Our site updates have been notable by their absence so far this year, but here’s a reminder of the view over the mere.
This photo taken in April, (and really is only a ten minute walk from the city centre!) ……..
and a colourful creature that only the most tolerant gardener would like to see …..
… a vine weevil on the stalk of our spring flowering fritillary…
19.01.2012
9 ring necked parakeets on site today.
They’re always there and few native species seems to worry them.
Until a sparrowhawk flew over that is, then they went into an extreme panic.
Not quite as dominant as we thought they were then. . . .
some fly-bys:
17.06.2010
by coincidence I was on site Thursday morning and also happened upon the damselflies
the rather disappointingly named common blue damselfy.
Most of the time, I have no idea what I’ve seen until I get home,
view the photograph, then refer to my ever-to-hand nature guide book.
a blue-tailed damselfy, according to the book.
look closely, this great tit has got his prized sunflower heart.
in a conventional pose, the ever wonderful bullfinch.
the hovering bullfinch!
I was lucky with this one, the colour’s a bit off, but I enjoyed the moment.
22.04.2010
my first visit for a while, too long really.
I was plagued by foliage getting in the way of my “perfect” shots, also unwanted branches.
We could also blame the creatures themselves, they don’t want to be pestered do they?
here a wren tries to hide under a leaf -and nearly succeeds.
it’s time to say “aah” as the ever present blue tits pose for us.
among the leaves, again.
the fritillaries on show again, though with some frost damage.
I managed to hide those to the rear of this shot, they appear lighter.
a peacock butterfly suns itself on a log heap, after all the cold, it’s nice to see some beneficial sunshine.
Also seen, orange tip and speckled wood.
I saw a male mallard chase away a duckling earlier, the female seems to tolerate him still.
He’s a bit of a mongrel, a bit dull. He may grow up to be a she, we’ll see.
Anyway he has found the surplus seeds below the feeders, so he should survive OK.
Bullrushes standing out more in winter
so I ventured out onto the reserve for the first time in a month or so.
I found it still buzzing with activity.
01.02.2010
Siskin take niger seeds, let’s hope the goldfinches don’t object.
No luck catching them in a natural setting this time,
still, got them last year so can’t complain. . .see blog for 17.01.2009.
Siskin like sunflower hearts too, -it pays to be versatile.
a little run of little grebe pictures:
Not the clearest image, but how many times have you seen a little grebe
OUT of the water? Me? Never.
a blackbird, waiting for me to leave the feeder area.
Wherever you are on the site, someone is watching you.
The Mere’s secretive resident pheasant, also watching warily.
Snowdrops never cease to amaze do they?
The snow clears and there they are!
The last of this winter’s redwing flock, it felt as if I had scared them all away,
but they were probably on their way North again soon anyway . . .
Most of the red in redwing name stems from the red on the bird’s body.
This redwing shows more of it’s plumage, just for the camera.
08.10.2009
a sunny but cold day, the light barely falling on half the reserve by midday.
this male mallard had me looking twice: he’s become entwined with a postman’s elastic band.
As far as I could see, he was still feeding ok and untroubled by his new headgear.
Hopefully, it will wear away safely in a few days.
white bryony is the creeper, I think. It’s durable and still going strong.
We are nearly in mid October and the plant is still flowering and attracting bees.
a dunnock attempts to sneak past me, serving to illustrate the furtive nature of these birds.
still present are young moorhen.
They have bred well this year and are still pestering the parent birds for food.
another young moorhen catches the warming sun on the bridge.
still the star of the show, a male kingfisher.
Anyone seen a female recently?
