A Bit of a Mixed Bag

No great theme or outstanding moment today, just a selection of photos from the garden and the fields. I'll start with this shot of a crow. It's one of the garden crows, captured just after taking off from our roof.

Next is a peacock butterfly, seen flitting around along the edge of some hedgerow.

The two smaller birds of the day were the wheatears and whitethroats. The wheatears were picking their way across open meadow in small flocks. They're relatively bold birds which means that a slow approach sometimes works, but not always. This is one of the closer shots I managed (it's also cropped).

I think the whitethroat had a nest nearby, and from the noise coming from the centre of some dense bushes I think there must have been some hungry mouths to feed. I managed this shot while it was scouting the area. He'd perch there for a few moments, and dart to a neighbouring tree, and then circle back to the nest site. Repeatedly.

Back in the garden at the end of the day I took a few shots of the newts. They're active and dominant in the pond (no sign of the frogs and I think the tadpoles must be hiding near the bottom (under the leaf matter).

Finally, a fox. A brief visit tonight. He just walked through the garden, clearly with a purpose (though that's his to know and he gave no clues).

I'll try to see the moorhen chicks tomorrow, so hopefully more shots of them tomorrow night.
Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D. The wheatear, whitethroat and butterfly were taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. The crow was taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens. The newt and fox were taken with the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens. Phew!

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This Post Has 10 Comments

  2. cakkleberrylane

    19 Apr 2011

    It's nice to have such a great variety in a day! Very ddramatic shot of the crow.

  3. Words

    19 Apr 2011

    Lois, thanks. Some days are like that. Plenty to see, but little order to it.

  4. Words

    19 Apr 2011

    Erwin, thanks!

  5. Words

    19 Apr 2011

    Steffi, congratulations on your fox sighting. On railway tracks as well. Perfect!

  6. gdare

    19 Apr 2011

    Fox was after hedgehog, definitely 😛

  7. Words

    19 Apr 2011

    Darko, but the hedgehog was hiding 😉

  8. SittingFox

    19 Apr 2011

    Foxes can be so inscrutable at times :ninja: Great to see the whitethroat and wheatear! :up:

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    26 Apr 2011

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  10. Wulpen

    19 Oct 2012

    Very beautiful photos

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