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Sunday 11 February 2018

Ring Necked Duck, Bewick's Swan, Water Rail, Chiffchaff and battling Coots!

As I write, the weather is bloody freezing here in Somerset! We get all the 'joy' of cold temperatures, but none of the fun of snow!
 The Somerset Levels are below sea-level, so snow is very rare, even at times when the whole country is snow-bound, where I live will usually be clear!
 I love snow, but the fact the Somerset Levels rarely get any is a small price to pay, considering it's a stunning and Nationally important area for nature and wildlife.

 Since my last post a couple of weeks ago I've seen a rare Ring Necked Duck in the thick fog at RSPB Ham Wall and a group of 6 Bewicks Swans near Pedwell. These Winter visiting  Swans are very scarce and smaller than the common Mute Swan. They also have a yellow bill instead of the Mute Swans orange one.
Apart from this couple of sightings, it's been mostly common species recently.
I enjoyed watching the Coots battle at Ham Wall. All they do at this time of year is chase each other around and fight! They're amusing to watch, but of course it's a serious matter, they're fighting for the right to mate.

Below are pics of all I've mentioned above, plus other shots taken since my last post, including Goldcrest, Gulls, Bullfinch, Robins, Water Rail and Kestrel;




^Above^ - Chiffchaff at RSPB Ham Wall




^Above^ - Ring Necked Duck in the fog at Ham Wall.



^Above^ - Male and female Reed Bunting at Ham Wall.




















^Above^ - Fighting Coots at Ham Wall.


^Above^ - Greylag Geese at Ham Wall


^Above^ - Gadwall at Ham Wall.


^Above^ - Mute Swans at Ham Wall.










^Above^ - Pochard at Ham Wall.





^Above^ - Song Thrush at Ham Wall.


^Above^ - Tufted Duck at Ham Wall.




















^Above^ - Robins at Ham Wall.


^Above^ - Water Rail at Ham Wall.


^Above^ - Coots and a Black Headed Gull in the fog at Ham Wall.





^Above^ - Blue Tits at Ham Wall.





^Above^ - Great Tits at Ham Wall.






^Above^ - Great Tits at Ham Wall.



^Above^ - Coal Tits at Ham Wall



^Above^ - Rat at Ham Wall.



^Above^ - Buzzard near Catcott Lows in Somerset.


^Above^ - Lapwings and Gulls near Burtle in Somerset.





^Above^ -Bewick's Swans near Pedwell in Somerset (With Lapwings in flight, bottom pic).


^Above^ - Starlings near Pedwell.







^Above^ - Male Bullfinch at Bathpool in Somerset.



^Above^ - Male and female Mallard at Bathpool.







^Above^ - Moorhens at Bathpool.







^Above^ - Starlings scrapping in mid-air in my Somerset garden.




^Above^ - Male Blackcap in my garden.




^Above^ - House Sparrows at RSPB Greylake.




^Above^ - Blue Tits at Greylake.



^Above^ - Golden Plovers at Greylake.







^Above^ - Great Tits at Greylake.


^Above^ - Male Chaffinch at Greylake.


^Above^ - Lapwing at Greylake.


^Above^ - Rook at Bishops Palace in Wells, Somerset.




^Above^ - Young Mute Swan coming into land on the moat water at Bishops Palace.


^Above^ - Raven at Bishops Palace.


^Above^ - Male Blackbird at Bishops Palace.



^Above^ - Black Headed Gulls at Bishops Palace.


^Above^ - Woodpigeon at Bishops Palace.





^Above^ - Kestrels at Tealham and Tadham Moor in Somerset.








^Above^ - Goldcrest at Tealham and Tadham Moor.



^Above^ - Grey Heron at Tealham and Tadham Moor.


^Above^ - Liitle Egret at Tealham and Tadham Moor.


^Above^ - Jay at Tealham and Tadham Moor.


^Above^ - Robin at Tealham and Tadham Moor.



^Above^ - Pair of Roe Deer near Langport in Somerset.


^Above^ - Distant Hawfinch at Trinity Church in Street, Somerset.



^Above^ - Magpies at Trinity Church.



^Above^ - Collared Dove at Trinity Church.


^Above^ - Herring Gull and Daffodils at Trinity Church.










^Above^ - Black Headed Gulls at Apex Park in Burnham on Sea in Somerset.


^Above^ - Greenfinch at Apex Park.




^Above^ - Lesser Black Back Gulls at Apex Park.







^Above^ - Greylag Geese at Apex Park.





^Above^ - Herring Gulls at Apex Park.


^Above^ - Mallard at Apex Park.


^Above^ - Misty sunrise at Wells in Somerset.

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