"Odds & Sods" (old version) - please add to the new thread 2020 instead !

Not seen my Robin in over a week now but My Black bird has made up for it he is here all the time and comes down onto the window sill to say feed me and he is tacking them away so it looks like his third brood will be calling round soon :)

Hi everyone! 

I went out to Gosforth Park Nature Reserve today to see if I can catch a glimpse and photo some of the local Kingfishers as there were apparently three visiting over the past weeks. Upon arriving and walking towards the hide, a birder had told me that the kingfishers were no where to be seen during the past few days, and that a birder in the hide has never seen one, hoping to have a chance to see them today.

As I went in, I spotted a common snipe relatively close to the hide. Not surprising as the recent weather had lowered the level of the lake on the reserve. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, everything was backlit so I had to over expose to get the details of the bird that is facing us.

Shortly after the snipe's appearance, I noticed something quite small and tiny hopping around the reeds and the mud so I quickly took a few shots. To my surprise, it was a Reed Warbler! I know these birds are on the reserve and I have heard their song, but I have never seen one before so it was great to get a tick and add to the photographed warbler tally to 5 species this year! It was so fun watching it jumping from reed to reed catching insects.

Half an hour later, I saw a flash of blue across the lake and behold the Kingfisher appeared! With one hand on the camera resting on a homemade bean bag (modification needed) and the other point to the kingfisher so the birder in the hide can get his first sighting, I quickly took 3 shots before it flew away after landing for seconds!

Unfortunately, the shot was really under exposed as I was exposing for the Reed Warbler, but I managed to some what save it, it's the best shot I have of a Kingfisher so far so I am not complaining. However, by the time the birder knew which branch the bird was on, it had already flew away. It was a shame as from what I gathered, he has been there for some time!

Just as I was about to leave to watch the match back home, the Reed Warbler came back and I managed a few more shots albeit this time, it was further away.

Overall, it was an enjoyable day out, having had low expectations after meeting the first birder on the way to the hide, I cam back with shots of a Snipe, Reed Warbler and a Kingfisher! 

Morning W.E,   looks like you had a lovely day out at GPNR and well spotted with these three birds which are all rather special to see.    As you say the water levels are dropping fast and its a worry with no rain for weeks but at least it drove the snipe closer for you to see which was a nice bonus.   Hopefully we will get some much needed rainfall before we are all on water restrictions, never seen the grass so brown.  

Unknown said:

Morning W.E,   looks like you had a lovely day out at GPNR and well spotted with these three birds which are all rather special to see.    As you say the water levels are dropping fast and its a worry with no rain for weeks but at least it drove the snipe closer for you to see which was a nice bonus.   Hopefully we will get some much needed rainfall before we are all on water restrictions, never seen the grass so brown.  

Thanks Hazel! You're right about the grass being so brown, whilst walking to the local stores, I have noticed the grass by the roadside being so crunchy and lifeless. I think It will do some good for everything to have some rain.  

@ Alan, nice shots of the Green Woodpecker, I have yet to see one.

I went back to GPNR this morning and managed a few more shots of the Snipe and Reed Warblers which are better than yesterday's as there are little haze from the heat. I am still struggling to make my current camera and lens combo work, usually I have better luck in brighter weather conditions but I feel that overcast days are a real struggle and it's a shame because I prefer the lighting conditions. 

There were about 3-4 Snipes hanging around today. I also got a quick glimpse of a Water Rail too which was actually unexpected even though they are known to be on the reserve. Unfortunately no photos of it.

Snipes

I am loving the Reed Warblers. They are so fun to watch as they fly from reed to reed and hopping down to grab insects of the surface and fly catching above the water like a Wagtail.

One of two Little Grebes, always a welcomed sighting for me along with GCB and other Grebe species, although I have yet to have seen them, hopefully someday I'll tick them off the list.

Oh, I was lucky enough to also see a brief view of an otter just before it entered the reeds, which was spotted by another birder as he noted that the gulls and terns were flying around the surface of the lake trying to swoop down at a moving object leaving behind a trail of ripples. It was a first time that I have seen an otter at this reserve.

A few shots of the Buzzard from yesterday when three were in the air;  two adults and one juvenile being put through some lessons.

I only had the 300mm attached and they were getting higher up in the sky as I took the shots so these are hard cropped. 

This was the juvenile which I put up on "young of 2018" thread 

then next is one of the adults;    I couldn't get three in frame 

Those are very good to say they were taken from the garden Hazel.

I can hear them again Jim as I'm sitting outside with the laptop but they must be quite distant as their mewing is quite faint;  always a pity as our corvids tend to chase them away when they come within range of the camera.  

Shame the corvids chase them away but then again they don't want a bird like that hanging around the place.

I find that my Heath Robinson bird feeder is helping to keep Blackbirds alive this summer. The soil in our garden is rock solid, while any sensible worm is deep underground. The Blackbirds are often seen thus, consuming lots of seeds. I haven't seen them pull a worm for sometime, and they rarely forage in the mess of dead leaves in my borders.

During a normal summer, the grass around the bird feeder is lush and verdant, due to all the bird droppings. There is also a ring of flattened grass around the bird feeder due to all the birds, particularly Wood pigeons stomping on it. This year, the grass is getting pretty dead. The only reason it isn't completely dead is because it gets lots of shade.

The upside is I haven't taken lawnmower to grass since early June; or was it late May?

We have lefty Nuthatches and righty Nuthatches. The two families live in two small coppices to the left and right of our house, quite some distance away. They squabble if both visit the bird feeder at the same time. Nuthatches are pretty vicious. The other birds know to leave them well alone.

This is the righty Nuthatch.

The various Tit fledgling have been introduced to my bird feeder by their parents. It was interesting watching how they figured out how to approach and land on the bird feeder. It did take them some time to figure.

The Robins also appear to have had a good year. The do tend to defend the bird feeder, with many a squabble with the other small birds.