Dapper Duck Special

February 21, 2014 by Words | 5 Comments

It was almost a beutiful day today. There was lots of sunshine, marred only by a few sharp showers that passed over quickly (though I did manage to get caught in one at lunchtime). The morning though was dry, and bright.

Down at Falmer Pond, the greylags were honking, and I watched pair come in to land on the water.

Greylag geese
Note the rather dapper duck in the background. He’s the Muscovy drake, and a fine looking duck if ever there was one. He’s taken a fancy to the park bench and commandeers it most mornings.

Muscovy duck on bench

Meanwhile the female Muscovy prefers the leafy fringes around the church. Here she is on the wall by the entrance.

Muscovy duck on wall

She then headed towards the ivy and eventually disappeared through the hedge into a neighbouring garden.

Muscovy duck on wall

One more of the drake. A face like this simply demands a portrait.

Muscovy duck portrait

That’s what I call a dapper duck!

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

Posted in water birds Tagged |

Great Spotted Woodpecker plus Some Fox Portraits

February 20, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

It was misty this morning, turning to rain which stayed with us until after lunch. That didn’t stop this great spotted woodpecker popping out for some early morning hammering.

Great spotted woodpecker

Great spotted woodpecker

Great spotted woodpecker

There wasn’t much else of note around. The rats were sheltering out of sight, and the geese and ducks were sitting out the drizzle. It was worse at lunchtime (real rainfall kept me inside), so the rest of the post is taken up with a few portraits of Pretty from this evening. It’s been a while since I’ve posted a series of fox photos, but she’s been a constant visitor throughout.

She seems to spend quite a bit of time sleeping or sheltering in that corner at the back of the garden.
fox in garden

This is at the front of the garden.
fox in garden

Licking her lips!
Fox licking lips

But it’s such a hard life… yawn!
Fox yawning

Camera note: woodpecker photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. Fox photographed with the EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens.

Posted in Birds, Foxes Tagged , |

Blackbird, Yellowhammer (and video fox)

February 19, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

More grey skies and poor light, but the birds are becoming active despite the poor weather and none more so than the local blackbirds. This female was the highlight of an admittedly poor morning at the pond. But she was worth a couple of photos.

Female blackbird

Female blackbird

At lunchtime I went back through the woods. No buzzard today (but I am hopeful of more sightings). I did, however, photograph one of the recent storm casualties. There are several tree in this condition, and a large number of broken boughs.

Fallen tree in Westlain Plantation,

The woods lead out into local farmland, and (suitably booted) I ventured out across the fields. I could see pigeons in the distance, and crows and a good-sized and highly mobile flock of yellowhammers. With more time I might have managed something slightly better than this.

Yellowhammer

Yesterday I mentioned that I’d set the trail camera to video. Here’s the first clip of the year. Pretty is out with another (male) fox. It’s raining (when isn’t it at the moment?).

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

Posted in Birds, Foxes, Landscape Tagged , , , |