June 2017 Great to see so many fledged juvenile birds on my local patch at Winchcombe in Gloucestershire.

I find it really heartening to see so many birds have fledged successfully on my local patch.  Sometimes when you go to a reserve you see so many of the young predated by gulls that you go away thinking that it is almost impossible that some chicks may survive at all.  Here are few images that I have taken over a short period of time.
All Juveniles:

Blue Tit

Dunnock

Great Tit

Robin

Common Whitethroat

It does make you feel so good.  Is it a good year with the warm dry weather or am I just imagining there are more around?

June 2017 Male and female Bullfinch

I had these two beautiful visitors today on my smallholding in Winchcombe Gloucestershire.  The male is absolutely stunning but I also love the subtle colouring of the female.  I also love the way they tend to always go around together sticking loyally to each other.

Male Bullfinch

Female Bullfinch

Both birds equally beautiful in their own way and definitely one of the most beautiful resident birds in the UK.

June 2017 Wader festival at Slimbridge WWT Gloucestershire

This is a great time of the year for Waders at Slimbridge.  There are returning species post breeding as well as many juveniles to be seen.

Redshank

Redshank

It is great to see that the Avocets that have recently colonised Slimbridge have many juveniles that are all different sizes and are doing well.

Driving off any intruders

Well grown chick

The Lapwings seem also doing well and avoiding predation, and its great to seem these juveniles wading around and feeding themselves.

Juvenile lapwing

Oyster Catcher

The Green Sandpipers also return from their breeding grounds to Slimbridge

Green Sandpiper

All in all it was a great visit to Slimbridge with all these Wader species being the highlights.

June 2017 Beautiful Male Bullfinch

To me these are one of the most strikingly beautiful resident birds in the UK.  This male perched on a reed for a few seconds to give me time for a few images.  I always appreciate seeing them when they get in close.

Male Bullfinch

They nearly always go around in pairs and seem to always love sticking together.  Lovely birds.

June 2017 Watching Little Egret fishing activity.

This Little Egret was trying a different fishing technique.  It would dash through the water quickly with its wings open and grab fish as they darted into view.  It would also shield the water with its wings. This was reminiscent of the Black Egret that I watched in Gambia which is really famous for this behaviour.

Little Egret interesting moves

Dash and grab

Quickly darting from side to side

This was a fascinated half hour and I have learned that sometimes catching interesting behaviour can add some interesting images to your collection, even if it is a bird you have photographed many times in portrait mode.

June 2017 Great to catch up with a local Hoopoe today.

I have only ever seen Hoopoe's before on my holidays in Spain or France.  So when I heard of one being seen locally I had to take the chance and go and see if I could find it.  They are such brilliant birds probing into the grass with their long thin bill.  There are also so fantastic when seen in flight.

Juggling an insect

They look like large moths in flight and are really eye catching.  This was so worth the short trip and if it sticks around may have to go back and another go.  I want to get some images with its crest up but I think it was too windy today.

June 2017 I managed to get reasonable shots of a Jay.

This is a bird that can be quite scatty and difficult to get near enough to get any decent images.  So I was really pleased when this one flew out into the open on to the grassy bank not too far away.  When you study them they are really quite beautiful with their pink colour and beautiful blue patches on their wings.  I also love their piercing blue eyes.

Jay in the open at last

June 2017 I have ever seen a Roe Deer doe with a fawn before, and now twice in two days!

This was a lucky spot as they were in deep grass on the edge of a barley field.  I saw the back of the mother first and kept still while looking through my lens, and this beautiful fawn appeared out of the vegetation.  It was great to share this intimate moment of motherly love from the doe.

Motherly love Roe Deer doe with fawn.

I just love these moments and they can set you up for the rest of the day.