My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
To view pictures in larger format, just click on any picture for the picture gallery....

Saturday 21 March 2009

An end-of-day outing.

My grandson stayed overnight and this morning we had to collect new glasses. This, and some essential food shopping (including a doughnut - but don't tell J's Mum!) we came home.

Mid afternoon we popped over to Bushey Park - no Great Crested Grebes still but hundreds of people so "Fancy going over to Barnes (London Wetland Centre)?" says I. "Oh yes" says J, so off we trotted.

Not a great deal about (this was at 3.30); but met a couple of chaps I'd seen there before on many occasions and we agreed: not a great deal about!

However -
Collection Birds - A Long-tailed Duck now having grown its tail again

The resident 3 cranes - strutting their stuff in the way that Cranes do!

A first (in terms of pictures) this year of a Peacock Butterfly


and the star today - this rather obliging Great Crested Grebe which we espied just as we'd decided to call it a day!


17 comments:

The Quacks of Life said...

lovely to see the flutter

Snowbabies said...

Beautifully detailed shots of the Great Crested Grebe.

Paul.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant Grebe shots Tricia and a nice L.T.Duck
Ahm! So who eat the doughnuts??

Janine said...

Just catching up, wonderful to see the adder. And the ducklings are so cute!

Midmarsh John said...

Lovely clear photos as always, Tricia. At least I saw some Peacock Butterflies today but I'll have to leave the water birds to you.

mick said...

Lovely photos. It intrigues me to see the number of species that you call "collection" birds.

Tricia Ryder said...

Pete - yes, the promise of things to come..

Paul - thank you - I had low(ish) sunlight which helped.

Roy - thank you
It was 1 doughnut and had "sprinkles" on it - and it wasn't me Lol

J - I just wished the adder wasn't quite so well hidden and yes - very cute ducklings!

John - thank you. Glad you saw some too; no water birds near to you?

Mick - We call them "collection" birds as they are captive and not normally from the UK; their wings have been ringed so they stay on the reserve rather than going AWOL. Quite often it's because a species is becoming rare but I don't believe this would apply in this instance though.

Midmarsh John said...

Water birds nearby? Well I did watch a large seagull effortlessly using a thermal to gain height while I had an hour sat in the garden this afternoon. :D

Jayne said...

Great shots again Tricia, you make me so envious, your pictures are always so very detailed and clear!!
Jayne

Tricia Ryder said...

Aw John - When you're next down to London you'll have to visit the London Wetland Centre then..
(How's the tan?)

Tricia Ryder said...

Thank you Jayne. I think I'm just lucky to have the camera kit that I have. And being in the right place at the right time helps.

(You should see the amount of pics that get despatched to the "Trash" bin!

Anonymous said...

Great photos mum!
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY you are truly the best- even tho you do feed my boy loads of sugar over excite him and then bring him home!
I love the header photo too
Love as ever
SPD

ShySongbird said...

Lovely photos again Tricia and I particularly loved the Peacock Butterfly on the Pussy Willow.

Tricia Ryder said...

SPD = aw thank you :D

ShySongbird - thanks; the combination of the two made for a good composition - glad it landed where it did!

oldcrow61 said...

A gorgeous Peacock butterfly.

laurent Debordes said...

superbes ...

Tricia Ryder said...

Bonjour Laubain et merci

Je suit desole - Je parle un peu français.

(and my keyboard does not have accents).

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