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.
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!
Stephen's Wildlife 