Black and White birds filmed in colour. Avocets at Titchfield Haven Nature reserve.
A lot of Avocets within the Haven today birds as far as one could see. They seem very calm I think the competition of the breeding season is over and the adult birds franticly protecting their chicks is now over. Peace has now returned.
Sanderlings on Meon Shore this morning looking for breakfast of crustaceans,worms or little fish.
Walk in a local nature reserve through a wet meadow this am.
Pickerel weed by one of the ponds which is liked by many insects including these Common Darter Dragonflies.
Gatekeeper Butterfly, similar to the Meadow Brown Butterfly but the small white spots help with identification. (Happy to be corrected)
A tatty Ringlet Butterfly.
Spider trap! Possibly a labyrinth spiders (Agelena labyrinthica), a species common in uncut grasslands here in southern England. Their complicated hidden passages and chambers within their tunnels give them their common name. They feed on grasshoppers and crickets. Catching such insects requires a sturdy trap. They are harmless to humans.
A morning at Meon Shore.
The Buoys are Back in town – after almost 2 years the familiar buoys which are used by Hill head sailing club as race marker buoys are back in the Solent – removed during lockdowns. I was excited to see them as they are like old friends which I used to monitor the tides and water level and at times swim out to them. All I could think of was the Thin Lizzy song the “Boys are back in town” of my youth Walking on the sands the song played in my head!
The buoy closest to the beach now has the name “Rainbow” on it – is this to acknowledge our NHS during the COVID pandemic or something else I do not know, but as people place rainbows in their window to support the NHS I guess this is likely.
On the beach.
Some bird shots on the shore nothing new but just nice to have my feet in the water on this windy but bright morning.
The Turnstone are in good condition and sporting their summer colours.
Starling foraging in the seaweed. Adult and juvenile.
Common Terns breed within the nature reserve when the tide is low they come onto the beach and feed in the sea. Returning to the small islands as the tide comes in. I counted over 150 birds on the beach this morning.
Black-backed gulls enjoying a fish breakfast (a large trout) on the beach.
Herring gull take off.
The Herring gull has a Wingspan of 130-150cm and a weight:690-1440g.
The Great black-backed gull has a wingspan of 150-165cm and a weight:1-2kg.
Another Hermit crab found at the low tide mark this one quite small.
The above picture shows the size of this small crab.
A mornings Dragonfly hunt. Attempts to record some in flight creatures!
Easier when they have landed.
A Mallard was relaxing in the shade on other days I have watched the ducks catching dragonflies for a tasty meal.
Ditch camera collected again this morning with another week a nice surprise capturing a first female Muntjac deer. (1st male recorded in May). A small deer about the size of a larger fox, they were introduced into the UK at Woburn Park in Bedfordshire at the start of the 20th century. They soon spread and are common in some areas of the South.
Roebuck. As we approach the Roe deer rut the bucks are looking their best!
Song Thrush fledgling.
A good way to cool off – get to the sea.
The Yellow horned-poppy is a coastal plant that grows on shingle beaches, cliffs and sand dunes first flowers spotted today at a corner of Meon Shore beach. This plant is named due to their long, curving seed pods that look like horns.
Continued Reflections from my world. 