Limpy and I try to make it to this brilliant place every year - I've managed it every year since 2012, though he missed 2015. We arrived for our latest visit on Saturday - we were in time to catch three of the family, though sadly the female (Glesni) and the eldest chick (Aeron) had already migrated. This left us with the gorgeous male (Monty) and the two remaining youngsters (Menai and Eitha).
Conditions for snapping the ospreys were terrible - it was very windy and was raining on and off. I decided to stick to what I could get a nice clear snap of and headed to the feeders in front of the old osprey spotting point. The redpoll refused to pose for me but the other birds were more obliging:
This chaffinch was very expressive.
Yes, I'm looking at you.
A gorgeous greenfinch.
I'm always happy to see siskins. It's quite surprising to see how much the chaffinches and greenfinches dwarf them.
Awwwwwww.
Two for the price of one. The blue tit clearly wasn't all that happy to be snapped.
The osprey photos will follow in the near future! Hope you all like these.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Glad you had a nice day out Clare, lovely photos. Hope Limpy is keeping well.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Bad luck with the weather Clare. Hope you get another chance to see the remaining Ospreys before they leave. Love the Siskins and all the Finch family, very clear photos.
Lot to learn
Thanks, both.
A couple of days later we got the calm conditions we wanted - and as I arrived at the Observatory I saw, with considerable pleasure, that someone was waiting for me:
An absolutely gorgeous Monty!
He is one of my favourite ospreys, pipped only by the iconic EJ of Loch Garten fame.
He certainly looks the picture of a very proud male who has successfully raised another three youngsters with Glesni, his mate.
Off he goes!
A short while later we could see the shape of an osprey flying in with a fish:
It wasn't Monty - it was Eitha, his youngest daughter. This was the second time she'd successfully fished for herself and brought her catch to the nest to eat.
She's only the second chick at this nest known to be fishing before migration. The first was Dulas in 2011.
She finally gets stuck in!
Monty then arrives with a fish. Is he surprised to see Eitha already has one?
Off he goes.......
.....to a suitable perch.
Mmmmmmm, yummy.
Eitha heads off, having finished her fish.
Gorgeous underwing, Monty.
He heads off as well........
......but finds himself pursued!
Great black-backed gulls are no mean birds. Check out that wingspan!
Happily our hero proved to be sufficiently skilled in flight to get away from the gull, complete with his fish!
On the way back to the Visitor Centre there were loads of common lizards basking on the path.
I couldn't resist finishing with this expressive greenfinch.
I hope you all enjoy the additions!