I had hoped to do a blog on a more regular basis during the second lockdown. I look after my sons dog on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and recently she has been in "season", so outings have been curtailed. On a Friday evening I watch a programme on Channel 5 about Scotland. Last weeks was about Mull, so I thought that I would do a blog about my trips to Mull. This taking some time to put together, so that is why I have not done a blog for over a week.
Today the weather was pleasant and I am now able to take the dog on local walks, so for a change I decided to take her to West Bank Park.
Not easy taking pictures and controlling such a large powerful dog!
I managed a few more without Cookie.
I saw one grey squirrel and one wood pigeon. I heard lots of small birds including goldcrest, but without binoculars I could not see them. When I first moved into the area some 20 plus years ago, tawny owls were in the park, but I have not seen or heard one for several years.
I thought that I might attempt to complete a blog post a day during the current lockdown.
Today I had a hospital appointment and then we went shopping to complete our list of gifts for our youngest granddaughters 8th birthday. We also bought a few more Xmas gifts, so I hope that we have now completed all our shopping for the forthcoming event.
On Wednesday I was down town and took a few pictures, including some of the flood.
After yesterdays announcement of a second lock down, I decided to go out today whilst I had the chance. Rather than waste time travelling I decided to stay local and go to North Duffield Carrs.
Although you cannot see many/any birds in the picture, there were lots of them. The birds were much closer to the hide than on my last visit. I managed to count 125 pink footed geese amongst the greylags and canada geese. However it was this young swan that I concentrated on to start with.
I was trying to see any colour on its bill, but it was either preening or feeding.
I was eventually able to see its bill and was satisfied that it was a juvenile whooper swan. The only whooper swan on the reserve. A family of mute swans were feeding and moving from area to area.
I then turned my attention to the wildfowl closest to me.
As well as swans there were pink feet and greylags.
mallards, wigeon and a few teal were also present. A redshank was feeding at the edge of the water.
On a further stretch of water there were lapwings, black headed, common and great black backed gulls, 8 ruff, 2 golden plover and 21 shelduck.
The geese were either feeding or resting, when suddenly they raised their heads, The pink feet started to call and flew away. They circled for a while before landing. This happened several times, giving me an opportunity to try to get some flight shots.
I am not sure what disturbed the birds but the gulls, lapwings and shelducks also took to the air.
As I have mentioned before there was a murmuration here last year and there were a large number of starlings flying around today.
I hope to go back one evening before lockdown to see if there is a murmuration.