Chaffinch – Stephen's Wildlife

South Lake

Yesterday I practiced a new technique for me. The picture of the lake is a panorama created from three separate photos “stitched” together. It’s not flawless, but it got my creative juices flowing and I am excited at the prospect of maybe adding some long exposure shots together – watch this space.

I normally see one or two small birds in the woodland alongside the lake. This time I saw a male chaffinch. Its quite a common bird, but I do love the colours in its plumage: the white bar on the wing, the pink breast, the brown back with a green rump and the grey crown and collar.

Swan taking off from the surface of the lake

The swans were quite prominent. There were more than a dozen in one of the adjacent fields and a few on the lake coming and going. This one took off from the surface of the lake and passed incredibly close (see below). There was none of the honking you get from geese, but there was the whooshing sound of the powerful downbeat of its wings.

Canada geese are the most numerous species of goose on the lake. There are also Greylag geese and Egyptian geese. In a few weeks time we will see plenty of yellow goslings on the banks of the lake being supervised and protected by their parents as they feed on the grass and vegetation.

This starling is “dressed” in its breeding plumage. Perhaps best known for their group aerial displays this one was enjoying some “me-time”. We spotted him as we headed back to the car, parked just off Ham Lane, where we also saw an unusual Jackdaw.

My son saw the white feathers in the jackdaws plumage. “Maybe it’s an old one.” he said, as he looked at the colour of my hair. Cheek!

Kingston Lacy in autumn

The sun shone today and the rain stopped. Yellow leaves underfoot clearly indicated the season.

The cafe courtyard was occupied solely by a chaffinch. All human patrons headed indoors and shunned the al fresco dining at the external tables and chairs

We could hear the wren from the path, but could not see it. Following the sound and heading into the undergrowth it suddenly showed itself, before disappearing deeper into the foliage.

Not so timid, the robin. Bold and brazen he perched in front of the camera as if asking which profile I preferred.

The Chaffinch

The chaffinch rivals the robin as one of the UK’s most common birds with a population of 6.2 million. It will be seen widely feeding in open areas such as parks, large gardens and farmland.

The female is a pale yellowish-brown, but the same pattern in the wing as the more colourful male.

Garden visitors – April 2019

The garden has seen an explosion of colour this month. I must have been aware of this in previous years, but this year I have observed it more closely – yellow primroses and daffodils; white snowdrops and blossom; purple crocuses; pink camellia, cherry blossom, clematis and apple blossom; blue bluebells; green grass and new foliage.

Whilst the background colours and textures have changed, the change in visiting bird-life has been more subtle and not quite what I expected. The bird species I have seen are: sparrow, dunnock, pigeon, magpie, starling, robin, goldfinch, blue tit, blackbird.

There have been absences too. Where are the long tailed tits, siskins, chaffinches, coal tits, wrens, blackcaps? Have they deserted the garden feeding stations now that nature is producing abundant new growth and insects?

My photography knowledge has increased. I leave it to others to judge whether this has resulted in improved quality. I now photograph in RAW instead of JPEG, giving greater flexibility in the post production stage. My camera is now set on manual rather than automatic and I now select the ISO, shutter speed and aperture setting. Most wildlife photo ops are fleeting, lasting only a few seconds and require patience and perseverance. Familiarity with camera controls and settings are essential to respond when those brief seconds present themselves.

With warmer temperatures and school holidays I have ventured beyond the confines of the garden. These are a few pictures taken at Brownsea Island, Pamphill and Moors Valley.