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Tuesday, 3 March 2026

Over the last Week


The Dunnock is normally a quiet bird often seen moving about the undergrowth. This all changes at this time during the breeding season. You will hear a beautiful melodic variable song, This makes you think there must be a different unusual bird about, which eventually when you see the bird it is a surprise. Most of the year you barely hear the Dunnock at all. The male and female looks the same. This one below was observed in the middle of a bramble bush singing away.  The bird has what can be described as an interesting life style. Males will pair with a number of females and look after several nests/broods. Females may also have a relationship with several males.







The Lesser Celandine below is a very common sight at this time. A common flower, but it makes an interesting image in the right pose and light.






A lucky break for me was the sight of this male Brimstone butterfly on the wing. That is the first time this year I have seen this species. It didn't pitch at all. It suddenly appeared so close in front of me and I was using a 600mm equivalent lens and just had to point the camera in its general direction.





A common sight at some of the local reserves I visit is the Mediterranean Gull. Very easily identified (even for me) with the black ring around the middle of the beak and the white ring around the eye. There is one little island at Lodmoor Reserve where they nest in a colony.





A female Blackbird searching for food around a patch of low ivy covered trees.




Sunday, 15 February 2026

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



 

Friday, 30 January 2026

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.