Clayhithe - Collecting nesting material

Posting something so soon after the walk will at least stop me falling even further behind with this blog!

I think the bird collecting nesting material is a Meadow Pipit, but if anyone reading this posting can advise me otherwise, I would be grateful.

A family of Mute Swans has already lost one cygnet while the Mallard family, bathed in early morning sunshine, seems to be doing particularly well, with 9 ducklings of a respectable size, still in tow.

An obliging Collared Dove!

I have enjoyed this rugosa rose for a couple of years now but still not been able to identify it from books.   Perhaps now I have a photograph I can take it to a garden centre for identification.

Birds on Wicken Fen - 3 June

This was one of the most exciting days of bird photography I had had for several months - and so close to home too.   I saw additional birds to the ones appearing below but their photographs are not good enough for viewing!   What were particularly exciting were the opportunities to see the courtship display of Great Crested Grebes from West Mere Hide, followed very shortly by the first juvenile Bearded  Reedling I had ever seen, in the reeds just outside the Hide.

One of the Marsh Harriers in the first picture appears to be carrying food, so presumably feeding young somewhere.   The lapwing spent quite a bit of time flying with one leg dangling - not sure why though.   I had only seen others' photographs of Great Crested Grebes displaying before, so it was magical to see the behaviour and capture it.  There had been a lot of head bobbing before I thought they were going their separate ways, only to find within moments they each had vegetation they had dived for, and then faced up to one another with head swinging movements for a short while.   The only time I had previously photographed Bearded Reedlings was at Pensthorpe - and that hadn't included a juvenile.

Konik Ponies on Wicken Fen - 3 June

Although I haven't been posting images onto this blog, I have been taking quite a number of photographs when walking the dogs around home, and will start to sort out the backlog!   Every journey starts with one step - and here is this first step.

The colouring of these Konik Ponies is very attractive and I could enjoy them for hours.   This was an opportunity to get quite close to them and capture these two playfighting.