Pulborough Deer

August 5, 2016 by Words | 2 Comments

Pulborough Brooks is known primarily for the variety of bird life that can be seen there (it is an RSPB sanctuary), but there is also a small herd of melanistic fallow deer that can occasionally be seen in the distance (it’s astonishing how they can simply disappear from view in the long grasses).

Fallow deer at Pulborough Brooks

Fallow deer at Pulborough Brooks

Once again I ventured off the main walks and cut across the paths to the Arun where a couple of little egrets were out and about.

Little egret at Pulborough Brooks

Little egret at Pulborough Brooks

Little egret at Pulborough Brooks

Little egret at Pulborough Brooks

The main proper sighting was this common sandpiper (at least I think it’s a ‘common’, seen from above from one of the smaller hides.

Common sandpiper at Pulborough Brooks

Common sandpiper at Pulborough Brooks

Common sandpiper at Pulborough Brooks

Common sandpiper at Pulborough Brooks

One last shot from that visit (Thursday), a fine kestrel who was perched in the wooded ‘heathland’ area which is away from the main nature trails (but worth investigating).

Kestrel at Pulborough Brooks

Kestrel at Pulborough Brooks

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. For the deer, egrets, and sandpiper I added a 1.4 MkIII extender.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Birds, deer, Kestrel, South Downs National Park, water birds Tagged , , , , |

Proper Gull Gets Proper Fish

August 3, 2016 by Words | 2 Comments

Ok, the title is a little unfair on the herring gull featured in this post, but a goldfish is not really how one imagines the tooth and claw of nature. And the herring gull in the earlier is more than likely very acclimatized to human interaction. Unlike today’s subject, a fine great black-backed gull fishing off the shore at Rottingdean.

rottingdean shoreline

View along from Rottingdean to Brighton

The black-backed gull was out during late afternoon when the tide was out. At first I thought it was attacking a plastic bag (far too many of them litter the shoreline), but on closer inspection it was clear it had found itself a proper flatfish (dab? flounder? I’m not sure).

Great black-backed gull

Great black-backed gull and fish at Rottingdean

Great black-backed gull

Great black-backed gull

Great black-backed gull moving the fish to a better spot

Great black-backed gull

It’s a bit rubbery, as they say…

Camera note: all gull photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Landscape taken with the EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens and 10 point filter.

Posted in water birds Tagged , , |

A Grey Day at Pulborough Brooks

August 1, 2016 by Words | 4 Comments

The weather was far from perfect, but with more rain forecast it may well be the best day we’ll have this week. I headed over to the RSPB reserve at Pulborough Brooks in West Sussex.

It was quiet (this is not the best time of year for bird watching), but even on a quiet day there’s always something to catch the eye and the lens. The dominant avians from most of the viewing points were the Canada geese. Most of the time they were content to graze, but they did occasionally rouse themselves to fly short distances to new feeding areas.

Flock of Canada Geese at Pulborough, West Sussex

Flock of Canada Geese at Pulborough, West Sussex

Flock of Canada Geese flying over the South Downs National Park at Pulborough, West Sussex

Flock of Canada Geese flying over the South Downs National Park at Pulborough, West Sussex

Just off the edge of the reserve I discovered a route down to the river Arun. It too was quiet, but I did see a pair of mute swans, and the beuatiful demoiselle damselflies were also active.

Pulborough Brooks, South Downs National Park

The Arun at Pulborough Brooks, South Downs National Park

Mute swan at Pulborough Brooks, Sussex

Mute swan at Pulborough Brooks, Sussex

Demoiselle damselfly, Pulborough Brooks, Sussex

Demoiselle damselfly, Pulborough Brooks, Sussex

The rains came around lunchtime which put pay to the visit, but hopefully I’ll get back there again soon.

Meanwhile here’s a short video of some of the garden wildlife.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Trail cam footage by Bushnell Trophy HD camera

Posted in Badger, Birds, Foxes, hedgehog, Landscape, water birds, Wildlife Tagged , , , , , , |