaceans. These are quite nervous birds generally so it was nice that this one did not fly away.

Waders On The Shore

 

One of the things I like about living where I do is the fact that I am so close to the sea and the abundance of wildlife that comes with that.

A walk along the shore line reveals a myriad of shells; cockles, mussels, razor clams, whelks, winkles and more. There are egg casings known as "mermaids purse" from skates, rays and dog fish, other egg cases and sometimes starfish or jelly fish left behind by the receding tide. Further out in the rock pools around Hilbre Island there is all manner of life including small fish, crabs, anemones, shrimp etc and beyond that on the sand bank out in the estuary there is a large colony of Grey Seals. All this diversity of wildlife is amazing but much of it goes unnoticed unless you are looking for it.

What cannot be so easily overlooked however is the vast array of waders and shore birds that live here or visit as migratory species. The rich food stocks draw in thousands of birds and as the tides come and go the shoreline is visited by Sandpipers, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Knot, Plovers, Wagtails and Buntings and many more. Along the creeks you will often see Egrets and Herons too.

Even though I live so close I don't get to spend as much time enjoying and exploring as I would like and if nothing else in the year ahead I think I will try to make more time to explore what is almost literally on my doorstep. 

I look at posts on social media from friends in different parts of the world and often think that I would be spoilt for opportunities to see wonderful things if I lived in any of those places but I have so much close to home I need to make more time to see that. It doesn't stop me wanting to travel and explore further afield of course but I will try to look more closely at what is nearby.

So for today's offering I have chosen a few shots taken on a resent walk on the beach. I followed the tide out about half a mile to a spot where I could see a large flock of birds gathering. They appeared to be arriving in waves and then settling where they found a raised bank of sand. As I got closer the sound was incredible as thousands of birds were chattering to each other. Some were feeding, like the Sanderling in the first shot which was moving so fast through the shallow water, but others were settled with their heads tucked under their wings perhaps sleeping or just sheltering from the icy wind coming off the Irish Sea. In the second image you can see Sanderlings in the foreground while the out of focus background is comprised of a large flock of Common Sandpipers.

It is hard to describe how vast the flock was but every now and then a large group would lift off and then find a different spot to settle, as they took to the air there was a fantastic sound of thousands of wings beating in unison. It was quite an experience to be faced with a wall of wings and feathers. 

Beautiful Plumage

Lapwings are one of my favourite wading birds. I think they have such beautiful plumage and the feathery plume on their heads is really elegant. I used to see huge flocks of them when I lived in the Lincolnshire Fens and it was wonderful to watch them swoop and dive in formation.

I think you will agree, this is a really handsome specimen and it was fun to watch it feeding along the shore, picking its way between the ducks and other waders. I like the first image with the bird looking out across the lake, you get a really clear view of its plume which reminds me a bit of the hoods that you would use for a falcon or hawk.

Wonderful Waders

I still have a few shots from Liverpool's waterfront to share but for today I wanted to post some pictures from my last shoot of 2018 at the WWT reserve at Martin Mere.

Winter is a great time to see a host of migrant species at the reserve and a chance for me to practice more wildlife photography. 

The two wading birds featured today are both in their winter plumage. Firstly there is the Bar-Tailed Godwit that has left its breeding grounds in the Arctic Tundra to spend the winter here on the food rich lakes at Martin Mere.

The second bird is a Ruff, I wasn't able to get many shots of this one as it seemed somewhat camera shy and when a flock of Lapwings was spooked nearby it also flew off and didn't return. The Ruff earns its name from its stunning summer/breeding plumage when the males grow a collar and crown of curly feathers. This one I think is a female.

Even in winter plumage I think both birds are quite beautiful.

UnRuffled

It was a really windy day but even this wind blown Ruff was unruffled. It remains poised and elegant as it patrols the waters edge looking for the next tasty snack.

So Good They Named it Thrice

When I was in my teens I lived in the Lincolnshire Fens and I would see vast flocks of these birds and I always loved to watch them whirling and swooping across the fields and salt marsh.

They are such attractive birds. When you see them flying they look like they're mainly black and white but up close you can see their beautiful green backs, their masked face and shiny black bibs and wings.

You can tell that it was a windy day by looking at the wispy feathers on the head blowing upwards.

So why do I say the bird was named thrice? well if you include the Latin (Vanellus vanellus) it actually has four names. Its commonly known as a Lapwing but it is also called the Green Plover (it is after all Europe's largest plover) it is also called a Pee-wit after its distinctive call.

One, Two, Three!

I thought I knew what these wading birds snapped recently at RSPB Burton Mere were but I have forgotten and feel slightly foolish. Even so they're rather nice.

Old Yellow Legs

I am stepping back in time a little bit for today's blog. I have mostly been posting landscapes (though not exclusively) over the past two weeks and so I thought I would go back to some wildlife shots.

I have shared a similar shot of this Lesser Yellow Legs previously but its such a lovely little wader that I wanted to post another. It was nice still evening and the light was perfect. I love the way the light reflected off the water makes the birds white breast glow.

Ringed Plover

Keeping the wildlife theme going for a second day I have chosen this lovely shot of a Ringed Plover which I spotted on our first evening in Thunder Bay. We had gone up to a spot called Boulevard Lake, a pleasant recreation area on the outskirts of the city. It was a lovely calm evening and there were several people out, walking their dogs, playing disc golf or just out for an evening stroll. I nearly left my camera behind but seeing that the evening light was so good I figured there might be some good photo opportunities and I wasn't disappointed. I managed to get some good shots of some wading birds and a beautiful Blue Heron so keep coming back for more...

March into the sea

So today I got a new lens.  A Tamron 150 - 600mm zoom so in future I am going to be experimenting with it taking wildlife shots and hopefully some action shots too.

It is quite a hefty piece of kit but even hand held in low light as these pictures show it is possible to get sharp images.

The first picture is of a Redshank and the next two are of a Curlew.  For a first attempt I'm happy with these but I will be getting some more practice soon.

The title of the blog was inspired by the Curlew wading through the shallows but is a reference to a song by Modest Mouse have a listen.

#zoom lens #wading birds #Redshank #Curlew #bird in flight