Here are some pics of the baby birds in my back garden.
blackbird
bluetits
goldfinch
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Baby birds
Tuesday 29th May 2007
Here are some pics of the baby birds in my back garden.
blackbird
bluetits
goldfinch
Here are some pics of the baby birds in my back garden.
blackbird
bluetits
goldfinch
Monday, 28 May 2007
Testwood Lakes
Had a very quick trip to Testwood Lakes today and saw lots of sand martins on Meadow Lake.
116. sand martin
116. sand martin
Saturday, 26 May 2007
Nightingale
Saturday 26th May 2007
It was a lovely bright morning and we headed up to the Wallops in search of Corn Buntings and Grey Partridges.
We decided to stop in Dunbridge on the way and on the walk down to the bridge the air was filled with the sweet scent of Dog Roses and then we heard a Nightingale and managed to locate it.
nightingale having breakfast!
dog rose
We saw a lots of birds, a stoat and a banded demoiselle dragonfly but no Corn Buntings or Grey Partridges so looks like we will have to try again another day.
banded demoiselle damselfly
115. nightingale
It was a lovely bright morning and we headed up to the Wallops in search of Corn Buntings and Grey Partridges.
We decided to stop in Dunbridge on the way and on the walk down to the bridge the air was filled with the sweet scent of Dog Roses and then we heard a Nightingale and managed to locate it.
nightingale having breakfast!
dog rose
We saw a lots of birds, a stoat and a banded demoiselle dragonfly but no Corn Buntings or Grey Partridges so looks like we will have to try again another day.
banded demoiselle damselfly
115. nightingale
Thursday, 24 May 2007
Baby birds
Yesterday evening a baby blackbird was in the garden and ran under the shed when I came through the gate. It's parents were calling to it and it eventually re-appeared.
Then this morning from my back bedroom window I saw five baby blue tits sitting along the garden fence while the mother went back and forward to the feeders bringing food to them. I shall try and take some pics of them.
Then this morning from my back bedroom window I saw five baby blue tits sitting along the garden fence while the mother went back and forward to the feeders bringing food to them. I shall try and take some pics of them.
Monday, 21 May 2007
Dartford Warblers
Sunday 20th May 2007
Dartford Warbler
I wasn't in a very good mood this morning as I needed a new power adaptor for charging the battery on my laptop, which meant a trip to the Apple store at West Quay shopping centre Southampton instead of going birding :-(
The Apple store is very trendy and the staff were lovely but the adaptor cost £55 and the laptop is less than two years old, so I am not a happy bunny!!
I had noticed sparks coming from the old adaptor, it really was very dangerous and reading the online Apple forum there are lots and lots of people who have had the same problem and some people have had less time out of their old adaptor than me. I'm sure there is a case for Watchdog or some other consumer programme, I mean £55 for something that I will no doubt have to replace again within the next two years!!!
Of course those who know me well, know that the last place I ever want to be is in a shopping centre, especially at the weekend.
So a few deep breaths and ten minutes later we were back in Shatterford in the New Forest a much nicer place to be :-)
Shatterford
We saw lots of birds of course but the highlight today was a pair of Dartford Warblers, one of my favourite birds.
We watched them for half an hour or so and every now and then they stayed still long enough for a photo!
Dartford Warbler
I wasn't in a very good mood this morning as I needed a new power adaptor for charging the battery on my laptop, which meant a trip to the Apple store at West Quay shopping centre Southampton instead of going birding :-(
The Apple store is very trendy and the staff were lovely but the adaptor cost £55 and the laptop is less than two years old, so I am not a happy bunny!!
I had noticed sparks coming from the old adaptor, it really was very dangerous and reading the online Apple forum there are lots and lots of people who have had the same problem and some people have had less time out of their old adaptor than me. I'm sure there is a case for Watchdog or some other consumer programme, I mean £55 for something that I will no doubt have to replace again within the next two years!!!
Of course those who know me well, know that the last place I ever want to be is in a shopping centre, especially at the weekend.
So a few deep breaths and ten minutes later we were back in Shatterford in the New Forest a much nicer place to be :-)
Shatterford
We saw lots of birds of course but the highlight today was a pair of Dartford Warblers, one of my favourite birds.
We watched them for half an hour or so and every now and then they stayed still long enough for a photo!
Sunday, 20 May 2007
Woodlarks, Hobbys and a Sedge Warbler
Saturday 19th May 2007
The weather was fine but a bit windy and we decided to head for Shatterford in the New Forest, arriving there at 9am.
Shatterford is definitely one of my favourite local places as it never lets you down on the bird front.
A walk across to Denny Wood was the plan but there was so much bird activity going on in and around the Shatterford car park that we stayed there for nearly an hour.
Swallows were flying all around us and we just couldn't walk away from their display. Goldfinches, greenfinches, stonechats, chaffinches, a wren, pied wagtails meadow pipits all singing or dancing away. I could have watched and listened to them all morning.
We finally managed to drag ourselves away and started the walk across to Denny Wood and within two minutes we came across a beautiful pair of Woodlarks one of our target birds for the day.
Woodlarks
Five minutes later and another target bird appeared, a Hobby! We watched as it followed the swallows over the heath and then Ian noticed another one, what a fantastic morning and another reminder of why I love Shatterford so much.
