A few photos taken from the public accessible hides at Venus Pool
Here.
A prime target for my trip was this species – Bewick’s Swan. There are a number in the area, though they move between fields and can be hard to track down. Some days one or more roost at Venus Pool. They leave quite early – this was 09:50. Both species of ‘wild swan’ – Bewick’s and Whooper – show yellow on the bill, more extensive on Whooper. Not much help if you are unfamiliar. Identify Bewick’s by its smaller size and short, straight neck.
Nicely in profile here.
And I only just about made it in time – there it goes to feed in the fields.
A pair of Shelduck, the larger drake behind. In the breeding season drakes grow the lump at the base of their bill.
If Shelduck is our largest duck then Teal is our smallest – a fine-looking drake this is too.
Two drakes in front of a duck Gadwall. An old name for Gadwall was ‘Gadwall Teal’ and the bell-like calls are not dissimilar. Quite a size difference though.
A drake Gadwall wing flapping after preening. Note the white speculum, the chestnut feathers in the wing and the all-black bill.
And the underwing. Note too the pale belly.
And here another drake to show the leg-colour of this species.
A pair of Wigeon – at this time of year drakes are in full breeding plumage and pair-bonds are largely established even though these birds may fly thousands of miles to breed in Russia.
A trio of drake Wigeon, the front bird showing its green speculum.
A duck Wigeon also flapping after preening. Note the extensive white belly (more so than the Gadwall), the head shape and the dark around the eye (not easy to see with the light at this angle).
Another trio of drake Wigeon come in to land, showing their pale bellies. The one on the right has an unusual technique.
The local male Pheasant is always on the lookout for food dropped from the feeders.
A strange evolutionary path to produce this plumage. Probably thinks the same about us.
I knew there had to be a collective noun for Lapwings. Apparently a ‘deceit of Lapwings’ with an origin back to prostitutes or ‘deceitful’ women being known as ‘plovers’ – Lapwings are also known as Green Plovers of course.
When in breeding plumage Shoveler are not hard to ID but this typical feeding action with the bill staying underwater can make immature and eclipse-plumaged birds more of a challenge. Not sure I realised the eye colour of drakes and ducks differed.
Compare and contrast time again. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the left with yellow legs. A first-winter Black-headed Gull on the right. Note the dark trailing edge to the underwing of the larger bird without any hint of paler inner primaries as would show on a Herring or Yellow-legged Gull.
And here are the same two species – different Black-headed Gull even though it looks much the same.
Near the feeding station this male Great Spotted Woodpecker put on a fine show. A male because of the red mark on the nape. Note it using its tail as a prop. The large claws would seem to give it great grip anyway.
Note the big white shoulder patch – very obvious when the bird bounds past in flight.
Note here the red ‘trousers’ that seem especially large and red in the breeding season even though I don’t think they are actually any different at other times of the year. Again we see the big grip of the claws.
This shows the rarely seen barred underside of the tail.
And here the red nape to good effect.
One more ...
Worth looking at even though it is only a bunch of Starlings. Flocks can be hard to separate from parties of Redwings when in silhouette. Note the pointed wing-tip of this species. Flight action differs with Starlings having a more direct flight and typically rather more bunched together.
A Blue Tit of course.
“Are you looking at me?” Do I need to say this is a Robin?
This male Chaffinch seemed alert-enough even though it was hiding its feet which were covered in warty-growths caused by a viral disease.
(Ed Wilson)
