Stockers Lake Rickmansworth - Coots

I am making almost weekly trips to Stockers Lake, Rickmansworth, whilst my wife is dropped off nearby to attend a training course

 

This week, in the lulls of other bird activity, and as Spring approaches, the territorial behaviour of the coots always gives me something to photograph.

London at Night

A rare visit nowadays to London in the evening gave an opportunity to take some night shots generally using longer exposure times with my rucksack acting as a tripod.

 

The British Library

 

Blackfriars Station on the South Bank, with Blackfriars bridge in the background.

A zoom photo of Blackfriars Bridge and the lights of the N Bank.



A busker in the subway of Blackfriars Bridge.



Stockers Lake Rickmansworth - A Grey Day's Sightings

A visit to an overcast Stockers Lake Rickmansworth with poor light did not stop me from taking a few photos. 

 

An emerging coot from a dive to collect weed.  I love the way the water bulges as the coot surfaces.

A wintering male Goldeneye, one of my favourite ducks at about a 50 yards.  I am waiting for one to get closer.



 

Part of a small flock of Lapwing.

 

A Brown Rat in the reeds at the water's edge.

 

A restful Grey Heron.

Bedfordshire Misty Dawn - Pt2

More of the recent cold and misty morning as I walked along the Grand Union Canal as the mist burnt away.

 





Bedfordshire Misty Dawn - Pt1

Up early (for me) to catch a forecast clear sunrise last Friday after a night of clear skies giving a light frost. I was lucky to catch the mist before it burnt off which gave the area a magic look.

Local Birds in Winter

A few photos taken of birds this week on a clear sunny day.

 

A domestic white fancy dove catching the early morning sun.

 

Later that morning, a male Stonechat sat adjacent to the fence-line on Pitstone Hill.  Apparently this species of heathland is partially migrant, with some over-wintering in the Britain.  This bird shows the duller winter plumage, but still quite good colours.

 

A few minutes later, this Robin popped up and allowed me to get quite close.  These country Robins are much shyer than the garden variety, presumably because they are not as used to people, and normally fly off when approached.

 

A Yellowhammer in Winter plumage (female I think).  There were quite a few about, but they were generally siting in the bushy trees, not allowing a clear shot.  This was the best of the shots.

 

Stockers Lake Rickmansworth - Bird Feeder Visitors

Sitting in a hide at Stockers Lake this week, I was watching a bird feeder that was visited mainly by at least four squirrels.

 

This was not a great advert for squirrel proof bird feeders, whilst..... 

 

....below a Brown Rat was picking up what was dropped by the squirrels.

In between the squirrel visits birds did manage some time on the feeder, including this male Greater Spotted Woodpecker...



 

...., seen earlier on the top of a dead tree, whilst.....

 

....Blue Tits and....

....Great Tits waited their turn.



 

Incidentally, when I left the squirrel was still feeding happily inside the feeder so I wonder if it found its way out!

Highgate Cemetery - Graves and Roots and a little Wildlife

A visit to the gothic East Highgate Cemetery on a glorious sunny day this week.

 

I have never been here before and was amazed at the sense of decay and abandonment, with the roots and trunk-like branches of ivy....

 

.....taking hold of certain graves....

 

.....making the gravestones lean....

....at interesting angles.



 

As nature takes over this cemetery, wildlife was happy to move in, including a Green Woodpecker...

 

....and a Jay.

Stockers Lake Rickmansworth - Great Crested Grebe and Kingfisher

A dull morning yesterday at Stockers Lake, but the Great Crested Grebes were lively.

 

This one running swiftly across the surface with the help of wings...

 

....whilst this pair were demonstrating part of their courtship dance (I have only seen this in the Spring before, but was reliably informed that last year eggs were hatched in the Winter)

 

A Great Crested Grebe having a salad with its fish breakfast....

 

....whilst this grebe popped up surprising me and a pair of  Shoveller ducks.

A Kingfisher sat obligingly close as well.



Ashridge - Fallow Deer Bucks and the October Rut

More photos from the end of October of the Fallow Deer Rut on the Ashridge Estate.

 

This very mature Fallow Deer Buck was surprised by some walkers on the path and came crashing into the wood near to where I was slowly working my way through the forest looking for deer.  I was fortunate enough that it stood for a moment in a fairly reasonably well lit place.

 

Later I heard the sharp cracks of bucks fighting with their antlers deep in the dark forest.  They were only just visible to the naked eye in the dark shadows, yet with a bit of work in Photoshop, I came up with this very grainy and discoloured photo.  Initially the camera needed quite a fast shutter speed to freeze the action, which led to almost black originals. 

 

A mature buck successfully mounting a doe for a few seconds....

 

.....whilst a young buck (possibly a one year old called a 'pricket' because of its short antlers - maybe this was in fact a two year old) practices mounting on a doe in a group on the edge of the rutting area.

 

An usual shot of a double headed fallow deer with a Buck and Does heads!