BIRD NEWS: 955

 

Of course, being a pigeon-empath/lover, I had to take a few shots of the show pigeon.

I wonder if it was a reborn show pigeon from my back yard in Australia....one that knew me from a former life....

After all, it did keep looking at me... and I was not eating anything it might have fancied munching.

Of course, it might have been a magician's dove, but despite the different shaped face and eye, it seemed more likely to be a show pigeon.

And that is the last shot I took of the tame show pigeon. Our next trip was to WWT Arundel again, as we sought a half day trip following Liz having had covid and feeling blah.

There are the pelicans and two mute swans....

My final picture for today is of the avocets in the wader-diver aviary.

BIRD NEWS: 954

 

We stopped off at Old Barn garden center on our way homewards, and I spotted a pied wagtail to attempt to photograph.

I tried and tried...but it was very fast and there were tables with people eating and drinking at the cafe in the way.

There was also a lot of rubbish people had dropped....so no wonderful pictures were captured.

It was a master at hiding between table legs and in the shade, sigh.

Our next trip was back to Pulborough Brooks – but this time we did not go into the reserve, but walked 2-3 woodland/brookland walks outside it. We did use the cafe and toilets at RSPB though, so I caught some show pigeon pictures!

There appeared to be a trio dancing on the rooftop.

After a while, jut as I had put my camera in my rucksack again, one flew down towards us.....

BIRD NEWS: 953

 

We did manage to get a bit closer, as they approached the gate we were headed towards also.

Some turned off into a field on one side.

We caught up to the other bunch, heading thru the gate.

Finally we were getting close enough to get them at s fairly good size, using zoom.....

And then they were gone. Our next trip was to Pulborough Brooks. There was a dunnock on the pond rim near the hemp agrimony.

We did not see that much this trip, bird wise.

But we did spot a grey heron.

BIRD NEWS: 952

 

Next up, Goggles the farm goose on his pond – the sign with his portrait now reestablished.

Our next trip was to a guided walk around Ardingly from Liz's book. We had done it once before. On the walk we spotted......

Some smallish grey-brown, dull colored birds....similar to female/young pheasants, but not......

There were quite a group of them....

They were walking on the path, both sides of the road, ahead of us as we proceeded down the track.

Liz identified them as partridge.

I kept taking photos, hoping some would be large enough to see properly.

BIRD NEWS: 951

 

Some signage from Swanbourne Lake begins today's post.

And of course...a picture of the pigeons we saw at the lake!!

Our next excursion was to Warnham Nature reserve.

We saw squirrels....then a magpie or two.

The squirrels outnumbered the birds on this trip.

We looked out from a hide at a common tern on a post ….

...and an egret in a tree in the distance.

HERE is a link to vultures doing what they should do, in my opinion. I only wish Tibetan sky burial was an option in the UK, too.

BIRD NEWS: 950

 

I only have a couple more pictures of the sand martens to share from this excursion to WWT Arundel.

Finally, the final sand marten picture from this specific trip!

Next up, back to the Bewicks!

While Mr Silvertag glided about their lake, Mrs Bewick rested on the bank.

So peaceful....and good to see some swans still remain on site!

Just one more picture of Mr and Mrs Silvertag Bewick.

The final picture for today is of a pair of Radjah blackbacked shelduck in the former waterfall-diving duck aviary.

HERE is a link to an article of woodpeckers and similar birds.

BIRD NEWS: 949

 

We stayed and watched the display of sand marten airial antics.

It was the right day to get some good shots of the species due to their extra close activity.

They were diving and floating past the windows rapidly – so the camera just went click click click and hoped to get some shots...which I did!

There were so many and they were so active, I managed to get multiple poses and some interesting pictures on this visit.

It was such a delight to observe them, so we stayed a while, taking advantage of the unique opportunity.

I got photos of them swirling and diving and gliding about – at all angles and in all sorts of poses.

My camera just went click click click...and 9/10 got a good shot.