A quick trip to Bushy Park

Firstly - I accepted the new blogger settings!!!  Wish I hadn't!!!  Don't quite now how this is going to turn out!!  And I think I've got to get into a new routine of how I post pictures with text in between in picture.  Don't know if anyone else has tried this yet?

Decided a trip over to Bushy was needed to check on the impending Red Deer rut.  Not a lot happening still although some of the stags were "roaring".  There was one very large herd but not obvious yet who was "the main man" :D

This one couldn't even be bothered to stand up and was hidden - but audible - in the bracken.

This little one decided sleeping was better.

and a Mum and junior gazed around..

Another male couldn't be bothered and "roared" whilst lying down

Two young males were "practising"

Mum Mallard with two young but growing offspring!

Male and female Red Crested Pochard having a snooze

And some Black-headed Gulls are back - an indication that 

I then decided I would head in the general direction of Richmond Park but changed my mind en route and headed over to the London Weltand Centre. I bumped into Pete on arrival and had a quick bite to eat. Events then overtook me and I had to leave for Tesco's and to be home for my daughter and grandson's visit.

The sun wasn't so apparent today!

What a wonderful day for birds and bees!

The sun shone, the sky was blue and the birds were there....well, at least some of them. Chuffed to see the Ruff at London Wetland Centre today - lifer for me (you'll have to imagine it as it was way too far out for a picture).

The sun on the still water made for some great reflections to day.

Shot straight into the sun as these Canada Geese flew over.... came out better than I'd thought it would !

Gadwalls dozing the in warm sunshine

and female Shovelers showing off their lovely greens...

A young Song Thrush managed to find a snack of a snail amongst the shrubbery.

And Migrant Darters..... darted about

First there was one...

Then there were two...

and then three before...

becoming two again.

Couldn't resist this poppy...

or this one!! Sorry for the repetitions!

and finally, some Lizards really enjoyed basking in the sun!

What a beautiful day it was..... hope there's going to many more of these - especially at the beginning of October!

Back to Barnes and more of the same!

Had another trip over to the London Wetland Centre today to meet a friend of mine who wanted to try out his new camera.

Out on the Wader Scrape were a goodly number of birds being the winter migrants - many Shovellers and Gadwall.

On one of the smaller areas were these two Tufty chicks - growing up now!

Some of the LWC staff were moving birds around from one area to another; but before they got to these swans, one was playing

"peek-a-boo"

A Great Crested Grebe (now in more winter-like plumage) was fishing for a snack

and learnt that if you open your beak you could lose the fish all together!

Today saw the Rain Garden open with the barriers removed. Initially there were "VIPs" surrounding the area, but when we went back later it was lovely to see all the wild flowers without the barriers of the other day.

There are two of these Insect Towers; very much the "des res" for the insect population.

I think the area is going to be very attractive if it continues in this vein!

A couple of familiar faces (for some of you!)

Berries everywhere now..

This lizard got chased off by a wasp!!

and finally - about the only butterfly I saw today -

A Small Copper

Hither and thither... with some Grebes

Yesterday I had my usual Saturday trip over to Barnes (London Wetland Centre). More ducks coming in now such as Gadwall and some Wigeon... all too far away for any pictures.

Along the summer walk on the Wildside a young Little Grebe was enjoying a splash about in the water...

before settling down for a bit..

The morning was dull, grey and drizzley!! so it was great to see the wonderful colour of recently planted wild flowers - these to be found in the (soon to be opened to the public) new Rain Garden. At the moment there's a high (builders') barrier around the area, so trying to poke the camera lens through this was quite a challenge!

This Bee made several abortive attempts to land on the poppy; needless to say its own weight kept bearing the poppy down but it finally managed to hang on for a bit!

And despite the lack of sun, a couple of lizards were warming up!

And today I went over to Bushy Park - well it's September and the rut is in its first stages. Not that much activity today but this venerable oldie was making his prescence felt (and heard).

I shall be going regularly over the next few weeks and hopefully will see more action before too long!

and as the sun sets tonight but not as beautifully as it did a few evenings ago