September 2017 Some of the local birds at Langley Hill

I had a great morning watching the local birds at Langley Hill this morning.  The conditions weren't brilliant so I am quite happy to get a few images.  At least I didn't have to get caught in any traffic queues!

Blue Tit

Coal Tit

Long Tailed Tit

Yellow hammer

September 2017 Spotted Flycatcher before they leave our shores

This is the time of year when many of our breeding summer visitors to the UK leave us.  I always feel like I am going to miss them as they return to Africa for our winter.  Ah well hopefully we will soon start to see some of the winter thrushes visiting out shores Fieldfares and Redwings.  I will look forward to seeing Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers next year and hope they have a safe journey across the Sahara.

Spotted Flycatcher

Have a safe journey, and I will look out for you next year!

September 2017 A nice addition to my local patch a male redstart

I am getting quite a collection of species on my local patch and they are very special and are also very green as they require no travelling to see them.  This is a great addition at this time of year.  A male redstart along  the hedge where I have been watching a family of spotted flycatchers.  To me they behave quite similarly and wait on the foliage and dive on the ground to pick up insects.

Male Redstart

I am well pleased to welcome this addition to my patch.  What a beautiful bird.

August 2017 Snipe in close enjoying a juicy lunch.

Sometimes if you wait in a hide long enough you get lucky and what is normally a very shy bird comes in close and performs in front of you.  This snipe was amazing as it continued feeding within metres of the hide at Slimbridge WWT this morning.

Juicy Lunch

Keep your eye on the prize

It seemed quite oblivious to the camera shutter noise and just carried on feeding.

August 2017 Roe Deer doing well.

I went for an early morning "Game Drive".  The Roe deer seem to be doing well and I saw two doe's with well grown young and also a group of 3 older doe's.  They are really peaceful animals and seem to be getting quite used to my Landover and that I mean them no harm.

Roe Deer

I really liked this image as she looked around before disappearing through the hedge.  Always a thrill to see and capture an image.

August 2017 Great to see a family party of Spotted Flycathers today.

This is a bird that had gone missing from my local patch for a few years and I was beginning to feel like they were never going to return.  I had almost given up hope, and recall how common they were in my youth.  It is great to see a small family party of them today, and I have also read abut another group being reported locally.  Perhaps conditions have changed and they are now re-gaining numbers. I for one really hope so.

Spotted Flycatcher

 They are great to watch feeding.  They like to sit out on the upper and outer branches and often return to the same branch after the foray.

August 2017 Two Wheatear passing through my local patch at Winchcombe UK

I am always amazed how regular birds are in their habits.  I am sure we had Wheatear last year at about the same time of year.  Now I have images with the dates I think it will be really interested to keep a record of when they arrive.  I will not be surprised if its within a few days each year.  I will definitely check next year.

Wheatear

Wheatear

I am always pleased to see them when they arrive and stay for a few days as they pass through.