Category Archives: Birds

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.

Also 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

Also posted in Badger, Foxes, hedgehog, Landscape, water birds, Wildlife Tagged , , , , , , |

Gull Gets a Fish

July 18, 2016 by Words | 3 Comments

I can’t claim any of the traditional spectaculars with this (kingfisher diving, osprey swooping), but a bird catching a fish is still worth an airing. Even if it’s a common herring gull and the fish looks remarkably like a goldfish. The sequence was taken last Friday at Falmer Pond.

Herring gull catching goldfish at Falmer Pond, East Sussex

Herring gull catching goldfish at Falmer Pond, East Sussex

Herring gull catching goldfish at Falmer Pond, East Sussex

Splash landing back in the water

Herring gull catching goldfish at Falmer Pond, East Sussex

Taking it back to the bank

Herring gull catching goldfish at Falmer Pond, East Sussex

The fish makes a final vain attempt to escape

Herring gull catching goldfish at Falmer Pond, East Sussex

The herring gull displays its catch

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

Also posted in Behaviour, water birds Tagged , |