Category Archives: water birds

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 Tagged , , , |

Not a Lot to Report

January 31, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

If you’ve been thinking that January has been as wet as you can remember, you’re right. It’s been raining again today and for much of the south this will be the wettest start to the year in living memory. There were small breaks in the weather today, though they were slight and always with a lingering hint of drizzle. So not many photos, though I’ve become quite fond of seeing the Muscovy ducks flying… they brighten up even the gloomiest mornings.

Muscovy duck

I didn’t fare much better later in the day. There was still more than a hint of rain about, and the winds were building (though thankfully we seem to have escaped the forecast gale). This pretty pony didn’t seem to mind to much, what with having such a fine shaggy winter coat.

Shaggy pony

But really it was all rather desolate. Roll on spring.

Sheep

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

Also posted in Farming, horse, Sheep Tagged , , |

Pretty Fox Injury Update

January 25, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

As regular readers will know, Pretty has been carrying an injured foot for the past little while. It’s a typical fox injury (cut and swelling around the hind paw) and she’s been steadfastly refusing to put any weight on the foot for at least the past week. Foxes manage extremely well with these injuries,and most of the time their movement is seemingly unimpaired (though I must assume it does restrict climbing and jumping to an extent). Here she is about 24 hours ago, holding the hind leg up.

Fox holding hind leg

We’ve just seen her again in the garden (it’s raining so we weren’t out there for long), and it seems that things are improving. This could be a false dawn (or if she’s reckless she may cause more damage), but she is now definitely putting some weight on that leg. She carries it when moving quickly, but it’s good sign of progress that she’ll use the leg when standing or walking slowly.

Fox in garden after rain

Fox in garden after rain

We’ll continue to keep an eye on her (of course).

Just a couple of other photos tonight. The first is the rare sight of a Muscovy duck up a tree. It’s the female of the local pair and I was some way off when I spotted her precariously balancing on the trunk.

Muscovy duck (female) in tree

To close, a final shot of Pretty, living up to her name. Like the first shot, it’s from 24 hours ago.

Fox in garden

Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D. First and last shots with the EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens. Shots 2 and 3 were with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens. The Muscovy was taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS.

Also posted in Behaviour, Foxes Tagged , |