Nature pics

[Archived-1]

Great pictures Paul, all the best for the new year to you and all

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Cheers Martin,all the best to you and all for the next year.

 

[rolfw]

Cracking shots Paul, love the Otter.

Not been doing much with the camera, as not been feeling great, but caught some Fieldfares from a distance, a Female Hen Harrier across the orchard in a tree and later on some pretty grumpy ducks on the frozen lake at Villebon. . No shortage of Mistletoe around this area.

 

[Topper]

Indeed fabulous shots Paul but am not sure why the greylag goose has sprung a leak

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Cracking shots Paul, love the Otter.

Not been doing much with the camera, as not been feeling great, but caught some Fieldfares from a distance, a Female Hen Harrier across the orchard in a tree and later on some pretty grumpy ducks on the frozen lake at Villebon. . No shortage of Mistletoe around this area.

Cheers Rolfw,I've never managed to get a shot of a fieldfare, theyre too wary i find,off at the slightest noise. I had a hen harrier flying over my car not 20 feet from me last week , i had my camera on the passenger seat zoom attached, but i couldnt stop on this small lane for of all things a bloody Tesco delivery van tearing up behind me.

 

[rolfw]

I've actually got a portable hide Paul, but keep forgetting to take it with me, I've also got a large camouflage net to throw over the side of the van, have managed a few interesting shots from behind it in recent years.

 

[bim]

Some lovely pics all round, they certainly brighten up a dull day. Happy New Year to You All.

 

[rolfw]

Here are a couple from a very bright New Year's Day morning, plus one from an earlier day out with the dog. Loved the way the shade from the bridge has preserved the frost on the third shot.

 

[Lazarus]

Nice pics: That'll be French frost, then?

 

[rolfw]

Yes, it has that certain je ne sais quoi.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Quick visit,hi guys, another pic with my new lens. enjoy Mr Kestrel.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Quick visit,hi guys, another pic with my new lens. enjoy Mr Kestrel.
View attachment 72710

Cheers Chris.

 

[bim]

Nice picture Paul. What sort of distance were from the kestral ? Also nice to see the hedge has been cut at the correct time of year and not when the birds are nesting.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Nice picture Paul. What sort of distance were from the kestral ? Also nice to see the hedge has been cut at the correct time of year and not when the birds are nesting.

I should say i was around 40 feet or so,the lens was at 439mm,500 is max but its becomes harder to hold even with image stibilization. Thanks all the kind folks who liked the picture,very much appreciated.

 

[Lazarus]

We have a family of four Long Tailed Tits coming to feed in the garden.

Here's a selection of shots:

 

[Lazarus]

Next up: Mystery Ducks!!

Saw these yesterday (no Camera) but checking our books, all we could come up with is Hybrid Mallard/Pintail.

Went back today with Camera, and cannot find anything on record that matches with certainty.


We think our first guess (!) is probably right, but don't mind being told otherwise!

 

[rolfw]

They look like a domestic breed called Orpington Duck Tivu.

www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/ducks/orpington/

 

[sonnetpete]

They look like a domestic breed called Orpington Duck

I lived in Orpington for four years and can't recall seeing any in the park lake, swimming round between the supermarket trollies and car tyres...

 

[Lazarus]

They look like a domestic breed called Orpington Duck Tivu.

www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/ducks/orpington/

Looks distinctly possible - although the poor quality of the pics doesn't properly reveal the colouring, sadly.

The head and tail are either very dark brown or black.

The chest and back are chiefly light brown (verging on orange) flecked through with white.

The bills are either platinum/silvery or an almost imperceptible shade of yellowy-green (I assume we saw one female and a few males).

They were swimming in close company with nailed-on Mallard.

 

[Archived-1]

I love the little LTT, we had a far view last year, my own fault this year I never fed fat balls, I know every bird has to feed,

I love all birds but starlings and magpies are the last on my list, I was plagued with starlings last year on the fat balls bulling other little birds

This year I went with loose feeding peanuts, you got it, magpies , I am new to feeding the birds as you can see above