Blue sky at Barnes...

Given the forecast stated heavy rain this afternoon I headed of for fresh air, exercise and birds at Barnes.

Yesterday, I'd had another visit from the Sparrowhawk who seems to like this particular branch of the apple tree. The secateurs are coming out tomorrow to remove the dead twig....


The sun shone for a bit and I saw that rarity again - blue sky!!

This little Grebe came a bit closer than normal and fortunately the reeds in front of the hide have now died down a bit!


Everything else was too far away for any reasonable pictures. However, on my way back to the visitor centre, I came across a flock of Long-tailed Tits and also.....

I was looking into the sun, but was hopeful...


So I managed to walk underneath and around to the other side and I wasn't disappointed!
Chiff-chaff; one of three of them.

S/he then did a little hop

before turning around to face the other way.


Further around the sky clouded over and the wind got up, causing this Wren to have a bad hair day!



I'm sure this is the same frenetic Grey Heron I saw the other day. Again it was jumping up and down and "pecking" at vegetation in the water.




And finally, as the rain started on my way out, this cygnet decided it might as well have a sleep.



And so to do some food shopping and finally home; the promised rain had arrived now!

A Bittern sighting again...

My apologies as, once again, my posts are becoming like buses - nothing for ages then....

I awoke this morning to find that, as dawn broke, the sun came out and the sky was blue; and the wind had dropped. So I headed off for the London Wetland Centre in search of birds and Bitterns. Nothing particularly noteworthy in terms of birds; the water level after the torrential rain had risen considerably; not good for waders!

But the Bittern was finally spotted in a different place from where I'd seen it before. It stayed shy for most of the time but eventually ventured a little nearer the waters edge before disappearing into the reeds again. Miles away so only a record shot.

Whilst we stood waiting and waiting, this Canada Goose flew overhead.


Finally I abandoned my watching post and came across this Great Crested Grebe having a stretch..




Up in a bush as the day wore on, a Robin serenaded me with it's wonderful song. There's something about Robins of which I shall never tire...


A Shoveler posed on my way out..


and the sun caught the Swan statue at the foot of Sir Peter Scott.


As the sun was getting lower in the sky, I popped in to Bushy on the way home. Loads of people about so didn't stay long and hadn't the daylight time to go much further into the park.

A Mallard caught the sun as it preened


And the ever present Black-headed Gulls were competing for food as usual..





Lovely to have the sun and no wind or rain. Charged the batteries somewhat....

Rain, rain go away... please!

The last few days have been awful in terms of weather so my camera and I haven't really been doing much!

Last Wednesday though, I spent the day with Mum and we had lunch at......well, our favourite beach cafe. The sky was stormy but just occasionally, the sun peeped through giving some strange lighting affects to the sky and beach.

Then the following day I managed to dodge the showers and had a stroll in Bushy Park. Nothing much to photograph in terms of birds, but this male Stag was now very much on his own after the rut. The bracken can hide a fully grown stag at this time of the year.

But a Grey Heron stands out quite proudly against the amber backdrop.

Around the base of a dead tree, was this Fungi. I've no idea what types they are but if anyone knows?........

And then yesterday, I walked through the Ancient Woods on Esher Common. It was very wet underfoot and very slippery. I saw a Green Woodpecker as it bounded away from me and three Robins were singing in different parts of the wood at the same time!

And then - camera tucked inside my waterproof I headed back to the car.

And today?

A gap in the clouds and the sun peeped through so I headed of to the London Wetland Centre. En route, on the A3, the heavens opened; a lorry had broken down and closed two of the three lanes causing a long tail back, so I escaped at the first roundabout and headed off my main shopping centre. Completely forgetting of course that, with the Saturday run up to Christmas, there were horrendous queues for all the car parks - so, I headed of elsewhere only to find....... I shan't bore you with the details but I was glad to get home and put the kettle on.

Tomorrow is another day......

Remembering....

As usual today, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, I shall be observing the two minute's silence in recognition of those who gave their lives so that we can enjoy life today and the freedom that their efforts and sacrifices have given us.

As I write this, it is with the hope that future generations will remember and respect all those who died - whether in the armed forces or civilians. We hear currently of the young men and women who are still having their lives taken from them or have sustained terrible injuries due to acts of war, and my heart goes out to them and those who are left behind.

Whilst I don't need a special day to remember them - I pay tribute to my father and Grandfather - neither of whom I knew. My father came over to England with the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada and was killed in action, in Italy, when I was nine month's old. He's buried in the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Italy.

And to my (maternal) Grandfather John; a member of the Home Guard who died as a result of his injuries sustained by a firearm a couple of years earlier and a month before my parents married. This must be typical of how hundreds of families were affected. So my thoughts are with those left behind as well as those who are no longer with us.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a 1,000 winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sun on ripened grain
I am the gentle Autumn rain
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled light
I am the soft star that shines at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die.

Anon.

Sun and Rain

Yesterday I went over to the London Wetland Centre. The sky was blue and the sun was warm, the birds - far too far away for pictures despite the lovely light.

Managed to see the Bittern again and a second one came in during the afternoon in a different spot. Also saw about 12 Snipe from the Peacock tower, of which 5 were Jack Snipe (so I was reliably told). A small group of Long-tailed Tits flew through.

On my way back to the visitor centre, a Magpie posed in the sun showing its blue tail feathers.

But more excitingly I heard calling in one of the small ponds alongside the path on the way to the visitor centre. A Water Rail - he was virtually hidden by the reeds but great to see it!

A bit of colour in the sunshine.



Today was a different story. I wanted to go out but had a very lazy start to the morning watching the garden birds.

My count was:
(this was the maximum for each species seen at the same time i.e. BTO count style)
20+ Feral Pigeons
15 Ring-necked Parakeets
1 x Coal Tit
3 x Blue Tits
3 x Great Tits
6 x Goldfinches
3 x Chaffinches
1 x Starling
3 x Greenfinches
1 x Robin
1 x Dunnock
1 x Crow (Rare visitor into the garden)
and
2 x Nuthatches - thrilled to see those two!!

Went for a wander around Painshill Park. The sky was leaden and this didn't change all the time I was there. So although there are some picture of Autumn colours they are - shall we say - somewhat subdued!!

Is it spring? Some catkins on the way in!


There were two Egyptian Geese up in this tree.

















I love this tree stump!


Nuthatches calling as I wandered about and a flock of about 12 Long-tailed tits flew through. Greylag geese and heard a Green Woodpecker calling.

Pity about the grey - but it was good to get out and have some fresh air.