Early this morning, I saw reports from the Warden at Sconce Park that he had seen - and photographed - siskin and a little egret in The Old Wood, neither of which he had spotted in the park before.
It didn't take much to get me down there on my bike shortly afterwards on a bright day chilled by an unpleasantly sharp eastern wind. I scanned all the alder along the river, all the other trees, and there were neither siskin nor egret on view anywhere. Typical!
However, I wasn't going to waste the day, and the sound of so many birds in that woodland had me craning my head around like the proverbial wryneck. As seems so often to be the case, the monotonous two tone car alarm call of a great tit was the dominant call, but every so often a robin would blast out a call from a nearby branch, and blackbirds were crashing about in the undergrowth, throwing leaves around.
Unlike my garden at dawn, they weren't chasing each other around like maniacs, but these blackbirds too want to put a show on. The ones I snapped today were bright of eye and immaculate of plumage, and one of them was extremely proud of the big worm he pulled out of the ground.
So, didn't see the star attractions, but the supporting cast were looking good.
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.03.16
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| Under the picnic table |
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| Then on top |
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| Fluffy watcher of the watcher |
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| Moorhen |
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| Female chaffinch |
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| Blue tit |
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| Great tit looking good |
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| Throwing the leaves around |
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| Worm hunter |
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| Close up |
Lovely to see the birds Si. Shame you missed the Siskin.
ReplyDeleteYes, we rarely see Siskin ... but the Blackbird looks terrific. We have once - only once - had a Little Egret fly over our garden.
ReplyDeleteBlackbirds seems very active at the moment :) Perhaps the egret and siskins will hang around for a while and you'll see them on another visit.
ReplyDeleteThere are more and more little egrets around Suffolk now, often see them near a river that runs under the A12 on our way to Ipswich. Siskin only spotted here once in 23 years. BUT guess what we had in the Christmas tree near the house on Sunday.....A Goldcrest!! Couldn't move to get the camera - shame.
ReplyDeleteWhy do robins always pose for photographs so well - almost as if they know what is going on Si?
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I've seen siskins occasionally in Fineshade woods, and more often in the New Forest.
ReplyDeleteLovely shots here.
Thank you everyone who commented, the odd shot is ok, the others no great shakes but I'll keep trying. Robins are posers, bold as brass, although not as bold as goldcrests, which are fearless.
ReplyDeleteShame you did not get to see the egret and siskins, but that's how it goes in nature, I often don't see the things I go to find.
ReplyDeleteAmanda xx
Well lovely to see these birds ...
ReplyDeleteThat robin, I love it!
All the best Jan