Not quite as tidy as yesterdays Blue Tit .....

This Robin has not quite finished its annual moult and is looking a  bit scruffy around its nether regions, same out building and same pan tiles as earlier in the week, they have such a lovely colour and texture.

Why don't I post more images of common birds ?

Just about a fortnight ago I was going through my archives which I file by species and noticed a glaring deficiency.

Not only no folder for House Sparrows, but no images either !. I have always taken the position that common or garden birds are as photogenic as our rarer species, I must practice what I preach.

Clearly they have a very late brood that they are feeding in a nest underneath the pan tiles of a relatives out building. Whilst they do have two or three broods annually, I hope that they haven't left this one too late.

Next target, Tree Sparrows which will prove to be a greater challenge I suspect, watch this space.

No apolgies for being predictable ..........

..... and posting a couple more images of the Titchmarsh Barn Owls from last Friday.

Lighting wise one of the problems that I have at this location with undulating terrain is that the setting sun disappears early behind mature woodland on a hill side unlike photo opportunities in Lincolnshire and East Anglia for example which have big skies and pretty flat horizons.

Still, we have to make the most of the habitat that we have, either way, I would rather have these birds to work on than none at all ! 

A civilised time for Barn Owls .............

With the nights drawing in and sunset getting earlier, 18.18 tonight, it makes Owl photography possible at a more civilised time as was the case yesterday at the reserve.

Before now I have only once seen any of the Titchmarsh Owls since they fledged four Owlets way back in Mid July so it was a pleasure to connect with one again early evening yesterday in fairly good light conditions.

Sadly the light was behind the bird which, whilst not allowing classic Barn Owl images, are I think nevertheless quite pleasing to the eye.

Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling ........

Was a fictional character played by the late and great comedian Peter Cook.

Off topic I know  .....

Streeb-Greebling was a stereotype of the upper class English twit, described as "narrow-minded" and occasionally a " heartless bastard ".

John Cleese of Monty Python fame described him as one of Cook's range of " men, particularly English men, so trapped by their culture that they never knew how to live ".

The comedy duo of Cook and Dudley Moore featured Streeb-Greebling in their classic review beyond the fringe.

Every time I see a Great Crested Grebe I am reminded of this character. 

Pitsford Reservoir Teal ......

What a clean and charismatic bird the Drake Teal is.

I can't remember the amount of times I have been out looking for Barn Owls in a particular location where I try to hide next to a small pond which provides good cover and hearing the '' plops '' of Teal arriving apparently from nowhere and pitching into the water in the growing dusk, 

Their vertical exit from water is also a sight to behold when they are flushed or decide to leave in their small close knit flocks.

Small and fast flying, Teal have a relatively small breeding population in the UK which explodes in winter into hundreds of thousands of migrants from Scandinavia and elsewhere.

Co-existing ......

Here in East  Northamptonshire we are blessed with goodly numbers of Common Buzzard as well as an ever growing population of Red Kites.

Given that both species have similar diets it has always surprised me that the two species co-exist so well when their territories are so close.

I have rarely seen any aggressive interaction between these birds other than during the breeding season when either species will fiercely defend their nests should the other stray too close.

Having said that, if feeding on carrion the
Buzzards tend to dominate the Kites and will not allow them to approach too closely until it has finished feeding.

Otherwise they seem to happily share their joint territories and can often be seen soaring in the same thermal systems with no element of mobbing by either species.  



Douglas McFarlane, another keen Northamptonshire based naturalist and photographer 
http://dougmcfarlane.blogspot.co.uk/  told me the following story.

'' They work together at times too. I was travelling along the lanes at the back of Fineshades Wood and saw a Buzzard and Red Kite perched on a hedgerow. The Buzzard was watching my approach and the kite was looking in the other direction, 

The Buzzard called and another Buzzard and two further Kites took off from the ground where I later saw that there was a road kill.

I parked up and the birds returned with a Buzzard and Kite again sitting on top of the hedgerow, about ten minutes later a truck came along from the opposite direction, this time the Kite called and again they disappeared, they were acting I believe as lookouts ''.

A great story to end on.

The first day of Autumn ............

Overnight the weather here in Northamptonshire has taken quite a turn resulting in the central heating going on ( low ) for the first time this Autumn.

Having commented a couple of times that berry bearing trees and shrubs are heavily laden this year, my thoughts turned to the impending arrival of our berry eating migrants from Europe's Northern climes.

It won't be long before we start hearing the '' Chack Chack '' of the nomadic Fieldfare who start to trickle into the country in October and are in particular fond of rowan, juniper, holly, elder and hawthorn  berries.

This image was taken from my home office window last winter, the subject certainly looks rather miserable as the snow flakes fell in a very cold wind.

Close up, the colour and pattern of its plumage really is quite attractive.

A very intelligent Heron Catching Fish Using Bread As Bait ........ unbelievable !

Today has been a bit busy so I am taking the opportunity to share this video link with you .... I 'll never use the phrase '' bird brain '' ever again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtLKdU3ih4I

What a web we weave ............

The rain today put paid to any outside activities so I would like to recount something that I came across on the reserve mid-year.

Wondering around I happened to look up and see the above web in a tree,  my immediate thought was what sort of tree spider would build such a strange web ? ...... I was intrigued.

I searched the web without any luck and in so doing came across the details of the Royal Entomological Society at St Albans so I sent a copy of the image to them on the off chance that they would respond and basically forgot about it.  

Several days later I received an e-mail from a Professor Jim Hardie, Director of Science at the Society and a dialogue commenced, what habitat, what tree species etc etc.

I have never been very good with tree identification although I was pretty confident it was a willow ( to the left of the Heronry Hide ) so on my next visit I got some leaves, photographed them and sent the image off to Prof. Jim.

The response was quite a surprise, the web was not a spiders  but a caterpillars !

'' Hi John, It seems very likely that your webbing was produced by caterpillars of the willow ermine moth, Yponomeuta rorrella. It’s a pretty little moth and  http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=428 gives some information.

Best wishes

Jim

Professor Jim Hardie,

Director of Science, Royal Entomological Society ''.

What a great end to the story, I thanked Prof. Jim profusely for his time, interest and efforts, a thoroughly rewarding exchange with a very capable academic and his team.

Just making the most of these guys before they go .....

Two posts on the same day but I just can't resist it !

3rd October and there were two Hobby's today still on the reserve, from what I understand mid-October is the time of year by which most will have already migrated, it will be interesting to see when they are last observed this year.

I am absolutely hooked on these birds, such acceleration and manouvrability on the wing to catch their target prey.

I love all raptors, OK, Peregrines in a stoop are faster, Kestrels hover, Sparrowhawks use the element of surprise but these guys are peerless, they have got the lot !

Fungi ?

I saw this Fungi today so I consulted my guide and the nearest I can get is a Polypore - Inonotus hispidus - normally associated with fruit trees, this Fungi was however on a Woodland tree.

If anyone can Identify it I would be most interested in hearing from you !.