Category Archives: Birds

Pretty Photos

February 7, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

Just three pretty photos, but possibly not what you were expecting from the title.

The first is this pretty group of ducks down at the pond. The sun was just about making its presence known during the day, and though the wind was sharp it was something of a relief to have some temporary respite from the gloom. It won’t last. More rain – and gales – are on the way.

ducks

The second photo is an unusual one for me. A rural landscapewithout any animals in it. This was taken by the fields along Ridge Road, just outside Falmer.

Fields at Falmer

I was watching for buzzards at the time but could only manage a few long range shots.

buzzard

To close, one of the Pretty who usually features. Here she is enjoying a good old stretch along the garden wall.

Fox stretching

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, apart from the fox which was taken with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens.

Also posted in Bird of Prey, Farming, Foxes, Landscape, South Downs National Park Tagged , , , , |

Greylag Geese Mating (photo special)

February 3, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

It was a little brighter this morning when I arrived at Falmer. Partly due to some improved weather, and of course dawn being just a few minutes earlier as each day passes. The Muscovy ducks were there, and at the far end of the pond the greylag geese were sitting calmly on the water.

The peace was shattered by a pair of greylags making a short and noisy flight to the centre of the pond, followed closely by a gaggle of loudly hooting geese. It looked like a fight, but this was the rather more serious business of mating. These are a few highlights from a much lengthier sequence.

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

greylag geese mating

The afternoon brought more sunshine (!) and some typical scenes of sheep grazing on the Downs.

Flock of sheep

Plus my first photo this year of a green woodpecker.

Green woodpecker

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

Also posted in Behaviour, Sheep, water birds Tagged , , , |

A Healthy Walk (fox special)

February 2, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

We had sunshine today, and there’s the promise of at least a couple of dry(ish) days before the bad weather returns. You can never be quite sure about longer term forecasts (and I count 4 or 5 days as longer term), but we could certainly do with a dry spell.

Out in the garden we had sparrowhawks flying overhead (several times), and as dusk descended a buzzard was escorted past by a pair of herring gulls. It was already too dull to try for a photo, but I did manage several of the various sparrowhawks.

Sparrowhawk

This post though is called ‘A Healthy Walk’ and is supposed to be fox-related. The walk in question is Pretty’s, and it’s healthy because she is finally using her injured hind leg with only the barest trace of a limp. I took a long sequence of photos of how as she roamed the garden. These are a small taster.

fox walking

fox walking

fox walking

fox walking

fox walking

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

Also posted in Bird of Prey, Foxes Tagged , |