A Sunny Day at Last - Lodmoor Reserve Visit

There was a mad rush to get out in the sun first thing in the morning.

We have been suffering constant rain for weeks and this hampered any meaningful nature photography.

The first image is looking out over Weymouth Bay into the sun. It is a few steps over the road from Lodmoor Reserve.

There are tentative sings of Spring as I observed many small birds chasing each other around the branches. A sure sign of searching for a mate. 

  

A resting male Wigeon Duck, one of many on the Reserve.

This Herring Gull was sitting on the water. 

It suddenly dived and came up with its lunch. 

A Freshwater Crab.

Robin

The Long-tailed Tit image below is real, but the sky behind was a dull grey, so I have replaced the sky during post processing  I would always mention if I have altered an image.

This Chiffchaff below was darting about the branches catching flies. 

Little Egrets

 

Storms, Wind and Floods

Over the last few weeks we have suffered considerable rainfall. 

A number of large storms have in turn come from the South West via the Atlantic.

River levels have been near or close to the top of the banks.  

Storm Chandra has now caused these rivers to overflow.

One bright moment was shooting these small groups of Snowdrops.

Snowdrops

Most of the images in this post are of fields complete or mostly waterlogged.

A few birds could be observed, but the high cold winds kept most of them out of sight.

Another bright moment was the show of the first Crocus flowers in the Borough Gardens.

Freezing Sunshine at Lodmoor

The sunny conditions at Lodmoor Reserve the other morning certainly did lull one into a false sense of well being. It was extremely cold and probably the coldest I have experienced there for some time. 

The Black-headed Gull below was standing on ice just under the water's surface.

At another location I observed a small group of Common Snipe moving through a reed bed area. 

The very low sun condition made for unusual images. It highlighted this Blackbird quite nicely.

Amongst other reeds I could see a Chiffchaff moving rapidly about and catching insects of some kind. 

I think he has caught some kind of Bush Cricket below.

Other images captured around the Reserve.

Moorhen

Robin

Dunnock

This Grey Heron was sheltering from the cold wind and catching the relative meagre warmth from the low sun.

Little Egrets were moving about the Reserve quite a lot and for once, not chasing each other away.