Beeston Birdman

Spent an hour or so this morning (23/10) observing the bird table at the Attenborough Nature Reserve, just over the railway line from where I spent my first 16 years. As usual I placed some dead branches and moss covered logs on the table and sprinkled sunflower hearts on top then sat, suitably cushioned, on the nearby seat. The response was almost immediate. Tits, robins and what I was hoping for a nuthatch, flew rapidly to and fro taking the seed. I took over 200 shots to make sure of getting some good images.

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I’ve managed to hide the galvanised steel of the bird table in all but one of these images to make a more natural looking scene. With good light and multiple shots I think these are some of my best pictures of this stunning little bird. I understand the nuthatch is the only bird that came walk down a tree trunk head first. Perhaps that’s something to do with the configuration of its claws, which are clearly visible.

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Great tits and bluetits came and went at speed so I only got a few pictures and a couple of robins made an appearance. Note that one of them is ringed.

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A coal tit visited the table several times but never seemed to get beyond perching on the rim but at least that showed off the trademark white stripe on the back of its head. They are not common so it was a good spot.

Finally, bracket fungi growing near the base of a tree trunk looked interesting enough to photograph. If there are any mycologists out there in blogland ID suggestions would be welcome.

I wrapped up well for my walk around Attenborough Nature Reserve yesterday (21/10). It was sunny but a bit on the chilly side. I encountered these swans on the path by the Church Pond towards the end of my circuit of the reserve.

Whooper swans have been sighted during the week. This was my only view of a single bird seen at a distance from the Kingfisher Hide. Whoopers are occasional visitors to ANR, probably stopping off to roost as they follow the River Trent on their way south. A bittern has also been reported recently which I hope to see or hear ‘booming’ sometime.

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At various points around the reserve I spotted many cormorants taking advantage of a variety of roosting places, some with wings outstretched to dry. I like find their emerald eyes.

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My route took me along the Wet Marsh path that I have not been along for some months. I thought it looked so inviting with dappled sunlight playing on a carpet of fallen leaves I just had to take a few pictures. This shot is my current screen background.

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On the left of the path (walking generally eastward) a large sheltered pond is host to grebe, geese, coots, swans, cormorants, herons etc. but on this occasion to one of our smaller winter ducks, widgeon. Nicely illuminated the colours of the male (top left) in particular stood out. Periodically a group would launch noisily into the air. The number of birds in the lower image is equal to the number of tails plus one. 😉

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I suspect this heron is hunched up against the cold and maybe the lapwing is holding one leg inside its feathers for the same reason.

Finally, Hm Hm, it’s trumpet blowing time again folks. I am pleased to say that our local free sheet, Beeston Local News, that published my grebe family picture have accepted my offer to write a monthly piece about local wildlife and the first one, on the subject of the winter thrushes redwings and fieldfares, was published yesterday. I’ve already had some feedback via the blog. Stay safe and warm.

I’m prompted to post another blog on a rainy Sunday by a couple of four legged visitors.

While the Sunday lunch was in the oven I sat at my work station/observation point checking emails etc. when a movement caught my eye under bird feeder. I expected to see a small brown bird like a sparrow or dunnock but it was this lovely wood mouse. Quite small it looked like a tiny kangaroo ferreting out any dropped seed that the pigeons hadn’t snaffled.

Around the same time the previous day, which nice and sunny, Henry Hedgehog paid another visit. I put some catfood out which he soon found. A magpie was hanging around to share his meal, even attempting to snatch a morsel (without success). Don’t you think it looks a bit disappointed at the licked clean plate.

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A long tailed tit posed on the feeder ‘tree’ in the sunshine. The blue blobs in the background are flowers on our ceanothus which has burst into bloom again, in the wrong season.

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As Saturday looked like the brightest day we are likely to see for several days I took a short walk down ANR. Saw a buzzard on its customary telegraph pole and this dunnock on a fence post. It was unconcerned as I approached within a metre and flew off a few moments after I took these close-ups. LBJs (little brown jobs) always deserve a detailed look.

Finally, also at ANR, a cormorant drying its wings on one of the marker buoys belonging to the sailing club. I’m inclined to caption it, “Come in No.5, your time is up.” Some birding news – A bittern has been sighted on the reserve (Friday). I look forward to seeing one again not having observed one locally for some years.

After several postponements I finally made it to Wollaton Park on this sunny Friday.

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The red deer stags were displaying their splendid antlers and bellowing their dominance. Most of their hinds were gathered together grazing or resting in the shade but I spotted this lone hind poking its head above the bracken just as I was leaving the park. That’s what you call Hindsight 🙂

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In the formal garden I caught sight of a jay busily filling its bulging crop with what looks like nuts of some kind. I never tire of seeing these colourful members of the Corvid family.

Braving a cold east wind at the western edge of the lake I hoped to catch sight of some of the rose ringed parakeets but I had an equally good view of a great spotted woodpecker making its way into a nest hole. Presumably it was also getting out of the wind.

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On the border of the golf course on Lime Tree Avenue these fungi stood out in the sunlight. I’ve no idea what they are but I thought the looked rather interesting and they made a nice composition with the fallen autumn leaves as a backdrop.

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Finally, having enhanced the garden feeding station by adding some more tree branches earlier in the week I was pleased to have these two sweeties posing for me soon afterwards.

