Two 'firsts' at Bretton

I spent the morning at Bretton Lakes NR reserve yesterday and came across two 'firsts' - but neither were of the feathered variety.

I sat under the folly, in the woods above the top lake for over an hour before I noticed some movement in the undergrowth. At first I thought it was a mouse but it was far too large. After a while it paused briefly from it's rummaging long enough for me to make out what it was - a Weasel!

This was the first time I've ever seen one in the flesh so I was grateful to get a few shots before it dissapeared.

Weasel

Later on I was sat in the hide when a large Mink appeared at the water's edge. Unfortunately it scurried away before I had time to get a photograph.

However there were a few other opportunites whilst I was there...

The Heronries seem to be into full-swing.

Goosanders

I bought a new macro lens the other week and decided to test it out on the Snowdrops growing in the woods. I got the Sigma 105mm for a bargain price off Ebay and am well pleased with the results so far. It will be nice to try it out again when the large insects are around.

Spring Lamb - This was actually taken in Scotland. I spent the long weekend there and although I came away without any decent bird photos the trip was very enjoyable.

I think this maybe a Herring Gull. Taken at Scotland's most southerly point - The Mull of Galloway.

These Pink-Footed Geese were grazing at Wigtown hide before I opened the window and scared them off!

Greylag Goose

Bretton Lakes Update

Its been a few weeks since I was at Bretton and I managed to miss a rare visit from a Great White Egret whilst I was away. The views to be had weren't too good apparently so there wouldn't have been any decent photo opportunities.

I could have joined what looked like half the birding population of Yorkshire over at the sighting of a Ring-Billed Gull (Photo on Bluebirder's blog - http://bluebirder.blogspot.com/ ) which was only a mile and a half from home, but I opted for the peace and quiet of Bretton instead.

It was the first time I've visited in over two months that the place wasn't frozen over and covered in snow. The only white stuff around being the Snowdrops growing in the woods, which made it feel a little bit like spring. There was much more bird life around than of late too. However one animal was seriously down in numbers - the Grey Squirrel. Before the prolonged cold snap I counted at least one of these for around every 50 yards I walked. Today I only saw about half a dozen of them throughout my whole trek so nature might have had it's own cull!

Photowise it was a mixed bag but I did see the first Coal Tit I've come across this year. Didn't hear or see any Kingfishers though. Hope they're back soon.

It was nice to meet a fellow blogger at the hide by the lake - The Shat Birder - no he hadn't had an accident in his trousers. He really is called that - http://theshatbirder.blogspot.com/

Coal Tit

Long-Tailed Tit

Great-Spotted Woodpecker

Nuthatch at the improvised feeding station behind the hide.

Lurking high above us in the tree-tops of the island was this Sparrowhawk. If this is the same one that pounced last time I was here then I reckon he's got the feeding station marked down as his own feeding source now. He's looking straight down on the feeding birds.

Tufted Duck

Male and female Goosander

Potteric Carr

I looked on the BBC weather site on Friday and it had a forecast of bright sunshine for today (Sunday) so I made up my mind to visit Potteric Carr. By late Saturday night the forecast wasn't quite as good - early mist and then white cloud for Sunday morning.

I woke up this morning to heavy snow! Good old BBC.

Normally this would be enough to send me straight back to bed but as I haven't been out with the camera for several weeks I decided to give it a go. The 30-odd mile journey was quite treacherous in parts but I got their in the end.

These are the best of this morning's pictures...

I hadn't been at the Piper Marsh hide for long when a Bittern flew in and concealed itself on one of the islands in the middle of the lake. Thankfully it didn't stay there too long and took flight to the far side of the lake. I got a few shots of the bird in flight but the distance was a bit too great for my 500mm lens + 1.4x teleconverter so they are a bit fuzzy.

Bittern

I also visited Willow Pool Hide where another Bittern landed on a small island before having a walk across the ice.

The rest of the birds were gathered around the feeders at Willow Pool Hide.

Water Rail

Wood Pigeon

Reed Bunting (Male)

Female Reed Bunting

River Calder

I'm still without transport so I was unable to take advantage of the fine weather last weekend. I did have a look through last years photos to see if there was anything worth posting though. This may be of interest to anyone who knows the area where I live.

