Wilstone Reservoir Tring - Mute Swans - Hate and Love

Another walk at the end of October around Wilstone Reservoir.

From the jetty I could see about 2 dozen Mute swans, mainly in loose pairs. Generally, it was quiet, but occasionally a swan got too close to another swan and the bird undertaking the incursion was driven off by the cob. 

Having spotted an intruder this Mute Swan had built up quite a bit of speed before I got the camera on it.

Picking up more speed....

....the swan approached the intruder...

....and with a few pecks....

....hurried the intruder away.

Not all violence though!

I found this pairing interesting as the female has a dull red bill.  Not an expert at all, but I assume that this is a relatively young bird coming into maturity.  I would appreciate if anybody can confirm this.

Wilstone Reservoir Tring - Great White Egret and other Fish Feeders

One of the main reasons I had gone to Wilstone Reservoir was that a Great White Egret had been resident for a week and had been showing well in front of the hide.  This was a bird I had seen in August 2002 in the Camargue, the area of wetland formed by the Rhone Delta in Southern France as this great river entered the Mediterranean Sea.  However I had never seen it in the UK despite sightings becoming more and more often over the last few years probably as a consequence of global warming with the boundaries of their northern territories expanding North.  I suspect that in the next few decades they will become a regular and common sight, just as the Little Egret is now, having become commonplace since my first sighting with great excitement at Easter in 1992 on the Hayle Estuary Cornwall.

Whilst I was awaiting the Peregrine, the Egrets and Herons antics provided plenty of entertainment.

Relative sizes of Little Egrets, Great White Egret and Grey Heron.

Great White Heron goes for a short flight....

....Whilst Little Egrets keep together....

....and a Grey Heron lands nearby.

An adult Grey Heron drives off a juvenile...

...whilst two Little Egrets hunt in the infill stream to the reservoir...

...and another Little Egret flies in.

The Great White Egret in hunting mode...

 ...later successfully catching a fish and...

....and swallowing.

Great White and Little Egrets share a hunting area.

Whilst the weather was mainly dry with some sun, this squall gave a rainbow over the reservoir and in front of Ivinghoe Beacon in the background.

Great White Heron painted in cloud with cloud fish.  Hope you can see it!

Wilstone Reservoir Tring - Peregrine Falcon

A walk in early October at Wilstone Reservoir Tring with water levels low and many returning wintering ducks and waders.  There had been recent reports of a Peregrine Falcon hunting these birds, so I hoped to see one of my favourite birds and possibly get better photos than I had various locations over the years.  Things looked good as when I arrived I saw in the distance all the birds rise in a rush and a bird of prey flying on the edge of the cloud of birds.  An out of focus long distance shot showed a Peregrine with a small kill in its talons (so poor I haven't included the photo)

Making my way to the hide, I waited about an hour before the Peregrine made an appearance, first over the open water....

 ....before turning and making its way directly towards the hide....

....before passing directly in front, making a turn and flying back....

 ....with me frantically trying to keep my heavy telephoto lens on it.

This shot shows the blood on the leg feathers, presumably of the earlier kill.

It did not make another appearance despite waiting for another three and half hours, but I was already happy just seeing this beautiful and powerful flyer for only a minute or so.

Wilstone Reservoir Tring - Hobby with Dragonfly Wings

Sitting in the hide at Wilstone Reservoir this week, the birds on the spit (mainly Lapwings, and Teal) went up and looking around I saw the cause, a Hobby flying away from me.  Not great photos as the distance was at least 150 yards away, and more into the light, so bird mainly in shadow.

 

However, when I looked at the blown up photos, interestingly I realised I had captured photos of the Hobby pulling the wings off a Dragon Fly (There were plenty of Emperors that morning - I will post some photos of them, including mating, in the next week). Click on the photo to see the detail.

 

Dragon Fly wings intact....

 

....Pulling them off....

 ...Leaving a trail of gossamer wings.

 

I waited an hour with the hope of getting a closer shot, but the Hobby never returned.

Snow Bunting still at Tring Reservoir

The beautifully marked first winter male Snow Bunting is still at Startops Reservoir. Very accommodating in the afternoon sun.