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
A fluffy, wuffy treat for you all. Taken about an hour ago on the completed section of Manor farm restoration, aka nascent Longwater Road nature reserve, near the un-romantic sewage works.
Lapwing chicks. Seems like a very successful year for Lapwings, provided they can keep the marauding Covids, owls, foxes, and pet dogs (whose owners' can't control them) from predating their chicks.
Bedtime, children
Cropping out a bit
Mum waits for chicks to get sorted.
There's always one! Having settled herself down, naughty number four chick turns up.
Let me in, mum
In goes the chick
Mum can finally settle down.
90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
Very pleased you like the photos.
We were stood about 25 yards from the chicks. They are tiny and so hard to see.
I didn't realise their feet were so enormous. It's like taking a new born baby into a shoe shop and asking for size 20 shoes!
We start off today's eclectic selection with Darth Wood Pigeon or 'I want to have a word with you, laddie. What was it you said about our Sharon?' T'was in my back garden
Lapwing chicks, older than the ones earlier, and a lot closer to me. They are nesting quite close to the Longwater road on Manor farm restoration, just north of the sewage works.
A couple from a walk up the Clyde last week
Now this wee starling was in garden acting strange so got camera
Poor wee thing has netting on it!!!
Tries a somersault to free itself
Then a friend pops in to help!!!! NOT
I had to intervene!!! Happy to say it got away ..not sure if it was free of the netting though :-(
Got about 15 or so starlings visiting the now so plenty food around for them ;-)