"Shooting" British Birds

[Lafone]

There's a privately owned deer park in a very rural area not far from me that has Red, Fallow & Sika. It has a public footpath running through it but not very satisfactory as you mustn't leave it (very strict) and the deer always seem to stay distant. There's also a farm lane (public road) running behind part of the park where you can look through the fence at the main area the Red deer use for the rut- which is great of course- but though perfectly legal, I always have an uneasy feeling that if someone from the estate sees me there they're going to accuse me of poaching(!) or something nefarious- although its a large and beautiful park its nowhere as good as the big 'public access' parks for watching the deer..

Sounds hard to resist going for a look!

We have a really interesting history of deer collections and parkland, lots of opportunities to see them and such a large number around.

I have just been offered access to some private land where Roe live wild, so hoping to see them a bit more too.

 

[Lafone]

Some nice birds on recent zoo visits.

A rainy day at Whipsnade saw a Kestrel flying down to perch on one of the branches in the lemur walkthrough



And a nice pied wagtail getting blown about in A Passage through Asia



Hamerton was also very obliging with Kites, with younger birds and older adults perching in the trees and whistling in the branches



It's a lovely spot for Kites if you want to see them and get a pretty close view



as well as catch them flying around and diving about

 

[Lafone]

Fun day at Frampton at the end of October and a lovely day (before the gloomy mists began) with bright clear skies. It was great to see the Brent Geese coming in for the winter



and it was a busy day for all sorts of Geese, with an ex domestic soaring around with the Greylags



Hundreds of Wigeon were also busy flying about and landing to feed



There was a pretty Skylark feeding among the waterfowl



and a male Stonechat to add to the females seen on my last visit



I really enjoyed the Golden Plovers at Slimbridge and was to strike lucky again with a vast flock soaring around on the main pond, a wonderful sight



A few flew overhead offering some closer views.



Lastly there were great views of Goldfinches busy on the last of the Sunflowers. Such pretty birds I find lots of time passes while watching them.



Sitting on one of the benches level with the plants, I managed to get some nice views



even when the finches, alarmed by the people walking their dogs on the path outside the reserve, flew off into the bushes where their colours stood out beautifully in the fading sunlight.

 

[Prochilodus246]

Apologies @Lafone I've been trying to keep up with this thread lately but assignments have prevented me from looking at it in great detail.

I must say your deer trip looked fantastic with some excellent shots acquired, particularly of the red stags! Much like you I have also been out for deer lately with me up at Big Moor for reds. Unfortunately the views were distant by camera standards and the weather wasn't the best with mist and drizzle throughout the day.

Great work at Frampton & Slimbridge as usual, I'm very much a fan of the photos of the teal in the downpour plus the gorgeous snipe shots.

Unfortunately, it's been quiet on the birding front for me with only a relatively brief visit to RSPB Langford Lowfields last Wednesday which saw me seeing lots of Great White Egret (double figures), a Marsh Harrier plus plenty of Stonechat and other species. No photos worthy of the thread though

 

[Lafone]

It was the first weekend swan feed of the season at WWT Welney on 2nd November (from 16th the Saturday evening includes a floodlit feed at 1730hrs which is great particularly later in the season) and I was keen to get along to the reserve to see the wintering birds starting to arrive.

There are some resident Whooper swans at Welney, where one of the pair has been rendered flightless due to injury so you can often find a Whooper all year round. This is the time to start to see them en masse though, along with Pochard, Widgeon and the other waterfowl in increasing numbers.

The main hide at Welney (where the feeds also happen) has a basement hide which, when not flooded out, offers a great view of the wetland at eye level. It was a bit of a flat day but the wind was in favour for landing shots and the variety of birds made it hard to complain.

There were a large number of Coots on the far side of the path



a reminder that this is the time of year for gazing at the 'big' flocks of bird as well as admiring individuals.

Some excellent Pochard individual views were to be had though with a number resting on the near bank



During the feed there was a lot of activity and water churning as the ducks dashed in to grab the grain



Greylags were there in abundance, with two groups coming to blows in the middle of the water and providing a lot of taking off and landing action.



