Time to venture out........

So after years of standing watching wildlife come and go in the garden and reading what all you lovely people writeand post about the great outdoors I thought it was about time to get on my boots , grab my camera and binoculars and jump in the car for a new adventure.....3 minute drive up the road to....yes its basically on my doorstep!

Sun was shining, carpark pretty busy but excited to see new things so I will need your help identifying what I saw ....

Looking up at the sky......a flock of???( sorry not  great pics)

plenty buzzards(I think) soaring around in the sunshine

Then hiding in the distance....(my other half said they look like kangeroos!)

Time to search the water......(looks like a fake duck to me )

Goldeneye I think!

Then a wander over to the river to hopefully see a kingfisher as I have never seen one but had no luck. 

Ended up taking lots of pics of this duck but no idea what it is...help please!

Back to dry land and some stunning scenery

Who knew there was life beyond my kitchen window. Can't wait to get back out to discover more of our wonderful world.

  • I think one must sweet talk its better half into buying a new camera. Wink
  • Good luck with that one ThumbsupIn the meantime and as Hazy says, those are some nice atmospheric shots.

  • Yeah a might be in for a long wait til xmas for it me thinks Joy not sure what xmas though!
  • Linda257 said:
    Yeah a might be in for a long wait til xmas for it me thinks not sure what xmas though!

    But surely you'll have a birthday before then ... beg & plead! Lol

  • sadly thats just 2 weeks before xmas lol.....
  • Linda257 said:

    Thanks Mike

    As for the Golden Eye I kind of cheated as there was a sign saying look out and see if you can see a Golden Eye so thats the only reason I could name it but what was the chances of me actually seeing one! Never saw it today though when I returned early this morning!

    Oh there is so much in my surrounding area just waiting to be explored...and it will be!

    Thanks for all the advice ....much appreciated

    You're welcome, and I don't call that cheating, I call that educational, and using the resources provided to look and learn.  Thumbsup

    Though I've not been around your area, I could imagine. Sadly, I'm surrounded by concrete and bricks, with a good 5+ miles before the countryside, and that is to extend further very soon, two new estates are to be built, and HS2!

  • Linda, Thanks for the lovely photos of your first excursions and lucky you to live so close to a reserve! If you do not wish to wait until your birthday/Christmas to ask for a camera, you might consider a short holiday near Rutland Water in August where Birdfair will be held for 3 days. If you are unfamiliar with the fair you might like to know that most optical companies have a stand there and offer cameras, etc., at a discount. You can consult other birders with cameras about which ones they prefer if you would like opinions of like-minded folk. I cannot offer any suggestions but there is ample advice on other threads on this forum if you search (or, for a quick start, ask the other photographers on this thread for their suggestions!) And all being well with this spring's migration, while you are at Birdfair you can make the short trip to the other centre of the reserve, go for a little walk, and see nesting Ospreys in person.
  • Thanks Ann , will certainly consider it .
  • Michael B said:

    Linda257 said:

    Thanks Mike

    As for the Golden Eye I kind of cheated as there was a sign saying look out and see if you can see a Golden Eye so thats the only reason I could name it but what was the chances of me actually seeing one! Never saw it today though when I returned early this morning!

    Oh there is so much in my surrounding area just waiting to be explored...and it will be!

    Thanks for all the advice ....much appreciated

    You're welcome, and I don't call that cheating, I call that educational, and using the resources provided to look and learn.  

    Though I've not been around your area, I could imagine. Sadly, I'm surrounded by concrete and bricks, with a good 5+ miles before the countryside, and that is to extend further very soon, two new estates are to be built, and HS2!

    Sadly the concrete is closing in on us all Mike .

    I used to be able to look out my bedroom window onto lovely greenbelt land and no light pollution .....that didnt last long as a new school was required even though there is one as the begining of my estate...no matter what petition we had it was being built . So now I have a joint campus, nursery , community centre oh and a much loved floodlighted allweather pitch at the back of my garden which is why we had to plant so many conifers round most of the garden and errected a log cabin to try and block out the noise and light as the pitch gets used up until 9pm every night!

  • As a teenager in the 70's, I used to spend a lot of time working on farms.

    All bar one of those farms are now either housing estates, or business parks.

    The other, is now part of a large conglomeration of arable farms, no longer are their cattle, pigs or poultry roaming around!