BIRD NEWS:452

The gloom and doom of the dark November day is caught in this shot of a mute swan. There seem to be quite a few of this variety - our local lads - now resident in the reserve. The only invites being Bewick, Trumpeter, and Red-necked, the everyday familiar Mute seems to want to join in.

Here are a pair of Nenes - AKA Hawaiian geese - AKA a rare and threatened species. There are between 8 and 16 at the reserve - I really must count one day - and in breeding season they can get quite hissy if you go too close to their nest or young. Currently, they just stare at you...

Here are a second pair, close to the first. On this trip I tried to take shots of several 'other' residents, not just swans and pigeons, so as not to be too boring or exclusive. Hence shots of Canada geese, Emperor geese, Red-breasted geese - and Nenes. See, I do enjoy observing geese as well as swans....

Talking of swans - this pair did not want their photo taken! My Bewick pals did not mind though! My last photograph from the late-November trip was of a pair of magpies playing near the playground area. That brings us back home...

...but there is little news, apart from the fact that the new blackbird family and Mr Bob and young Pidge - probably the 3rd or fourth generation or original Pidge - still hang out the yard. Regular sightings include sparrows, starlings, and blue tits; and irregular sightings occur whenever the furball slaughterers allow.

There is little excitement in the yard currently - so I keep feeders stocked and - wait - in anticipation of OUR winter arrivals, for the shelducks are now at Arundel WWT!

Our next trip was to Midhurst and Fittleworth. Although not many birds were spotted at the pond, the info board was quite interesting. We did see some Canada geese though...

I did not take photos at Fittleworth, but we witnessed several blue tits a great tit and a sick pigeon.