The Canadas coming in for the late afternoon feed then roost were not to be outdone.



The Whoopers had the show though, from the juveniles (two groups with their parents)



to the adults showing off their wonderful wings



and being obliging with some landing shots



as they started to come in it was hard to know which flight shots to get, a good problem to have!



there was a change to get some closer shots when the feed was starting too, as the swans came in pretty close to the basement hide windows for a pre feed preen

and offer some close ups.

A great time of year to visit Welney and more fun to be had as more birds come in.

 

[Lafone]

A snowy, bright and chilly day at Whipsnade in late November offered more chances to find great wild birds at the zoo.

A treat for the Meerkats brought in some curious Crows



and lapwings were still in numbers around the water in A Passage through Asia



However it was Kestrels who were to be the wild highlight, with a few different sightings across the day. First view was of a Kestrel hunting over the hill near the penguin enclosure



soaring along the edge of the steep slope on the edge of the downs



Then at the Cheetahs, I found a male Kestrel perched in the tree in the middle of the enclosure



Even closer views were to be had around half an hour before closing at the Red Panda enclosure, with a Kestrel hunting from the main tree

and flying across to the trees above the path where I found myself underneath the bird who remained unfazed by my presence



as it peered down at the ground around the enclosure in the fading light.



I grabbed a final shot of the bird on the ground after an unsuccessful swoop



and then with the light essentially gone I watched for a bit longer as the bird hunted successfully for a mouse near the Red Panda house and flew off across the Nilgai enclosure to the large trees that frame the path around the zebras.

 

[Prochilodus246]

A great selection of kestrel photos @Lafone They are a species that I never get tired of seeing as I'm a particular fan of the hovering behaviour owing to its colloquial name being Wind hover. I really like the shot of it in the tree above you and similarly the shot of it flying against the grey sky, given the blurred branches in the foreground it almost looks like a vole's eye view from amidst a bramble thicket

 

[Prochilodus246]

As I thought the inclusion of other species would be welcome on this thread too, this post is primarily dedicated to a mammal species:

Yesterday I made a trip up to the North Lincolnshire coast, visiting LWT Donna Nook. The site has a large breeding colony of Grey Seals during the Autumn & Winter months which often sleep only a mere couple of meters from where you are standing offering a personal view into their lives without the worry that you are disturbing them. In 2023 the site saw over 2000 births, and mortality on the site is only around 10%.





The site also had a multitude of waders and waterfowl species such as Wigeon, Teal, Brent Goose, Golden Plover, Lapwing & Black-tailed Godwit flying over and feeding amidst the salt marsh. We also managed to spot a singular Spoonbill flying over the seals, and unsurprisingly no other people noticed as they were far more engrossed in looking at the seals. Unfortunately, the sheer distance of the birds paired with the worsening weather didn't allow for photos but it was still a good little bit of birding.

 

[Lafone]

As I thought the inclusion of other species would be welcome on this thread too, this post is primarily dedicated to a mammal species:

Yesterday I made a trip up to the North Lincolnshire coast, visiting LWT Donna Nook. The site has a large breeding colony of Grey Seals during the Autumn & Winter months which often sleep only a mere couple of meters from where you are standing offering a personal view into their lives without the worry that you are disturbing them. In 2023 the site saw over 2000 births, and mortality on the site is only around 10%.

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The site also had a multitude of waders and waterfowl species such as Wigeon, Teal, Brent Goose, Golden Plover, Lapwing & Black-tailed Godwit flying over and feeding amidst the salt marsh. We also managed to spot a singular Spoonbill flying over the seals, and unsurprisingly no other people noticed as they were far more engrossed in looking at the seals. Unfortunately, the sheer distance of the birds paired with the worsening weather didn't allow for photos but it was still a good little bit of birding.

Great seal shots - they surely have the best eyes in the business! Looks like a great spot to see them and it sounds like a lovely array of birds.

 

[Lafone]

Storm Derraugh closed Slimbridge today, but on 27th November it stayed open during Storm Bert, making for a wet and windy day that was still full of birds, but with people mostly staying away

The rain was so heavy at times I could barely see across the South lake but there was a nice juvenile Spoonbill putting up with the downpours on the far side



In between the rainstorms, Cormorants were busy fishing in the lake, and a lucky bird was hotly pursued for it's catch



the chase went on for a few metres



before the bird got the fish down and the group went back to fishing together.



