BIRD NEWS:261

As promised, the answer to my puzzle-question at the end of my last post: The boat guide was pointing out the dead trees where peregrines and buzzards hang out and a fellow passenger with better sighting equipment than eyes announced there was a bird perched there - so I took the distant shot, hoping that a computer enlargement might tell me what the bird was.

I think the above shot is JUST clear enough to show that it is most likely to be a peregrine falcon I spotted - or my camera spotted - for my eyes were not a pair of binoculars! HERE is a link to information on the bird, so that you can make your mind up.

The dark head, white neck and stripey gray belly look suspiciously like a peregrine falcon to me - and they are known to hang out on that very tree! That concludes my early November trip to Arundel.

Back home, and I glanced up from the computer to spot Pidge on the holly tree... I have spotted sparrows there before, but never a pigeon! Pidge was gobbling down berries rapidly and enjoying them...

I have recently started to continue to redecorate my bedroom - so far, I have only spent one night downstairs in the recently renovated spare room - former bedsit/lounge. The above view is my real bedroom window - alas, not where I will sleep for the next few weeks. No more waking to hear Mr Black sing or Mr Bob chirp for food, after a night of tree shuffling and animal snuffling - for now.

Finally for today's post, another home-shot. The magpies have settled in for the late fall season - to munch the last remains of fallen rotting apples that the blackbirds have left.

BIRD NEWS:260

Here are some more waterfowl taken on the first weekend of November 2016 along with an info board about duck behaviors. Next up a trio of pigeons! Regular readers will know I cannot resist taking pigeon pictures!

This is just a bunch of colorful birds all mingling together - with detail on one to follow.

I was making my way to the cafe for coffee, when I spotted a group of 3 eider males swimming with a small seagull. This next shot was taken during my coffee break before I proceeded to take the boat trip before departing.

I will leave you with a puzzle, to be answered in my next blog post - why did I take THIS SHOT on the boat trip?

BIRD NEWS:259

Here are the black necked swans - again. I was just taking a photo of a pretty black and white duck that was floating nearby....when BANG!

A loud gunshot sound was heard and multiple crow-rook-raven birds filled the air in fear. I hasten to add that the gun was not fired in the reserve, but in nearby parkland. Several ducks, gulls and geese also took to the air in shock, before resettling.

My attention was soon taken by a pair of geese who were 'kissing' just before I took these shots. They swam away instead of continued their romance, though.

This pair were the next birds to take my camera's attention. For my final photo of this post, I managed to show the info board and a living specimen in the same picture -

BIRD NEWS:258

Above, a blue tit joins in the feed. My camera was soon pointed downwards to the ground where I had spotted another bird, though - a chaffinch! It had been briefly eating at the seed feeder too - but then disappeared, only to reappear below.

Alas, my chaffinch shots were all to be blurred on this occasion, so I have only shared the better 2. I took a few more shots of the great tit.

So as not to bore regular readers too much - here is another info-board. You may recall I recently sighted a Great Spotted Woodpecker in my yard, as I have seen here at Arundel - but this is one I have yet to catch sight of.

BIRD NEWS:257

One last shot of the trumpeter swans swimming around with mallards and other ducks, before my next set of pictures. I took two shots in the next hide that I visited of a lone shoveller duck.

Next up, an info-board - along with a visiting bee or wasp and a few scattered fallen leaves. We then move along to a not so good shot of a pair of great tits eating at the peanut feeder in the woodland hide.

I got a clearer shot - but alas the bird that remained had gone out of view.

Patience and time gave me a better shot - at last!

BIRD NEWS:256

Here are a couple of shots taken looking to the left from a hide I ventured into. From the upcoming info board shots you can see that the taller bird wading around is a grey heron, not an egret or cormorant.

Have you ever wondered how to tell the difference between a mallard and a shoveller? After all, both males have green heads and both the females are brownish. This board can show you the differences between the two species:

In the above photo you will see a trumpeter swan again - but also several male mallards. Below, 2 more shots of the trumpeter swans.

HERE is some info on starlings.

BIRD NEWS:255

Early November, and here are the resident Bewick's swans at Arundel Wetlands Reserve. Regular readers may have noticed they appear quite regularly. HERE is a link to an article connected to the swans and WWT.

HERE is a video I took shortly after taking the last 2 photos. Although there is a gull screech, you might make out the two hoot sounds the swan made. My next two shots are of a goldfinch munching niger seed in the wildlife garden, backed by a berry-sporting tree.

Regular readers may be aware of what generally follows and expect these next shots, as I tend to always go clockwise around the reserve. Yes - the trumpeter swans!

In these shots you can see that the cygnets are still not the adult color, although they are now the adult size as they have been for a couple of visits.

HERE is a goose article.