My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
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Friday 10 April 2009

A wet wet day!

The morning dawned - that's about the best thing you can say about it today. The forecast had been for rain and rain it did. At about 8.30 I decided that if I was going out, I'd better get going so, off I went to check out the Great Crested Grebes in Bushey. To no avail - no sign of either of them again. I wonder where they are??

Strolled about for a bit. The Reed Bunting was in his usual tree and today there was a LBJ. Wish I knew my birds better - its song was delightful and although I visited the RSPB site and listened to several warblers - I couldn't find the relevant song. By now, it had started to drizzle but not too badly. It doesn't help under these conditions to receive a text (thanks Pete) saying how warm the sunshine is!!

BUT I did see 3 House Martins (my first this year) hunting over the pond - lovely!

I then went down by the River Thames in the Hampton Court area as my daughter had seen a pair of Grebes there - they'd now gone!

But I was greeted by a singing Mistle Thrush as I walked along the river

From there I set off for Painshill Park to check out the Grebes there. I parked in the car park. I listened to the rain now beating down relentlessly on the car roof. Right, I'll nip into the nearby supermarket to get the bits I need - still pouring when I came out. So off home I went!

I did manage to watch a Grey Heron for a bit in Bushey, that was standing on, what looked like, a coot's nest. He decided to fly over to the other side and headed straight for a coot's nest where the coot was only a couple of feet from it. The coot took umbrage and charged the Grey Heron which instantly flew off!

Heron happily standing on a coot's nest

Coot.... "you're not welcome here"

"so go away".....



Heron "I'm off, that coot means business" !



So home and I resigned myself to the rain which was just as well as it hasn't stopped since.

Further frustration to day when I tried to upload these pictures to blogger. They wouldn't upload. Rebooted the PC - just in case - no change. Decided the pictures might be corrupt as I'd uploaded a different picture successfully. So, resized all the pictures again and hey - bingo! You'll have noticed it worked!!

So a frustrating day but I have seen quite a few birds in the garden and around and about - included the two Lesser Redpolls in the garden again. There is a glimmer of a silver lining!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

HI Tricia, yes you get that sometimes with Blogger. It is more to do with how many people are on it already which slows it all down.
Nice story about the Heron. I have seen a pair of Coots drive off a male Mute Swan before now they arn't afraid of anything them little so-n-so's.

Midmarsh John said...

Lovely Heron sequence.
Pity about your weather. I'd better not mention what it has been like here.
Great final head shot - all that is missing is a pair of pince-nez as it looks distinctly short sighted.

Warren Baker said...

Hi tricia,
House martins everywhere it seems! Could your LBJ have been a Willow warbler ? A lovely 'descending' song

Tricia Ryder said...

Roy: I know - blogger can be very temperamental at times but on this occasion it think it was my pictures. I could upload some - but not others.

John: I know some areas had some great sunny and warm weather today and I assuming you are in one of them! The heron is squinting a bit Lol

Warren. It may well have been. Needless to say it was high up in the tree, but I couldn't see any yellow eye stripe but.... maybe I'll see it again and get a picture. It certainly had a descending note at the end of the song.

holdingmoments said...

Good pictures despite the weather Tricia. Love that last Heron shot.
Had rain here all day, and stuck in work. Got a day off Sunday, so hopefully the sun will shine. :)

mick said...

I especially like the first photo of the heron taking flight. I went and found a recording of the mistle thrush song - and its lovely!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tricia, just to make you feel better, the weather Ooop North was just as bad!! not a good birding day. Love the shots of the Coot/Heron chase LOL. Just a thought, your LBJ, not a Dunnock eh? they do like a high point to sing from, and can be misleading.


paul.

FAB said...

I had a similar problem late last night Tricia & decided to leave it for 24 hours and now the same pics have uploaded without any error messages....must be the wet weather!
I see you managed a clearer pic of the 'Storm Cock' than my attempt.

ShySongbird said...

I think we were getting too used to the nice weather Tricia, it has been wet and miserable here too.
Well done that Coot I say, blooming cheek!

Tricia Ryder said...

Keith: only Sunday off? poor you - fingers crossed you will get some really good weather to go out in!

Mick: thanks. It's a pretty song isn't it!

Frank: I think it was my pictures but all seems OK now. I think the Storm Cock was appropriate for today's weather down south!

Jan: I believe you're right about getting used to good weather. Comes as a bit of a shock all this wet stuff! The coot was really viscous and not deterred at all by the heron's size!

Tricia Ryder said...

Paul: the chase didn't last long but was dramatic for the time is lasted!

Thanks for the suggestion but definitely not a Dunnock - different bird altogether.

Richard said...

Love the Mistle Trush...more please.

Tricia Ryder said...

Hi Richard: thanks. Had a song thrush in the garden a minute ago - but its such a dreadfully wet morning that no light to take a picture!!

Jayne said...

Weather exactly the same here in the Black Country Tricia, didn't stop you getting out and capturing some more excellent shots though - well done once again!!
Jayne

Tricia Ryder said...

Hi Jayne and thanks. More of the wet stuff again this morning alas!

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