It was great to see a group of Northern Pintails on the Rushy

as well as a large flock of Shelduck

who were busy flying back and forth



Greylags were also bathing in the rain

and two groups of Bewick swans came in a couple of times through the day

and took off towards the hide



for some flypasts as the rain came down again.



With just a few people around, some of the wild birds were happy to come close to the hide with a nice lapwing

and a good sighting of a lively couple of wagtails (pied and grey)

Around the feeders there were good views of small birds



and it was great to see Goldfinches feeding outside the Discovery hide



The Mallards were also busy in downpours, chasing each other over the females



All round a wet but fun day out! It's great to go out the camera in all weathers, some good shots can be had in the rain.

 

[Prochilodus246]

Really nice rainy photos, I must say I love the pintail drake as I personally cannot think of a finer British duck. I don't suppose you have any more photos of the shelduck that has the ring?

 

[Lafone]

Really nice rainy photos, I must say I love the pintail drake as I personally cannot think of a finer British duck. I don't suppose you have any more photos of the shelduck that has the ring?

Thanks yes so lovely and great to see a group together too paying their court to the lone female.



I got one other angle Shelduck wise, but not sure it's enough to see the whole ring

 

[Prochilodus246]

Nice one of the drakes courting the lone female. They seem to be showing far more decorum than what I often see in Mallards when they are pursuing females...

Unfortunately the resolution of the photo on forum doesn't render the ring very legible. However the original photo on your end may show enough to get a reading. The digits I have got so far are GV79

 

[Lafone]

Nice one of the drakes courting the lone female. They seem to be showing far more decorum than what I often see in Mallards when they are pursuing females...

Unfortunately the resolution of the photo on forum doesn't render the ring very legible. However the original photo on your end may show enough to get a reading. The digits I have got so far are GV79

Even looking at the original it's not in great focus (was a bit dark so had to grab the eye as the main focal point) it might be 18 or 10 after the 79.

 

[Prochilodus246]

Brilliant, thanks. I'll submit both 18 and 10 and see where I get with each combination. Would you be interested in hearing where it has been ringed if I can get information on the bird in question?

 

[Lafone]

Brilliant, thanks. I'll submit both 18 and 10 and see where I get with each combination. Would you be interested in hearing where it has been ringed if I can get information on the bird in question?

Definitely! Enjoy the tracking activity. I've been reading about the returning Bewick regulars and looking at the pics to see if I caught one. I always try and catch up with the Welney Whoopers by ID and P07 the Barnacle goose at Slimbridge who had two youngsters again this year.

Also try 205 as the next three after the 79 as found another picture and that's clearer thnough I can't see after the 5.

 

[Lafone]

After the rain of Storm Bert it was a brighter, drier but blustery day at Frampton on the 30th November with great bird activity.

The windy conditions drove large numbers of Widgeon onto the marsh behind the car parking area, offering some nice close ups among the large groups

and of individuals

Intending to cover the whole reserve I found myself spending more than half a day just on the main path to and across the sea wall. Small birds were busy on the track with Reed buntings particularly prominent

and it was also a lovely day for Stonechats with a few birds around the wire gates staying put for closer views

as well as ensuring the passing places were well supervised



or posing on the fence posts



The small birds flew off when a Kestrel arrived to hunt up and down the line of the path



it pushed quite a few other birds up and I realised, when looking through the pictures, that among the Godwits and Plovers I had caught a Curlew, first photo of one this year.



A number of Whooper swans had arrived on the reserve and there was an injured one near the central hide. Staff were aware. Hopefully the swan has a chance of surviving as injured Whooper swans at Welney have, benefiting from being inside the fox proof fence and having access to good sources of food.



A few Egrets were busy feeding on the other, quieter side of the reserve later in the day



and it was good to get some closer views of the Brent Geese, feeding on the near side of the sea wall, such neat compact geese and so much smaller than the Greylags

 

[Lafone]

Having travelled to lots of places this year, it was my own back garden that was to offer an opportunity to capture a wild Sparrowhawk properly for the first time.

