BIRD NEWS:203

One more shot of those gulls and their young amidst the other waterfowl to share, before moving on to the next section of the reserve. This time when I went for a wander around, I tried not to take too many pictures. My next picture I am uncertain about. I do not recall what exactly was supposed to be in the shot. On the computer, I can distinguish 2 lumps that might be a duck head and small reed bird - which I have circled - but I have forgotten what was supposed to be in the shot.

The board is far clearer and can provide you with information about the ducks - but it was not the duck next up on the camera cue.

This bird looks peaceful enough - perhaps... Resting beside the path in the sunshine, you think? Well - let us see a close up of the mouth - EEEEK! Look at those teeth, ready to hiss and nip, lol!

This pair seem to be strolling along watching the birds behind the fence as well as we humans who were doing the rounds.

Back home, and for two days in a row I spotted a jay in our yard. The only other time I have seen on in the yard it had pounced upon prey. This one however, decided it liked peanuts. This I totally approve of and I was more than happy for it to struggle upon the peanut feeder and munch a couple.

BIRD NEWS:202

Back to my Arundel photos - and here I suceeded in capturing the swan and its information board both in the same photo! Regular readers may recall this as one of 2-3 nesting swans having photos taken on the previous weeks trip. You may also recall this swan - also taken in conjunction with its info board. The board did not come out well, so I took a second shot.

Next up, remember the baby seagulls in the island and reed area? Well here they are a week later...

There were still youngsters there, near the waters edge on the isles, but they were not in view as much as they were on the week before. Down below in the reeds under the hide they were easy to capture on camera, however.

BIRD NEWS:201

Here are some more shots taken shortly after the ones in my last post. Once again, I did not intend to take too many photos, but...

Well, here is a long-tailed duck - or two!

Taking a quick break from the Arundel trip photos, here are two shots taken mid-June (the time of writing these posts) on the feeder pole. What you might notice is that there is much activity from young starlings. Something else you may or may not note is that one seems preoccupied upon the peanut feeder.

I was fascinated whilst cooking my rhubarb/strawverry/goosberry crumble this afternoon - watching it. It bit at some nuts, dropping most, swallowed one, and seemed to wonder why it could not just grab them THROUGH the clear plastic!

BIRD NEWS:200

I entered the first hide and took a few shots before moving on. There was not as much activity as there was last week - perhaps this was because I arrived a few hours earlier in the day, or the weather had changed.

Here are some of those black-headed gulls that were abundant with their young in my former trip, as well as frequenting Arundel in other places on other trips.

Well....they may or may not be the birds pictured, but they were in their enclosure! Next up samples of the next board - in the right place!

BIRD NEWS:199

Yes, I know I have only just posted a bunch of shots taken at Arundel wetlands reserve, but here we go again. I went back the Sunday of the following weekend, after my last trip one Saturday when friends joined me up for a late birthday gift. The above shot appears to include birds hiding behind a trash can with one poking a tongue out their beak....but...

There were quite a few geese - with young - wandering around again, as there were last week. I took just a couple of shots this time, seeing as I took a bunch on my last trip.

Instead, I wanted to focus on information and new shots. Information is dotted about all over the reserve and I took photos of several boards to share with readers who seek info rather than just photos.

Regular readers may recall seeing shots of such geese... For now, here is a pair I passed by shortly aftert the last of those signs.

BIRD NEWS:198

This is the last shot of the egret spotted in Shoreham at low tide. I took one more of the gulls though, shortly before they mated. It appears to be gull etiquette to bite the neck feathers of ones partner before jumping on top, hmm...

My final picture from Shoreham is of one of the pigeons from the toilet road roof gang strolling down the street ahead of me. I saw one other pigeon in the gang, but it flew up into its group habitat and just out of camera shot.

Back home, and I looked out the kitchen window to spot somebody on the path between the wild flowers and turnip patch...

It was a small bird, young, learning about the world about it - and when it turned around I could tell this for certain due to it not yet having grown as big as its beak!

BIRD NEWS:197

One last shot of the pair of gulls stanbding astride boats in Shoreham, and then a gull taking a nap in the tarpaulin in another boat!

As I watched the gulls flying about, I spotted something else lurking about the boats and observing the gulls - an egret.

I managed to take a bunch of photos while I had this opportunity.