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Oxon Bird Pics Autumn/Winter 2015/16
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Great Northern Diver, Farmoor
5
March 2016
Having spent some considerable time waiting in
vain for the Bittern to show from the excellent new Pinkhill Hide,
on my return I was pleased to find these two long staying birds on
F1 close in to the causeway.
They were calling and
interacting more than previously - and this photo didn't take
long. Remarkably, both birds were almost equidistant and are hence
both in focus - normally difficult for 2 birds at once.
Click to enlarge |
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Great Northern Diver, Farmoor
28
December 2015
With the prospect of some rare sun today, I
couldn't resist the temptation of returning to Farmoor for the
Great Northern Diver "flock" (now grown to at least 3 birds)!
The 2 juveniles were coming close in to the north east corner
of FII and this one more than filled the frame!
Click to
enlarge |
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Great Northern Diver, Farmoor
28
December 2015
As above, but slightly further away.
Click to enlarge |
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Great Northern Diver, Farmoor
28
December 2015
This is the adult which was generally keeping
further out. |
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Great Northern Diver, Farmoor
28
December 2015
This photo was taken shortly after sunrise
which has produced this unusual lighting on the water, with just
enough illumination on the bird to show its dark red eye. |
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Grey Phalaropes, Farmoor
5
December 2015
It is unprecedented to have two Grey
Phalaropes at once in Oxon, so I headed off to see them after the
GND photo session below. My aim was to try & get both birds in the
same photo, both sharp and well posed. A difficult objective in
the rough conditions and this was the best I came away with. |
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Grey Phalaropes, Farmoor
5
December 2015
One of the birds on its own in the rough
water. The angle is about right - I don't think the camera was
tilted that much! |
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Great Northern Diver, Farmoor
5
December 2015
With the gale today, I was hoping this bird
would seek the shelter of the southern/western shore of F2, but it
only did this a very limited extent - spending most of its time
well off the bank. Very dull conditions as well didn't help!
Click to enlarge |
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Great Northern Diver, Farmoor
5
December 2015
Another shot - slightly closer in, but even
poorer light!
Click to enlarge. |
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Grey Phalarope, Farmoor
28
November 2015
Amazingly this bird had stayed all week and
the forecast for early Saturday morning wasn't as dire as for the
rest of the weekend.
This was not an easy bird to photo
though. Out of 600+ shots, these three are the only ones worth
showing!
By the time of this photo, the early morning sun
had largely disappeared.
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Grey Phalarope, Farmoor
28
November 2015
Off the causeway, and very close!
Click to enlarge
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Grey Phalarope, Farmoor
28
November 2015
Early on there was some lovely low sun but I
only managed a few relatively distant shots. This is the sharpest
of the bunch. |
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Black necked Grebe, Baulking Fullers
Earth Pit
30 October 2015
I was pleased to find
these birds still present despite it being almost a week since
they had last been reported.
Unlike the Red-necked Grebe
(below) these birds were keeping considerably further away. Also
the light wasn't favourable. |
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Black necked Grebe, Baulking Fullers
Earth Pit
30 October 2015
From time to time they
were displaying in the warm early afternoon sunshine - maybe it
made them think of spring! |
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Black necked Grebe, Baulking Fullers
Earth Pit
30 October 2015
Both birds also briefly
performed a form of weed carrying/exchange display. |
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Red necked Grebe, Farmoor
3
October
2015
This is surely the same bird that has been gracing
Farmoor for the last two spring and autumns!
Here it was
again in its favourite place - along the west side of F2, but much
less showy than in its summer plumage.
Click to enlarge
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Red necked Grebe, Farmoor
3
October
2015
As well as actively fishing quite close in to the
bank, it was also taking flies off the water!
Click to
enlarge
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© All
pictures copyright Stephen Burch |
