Kicking off this year's odds and sods with Starlings in a rainbow on that extreme rarity: sunshine.
It was early morning, with the sun barely cresting the tree line. We were able to get out for our morning walk as it wasn't raining. This photo is my trusty Canon 80D and Sigma 18-300mm lens zoomed in at 300mm.
Pulling back a bit.
And finally all the way back.
Oh, 2024 got off to a good start with this.
So far my cat, perhaps two neighbouring cats visiting our garden, a local fox and Tawny owl, and this trap have accounted for at least five of the beasties. Sightings of rats in our garden are getting rarer, so I think I'm winning. Two rather timid and wary rats, that I know of, are proving more elusive to catch. I've resorted to buying a lethal trap. The trap was triggered, yesterday, but no rat, sadly. Though a mouse might have triggered it, and was small enough to be within the kill bar.
90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.
Germain said:Linnet posing
Nice captures Caroline, never knowingly seen one!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Today was one of those special days - all sorts of different things about to distract the eye and give some hope. I spotted this beauty - When I walked the transect 4 days ago there was an adult and youngster who I think had recently fledge given the amount of yelling. I could only see one and no one was calling which was a little concerning
The kes swooped down over the edge so I looked over
There were probably 7 Little Egret and a Shelduck family - I think 3 youngsters
When I can up over the top of the headland I was greeted by at least 4 Kestrel hunting - I think at one stage I may have counted 5 - I did try to get a photo of the family together along with a couple of Chough that glided through but failed so you just get a headland photo
Cin J
A Goosander I think, rather than a Merganser, on the river yesterday. There were three of them.
Beautiful C
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
You can really see why they are referred to as Sawbills from this cracking photo BD
Thank you Cin. I didn't know that, but I can certainly see why ...
There are a few species that come under that description - they are fish eating diving ducks so the serrations must help them grip the fish
Nicely timed photo BD
Thanks Snappy, it did that a number of times - whether it was catching flies I don't know. But I just got ready and waited and managed to catch a few. I nearly used the RAW image boost pre shooting thingy, but I couldn't be bothered setting it up, then the download faff ...
Brilliant detail BD, never seen this sawbill before