After yet another successful year on the Odds & Sods thread, initially started I think by Hazy, it might be wise to kickstart the 2023 thread off.
Thank you to those who have contributed to last years thread, and there has been very interesting odds and sods in "Odds & Sods 2022" that aren't enough to place into a dedicated thread, which you can look back on the following link:
https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/278729/odds-sods-2022/1417300?pifragment-4285=76#pifragment-4285=1
What better for me, and as yet, I've not ventured far, ewe know what I mean, with this lassie on Baddesley Clinton estate yesterday....
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
Grey heron, mandarin and grouse from this mornings walk up on the hills and back home via a valley.
Some Greylag geese
My what big teeth you have. Tomium, a form of cartilage.
Territorial rumble on Tern island.
Pulling back to show extent of ruckus
Landing approach on a misty Colebrook lake south. Flaps down. There is no elegant way to do this.
Flaring out
Reverse thrust
Touch down! Main undercarriage
And the rest
Any landing you swim away from, is a good landing.
90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.
I always love to see a Mandarin ... not that I see many. They kinda make me think of Puffins - so bright and colourful ...
Lot to learn
We get quite a lot up and down the river Derwent. Lovely to see when they are relaxing with their chicks on the rocks in the river. We have quite a few in the local valley too although the grey herons do take a lot of the chicks unfortunately.
They're just wonderful ...