BIRD NEWS: 929

 

The next trip Liz and I took was local. We hiked up our Highdown Hill to the top, visited the gardens, and then took a differing track homeward. I spotted a bird of prey...

It was a kestrel, we think, as it hovered. I have pointed it out in case you cannot see it in the photograph.

I ended up taking 4 shots - trying to get a good shot of it - but it didn't turn to the right angle at the right time.

The pelicans are now HERE!

Here is a picture of Pidge sitting outside my bedroom window. The next trip we took was to Wakehurst Place.

There was a greylag goose lazing beside the pond.

The feeders were filled again, no trays now due to RSPB advice, though.

We saw blue tit, great tit, coal tit, marsh tit, pheasant, robin, nuthatch...

BIRD NEWS: 928

 

My final picture of the storks from Kneep park ends that excursion. I have encircled the stork as it is almost out of sight. Our next trip was to Nymans again - but this time as well as walking the gardens and woodland field, we hiked the woodland proper - the place where Liz's nephew has his cabin nearby.

As we walked the woodland trail, we came across some carvings. First up, a pair of owls.

Further around we came across a kingfisher.

You can see the fish behind him.

Back home and there appears to be a white show pigeon joining the city pigeon flock.....AHHHH!!!!!!

This brings back memories of three of the four babes my duo of show pigeons gave birth to on the neighbor's roof back in Wollongong, the fourth being smoky grey.

This also brings us to the end of today's post.

BIRD NEWS: 927

I have a few more shots of flying storks from Knepp Park to share.

Some came out better than others, but I was determind to capture them on my camera so took quite a few shotd on both the settings I currently use.

They then descended behind trees....

I took my last few shots.

As the 2 storks blended with the trees.

And vanished from camerability.

And that almost ends my photos from Knepp park.

They have arrived in the WWT reserve. HERE

BIRD NEWS: 926

 

Pidge waiting for his lunch made a great silhouette shot. Our next trip was to Knepp Park, taken the second weekend in March.

We started with the shortest walk - the yellow route. It was not long before we spotted storks. There were 2-3 nests in a couple of trees with 1-2 storks per nest. However they did not show up well, even with zoom.

Even an enlarged zoom shot doesnt show them as well as the bins did.

We also saw stork flying....2 stork and one red kite in the distant skies in this shot.

I took several shots attempting to get all the 3 large birds in one picture....but...

...I seemed to get stork and crow rather than stork and red kite.

I kept trying....and did manage to capture the storks in various airial displays - talking of which......

HERE is an article concerning murmurations.

BIRD NEWS: 925

 

Continuing with the RSPB excursion, here is another shot of the rookery that is setting up.

I thought the tree and sky - black and white style picture pretty enough - even without a close up of the rooks. In blue and white -a different camera setting - it looks just as spectacular.

Standing from a different angle, the rookery nests show up better.

I took quite a few shots, as I thought the art aspect as well as ornithology aspect worth capturing.

Our next excursion was to Borde Hill Gardens.

Where I took a couple of shots of the pelican statue on their pond.

I thought the clouds showing in the water looked good as well as the bird-aspect. My final shot for today is of Pidge waiting for his lunch on a tree branch outside my window at home - taken thru the curtains.

HERE is an article concerning seasonal birds. 

BIRD NEWS: 924

 

Still at Nymans, the jackdaw walked along the roofway of the ruined house.

I suppose it wanted to visit the gargoyle.

Then we spotted another one in a tree.

Which subsequently flew away.

Girls vocals - See HERE for the article.

Our next trip, was ro RSPB Pulborough Brooks. They now seem to have installed a bird feeder to discourage rats - and mice - and squirrels. They used to lay seed and suet pellets on logs and on the pond rim, etc - not any longer.

It is no longer so easy to see or photograph the birds, but there were blue tits, great tits, march tit and coal tit.

As we took Liz's scope and our bins to the overlooks, we spotted a rookery setting up in a large tree on one corner.

BIRD NEWS: 923

 

Yeh - more pelicans at last!" See HERE for details

Still at Mewsbrook Park....a coot and moorhen wander the pondside.

I found a pigeon! And some swans along with the moorhen and coot.

This is my last shot from the Park.

Next up, Liz was over her bout of flu and we went off for a half day trip to Nymans.

I took some shots of the dovecote, primarily because I spotted a city pigeon enter it, and it was not only the fake dove inhabiting it this visit!

There is the fake dove...

Up on the house ruins, I spotted a jackdaw.