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Tuesday 9 May 2017

Black Winged Stilt, Cuckoo, Hobby and Yellow Wagtail!

Sometimes when I'm about to share my latest pictures here, I sit at my PC and my heart sinks.
What am I going to write?
Will anyone even bother to read it?
I do wonder if people visit just to see the pictures!
  However, I've met a few lovely people whilst out and about this week who have told me that they love the Blog and look forward to my posts. Hearing this is all the encouragement I need to carry on. I'm not the best writer in the World, I prefer my photo's to do the talking, but it makes sense to give a little introduction to my weekly photographic exploits! Even if I'm the only one who ever reads it!
    Since my last post, I had only taken the odd pic here, the odd pic there, until this last Friday evening when I was at RSPB Ham Wall. Up to 20 Hobbies flew in over the car-park and into the reserve! Finally I managed some 'blog-worthy' photo's of a magnificent bird of prey!
   I followed this up with some pictures of a Cuckoo in flight at nearby RSPB Greylake, which I was particularly thrilled about! Most people have heard Cuckoos, but not many have actually seen them!
They look like a bird of prey in flight, pointed wings and a long tail. I think they're beautiful birds!
     I managed the Cuckoo pic as I was trying to photograph Swifts! These are the ultimate nightmare birds in flight to photograph! They are not called Swifts for nothing!! Luckily I managed one or 2 half-decent shots! I also photographed a singing Sedge Warbler whilst there!
   Last night I heard about the presence of a rare Black Winged Stilt in a secret location on the Somerset Levels. I immediately got in my car to see if I could find it. The bird was at the end of a very long 'drove', and I stupidly made the mistake of trying to drive down it..... the ruts made by tractors were huge and I nearly got my car stuck a number of times! Eventually I ditched the vehicle and walked the last few hundred yards!
  Luckily the Stilt was still present, on a small flood in a field, also being enjoyed by some Mute Swans. The late evening sun was causing quite a harsh side-light on the Stilt which wasn't ideal photographic conditions, but I was just happy to see this beautiful elegant wader for the first time ever! Also in this field was a beautiful Summer visiting Yellow Wagtail!
    A very pleasant few days bird-wise!

Below are pics of all the birds mentioned above, plus others that I have managed since my last post.
Hope you enjoy!









^Above^ - Cuckoo at RSPB Greylake....what a bird!










^Above^ - The Black Winged Stilt on the Somerset Levels...such a elegant bird!



^Above^ - Yellow Wagtail in the same field as the Stilt.












^Above^ - Hobbies at RSPB Ham Wall.


^Above^ - Great White Egret at Ham Wall.


^Above^ - A very high up Red Kite over Ham Wall.




 ^Above^ - Swifts at Greylake.







 ^Above^ - Fledgling Dunnocks at Greylake.







^Above^ - Sedge Warbler at Greylake.





^Above^ - Reed Warblers at Greylake.



^Above^ - Gadwall at Greylake.



^Above^ - Pochard at Ham Wall.








^Above^ - Mallards at Chew Valley Lake in North Somerset.


^Above^ - A pair of amorous Tufted Ducks at Chew Valley Lake.


^Above^ - Canada Goose at Chew Valley Lake.


^Above^ - A poor Peacock Butterfly caught in a web at Greylake....I rescued it.


^Above^ - Greenfinch at Greylake.


^Above^ - Brimstone Butterfly at Ham Wall.



^Above^ - Woodpigeons at Apex Park in Burnham on Sea, Somerset.


^Above^ - Singing Blackbird at Apex Park.


^Above^ - Great Tit at Apex Park.



^Above^ - Greenfinch at Apex Park.


^Above^ - Carrion Crow at Apex Park.


^Above^ - Cetti's Warbler at Greylake.



^Above^ - Buzzards over the Somerset Levels.


^Above^ - Nesting Herring Gull in Bridgwater, Somerset.


^Above^ - Singing Robin at Blagdon Hill in Somerset.















^Above^ - Jackdaws in my home Somerset village....including a 'headless' one!! ;)


^Above^ - Goldfinches in my home village.






^Above^ - Swallows in my home village.


^Above^ - Distant Sparrowhawk being mobbed by a Swallow in my village.



^Above^ - Woodpigeons in my village.















^Above^ - Rabbits in my home village.


^Above^ - House Sparrow in my village.


^Above^ - White Butterflies chasing each other in my village.



^Above^ - Blackbird in my village.






^Above^ - Cheeky Grey Squirrel in my Somerset garden.


^Above^ - Magpie in my garden.



^Above^ - Female Blackbird in my garden.


^Above^ - Woodpigeon in my garden.





^Above^ - Lambs in my home village.


^Above^ - Some Spring colour to finish with! :)

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