A Splash of Colour

Lumix GH3. 100-300mm lens. 250mm. 1/500 at f8. ISO400.

Crocus found by a woodland path. 

I have found some here before at this time of year, hopefully there will be more shooting up soon.

Copulating Geese

Most species of birds copulate by the touching of their Cloaca and the passing of sperm that way.

This is not the case with Water birds such as swans, geese and ducks.

The male water bird has a piece of equipment (similar to humans) as shown in one of the images below that enables copulation whilst in the water.

I was able to shoot this sequence of shots of a pair of Canada Geese. The courtship commenced with the male bobbing his head in and out of the water. Eventually the female (presumably as a gesture of agreement) also commenced bobbing her head in and out of the water. 

Subsequently….

Of course Humans can do it in and out of the water (Apparently) {:))

Preening by the Pool

Perched in the sunshine this Cormorant is conducting a spot of preening.

The white patches denote that its a breeding adult bird.

Mr Tufti

The male Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula).

The female is similar, but the black area is brown and the white flanks are light washed brown.

The "Tufti" is present in South Western and Southern Europe from September through to April. 

These visiting flocks supplement the breeding stock resident in UK.

Lumix GH3. 100-300mm lens. 300mm(600). 1/500 at f8. ISO250.

The Buds are Out…..

…...and you can guess who is interested.

The Bullfinch, amongst others. 

As usual you can see they make life difficult by hiding amongst the bushes.

I shot most of these images across a river and was only able to get closer for a few shots, even then they were never really in the clear. They were having quite a feast though. Two males and a female.

The female is the dull coloured version of the male as shown at the bottom of this image below.

Pochard (male)

The glorious Pochard (Aythya ferina). 

The male shown in all the images below is strikingly colourful, as opposed to the female which is mainly a dull brown with pale flanks.

We get a large influx of Pochard in Autumn from Eastern Europe from October through to March.

Lumix GH3. 100-300mm lens. 300mm(600). 1/500 at f8. ISO320.

Note the image below where the eye displays a black bar across the middle. I have noticed that they do this momentarily. The Tufted Duck also does this.

Bluebell Wood in Winter

The woodland known as Bluebell Wood which forms part of the Parkland that I walk regularly doesn't look quite at its best at the moment. Firstly because in Winter deciduous woodland never looks that good anyway and also there is considerably less in the way of nature generally. This is compounded by the fact that due to the recent excessive rainfall the paths are quite muddy and the river that runs along side the wood is flooding.

NB: Most of the scenic images have had some vignetting added for effect.

There are a few birds to be found, the Robin being one of the certainties.

Below is the recently installed walkways that has improved some areas for the general public to walk in Summer (so that they don't get there footwear to dirty) {:))

The Dunnock is another likely species to be found.

The river (brown at the moment due to silt) is much higher than usual and the meadow beyond, although low lying, is not flooded normally like it is in this photograph.

The male Great Tit is looking more colourful now that Spring is coming.

A Grey Squirrel taking a peep at what I am doing.

Fungi can be found growing on trees.

This path has been overcome by the high water level from the river.

The newly constructed stairs down to the river path.

If you know where to look you may also see (or more likely hear) the Nuthatch.

A Blue Tit will be observed frantically moving about branches searching for sparse food at this time.