29th December : Sparrowhawk.... again.

The young male Sparrowhawk which I first photographed in the garden on the 30th November has been visiting regularly seen then, often taking a quick bath in the pond. Today presumably after visiting the pond it spent twenty five minutes sat on top of the garden arch doing a spot of preening, but mostly with it's wing and tail spread wide in a drying position.

 

Images : Copyright © Don Stone.

27th December : Misty.

Gloomy at the moment as the landscape is shrouded in mist.

 

Image : Copyright © Don Stone.

22nd December : Great Spotted Woodpecker. 

First sighting of a Great Spotted Woodpecker this Winter on the garden feeder this morning.

Also in the garden the Garlic cloves which I set in mid November are just pushing through the surface.

Broad Beans which were set at the end of October are also doing well, just hope they survive the Winter frosts.

Images : Copyright © Don Stone.

16th December : Greenfinches.

For the first time this Winter a pair of Greenfinches have visited the garden feeder.

I fixed the dried Sunflower heads to the fence hoping that the Finches would be attracted to them, but so far only the Grey Squirrel has taken advantage of them.

                                      Images : Copyright © Don Stone.

9th December : Bullfinches.

For the last fortnight a pair of Bullfinches have been visiting the garden feeder, big, bold & brightly coloured they certainly brighten up dull Winter days as we watch them from the kitchen window. 

Images : Copyright © Don Stone.

5th December : Cattle Egrets.

Two Cattle Egrets were a welcome sight on a dull & gloomy day alongside the river Thame at Shabbington as they fed in the distance amongst seven Little & a single Great White Egret.

 

After about 20 minutes the smaller Egrets moved closer & began feeding in the darker vegetation leaving their larger cousin behind, one Little Egret flew over us, relocating further down stream, the two Cattle Egrets upped sticks & followed as well accompanied by two more Little Egrets. Stewart had already checked the area where they'd settled, so knowing we could just about see through the Phragmites, we followed suit, where Stewart was able to just about get a couple of decent images through the swaying Phragmites. 

As we made our way back to the car three more Great White Egrets were spread across a large field feeding in long vegetation.

Also of note were a Chinese Water Deer, Heron, Raven, c150 Lesser Black-backed Gulls & c80 Lapwings.

Images : Copyright © Don Stone/Stewart Dennis.

3rd December : Black-headed Gull. 

This very confiding 1st winter Black-headed Gull posed nicely as it balanced on the post, just a shame it was facing the wrong way.

Images : Copyright © Don Stone.

3rd December : Watermead Lake

We had intended to visit Gallows Bridge Farm today, but HS2 construction work was causing mayhem again with delays on the approach to Waddesdon, so it was a u-turn and back to Aylesbury for a first visit to Watermead Lake on the outskirts of the town. 

A Grey Wagtail was the first bird of note as it kept a safe distance in front of us while feeding at the edge of a small flooded area.

Four species of Gull were out on the open water ;

Common Gull alongside some Black-headed Gulls.

 

Black-headed Gull.

The larger Gulls were not so confiding preferring to stay well away from the shore line:

Herring Gull.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Great Crested Grebe was another bird that stayed out in mid water.

Coot fed along the water's edge.

As did this family of Moorhen.

This Heron thought it couldn't be seen in the trees that bordered the River Thame along the far side of the lake.

Cormorants were also utilizing the trees, as they perched up drying their wings.

Images : Copyright © Don Stone.

30th November : Sparrowhawk.

This juvenile male Sparrowhawk made a flying visit to the garden early this morning.

 

Images ; Copyright © Don Stone.

28th November : Lowndes Park, Chesham.

As it was a cold & frosty morning I visited the local urban park & the nearby St Mary's Church to check the yews for Wintering Hawfinch after finally finding three in another local Church yard earlier in the week, unfortunately there were very few berries on the Yews, half a dozen Greenfinch were taking those that were available, as a Pied Wagtail flitted along the tower parapet.

Three Pied Wagtails foraged in the leaf litter under the trees in the park before moving to the edge of Skottoes Pond.

Fifty or so Black-headed Gulls were present scattered across the grass, with others loafing about on the frozen pond.

One of several Moorhen on the grass.

Jackdaws using the lamp posts as vantage points.

Surprised to see this Pheasant so close to the town centre.

All in all a pleasant hour on a crisp sunny morning in an urban park.

Images : Copyright © Don Stone.