Fun in the Sun

Last weekend was particularly cold, with three nights of frost that did not thaw out during the daytime. We were then blessed with some really good sunshine. A cold sunny day always has me excited to get outside and see what's about. 

It was a hat, snood, and gloves type of day, but that also means that the birds and wildlife are all actively seeking out food, which can make it easier to see some of the more shy species. 

It was a lovely morning, which seems to have been followed by a week of rain, with more to come this weekend. Oh well, not much I can do about it, but look back at what's out there with these pictures.

Coal Tit

Jay. Not a bird that is easily brought down from the safety of the trees.

Mallards in flight.

This pair were braving the ice on Redesmere. It was about 60% covered, which did push some of the birds like Goldeneye, Goosander and Pochard a bit closer to me than normal.

Pochard

Cormorant over two Tufted ducks.

A look back to when it was nice and quiet.

 As I've not been out for a couple of weeks with the camera, I thought I would take a look back at some pictures taken during lockdown. This was a time when I felt that nature tried to take back a hold on it's surrounding environment. This was a time when cars were very few and far between for a good two or three months. The sound of planes overhead stopped, but footfall on the pavements increased. Birdsong appeared louder and activity more pronounced. Or was this just the perception? Maybe they are always that loud, but it is drowned out by the modern world around us. Either way, it was a joy to walk through their habitat during my lockdown exercise walks. Blessed with some glorious weather too, it was nice to reconnect with nature and proof that whatever happens to the human world, nature can survive and thrive, probably better than it does now.

Chaffinch

Golden Plover

Jays became very easy to spot during April

One of our smaller birds, the Wren.

The Secretive Jay

I've always found the Jay a particularly difficult bird to photograph. Sometimes it's even quite difficult just to see. They seem to disappear in the warmer months and only show again in the autumn when there are acorns to be stored for the harsher winter months. Of course, they are always there but just a secretive and skittish bird. More often than not you'll see them heading in the opposite direction, high up, as they've spotted you first.
The other week at Pennington Flash, I was grateful that one bird (helped by the hide I was in) was able to be a little bolder and come out into the open. It even gave me a few precious seconds to get some shots. It was a little dark, so they are not the best, but are some of the better shots I have of the Jay.

Who goes there?

Pennignton Flash - The Usual Fair

Another good mix of birds from Pennington Flash. Nothing unusual this time, just a good variety.
Great Crested Grebes have been quite numerous on the main Flash. With some fast developing juveniles around too, it seems to have been a good year for them, or maybe its just an average year and I have noticed too much before. Either way they are always nice to watch.

Greenfinch have been in good numbers too, and this is something I've noticed in other parts of Manchester and Cheshire too. This is good, as some years back they were quite hard to come by.

A Jay came down to greet me as I parked the car. They'll be getting busy soon to stash food for the winter.



A Lapwing in front of Horrocks Hide.

Pennington Flash

After my trek up and then down Pendle Hill, I carried on my day to possibly Manchester's finest birding site, Pennington Flash. Such a variety of habitats all in one place, it  really does attract so many different species at all times of the year. This visit I managed to tick off Common Tern for the year list.
Below here are some of the birds you can get really close to in some of the hides. It's so nice just to sit and watch these birds at close quarters. I sit in some of these hides for ages, no camera, just watching and studying there behaviour. Fantastic.

Greenfinch

A really stunning Nuthatch.

 

A Jay. Pretty difficult to get so close to these very flighty and nervous birds.

Sorry for chopping the tail off of this Magpie, but go too close and I like the shot anyway.