The Young of 2021 share your photos here

Thank you, Hazel, it was such a joy. I adore Robins, as most people do, but wondered why a Robin juvenile was beside a Redstart and so took a photo just in case. Definitely a first for me

gaynorsl said:

Mike I'm so sorry, have only just come on the Forum tonight and have missed your coming down to Conwy today, I wouldn't have been able to travel over anyway as Thursday is ukulele afternoon and we have just started back in our meeting room after soooo long. Hope you had a good day, it was lovely weather anyway, maybe you will have some photos for us.

No worries.

The day was generally cloudy, but a pleasant day, and when the sun did break through, wow the martins, dragons and damsels all came out to play!

There will be photos very soon, now I've finished sifting through.

I'm hoping to make another trip mid-Sept, but that will depend on Covid (hospital admissions are starting to climb again post summer hols) and family.

A very recent, and long overdue visit to RSPB Conwy, the Carneddau Ponies are used to help keep the scrub under control, mum and daughter, very likely this years foal.

A juvenile blackbird watching my every move....

I saw this adorable young black-headed gull at Rutland Water on August 14th.  It was easily the youngest of the considerable number of black-headed gulls present and it stuck out like a sore thumb:

It seemed to be doing OK despite its extreme youth - I'm assuming it was a very late hatch!  I think their markings are absolutely beautiful when they are this young.

Hi Clare,
A very handsome young gull, I've spent time in the past trying to identify an unknown wader before realising it's a young BHG.
I've tried commenting on your recent posts from Minsmere and Rutland Water and it appears as I'm not a group member I can't do more than like. So I'll post here for now, both posts had lots of excellent photos and well done.
The Rutland Ospreys were splendid and reminded me to push a trip there further up the "to go to list", so thank you for that. I've only ever seen distant views of an Osprey on the nest at Loch Garten a couple of years ago.
Best Wishes,
Trevor

Good to see the Carneddau pony Mike, and young blackbird, glad you made it over, yes the numbers are increasing apparently, who knows where and what will happen in future, keeping my head down mostly.
Clare the young B/headed gull is just gorgeous, I wouldn't have had a clue if it had popped up in front on me, lovely pics.

TJS said:

I've tried commenting on your recent posts from Minsmere and Rutland Water and it appears as I'm not a group member I can't do more than like. So I'll post here for now, both posts had lots of excellent photos and well done.

There should be a message somewhere at the top of the page to 'Join Group' when that happens.  I've had to join a lot of groups over the years so that I can comment on them - some of those groups belong to reserves I've still yet to visit!!

The Rutland Water pair I showed in my photos will be gone any day now but they should be back just past mid-March and I can highly recommend a visit.  When you do go you'll need to head to the Lyndon Visitor Centre on the south shore.  It's closer than you might think - it takes me just over two hours to drive from Felixstowe.

Right - time to post my remaining photos of the rest of the wildlife I saw at Rutland!

TJS said:

Hi Clare,

A very handsome young gull, I've spent time in the past trying to identify an unknown wader before realising it's a young BHG.
I've tried commenting on your recent posts from Minsmere and Rutland Water and it appears as I'm not a group member I can't do more than like. So I'll post here for now, both posts had lots of excellent photos and well done.
The Rutland Ospreys were splendid and reminded me to push a trip there further up the "to go to list", so thank you for that. I've only ever seen distant views of an Osprey on the nest at Loch Garten a couple of years ago.
Best Wishes,
Trevor

Or the option may be at the bottom of the page.

My options to join at usually a black banner at the bottom, which can look almost intimidatingly like, you're not in the group, but it is an invite to join, just click on the banner, whether it be at the top or bottom.

I think (?) this is a juvenile Blue Tit. It was with its family amongst the turning, almost autumn leaves and foraging for food. It didn’t poke its head up for long, but it was lovely when it did