A short sequence of a very beautiful white duck preening itself and which, I get the feeling, knows just how beautiful it is. As ever, this is down at Falmer Pond.
Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.
There a couple of other creatures featured today, but the main bird of the day is this pretty little chiffchaff… if indeed it is a chiffchaff. It could easily be a willow warbler. It would have been easier to i.d. if it had been singing, but it wasn’t so I’m relying on the fact that it has dark legs. Either way, they are very cute little birds and this one was playing hard to get by flitting between several trees and usually perching just behind a hefty branch.
I keep promising ducks, and if I don’t post some now these will get lost on the hard drive. First up is a female mallard, perched on the stone wall that runs along the churchyard at Falmer. As you can see, it was raining slightly (and obviously a touch overcast).
Here’s a male, landing on the pond. This one was taken in the middle of the day.
Last shot is from the morning again… another local rat, looking pretty in the undergrowth.
No badgers tonight. I’ve spent some time outside, but it was quiet (and cold). Maybe more soon. We’ll see.
Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.
A couple from the day, and then to the main event. I wasn’t really going to post yet more photos of rats, but this one caught my eye. The rat was in a tree that overhangs a rubbish bin and was considering making the dash across on that very narrow twig. It didn’t this time, but I’ve seen one make the reverse journey.
Altogether higher on the cuteness stakes is this young rabbit in the corner of a field. A bit overgrown (the undergrowth that is), which mars the shot slightly; but young rabbits are always worth a quick pic.
Now for the main event. I went outside relatively early (around 10pm) and waited quietly to see who would show up. Sure enough one of the badgers put in an appearance. Initially it retreated when it noticed me, but soon came back and settled down for a peanut feast.
Camera note: rabbit and rat photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Badger photographed with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.
