A Return to Summer (and a bit of a bird fest)

I don't know where the sudden burst of warm weather came from, but today was glorious! It started with a typical early autumn mist, with glimpses of sun breaking through. This was the scene at just after 8.00 this morning.
Sheepcote Valley

If you look closely you can see a couple of goldfinches on the teasel in the foreground. They're easier to see when a group takes to the wing on a short flight between feeding points.

Or fly straight at you…

Or even stand still in air!

A robin was singing-in the morning…

And a thrush was joining in…

By the afternoon the sun had gained some strength, the breeze had dropped, and the sea at Rottingdean was lake-calm.

The sandwich terns were busy feeding. Here an adult delivers a fish to a youngster.

A ringed plover looks out to sea…

And later, the plovers were finding rich pickings among the pebbles…

Even the wheatears came down to the coast for the day.

Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

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This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. RobinL

    22 Sep 2010

    A most productive day! We had a nice late summer day as well.

  2. gdare

    22 Sep 2010

    A lot of birds around but those last two photos of goldfinches are the winners of a day :yes:

  3. Words

    22 Sep 2010

    Robin, I doubt the weather will last, but it's been nice!

  4. Words

    22 Sep 2010

    Erwin, thanks! It made a very nice change 🙂

  5. Words

    22 Sep 2010

    Darko thanks! It was a very difficult pick but as I'd not sorted out some previous goldfinch photos I thought I'd give them pride of place.

  6. SittingFox

    24 Sep 2010

    One wonders what waterbirds did before buoys (or prairie birds before fenceposts, for that matter).

    Great shots!

  7. Words

    25 Sep 2010

    Adele, the wonders of adaptive living. There's almost nothing that is truly natural any more, but then I doubt the environment was ever really stable/unchanging. It's just a different form of change.

  8. Cynthia23

    25 Sep 2010

    Each photo is really nice today, so calm. Well, except for "I'll Fly Right at You" which is just awesome, as is "Stand Still In Air"! The photo of the valley is beautiful. 🙂

  9. Words

    25 Sep 2010

    Cynthia, thanks! The goldfinches are such pretty birds and so active as they feed. A joy to watch.

  10. Ukwildlife

    3 Oct 2010

    Nice pics, especially the wheatear

  11. Words

    4 Oct 2010

    Gosh, this is taking me back to summer. I can barely remember it 😉

  12. Wulpen

    19 Oct 2012

    You have got a beautiful day, great Pict

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