Storm Darragh closed lots of places down and so I stayed at home in the morning, planning to go out in the late afternoon to photograph deer not too far away. We have a growing population of Starlings, Sparrows and Blue Tits in the garden (great year this year with more than 30 fledgling Starlings in at once) and the feeders are usually busy. There was such a noise from the garden though that I went to look and found a Sparrowhawk on a Starling.

I started photographing the bird through the kitchen window, but then after the Starling seemed to be dead, chanced my arm and crept outside. It was a shame for the Starling but it was over pretty quickly.

I started photographing from behind the bushes



but the bird seemed fine so I got along the path until I was level with it

and it stayed in place, starting it's meal. The wind was blowing hard and the garden is pretty sheltered so it stayed put and it ignored me



for the most part, though it did look straight at me when I knelt down for a better angle



but then went back to work with the rain running off it's feathers. I was most struck by the relative size of it's feet - you could really see the 'squeeze' at work. After about 10 minutes, when it had gutted the Starling out, it flew up onto the fence



and carried the remains away. Such a wow moment. I've never been that close to a wild Sparowhawk before and indeed never had a good shot. Always worth having the camera ready to go.

 

[Lafone]

I'd slightly used up my photo luck when I went to photograph Short Eared owls near Cheltenham. A Barn owl flew out across the road in my headlights as I drove up which was exciting but no chance to capture anything. There was a Short Eared owl on a post in the field in the very early light but it was not possible to get a shot and there were no other owl sightings all day though there were lots of Kestrels hunting over the freezing field to enjoy. It was certainly a day to appreciate the themal lining in my Muckboots!

I did get some more common birds in the lens with Blackbirds

Long tailed tits



and a pretty wren

offering the classic pose



and later in the afternoon some Roe deer came leaping through the field



and dashed about



and though it was an Owl free day it was a lovely spot.

 

[Lafone]

Weather forecast notwithstanding I headed off to RSPB Lakenheath Fen on 21st December to start to make the most of the Xmas holiday. It was a quiet reserve for visitors and birds alike, with far off views of Tufted Ducks, Greylag Geese, Mallards and a very distant Hobby the total result of my walk around the reserve. I had good sightings near the photo hide though.

I've mentioned this space at Lakenheath before and do recommend it. It has seats at near ground level under netting facing into an array of feeders, making it more photo friendly than many bird hides where you end up looking 'down' at the birds (or prioritising flight shots). There's no overhead cover at all (it was a good day for full Goretex as it threw it down and the seats were also soaking wet) but it's a nice spot to settle in for some relaxing bird views - anyone can just go along and sit there as they like. The team on the reserve always give great info on sightings and said a Water Rail had been seen in the spot so I hurried there first thing and then, having had no Rail based luck, went back and spent the last couple of hours there after a walk around the reserve.

There were a good number of birds on the feeders with some pretty Blue Tits



Great tits



Reed Buntings



and Dunnock



and a couple of brown rats were scurrying about. I can't say I am too fond of wild rats, but if we keep our mutual distance I can just about keep the screams down,



and they cleared off for good when the heavens really opened.

After about an hour on my second visit not one but two Rails appeared, offering great views.

Wary and shy, they were keeping a close eye on the hide



and the one on the right hand side of the feeders ventured out less than the other,



but I grabbed some lovely shots (seeing them well for the first time this year) and had a great time watching them.

In between their visits I heard something behind me and found a pregnant Muntjac doe was feeding and walking up quite near the back of the hide

She missed me sitting under the netting in the rain pointing the lens right at her (the wind blowing the right way for me helped), strolled up and then went to join the party at the feeding station.

She was watchful and alert to noise (she was just a few feet away at this stage)



but went back to feeding each time. After a while a couple of people came along the path and the doe melted away into the reeds.

After a thorough soaking I thought I might as well take a walk around the small woodland near the car park as I couldn't get any wetter and though the only birds I saw were pictures on the information signs about Fieldfare, I found one more female Muntjac to finish off the day.