The first week of Autumn has arrived and actually, it hasn't been a bad week. Yes, there have been a few brief splashes of rain, but not enough to really get you wet, and we've had some pleasant (not too hot) sunshine. Just right for working. I took this picture out on the moor on Friday morning because it looked so lovely out there.
I've got some good sightings to bring you this week as I've had my camera out a couple of times while working and it paid off. Firstly with the cranes, which I have been trying to photograph properly for ages but either I didn't have my camera or they weren't about. But on Thursday, they were! It was still touch and go as to how close I could get without disturbing them.
I took this shot from some distance, just to make sure I got something. Then I crept closer.
And got this lovely shot.
You can even see the leg rings on the left hand crane. The colours on the right leg - red, green, blue - make that bird Easter Beans. We know from previous observations earlier in the year that she hatched a chick with her partner (who has no leg rings) but unfortunately the chick didn't make it. They're still in the area where they nested but soon they will probably leave to join the flock for the winter.
Then, on Friday morning, as I was checking the cattle, I spotted the family with one chick and snapped some better photos of them too.
Again you can see the leg rings on these birds. The black-blue-black on the left leg of these birds identifies them as part of The Great Crane Project, with birds released here at West Sedgemoor. One of these birds has black-green-black on the right leg, making him Cleg, and his partner is Michaela, although her rings are harder to see. You can see how the youngster is pretty much adult size but doesn't have the colour on its head yet. Its great to see it doing so well.
Another good sighting this week has been cattle egrets. We get them occasionally here but you never know when they're going to turn up. People had been seeing them regularly over the week so on Friday I was really hoping to get some shots of them, and they delivered. They're very spooky birds, so I couldn't get very close, but didn't do too badly.
I saw these guys sitting looking rather hunched near one herd of cows. Also a heron, hanging out with his cousins.
Then this much larger group with another herd.
They were very much living up to their name and hanging about with the cows, sometimes even sitting on them.
Then I had to go in the field to check the cows and they flew away.
One bird that seems to have done reasonably well this year is the kestrel. I've seen good numbers while out and about, including this one perched on a gate on Friday morning.
Kestrels are one of my favourite birds and I love to see them hovering while on the hunt.
Another piece of good news is that I put the bird feeders back up at Swell Wood this week. At the moment I may only be able to fill them once a week, on Thursdays when I do my regular checks, but if I go up there for any other reason I'll fill them as well. As we go through autumn and into winter, the birds will no doubt appreciate the easy meal and I hope you will enjoy watching them.
I'm going to end this week with some final shots of our wonderful swallows. The last chicks fledged this week. I barely saw them in the nest before they came out. I think there may only be two or three this time. Even so, they've been incredible, raising probably between ten and fifteen chicks. Soon they will leave for Africa but hopefully they'll be back next year.
Good luck to these epic travellers and all our other migrant birds that will be starting their journeys soon.
That's it for this week. I'm on holiday next week but I'll be back in two weeks time.
Take care,
Kathryn