Denny Wood was alive with the woodland birds but very busy with campers. We noticed one of the caravaners had brought a bird feeder with them and had planted it in the ground next to their caravan and lots of birds were feeding there, what a lovely idea.
Then later on we called at Testwood Lakes but I hadn't realised the time and the hides shut at 4pm. All was not lost as we had a brief glimpse of a sedge warbler.
112. woodlark
113. hobby
114. sedge warbler
The weather was fine but a bit windy and we decided to head for Shatterford in the New Forest, arriving there at 9am.
Shatterford is definitely one of my favourite local places as it never lets you down on the bird front.
A walk across to Denny Wood was the plan but there was so much bird activity going on in and around the Shatterford car park that we stayed there for nearly an hour.
Swallows were flying all around us and we just couldn't walk away from their display. Goldfinches, greenfinches, stonechats, chaffinches, a wren, pied wagtails meadow pipits all singing or dancing away. I could have watched and listened to them all morning.
We finally managed to drag ourselves away and started the walk across to Denny Wood and within two minutes we came across a beautiful pair of Woodlarks one of our target birds for the day.
Woodlarks
Five minutes later and another target bird appeared, a Hobby! We watched as it followed the swallows over the heath and then Ian noticed another one, what a fantastic morning and another reminder of why I love Shatterford so much.
Denny Wood was alive with the woodland birds but very busy with campers. We noticed one of the caravaners had brought a bird feeder with them and had planted it in the ground next to their caravan and lots of birds were feeding there, what a lovely idea.
Then later on we called at Testwood Lakes but I hadn't realised the time and the hides shut at 4pm. All was not lost as we had a brief glimpse of a sedge warbler.
112. woodlark
113. hobby
114. sedge warbler
Sunday, 13 May 2007
Rainy days.....
Saturday 12th May 2007
Weather wise there was a dry spell this morning before the rains came, so we planned a couple of hours looking for goshawks and woodlarks in the New Forest....... but somehow things didn't go according to plan.
Instead we offered to take an elderly lady and her diabetic cat across town to a specialist vets and never did get out to the New Forest.
On the way home we were rewarded with a House Martin.
The rest of the weekend was a total washout which gave me time to finish sewing my Wren picture.
one I made earlier!
I also baked a cake on Sunday which was very nice with a mug of tea and helped make up for not getting out and about with the birds!
111. House Martin (Hill Street).
Weather wise there was a dry spell this morning before the rains came, so we planned a couple of hours looking for goshawks and woodlarks in the New Forest....... but somehow things didn't go according to plan.
Instead we offered to take an elderly lady and her diabetic cat across town to a specialist vets and never did get out to the New Forest.
On the way home we were rewarded with a House Martin.
The rest of the weekend was a total washout which gave me time to finish sewing my Wren picture.
one I made earlier!
I also baked a cake on Sunday which was very nice with a mug of tea and helped make up for not getting out and about with the birds!
111. House Martin (Hill Street).
Sunday, 6 May 2007
Redstart
Sunday 6th May 2007
We had our first trip to Emer Bog this afternoon but didn't see many birds, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was one of the only birds we did see.
On the non-birding front we saw two Slow Worms, a novelty for me as I tend to run a mile from anything like that!
Unfortunately our walk along the boardwalk was spoilt by a dog barking at our heels every five minutes. It just makes me realise how much I dislike the dog walkers who couldn't care less about the bad behaviour of their dogs!!
All was not lost as a trip to the New Forest produced a new bird for the list, a very handsome male Redstart seen at the Barrow Moor car park.
110. redstart
We had our first trip to Emer Bog this afternoon but didn't see many birds, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was one of the only birds we did see.
On the non-birding front we saw two Slow Worms, a novelty for me as I tend to run a mile from anything like that!
Unfortunately our walk along the boardwalk was spoilt by a dog barking at our heels every five minutes. It just makes me realise how much I dislike the dog walkers who couldn't care less about the bad behaviour of their dogs!!
All was not lost as a trip to the New Forest produced a new bird for the list, a very handsome male Redstart seen at the Barrow Moor car park.
110. redstart
Saturday, 5 May 2007
All things bright and beautiful.....
Saturday May 5th 2007
May, my favourite month is here already and a lovely sunny Saturday just perfect for a day at Keyhaven down on the coast .
We were free all day which meant we could take our time and just enjoy the walk and the sights and sounds.
The birds were in abundance especially Whitethroats popping up all along the inland road.
whitethroat
lapwing
There was also an abundance of Wall Brown Butterflies.
wall brown butterfly
Then as we walked down to the coast there was quite a racket and a Common Tern appeared right over my head shouting as if to make sure I knew he was there. We watched him diving in and out of the water a few times and then another one appeared.
Lovely birds and the first ones we have seen this year.
109. common tern
May, my favourite month is here already and a lovely sunny Saturday just perfect for a day at Keyhaven down on the coast .
We were free all day which meant we could take our time and just enjoy the walk and the sights and sounds.
The birds were in abundance especially Whitethroats popping up all along the inland road.
whitethroat
lapwing
There was also an abundance of Wall Brown Butterflies.
wall brown butterfly
Then as we walked down to the coast there was quite a racket and a Common Tern appeared right over my head shouting as if to make sure I knew he was there. We watched him diving in and out of the water a few times and then another one appeared.
Lovely birds and the first ones we have seen this year.
109. common tern