Saturday 31 March 2012

Treecreeper

I found a pair of treecreepers building their nest in an old tree stump yesterday.

Went back this morning to grab a few shots and noticed that today they were carrying feathers and wool whereas yesterday it was twigs and grass. So I guess the nest is almost completed and now they are adding the final lining before egg laying.

Treecreepers are so confiding and although I stood a long way back with a 500mm lens they never gave me a second glance and went on with the business unhindered.

I've always found that with this species, and it's such a joy to watch them and also to know that we have them in the locality and that they're breeding.


Treecreeper with nest material
Treecreeper with nest material

Treecreeper with nest material

Sunday 25 March 2012

Birds in Norway

Just a few shots of the birds taken from the "White-tailed Sea Eagle" hide about 70 kms north of Trondheim.

The eagles put in a brief appearance on the ice at the side of the ocean but never came to the bait which was out in the snow.

I took 4 shots of an eagle in about 20 secs before it and it's pals flew off and our only other views were of them making occassional sorties above the area and sitting in the conifers about 100 metres away...... just teasing us!

White-tailed Sea Eagle

I've also included the other classic carrion eaters, Magpie, Hooded Crow & Great black-backed Gull which all turned up during the 10 hours + we spent in the hide!

Magpie

Great Black-backed Gull

Hooded Crow

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Reed Bunting

A couple of shots taken at Walmsley today of this male reed bunting as it perched in a nearby Alder tree.

Also an optimistic blue tit perhaps expecting a large brood.... or did we get the nestbox hole the wrong size?

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting  
Blue Tit

Sunday 11 March 2012

Bullfinch

Another from my recent trip to Norway.
The bullfinches were plentiful and very intensely coloured.

The major problem was the heavy snow at the feeding station in the forest which meant we were very limited in the time spent photographing as we had to keep retiring to the car to shelter as you can see from the second picture!

Bullfinch

Yours truly! photo by Hans van de Griendt.