Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtails like fast flowing rivers and streams especially during the breeding season when there is a plentiful supply of insects on or near the water.

If you can find the species around this time (which is the breeding time) they will most likely remain along the same stretch of water.  They will catch insects and feed to their young which will be located nearby.

On my recent walk I found two immature birds perched on stones which were lying in shallow water. The parents would fly to and fro with insects feeding them. The location was on water just one side of a road bridge. At times the young birds would relocate to the other side of the bridge and perch on the bank.

Below are the two young that I found. There could have been more than two, but this was difficult to confirm due to the two known locations they had been observed either side of the bridge.

Immature

Immature

A Country Walk

Images from my recent walk into the countryside.

Jackdaw

Dandelion

The female Blackcap below.

I'm not quite sure if she is checking out the male below or trying to drive him off. 

Blackcap (Female)

Common Daisy

Lesser Celandine

Chaffinches are making lots of noise now. 

The males are singing away and searching for females through the trees.

I found a male and female during the walk which presented a photo opportunity.

Chaffinch (Male)

Chaffinch (Female)

Always a pleasure to find and photograph Primroses.

Another species that can be heard singing away now is the Great Tit.

Great Tit (Male)

A favourite bloom - Early Apple blossom.

Another Spring Arrival

A Fledgling Blackbird which I found sitting on a fence line waiting for food from its parent.

The female Blackbird was observed nearby searching for food in an adjacent grass field.

Mum taking a rest after a day's searching.

Single Image Post - Stonechat (Female)

Stonechat (Female)

Observations from my Recent Walk

With the current situation regarding Covid-19, the observation of nature has been restricted somewhat. It has meant a reappraisal of the normal routine especially travelling by car to various known locations where you can find nature. 

I have recently moved to an area where there are numerous suitable locations with a rich selection of wild life, birds, flowers and butterflies at the various times of seasonal appearance. Much of this is currently just out of reach during the current situation. So walking from home and finding routes to explore is now the routine.

Fortunately I have found one route already that on the surface would not appear to be much, but has turned out to be quite good and there is a variety of birds animals and flowers. It is surprising what can be found once examined.

Wren

There are certainly plenty of Chiffchaffs around now.

Chiffchaff

A Peacock Butterfly that has seen better days.

Some hibernating species survive the winter better than others.

I was being watched by a Woodpigeon.

Dead Nettle

This Blue Tit had, by the look of the pollen around its beak, been searching through the Willow buds.

Blue Tit

This camera shy male Blackcap was hiding in a Blackthorn bush.

The Magpies were searching for grubs in a grass field.

Magpie.

Oddly enough, the Blue Bridge was painted blue.

This Male Pheasant was sneaking along the other side of a hedge.

A lonely daffodil was in the hedgerow next to sheep's wool hanging off of a barbed wired fence.

Dunnock

Blackbird (Female)