I'll start with what is undoubtedly the pick of today's shots, if only for the general messiness of it. I've seen green woodpeckers in trees, on grass, in flight, but never enjoying a mud bath!
Of course it may have been digging for insects, I can’t be sure about that. Swallows on the other hand have only one thing on their mind when they swoop low over water like this. They are always feeding.
Talking of food, the young lesser black-backed gulls were the recipients of a mini feast today.
The herring gull chicks are quite a bit bigger than those three, and getting nearer to putting their wings to use. This is one of several scattered around the various roof tops at work.
The young foxes are also doing well. This is Red, closely tailed by Pretty, earlier this evening.
And here's Pretty, living up to her name.
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
derWandersmann
6 Jul 2013A nice bunch, Words …
Did you observe the woodpecker for long? Both these shots have his head pointed up, which doesn't look like he's looking for insects in the mud; it looks more like he was trying to keep his head out of the mud. Maybe he was trying to ease the itch of parasites.
Fantastic how you've caught the reflection of that wing!
SittingFox
6 Jul 2013That's a very unusual shot of a woodpecker!
I like the shot of the two cubs stalking through the grass.
Words
7 Jul 2013dW, I watched him for two or three minutes (from a distance). He was diving down into the mud as well. Your comment about parasites might be on the nail, a bit like blackbirds taking dust baths.
Words
7 Jul 2013Adele, it took me a moment to realize what I was seeing with the woodpecker.
Those two cubs (Red and Pretty) seem to hang around together a good deal of the time. Sweet to watch them when they don't know that I'm out there.
gdare
10 Jul 2013Excellent shot of swallow :yes:
Originally posted by derWandersmann:
I was thinking about that, too.