Anyone from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire who is of the same generation (or older) than myself would probably laugh out loud if you suggested that the River Calder and it's banks had become a bit of a nature reserve.

When I was growing up in the 60's and 70's the stretch of the river that runs through my home town was used as a playground by myself and plenty of other kids, but it was a distinctly unhealthy place to be. For over 100 years the local textile and chemical industries had been discharging their waste into the river. The result being that a river which was once home to large numbers of salmon and many other fish became a lifeless, dirty, smelly mess!

Not any more though. Due to anti-pollution laws and the demise of most of the local mills and factories that used to pour their waste into the river, the fish have returned. Otters have been seen along some stretches and the bird life that lives along it's banks now includes King Fishers, Grey Heron and Grey Wagtails to name but a few.

Last June I managed to get some photos of some of the birdlife. There was little cover so I couldn't get close enough for any really decent shots but here are a few examples of what I saw.

Long-Tailed Tit.

A scruffy looking Common Whitethroat. Too busy feeding the young to bother about appearances?

Grey Wagtail. This was taken on the weir next to Island View. I was so surprised to see this land in front of me that I almost forgot to take a picture!

Black Headed Gull flying above the same weir.

Yellowhammer - a pair were nesting alongside the Calder & and Hebble Navigation, a canal which runs parallel to the Calder for a short distance.

I'll be back at the start of the coming spring to see what the new breeding season brings.

Kingfishers

No new photos to post 'cos my car 'died' late last week leaving me housebound for the weekend without any excuse not to do some diy!

 Kingfisher shots are usually quite popular so in the absence of anything new I thought I'd post some of my better attempts. All of these were taken from the hide at Bretton Lakes.

The birds are using a perch which I installed a couple of years ago. For some reason they only seem to use it from late July through to around late September. That's more than enough time to get plenty of shots though.

This one could hear the sound of my camera shutter

The thin streaks are blurred water droplets being shaken from the skin of the fish.

Bretton - Almost Thawed

Its nearly a month since the first snow hit us and the start of the big freeze. Thanks (I think) to NASA for this amazing photograph, which shows virtually all of the UK totally covered with a huge, white blanket.

I went to Bretton this morning with the thaw well under way. The lakes are still mostly covered with ice but it is retreating fast and the carpet of snow has all but gone.

As expected the birdlife was a bit thin on the ground so I headed for the rear of hide where the birders who visit during the week usually put out some food. The place was deserted when I got there but not for long. By the time I'd placed the seed, nuts and peanut butter I had plenty of company. All the usual common birds showed up apart from the Coal Tits.

The light at this site isn't very good at the best of times and this morning was overcast which made it even worse. So the following pictures are taken at low shutter speeds and ISO 1600. A bit of noise reduction and sharpening in Photoshop has produced some reasonable, if not very sharp results.

Robin

Blue Tit

Nuthatch

Great Tit

The stuff on the bark of the tree is peanut butter. Most of the birds love it.

Chaffinch

I'd been watching and photographing the feeding for quite some time when suddenly and completely out of the blue, the peace was shattered by a Sparrowhawk! Neither I nor these birds saw anything coming. It descended quickly and silently from the rear of where I was sitting and pounced before any of its potential prey had time to react.

I'm not sure whether the Sparrowhawk caught anything. It took off and then landed in a tree about 30 yards away but with its back to me. I tried to get a shot but there were too many branches in the way and the lens wouldn't autofocus. I switched to manual and got a couple of shots but they are poor and you can't tell whether or not it has anything in its beak. Although if you look closely along the bird's left 'shoulder' I think you might be able to see some ruffled feathers? Could this be a victim hanging from its beak?

Footnote: After asking around I learned that if the Sparrowhawk had caught anything then it would have had it grasped in it's talons. So it would appear that this strike was unsuccessful after all.

Wobbly Heron

This series of photos were taken late one spring after the young Grey Herons had just about mastered the art of flying around the top Heronry at Bretton Lakes.

The cocky youngster pictured here decided to impose his authority by chasing away the Mallards who were busy sunning themselves on the fallen tree. You can just about see one of them retreating at the bottom left corner of the first picture.

He was looking quite cool until he decided to 'patrol' up and down his new found territory. Then it all got a bit undiginified as he lost his balance and decided to give it up as a bad job...

"Sod it!"