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For a number of days recently one or two starlings have chosen a neighbour’s TV ariel for an early morning warm up.

Following a tipoff that the Egyptian geese at Highfields had produced a very late brood I paid a visit on Sunday afternoon (10/10). I would not have seen them had not the parent bird stood up to usher them away as I approached. I didn’t get too close but managed a couple of shots of the four bundles of fluff. I’m not sure they will survive if the weather gets cold soon.

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However the young great crested grebe I have been following since the spring are still looking very good, especially in these reflective views.

Some pollinating insects are still around as well as dragonflies and the odd butterfly. This is the hoverfly Eristalis Pertinax  that I blogged a few days ago looking sharp on these lovely tansy pompoms drinking in the afternoon sun.

Finally, pausing in my way out of ANR today (11/10) I took a few shots of the lapwings and then noticed a snipe probing the mud for something edible. This is a short VIDEO CLIP showing what happened when it got too close to a lapwing.

It has been a real bonus to get out and enjoy nature in the current spell of fine weather in the garden, on the street and at Attenborough Nature Reserve. The softer, autumn sunlight illuminates without washing out the detail making for better photography. Long may it last!

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Our Michaelmas daisies have excelled themselves this autumn. Bumble bee, honey bee and small white butterfly enjoying this late source of sustenance.

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A couple of robins, a plump looking chaffinch and a great tit in a hurry. The first and last images were on or about a permanent bird table at ANR at the Beeston end, very near to where I spent the first 16 years of my life. As the temperatures fall I hope to get a variety of bird portraits at this location – especially nuthatches.

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Female common hawker dragonfly sunning itself on the concrete flood barrier at ANR and a rather bizarre looking moth I saw a few weeks ago on the bathroom tiles. It was quite tiny and its legs remind me of barbed wire. It is straddling the grout between the tiles which gives an idea of the scale. I liberated it outside. I learn from Twitter that it is a plume moth, a new one for me.

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A couple of female teal resting on a rock and a little egret walking on water.

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Which would you choose for your desktop background, a rear view or a still view?

Some pictures from my afternoon visit to ANR yesterday (06/10).

After spending a pleasant hour or so in the Kingfisher Hide I gave up waiting for a kingfisher to show itself and decided to move on. Just by the entrance activity around a Tansy plant caught my eye. The butterfly is a Small Copper which I have only seen once before. I thought bees were also taking advantage of this late source of nectar but in fact it is a hoverfly. Bees have two pairs of wings but this insect has only a single pair. I think it is Eristalis Pertinax (according to t’internet).

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While watching the insects on the tansy plant a conjoined pair of common hawker dragon flies settled on a nearby bush (left). They will have mated and this action is to prevent other males muscling in on the female. Shortly afterwards I saw male common darter sunning itself on top of a five bar gate (right).

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As it was less windy than of late some smaller birds were showing themselves. I saw a wren on the inside of a bush, a lovely male chaffinch tempted by some seeds onto a fence post and a handsome dunnock perched on a rock in the car park.

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No apologies for showing a bit more grebe action. An adult was being harassed by one of its offspring begging for food. It did receive one or two fish while I was watching despite black headed gulls attempting to snatch them.

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One of this pair of little grebes may be the one I reported previously. It was nice to see them both together, especially when Mrs decided to have a bathe (and give her mate a shower).

Despite being much less colourful than her gaudy mate this hen pheasant has intricately patterned plumage. As with many ground nesting birds the female’s subdued colouration serves as camouflage when sitting on eggs or chicks.

A couple of maturing mute swans peacefully feeding together seen from the second screen along the main path. I’ve Tweeted this as Tranquillity.

Some pictures from my walk around ANR yesterday that didn’t fit into the Birds on the Wing category,

Wild rose in a hedgerow. This is a picture I have not felt the need to enhance or crop.

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Little and large diving birds. I was pleased to get a closer view of this little grebe. The eye of the cormorant is like an emerald.

Not all the black headed gulls were wind surfing. These were showing off their red bills and legs in the sunshine.

I spent some time by this bird table at the Beeston end of the reserve hoping for a nuthatch to show up. I’ll try again when it’s a bit colder and the birds appreciate some supplementary food. This great tit looks as if ie waiting its turn to tuck into the sunflower hearts.

The weather on my visit to Attenborough this morning (04/10) was bright but breezy so I had to hang on to my hat.

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A flock of black headed gulls enjoying riding the wind above a tall willow. You can judge the strength of the wind by the angle of the top branches. They only get the full black head (dark brown actually) as mature adults in the breeding season.

From the bridge on the main path I saw a pair of mute swans coming in to land but only managed a shot of one just before splashdown. It actually landed under the bridge beneath me.

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The area in front of the Kingfisher Hide has been cleared allowing much better views of the wildlife. Seeing this grey heron from a distance making for the shallows in front of me I had time to get in a couple of action shots. I am particularly pleased with the landing picture, where it’s fanning out its tail as an air brake,

Finally, but actually my first picture from this visit, I heard a robin chirruping away in a tree. Holding out my hand with some sunflower hearts tempted it down twice to grab a seed. It barely landed for more than a fraction of a second hence the blurred image but as the season’s first I was somewhat chuffed.