Friday 22 June 2012

Nuthatches!... At last


The Nuthatch has long been a bird I want to see, I have been out several times to try and see them with no luck.  Today however My Uncle Iain took me to Warley place where there are said to be Nuthatches.
We first went to the 'South hide' where I noticed a Great Tit on the feeder who was missing all  the skin and feathers from its head!  it's the second time I've seen a Great Tit like this.
We then headed to the 'North hide' where the Nuthatches are, we had only to wait five minutes before a scraggly Nuthatch appeared on top of the feeders posing before flying off!  It probably has a brood of
hungry youngsters somewhere.
We waited longer and the Nuthatch came down onto the peanut feeder, another Nuthatch came down onto the feeder as well, as they are territorial birds it must have been its mate or its young.  We left to pick my father up as he too wants to see Nuthatches.  We went straight to the North Pond Hide but there was not a Nuthatch in sight.  There were plenty of other birds though - Blue and Great tits, Chaffinches, Robins, Wrens, Jays, Magpies and we also heard a Buzzard 'mewing'.
After an hours wait an Adult popped up briefly then disappeared.  After another five minutes I spotted one not very far away in a tree, I believe that this is a Young bird, as it was quite dull coloured and had a tiny bill.  Due to low light I had to take pictures with a tiny shutter speed, but I managed this.
When We pulled out of the car park a Peregrine Falcon flew over!












Wednesday 20 June 2012

Lark Ascending

Just before 10 o'clock we headed up to Hollingbury golf course where I know you get Skylarks, and as soon as we arrived a Skylark was singing. After ten minutes of walking, I finally saw a Skylark - this one was hovering with what looked like a caterpillar in its beak. Two more Skylarks took to the air and started singing.



After they landed, we carried on walking and saw a pair of small-heath butterflies and a pair of Linnets! By a small pond a bird was singing and two Swifts were swooping down and drinking while still flying! Eventually, the bird that was singing popped up but dived back into the brambles. It surfaced again and I saw that it was a Whitethroat! Again and again it surfaced and dived back in again until it eventually flew off and I'm certain another Whitethroat joined him.



Saturday 16 June 2012

Little Trotty Wagtail...

 We went to Valentines Park this afternoon, and whilst walking around the Boating Lake I heard a Wagtail calling and saw an adult Grey Wagtail with a youngster down by the 'Wash', where they sunbathed for a good 20 minutes.  When the sun went in the Adult flew off to find food for her fledgling, after a few minutes she flew on to the roof of a nearby shelter with another bird.

My first post!

Welcome to my blog, where I will be posting my sightings around Essex and Sussex.
Recently at my local park (Valentines Park) I managed to get within 20 feet of a male Green Woodpecker who was so busy eating ants he was oblivious to everything else. I then spotted a male Sparrowhawk calling from a tree, a female then flew in and took some meat from him!
I have been Birdwatching (Wildlife photographing) for just over a year now, I started when I was just 11 years old, and have now seen 105 species of bird!

I hope you enjoy this video!
Gideon Knight.
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