Sunday 16 September 2012

On the Patch.. 16/09/2012


Upon starting down the canal path the very first thing I saw of the feathered kind was a small electric blue shape flying away from me up the river parallel with the old canal. A Kingfisher - not 60 seconds after stepping out of the car. I kept my eye open to see if it landed but the amount of dog walkers out today meant that was probably unlikely. I did have a comically friendly young Coot make his way over to me though, shortly before a Grey Wagtail darted past me. The usual Forest Farm mallards were out in force -




Having decided to bring along some seeds from our garden feeders I placed some of this out on the post that we noted several birds gathering around the last time Jess and myself were there. Within a couple of minutes there were 2 Great Tits, a Blue Tit -



 And then this little beauty joined in, darting about the branches within a few feet of me. 





Notice the Nuthatch is ringed, and probably by the local ringers group I'm sure. A short way down the path I noticed a Greater Spotted Woodpecker making it's way up a bare tree before realizing a crow had already set itself up at the top, and darting away. 




Before turning of the canal path towards the hides an Emperor Dragonfly was making the rounds, hovering very near me twice, so close that I couldn't get a shot because the range was too small. The curse of having such a long range lens on!  There were teams of people clearing near the hides, so a quick pop in at the first hide revealed a young heron before I made my way back home for lunch. Great little morning's birding.