Despite high water levels and the flooding of some paths most of Attenborough Nature Reserve is accessible and the winter migrants are returning – including the redwings and fieldfares. I have yet to see a fieldfare but redwings were not difficult to observe.
I was pleased to get some un-obscured views of this bird feeding on a hawthorn bush. The last image is a little blurred but I have included it as it shows the red under-wing from which it gets its name.
This Black Swan has been seen for several days at Attenborough Nature Reserve
I saw my first Goosander of the season at Attenborough Nature Reserve during a reasonably sunny spell on Monday 4th November.
Normally I would say this is a female, having a reddish head, but as it is a somewhat darker colour and lacking the ‘swept back’ look it might be a juvenile of either sex.
There is no doubt, however, that this duck (a Gadwall above) is female, (no comments please about her having her beak open!) and below is a definite male Common Pochard.
A sunny day drew me northwards again to the RSPB nature reserve at Old Moor near Barnsley. The most memorable sighting was a large flock of over 400 golden plover. They were not that close but I managed some pleasing shots.
Here are some of the ‘little birds’ that were on the feeders in the garden at the entrance to the reserve
Saw a couple of Great Crested Grebe having a great time fishing in Wollaton Park lake this morning.
While I was processing my pictures from this morning the male GS Woodpecker came onto the feeder post, was disturbed by a squirrel and paused briefly on the line post for rather a nice profile shot.
I recognise this Ruff from previous occasions because it has a damaged left foot but this time I was able to get some better pictures. It was in the’Ridge and Furrow’ field, created to have shallow water separated by mud banks to encourage waders.
A short visit to ANR this morning resulted in some pleasing spots including this one of a tree sparrow on the feeders in the garden behind the visitor centre.
