Newmarket Races

We had a very interesting day at Newmarket Races yesterday - the Rowley Mile Course.

This first set of images set the scene - others to follow.......

Lazy Otter

Just had to capture the first autumnal sunrise!   I need to be up earlier to get the view of the full sun before it disappeared behind cloud.

There were four Cygnets one behind the other and when the front one set off, the others followed.   However, none of them actually took off!   Have they flown yet or were they not bothered?    They certainly spent a long time trying...........

I love the mists which are hanging above water these mornings before being burnt off.

Wicken Fen III - 18 September

This flock of Starlings was making use of the backs of Konik Ponies - reminiscent of Oxpeckers on Water Buffalo - which some would argue are birds from the same family.

Wicken Fen II - 18 September

Not many Dragonflies about these days, but some were obliging - a couple of Ruddy Darters and a Migrant Hawker (female) which wasn't being predated.   A highlight was to see a Common Lizard which I hadn't seen for a very long time.   Shame it wasn't possible to capture its full length.

Wicken Fen I - 18 September

I enjoyed walking round part of Wicken Fen with friends on Monday.   We were hoping to have seen a Short Eared Owl but not today.   It was special seeing two Cranes, albeit at a distance.    Perhaps the most entertaining moment was watching a Little Egret juggle with a pair of mating Migrant Hawkers - and then not manage to eat them!   It is always a delight to see Waders and on this occasion a Common Sandpiper.   These Sparrows would have enjoyed just a little bit of Bakewell Tart but it wasn't to be.......

Misty Morning

Anticipating one of the first misty mornings of the month, I went to the Lazy Otter and wasn't really disappointed.   There were photographs to be had of several birds, including a Kingfisher, but they were all to far away or too secretive in vegetation, so just a couple of landscapes this morning.

Real Tennis Match, Cambridge

I watched a Real Tennis match at Grange Road, Cambridge earlier today between Old Rugbeians and a Cambridge team (but I never gathered which team).   Most were of a 'certain' age.   Not only is the court a strange shape without any symmetry, the scoring system was unfathomable!   I'm told the honours were all square after four matches.

Wooden Benches at Cow Hollow Wood

Before going away I walked through this Wood near Waterbeach Station and was impressed with the carvings which had been done on the Benches.   I may find more on a subsequent visit and perhaps include more of the details next time.

Kingfisher also Next Door

Although I had seen Kingfishers in the drainage ditch occasionally, I wasn't expecting to see one today - but then I did have a telephoto lens!   The photographs are nothing to write home about, but it was the first time I'd had a Kingfisher fly towards me - only until it spotted me though.   If I was looking only at the second image, I would be hard pushed to identify the bird, except, perhaps for the iridescent blue of the wings.

Roe Deer Next Door

I took Boo for a walk in the field next to where we live this morning.   It was uncharacteristic to have taken a camera with a telephoto lens, but I was so pleased I did.   I had been using the telephoto lens for the previous photographs of the Black Squirrel and took the same camera and lens into the field, probably for the first time!   I thought I had taken more photographs of the doe but the buck has more postings.   There was a sense of panic once they had seen me with plenty of leaps and indecision as to which direction to go.