Tag Archives: duck

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.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Farming, Foxes, Landscape, South Downs National Park Also tagged , , , |

A Grey Wet Day

November 1, 2013 by Words | Comments Off

It’s really done little else but rain today. It was raining when I took this photo of the local cormorant:

Cormorant

And it was raining when I snapped these ducks in the road which was partly flooded.

Ducks at the edge of a flooded road

There was the briefest break in the weather when I got this shot of a buzzard sweeping low over the fields.

Buzzard

And after a brief but major downpour it all eased off again to get this shot taken through the strangely lit gloom.

Gulls on Falmer Pond

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

Posted in Bird of Prey, Birds, water birds Also tagged , , |

Another Look at the Pond

October 14, 2013 by Words | Comments Off

The start of the week means an early morning pre-work visit to Falmer Pond. It’s just at the time of year when it can be quite gloomy there unless we are really lucky with the cloud cover. Today was grey, although the sun teased occasionally with fleeting displays through narrow breaks in the clouds.

The herring gulls were dominating when I arrived, gliding around the still water, but their (relatively) peaceful start to the day was disturbed by a heron flying in.

gulls

A couple of circuits on the wing and the heron finally found a suitable perch.

heron in tree

The middle of the day was brighter, and several people were out ‘feeding the ducks’. I put that in quotes because whatever their intention, inevitably other birds muscle their way in. The herring gulls are the main bullies, but the local jackdaws are quite self-assured in taking their share.

Jackdaw and duck

And when everyone has gone, these little fellows come out to scavenge what they can.

Rat

Rat

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

Posted in Behaviour, Birds, rats, water birds, Wildlife Also tagged , , , |