Category Archives: water birds

Three Birds, Three Mammals

There were certainly more than three species of birds out there today, but three is the number I’m going to post. There are also three mammal species tonight (two of which are fairly obvious).

I’ll start with the early morning pair… our local Muscovys, enjoying a natter on the stone wall outside St Laurence Church at Falmer.

Muscovy ducks

Next come the lunchtime birds… the Muscovys were still around, but it was a lone black-headed gull, standing quietly on a floating branch, that caught my lens.

Black headed gull perched on floating branch

The first of the mammals was also lurking around the pond. Yes it’s another of the Falmer rats, huddled up in the tangle at the water’s edge.

rat

I’d also been out to the local fields, along Ridge Road. I was in search of buzzards but found a small group of roe deer.

Roe deer

Roe deer

The buzzard did finally show up… but not out by the fields. I spotted this beauty over the car park on my way back to the office.

Common Buzzard

Common Buzzard

So that’s three birds and two mammals.It’s not hard to guess who makes up the final mammal. It’s Pretty and it’s a fox 😉 Her hind leg seems to be improving. She’s been carrying it high for the past week (approximately) but today she seemed to be putting her full weight on it as she moved around the garden… pausing occasionally for a long stretch and yawn.

Fox yawning

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 photo which was taken with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens.

Also posted in Bird of Prey, Birds, deer, Foxes, rats Tagged , , , , , |

Greylag Bathtime Photo Special

At the end of last week I posted a sequence of a magpie taking a bath. Today it’s the turn of a greylag goose to make a bigger splash. The bird in question is a late juvenile (born earlier in spring 2013). It was one of about 15 on Falmer pond today.

Greylag goose making a big splash

Greylag goose making a big splash

Greylag goose making a big splash

Greylag goose making a big splash

Greylag goose making a big splash

Greylag goose making a big splash

Greylag goose making a big splash

Greylag goose making a big splash

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

Tagged |

Eastbourne Pier

I was over in Eastbourne today, so here are a couple of photos of the local pier.

The pier at Eastbourne

The pier at Eastbourne

There were a few gulls lurking down on the beach, but other then that there was precious little to see.

Juvenile herring gull

A quiet day.

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

Also posted in Seaside Views Tagged , , |