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....

Monday 1 February 2010

It's all starting to happen....

I woke up this morning to see a sugar-coating of snow! So I decided I would go to Painshill Park to take some snowy scenes and hopefully see the Goosanders again. I dipped on both. The snow petered out about 1 mile up the road and not a hint of a Goosander - they'd moved on.

As I seem to have taken rather a lot of pictures to day I shall keep the "prose" short.

I did manage to see the Kingfisher again and, in the wildest stretch of anyone's imagination, this is only a record shot!

You'll need to click on it to enlarge the picture!


Several Mute Swans about and the males were being very territorial. Quite a vicious fight broke out between these two.











And finally, one flew off!

I was entertained by a group of Mallards coming off the frozen water to land on the grass

This male (hey ho) came in with great style..
drew its wings back to lose height and speed..
and, with a nonchalant attitude, landed...

ooooops - pride comes before a fall - a little more practice needed perhaps :)

When walking on ice, it's handy to have wings to keep one's balance!

High, high up and female Great Spotted Woodpecker was looking for food

And on the way out, this incredibly tame Robin posed beautifully for me - at times coming too close for the camera to focus properly! I'd bumped into a fellow birder/photographer - Ian - and he rustled the leaves; the robin came to investigate..


And some icy scenes around the park


I don't often do "arty" pictures but the ice formation below the bridge, caught my attention.



This is the Giant Cedar. If you look at the fence at the base of the tree - this fence is about 3 feet tall .....the tree is somewhat taller ;)


A lovely walk with great entertainment! It was cold but there was noticeable warmth in the sunshine - wonderful! (the sun finally went as I was leaving).

No doubt I might bump into Ian again as he decided, having enjoyed his visit, to take out a membership - now where's that commission (lol)!!

18 comments:

oldcrow61 said...

Fabulous pictures of the swans fighting. All the pictures are wonderful.

Chris said...

Wow Tricia, this is an amazing post again.. I cannot really say which part i like more, the mallard landing or the fight of the swans... Definitively this is a gorgeous post in which you captured many coll attitude. As for the kingfisher, they are quite shy and only if you get use to his favorite places you will get it... You have to observe it a lot and hide in a good place ;-)

Razboynik said...

Love the Swans...

Richard said...

Absolutely great photos. Love all the flight photos. I need to work on them.

TonyC said...

Great sequence of the swans Tricia, and I loved the oops! moment with the mallard. Well done!!

holdingmoments said...

Great selection of pictures Tricia.
That Mallard sequence made me smile; poor thing. He was doing so well too.

Eagleseagles said...

Hiya Tricia

I laughed at the KF pic- bit like my efforts! LOL!
What drama you captured between the Swans...and a very amusing post re the Mallard.

Really good photos of the Swans.

About the Goosanders - do you know there have not been many around at all.Your 5 needs recording - contact the Surrey Recoder and make sure he knows about these dont think they have been on the pagers.

C

Anonymous said...

A great set of photos Tricia.
Dramatic shots of the Mutes and your Kingfisher shot is very similar to the ones I get.{:)

Linda Yarrow said...

Great pictures of the swans Tricia. Like Roy, my pictures of the Kingfisher are like yours also:)

Warren Baker said...

Your Kingfisher Photo is just like one of mine! I never have much luck with them.

Midmarsh John said...

You have done better with the Kingfisher than I have managed so far. Great swan and mallard series.

Yoke, said...

Great post again, Tricia; Marvellous Mute sequence and perhaps even better Mallard one. ?

At least here in SW Eire we are in double figures again.

ShySongbird said...

Fantastic photos of the warring swans Tricia and I loved the Mallards too.

At least you have seen a Kingfisher recently! it is years since I did, I spent all last year going to the 'right' places and not getting even a glimpse!

Wilma said...

I love how in so many of the photos you caught the sunlight shining through the extended wings; just beautiful.

Mark Fellowes said...

Love the swan shots - really spectacular!

Glo said...

It looks like you captured the Swan Lake ballet in full progress ~ absolutely amazing photos!

Janine said...

Snow, again?
The Giant Cedar is a wonderous tree.

Tricia Ryder said...

OC - thank you as usual :)

Chris - thank you. One day I'll get that Kingfisher :D

Razboynik - many thanks

Richard - Thank you - glad I've added to your library again. I didn't edit any of them as there were so many!

TonyC - thank you - that Mallard had me laughing out loud!

Keith - He did look a little surprised. Well - as much as a duck can of course.

C - I will look into your suggestion. But they've now gone.

Roy - so we both take excellent Kingfisher pics then eh..

Lynmiranda - good to see you here again and thank you.

John - thank you. Kingfishers seem to challenge all of us but good to have a goal though :D

Yoke - Hi there! Many thanks and glad to learn your temperatures are rising.

Jan - thank you very much. Can't remember when I saw one previously but now I've seen this one twice in the same spot I will be back.

Wilma - For once shooting into the sun had some benefit; always difficult with the "whiteness" of swans.

Mark - many thanks; it was amazing to watch in "real life" too.

Glo - There's definitely something balletic about their stances; but it was also very aggressive.

Janine - only a smattering. And yes - that Cedar is amazing. I wonder how old it is... I must find out.

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