Tag Archives: cormorant

Falmer Pond and a Blue Moon

Jan
31
2018
by Words | 4 Comments

That’s bit of a grand title, for what is simply my post this year about Falmer Pond. I was up there briefly this morning (early light, dull with a hint of rain) and then again at lunchtime when a little bit of sunshine appeared.

Although nothing especially unusual happens there, I like the peace and quiet and that occasionally there are one or two more interesting birds. Today was good day: a cormorant and a heron.

heron in tree

The heron was perched on the willow sited on the island in the centre of the pond.

Heron in flight

Heron in flight

Cormorant swimming

Cormorant swimming on Falmer Pond, East Sussex

Cormorant hanging itself out to dry

Cormorant hanging itself out to dry

And to mark the occasion, it’s what’s known as a blue moon today (the second full moon in the same calendar month). It’s also a super moon (at the closest point in its orbit). To be honest, it looks just like does every other time of the year, but I took a photo anyway.

Super Blue Moon

Super Blue Moon

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

Winter Birds

Nov
29
2017
by Words | 3 Comments

With the temperatures hovering around freezing, it feels like winter has finally arrived. It’s certainly cold, but today the skies were clear and the winds low. I like winter days like this. I needed to take a rare trip over to Eastbourne, stopping briefly at Seven Sisters to see what birds were about. There were a few distant curlews, numerous little egrets, some swans and cormorants. Worth the early start.

little egret

Little egret at Seven Sisters Country Park, East Sussex

swan

Mute swan on rippling blue

cormorant

Cormorant cruising

Back home the foxes are still around. At least three of them are putting in an appearance on the trail camera (along with an occasional badger), though Pretty Vixen is the only one venturing out for photo shoots. She seems to be becoming a permanent fixture. It’s good that so many are still around and that bodes well for next spring.

fox

Pretty Vixen peering down from the wall

Camera note: all bird photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. Pretty Vixen taken with the EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM lens.

Cormorant plus others

Apr
03
2017
by Words | 5 Comments

This is a bit of a reversion to some very traditional posts. A variety of birds from the local village pond at Falmer, plus a couple of bits and pieces taken in the garden.

I’ll start with the main event, the cormorant, photographed last Friday morning at Falmer Pond. It was warm and sunny, and my second time over there in the week.

cormorant

Cormorant running on Falmer Pond

cormorant

Cormorant coming in to land in a tree

cormorant

Cormorant perching up high

The cormorant wasn’t alone. A heron was also lurking…

heron

Grey heron in a tree at Falmer

That was a good start to the day, but after that there’s nothing until Sunday afternoon in the garden. Mid-afternoon several buzzards flew over (pursued by herring gulls), but among them I spotted a pair of peregrines as well.

buzzard

One of several buzzards over Woodingdean on Sunday

peregrine

Peregrine falcon over Woodingdean

Last night (Sunday) I also got a number of photos of the male fox, one of several that frequent the garden at night. This is the one with the nicked ear, and he’s still shy, still won’t let me within about 8 or 9 metres of him. But I will persevere…

fox

Fox with nicked ear at night

There’s also a vixen plus a couple of other foxes that I’ve spotted on teh trail camera… and another badger/fox dust-up (all still to be processed).

Last thing tonight is one more shot of the cormorant from Friday.

cormorant

Cormorant at Falmer Pond, East Sussex

Camera note: all birds taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. I used the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens for the fox.